| Network: | MBC 1 |
The first season of Arab Idol was launched on MBC 1 on 9 December 2011. MBC decided to launch a more stylish version of Pop Idol after the 5 seasons of Super Star, the previous Arabic license of the show. The season was presented by Lebanese model Annabella Hilal and Kuwaiti actor Abdallah Tulehi. The judging panel consisted of Lebanese singer Ragheb Alama, Emirati diva Ahlam and Egyptian music producer, record producer and musician Hassan El Shafei. On finale night, 24 March 2012, Carmen Suleiman from Egypt was crowned the winner of the first season of Arab Idol in a tough competition against Dounia Batma from Morocco. The high ranking of this first season encouraged MBC to launch a second season in 2013.
In July 2011, the following audition cities were revealed on the official MBC 1 website, and in August the dates were revealed.
On 13 January 2012, the hand-picked Top 20 was revealed. Representing 9 Arab countries are:
From Egypt: Carmen Suleiman (17), Yahya Yacoub (27), Rasha Sharnoubi (22), Shaza Youssef (17), Karim Mohammad (24)
From Tunisia: Hassan Kharbech (23), Ghofran Fatouhi (19), Shirine Ljmi (16), Amin Bourguiba (17)
From Morocco: Dounia Batma (20), Imane Karkibou (23), Habiba Bouziri (23)
From Jordan: Youssef Arafat (18), Ghazal Shashaah (23)
From Saudi Arabia: Mohamed Taher (23), Marwan Fagui (24)
From Iraq: Mohammad Oulwan (20)
From Oman: Mahmoud Noufli (21)
From Palestine: Ahmad Abbasi (25)
From Syria: Nadia Manfoukh (28)
| Top 10 Females | Top 10 Males | |||
| Carmen Suleiman | Ahmed Abassi | Wala Marra – Melhem Barakat | ||
| Dounia Batma | Amine Bourguiba | Elly Nissak – Abdallah Al Rowaished | ||
| Ghazal Shashaah | Hassan Kharbech | Ya Rait – Ragheb Alama | ||
| Ghofran Fatouhi | Karim Mohammad | Ya Bahr Al Nile – Diab | ||
| Habiba Bouziri | Mahmoud Noufli | Mata Mata – Hussain Al Jasmi | ||
| Imane Karkibou | Marwan Fagui | Zaman Al Samt – Talal Maddah | ||
| Nadia Manfoukh | Mohamed Oulwan | Taala Min Beit Abuha – Nazem Al Ghazali | ||
| Rasha Sharnoubi | Mohamed Taher | Metghayer Alai – Abdel Majeed Abdallah | ||
| Shaza Youssef | Yahya Yacoub | Wallah – Ziad Bourji | ||
| Shirine Ljmi | Youssef Arafat | Aala Babi Waaef Amarain – Melhem Barakat | ||
| Contestants | 28 Jan | 4 Feb | 11 Feb | 18 Feb | 25 Feb | 3 Mar | 10 Mar | 17 Mar | 24 Mar | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carmen Suleiman | Btm 2 | Btm 2 | Winner | |||||||
| 2 | Dounia Batma | Runner-up | |||||||||
| 3 | Youssef Arafat | Btm 3 | Elim | ||||||||
| 4 | Nadia Manfoukh | Btm 3 | Btm 2 | Btm 3 | Elim | ||||||
| 5 | Mohammed Taher | Btm 2 | Elim | ||||||||
| 6 | Hassan Kharbech | Btm 3 | Elim | ||||||||
| 7 | Ghofran Fatouhi | Btm 3 | Btm 2 | Elim | |||||||
| 8 | Mohammed Oulwan | Btm 3 | Elim | ||||||||
| 9 | Sherine Lejmi | Btm 2 | Elim | ||||||||
| 10 | Yahya Yacoub | Elim | |||||||||
Week 1 (27 January 2012)
Guest/Mentor: Saber Rebaï
| Hassan Kharbech | Bataabni Aala Kelma – George Wassouf | |
| Yahya Yacoub | Allah A'ala El Dounya – Saber Rebaï | |
| Mohammad Oulwan | Bahlam Beek – Abdelhalim Hafez | |
| Ghofran Fatouhi | E'z El Habayeb – Saber Rebaï | |
| Dounia Batma | Youm Aleik – Thekra | |
| Shirine Ljmi | Barsha – Saber Rebaï | |
| Youssef Arafat | La Tashkki Feyeh – Melhem Zein | |
