After 3 months of searching and polling, and more than thousands of votes casted in two consecutive surveys, we have pinned down for you the top sexiest and most beautiful Arab women alive in 2009. Some are hot and sexy, others lean more towards elegance and sophistication, but all are absolutely gorgeous, making even Aphrodite blue with envy! We asked the voters to rate them on their sex appeal and beauty, but also for their elegance, poise, charm, intelligence, humour, charisma, and of course ambition!

We were the first to do it in 1998 and we still are the best at it. Back when the internet was still considered an inaccessible technology to most, one of the earliest pioneer web portals in the Middle East, fanoos, launched the first online poll of its kind that would get the most unexpected and exciting buzz in the written press. It was mentioned in most magazines and newspapers including Al Safir Newspaper. Now eleven years later, with still no one carrying a decent yearly survey for Arab beauties, we thought it was time to renew our efforts and bring to you the top Sexiest and Most Desirable Arab Women for 2009, as well as the Top 100 Sexiest and Most Desirable Arab Women 2010.

Here is the list we ended up with, thanks to the participation of the online cyber community:

SOFIA MARIKH

As mysterious as the desert dunes and as enchanting as the souks of Marrakesh, our Most Desirable Arab Woman for 2009 is the best that Morocco has to offer. Sofia El Marikh is blessed with a refined thin body and beautiful facial traits. Don’t be fooled by her sweet features and soft voice, though. Sophia has gone a long way from the shy girl of Casablanca we once knew from Star Academy Lebanon 1. Today she is a full grown, sexy, provocative woman that is not afraid to go after what she wants. This dominatrix knows how to toy around with the sado-masochistic desires of her man with full ease, and takes great pleasure doing so! Sofia has not achieved much yet compared to the other women on our list, but that’s just because she has just started off her official music career.

Assets: Exotic complexion and great facial bone structure.

Best Appearance: In ba7eb feek video. Long straight hair, short dress, and sexy high heels, and of course the hot BDSM role play…

NANCY AGRAM

This young talented Lebanese girl understood early on, not without difficult first hand experience, the importance of a strong image. This impression was consolidated when she was sat down and further briefed by her ingenious manager Gigi Lamara. Nancy Ajram then teamed up with the exceptional director Nadine Labaki to bring us a new generation of videos that would literally crash our TV screens. We are not sure who launched the career of whom. This is like the story of the chicken and the egg. But one thing is for sure, before they parted, together they simply created magic. A sassy cafe waitress in Egypt, a go-go dancer in a French Cabaret, a hairdresser in Beirut, Nancy has done it all. At one point you could find Nancy Gallabiyas being sold in Cairo’s souks! Advertisers immediately saw the potential in that and product placement became a regular thing in her following videos. Coca Cola also cashed in on that, and brought in Nancy for a few commercials. Incidentally, Nancy currently has a new song called “Eftah Albak Tefrah”, heavily influenced by Coca Cola’s music, which is often featured in its international commercials. Nancy is also the Image de Marque for Damas Jewellery in the Arab world. We don’t think her bank account is complaining, neither are her fans. Sometimes, her image lingers more around a girl next door look, which is acceptable. But lately she has overdone it with her incessant portrayal of a child-like girl in her early teens, with a deplorable innocence. We really hope this will end soon. We want our old sexy Nancy back!

Assets: Blue eyes that would make any man melt. Don’t forget her famous “Eyh” followed by the giggle!

Best Appearance: In Coca cola commercial featuring Oul Tany Keda, in which she looks absolutely radiant.

ELISSA

Far behind her are the days when she would cover her naked body in a simple white drape, and undulate on stolen tunes. Elissa has surpassed our expectations and her own as well. At her beginnings, she would often answer to criticism that she was just having fun, and asked the tabloids to bear with her since her career will not last long anyway. Not only is she still in the music business today, but her matured voice has been well trained to deliver the most romantic of ballads. She also wins awards! Elisa is all-woman, a modern day fertility goddess with a sensual voluptuous bust line sopping with feminine juices, a typical Mediterranean beauty. Always elegant and well dressed, Elisa was the first Arab figure chosen to represent Christian Dior.

Assets: Rich bust and well proportioned fleshy body.

Best Appearance: In Ayshalak video. Sexy Corset, smoky eyes with black Dior eye liner… Probably her best song also.

YARA

If Romance and sophistication is what you are after, then Yara singer is your girl. Her softness and grace beautifully complement her sensual voice to complete the image of an angelic creature. Apparently, this is what a ketchup factory worker would look like in heaven! With Yara, elegance suddenly has a new meaning and reaches the highest possible levels. Sometimes, seduction and sensuality can be inferred through the simple gesture of a hand brushing against the hair and a soft passionate stare, which are equally efficient if not more than raw aggressive evocations. Who in their right mind would leave such a charming woman waiting on the port dock, we ask?! Her manager Tarek Abou Jaoudeh is definitely onto a winner here.