| Mohamed Taher | Sidi Mansour – Saber Rebaï | |
| Nadia Manfoukh | 3al Tayer – Saber Rebaï | |
| Carmen Suleiman | Ana Fintizarak – Umm Kulthum |
Week 2 (3 February 2012)
Guest/Mentor: Sherine
| Mohammad Oulwan | Ha Habibi – Kadim Al Sahir | |
| Nadia Manfoukh | Debna A Ghyabak – George Wassouf | |
| Shirine Ljmi | Aala Bali – Sherine | |
| Mohamed Taher | Tihagag Mounaya – Rashed Al-Majed | |
| Carmen Suleiman | Ibaad (Leila Leila) – Mohammed Abdu | |
| Hassan Kharbech | El Nas El Rayaa – Rami Ayach | |
| Ghofran Fatouhi | Aala Bali – Adam | |
| Dounia Batma | Daret El Ayam – Umm Kulthum | |
| Youssef Arafat | Andak Bahriya – Wadih El Safi |
Week 3 (10 February 2012)
Guest/Mentor: Assi El Helani
| Carmen Suleiman | Zay El Assal – Sabah (singer) | |
| Youssef Arafat | Donya El Walah – Abdallah Al Rowaished | |
| Nadia Manfoukh | Ya Msafer Wahdak – Mohammed Abdel Wahab | |
| Mohamed Taher | Awel Marra – Abdel Halim Hafez | |
| Dounia Batma | Lashhad Hobak – Najwa Karam | |
| Mohammad Oulwan | Reddou Habibi – Melhem Zein | |
| Hassan Kharbech | Leila – Abdel Rab Idris | |
| Ghofran Fatouhi | El Ayoun El Soud – Warda Al-Jazairia |
Week 4 (17 February 2012)
Guest/Mentor: Majid Al Muhandis
| Hassan Kharbech | Aa Hadeer Elbosta – Fairouz | |
| Dounia Batma | Habina wa Thabina – Mayada Al Henawy | |
| Nadia Manfoukh | Abeek – Abdallah Al Rowaished | |
| Carmen Suleiman | Mathasibneesh – Sherine | |
| Ghofran Fatouhi | Lamma Rah Alsabr Minno – Sherifa Fadel | |
| Mohamed Taher | Moo Aala Kefak – Majid Al Muhandis | |
| Youssef Arafat | Misheet Khalas – Wael Jassar |
Week 5 (24 February 2012)
Guest/Mentor: Nawal Al Zoghbi
| Youssef Arafat | Khatarna Aala Balak – Tony Hanna | |
| Hassan Kharbech & Carmen Suleiman | Ya Rab – Marwan Khoury & Carole Samaha | |
| Mohamed Taher | Sammi – Mohammed Abdu | |
| Youssef Arafat & Nadia Manfoukh | Mas Wa Louli – Cheb Khaled & Diana Haddad | |
| Hassan Kharbech | Law Aala Albi – Fadl Shaker | |
| Carmen Suleiman | Seedi Wesalak – Angham | |
| Mohamed Taher & Dounia Batma | Khayna – Rashed Al-Majed & Asma Lamnawar | |
| Nadia Manfoukh | Medley – Samira Tawfiq | |
| Dounia Batma | Akthar Min Awal – Ahlam |
Week 6 (2 March 2012)
Guest/Mentor: Elissa (singer)
| Mohamed Taher | Sahran Maak Elleila – Ahmed El-Sharif | Wainak Habibi – Rashed Al-Majed | |
| Carmen Suleiman | La Tebki Ya Worood El Dar – Najwa Karam | ||
| Nadia Manfoukh | Lazraalak Bostan Worood – Fouad Ghazi | ||
| Youssef Arafat | Reda Wallah Wa Radeinak – Talal Salama | ||
| Dounia Batma | Aal Bal – Samira Said |
Week 7 (9 March 2012)
Guest/Mentor: Kadim Al Sahir
| Dounia Batma | Akthar – Asala Nasri | ||
| Youssef Arafat | Omry Killo – Wael Kfoury | ||
| Carmen Suleiman | Ya Mounyati – Abdelmohsen Almohanna | Adwaa El Shohra – Carole Samaha | |
| Nadia Manfoukh | Wahashtini – Souad Mohammad |
Week 8 (16 March 2012)
Guest/Mentor: Nancy Ajram
| Youssef Arafat | Lalhin Ahebha – Nabil Shoail | Alli Gara – Oulaya | ||
| Carmen Suleiman | Alhin Ahebak – Thekra | |||
| Dounia Batma | Wagif Aala Babikom – Naima Samih | Tashakurat – Fulla |
Week 9 (23 March 2012)
Guest/Mentor: Najwa Karam / Latifa (singer)
| Carmen Suleiman | El Rasayel – Mohamed Abdu | |||
| Dounia Batma | Hob Eh – Umm Kulthum |