Assets: Pretty black eyes, perfect Hollywood smile and of course her sensual voice.

Best Appearance: In Enta Menni video. Yara is left by herself erring endlessly on the dock in a Red soirée dress, which partially covers her snow-white milky skin…The wind blowing into her negligee long dark hair… The electronic music in the Remix version blended with Yara’s enticing voice is simply intoxicating.

NAWAL EL ZOGHBY

Attention: Nawal is back!

Precious things do come in small packages. Always reinventing herself, this jewel refuses to age. After all this time she is still one of the most desired Arab women alive. Nawal El Zoghby was the muse that inspired the first wave of music videos in the Arab World. She is sexy in a subtle understated way, always at ample distance from cheap vulgarity and provocation. Less is more. No exaggerated nudity here, just enough flesh to tantalize us. Sexy with class, this is how our editor calls it. Three kids and a divorce later, Nawal still looks as fresh as ever, with a remarkably preserved figure. Nawal Al Zoghby was the first female Arab artist to be featured in a Pepsi commercial. Always radiant in Elie Saab dresses, she paved the way to other red carpet stars. Up till this day, organizers still rush to book her first for their music festivals and concerts. She was also known for her experimental music and ultra-modern sounds. Perhaps no longer a trendsetter, still Nawal is definitely a Diva not to mess with! As if all that is not enough, she is blessed with the most loyal and active fans she could ever wish for.

Assets: Overall package. Photogenic or more exactly Videogenic.

Best Appearance: In Leh Meshtakalak video. Short retro black dress, beautiful smoky eyes, glossy lips, loose wavy hair…simply breathtaking.

HAIFA

A woman that makes an Islamist-dominated parliament In Bahrain go bezerk definitely has to be on our list, right? Hayfa Wehbeh launched the trend of beautiful models turning into singers. She has been called the Marilyn Monroe of the Arab world or Femme Fatale de l’Orient, and the Tabloids simply adore her! Haifa broke all conventions and norms in traditional Arabic music videos and proudly displays her sexy body on TV without inhibitions. But being too sexy can sometimes backfire and even open minded and modern viewers deem her exhibits a bit too aggressive and crude. Some sublimation would not have hurt her work. A bit too plastic for the taste of some, still her beauty cannot easily be overlooked. Some could argue she is not the prettiest, but everyone would agree if there was a Third World War, many military boys would most certainly have Haifa’s pin-up pics to keep them going. Haifa’s got much more than just looks though, she’s got attitude. That’s what sets her apart from other imitators. It’s ALL in the attitude! After her disappointing debut acting role in a low budget Egyptian movie, for her next attempt we would accept nothing less from her than a James Bond girl or one of Dracula’s pretty wives in a big Hollywood production.

Assets: Incredible eyes, voluptuous award winning tush. The attitude of course!

Best Appearance: First 20 seconds of her video Mosh Adra Stana. If you haven’t seen the close up of her body brushing against the camera as she gets out of the pool in this video, then you haven’t seen anything yet. Yehya Saade’s masterpiece!

MELISSA

Melissa is meant to be the improved version of Jean Saliba’s earlier creation Elissa. Thus, the resemblance in the name, the body type, and of course the sighing voice. She has a sexy rippled feminine body and very attractive features topped with almond shaped eyes and perfect luscious lips. She is packaged to please the visual fantasies of every man’s throbbing desires and hectic testosterone rages. This sexy singer is simply stunning, from head to toe. Even the American R&B singer Akon couldn’t resist her charm! Some Televisions just couldn’t handle the heat and resorted to blurring her thighs in her music videos! Yep, a sudden concern with public decency from channels that broadcasted and continue to broadcast more suggestive videos.

Assets: Beautifyl cat eyes and Perfect luscious lips (and best part they are all natural!), and the infamous legs /thighs of course.

Best Appearance: In her music video Mfakar 7alak Meen. Sexy micro shorts, sizzling shiny top,wet hair, bare feet splattering the water on the drenched floors…Sexy enough for you?

ROLA SAAD

Rola Saad is a Victoria’s Secret model, who has swapped her white angel wings for a red cape and a large fork. Picture the sexy Elizabeth Hurley in Bedazzled! For such a pretty face, Rola surely surprises with her bad girl behaviour. Some find her dark energy and cunningness very appealing though. She is ready to do whatever is required to accomplish the stardom she so eagerly yearns for, even if that means undermining her female competitors. When that fails, she seeks sympathy by divulging her private life and painful upbringing in an orphanage. She seeks more attention by joining the legendary singer Sabah in a duet. When that still doesn’t do it for her, she regains her place in the spot light by featuring Turkish TV star Kivanc Tatlitug in one of her music videos. Madonna and Angelina Jolie also inspired her to adopt an African child in one of her other videos. Local orphans are evidently just not exotic enough for the camera.

Assets: Beautiful green eyes, great body, and dark ambition.

Best Appearance: In her first video, which is no where to be found!!! Before all this fame got in the way and ruined it for us, her behaviour was much more natural and less pretentious. Her baby-like attitude is sometimes very annoying also. She is still a very beautiful woman, nonetheless.

NICOLE SABA

Back when the Pussycat Dolls were still harmless little kittens, our own Lebanese cat was already doing wonders. Fitting the strict Criteria for becoming a 4 Cats member automatically meant Nicole Saba had to be pretty, sexy and modern. Nicole is all that and more! After going solo, her music career skyrocketed. Thanks to her blond platinum hair (she went darker now)and western looks, she was granted her first acting role as a Danish girl (Anita) next to mega famous Egyptian actor Adel Imam in “El Tagroba Al Denemarkeya”. Nicole has been very active in Egypt ever since, and seems to have become the favoured non-Egyptian actress to be warmly adopted by the country’s Film Industry. For some reason (the reason being art director Yehya Saadeh of course!), Nicole always seems to be messed up by car accidents or rough fights, which often leave her disfigured in her videos! For a few good laughs, check her out in one of her earlier works Ya Shagelni beek Video, where we witness “executive love” in the making!

Assets: Fit feminine body, blue-green eyes and very sexy freckles on her skin (shoulders and chest area). Looks equally good as blond or brunette.

Best Appearance: In Ana Tabee Keda video, if you can look beyond the bruises, you will find a pretty plastic doll. The darker hair beautifully brings out her light coloured eyes and white skin. But for the frail of heart, we recommend her more sophisticated and elegant blond look in Brahty video.

MYRIAM FARES

Yet another one of Saliba’s creations, up next we’ve got Miriam Fares. With her beauté sauvage, big hair and great body, Myriam Fares is like a crossover between a futuristic Barbarella and a lethal warrior princess. It’s like a grand fusion of different cultures. We like that weird sci-fi creepiness about her. The outrageous costumes that appear in some of her videos are quite intriguing, but always very sexy. She even pulls off wearing a baggy sirwal! Although she has stolen a few of Shakira’s moves, and a few of Janet’s outfits, she is definitely a good dancer and overall manages well enough to deliver an interesting sexy image.

Assets: Perfect flat and firm stomach.The big hair of course: Some might find it ugly, out of control and all over the place, but this is what gives her all her charm and originality.

Best Appearance: In her video Moukanoh Wein. Showing off her henna tattoo covered body in all its glory and shaking it on Arabic tribal sounds and percussions.

AMAR

Put Haifa’s hotness, Nancy’s playfulness, and Elissa’s elegance into a shaker for a few minutes, and you end up with a fascinating creature called Amar, also dubbed THE CLONE or Haifa’s younger look-alike. Her enchanting splendour and beautiful sugary traits are unmatchable. She is the closest thing to a bodily reincarnation of the goddess Venus. One would not get tired from gazing at her beautiful face and extremely feminine body even after long hours. In her first two videos she consecutively copied and most probably outdone Haifa and Nancy at their own game. Surprisingly, there was never any Ammar Galabiya’s in the souks of Cairo!!? She is making herself very scarce lately though, rarely appearing in interviews or videos. Could her musical career have just been a passing caprice?

Assets: Generous bust, tight waist, divine youthful face.

Best Appearance: In Aal Ya’ny Video, portraying an Egyptian woman in a sha’by or Saidi traditional oriental outfit, but sexed up to the extreme.

MAY HARIRI

Inspired by Haifa’s successful crossover and unanticipated success, this equally beautiful woman hurried up to get onto the train of pretty girls with limited vocal skills turning into pop singers. May Hariri wasn’t as shunned though, thanks to the support of her ex-husband Melhem Barakat, a well respected figure on the Arabic music scene. Her sexy image was fully exploited early on. What better beast to accompany this feline, untamed and sexy woman on her first music video other than a wild leopard!?! May has a remarkable sensuality to her, with a certain Latin pep. They should build a shrine in her honour on a beach somewhere in Rio! Looking at her most certainly gives ample, unrestrained pleasure to the senses.

Assets: Pretty face, and a great feminine body.

Best Appearance: Although she looks good in most of her videos, one that rather seems to stand out is Taa Nor’oss. She appears in beachwear dancing to summer rhythms, then in a tight strapless silver dress, wearing a sassy short black wig that accentuates her lovely cheekbones. If that’s not enough, then how about a gold plated version of the diva for the following scene?

A special tribute goes to Susan Tamim, the most beautiful Arab woman to have walked on this earth. God rest her soul.

We really miss you Susan and you shall never be forgotten!

We would like to wish all the winners the best of luck in all their future endeavours
See you next year!