RIYADH, 26 November — Sheikh Sultan ibn Muhammad Al-Qasimi, ruler of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, has won the prestigious King Faisal Prize for Service to Islam this year.
It was announced by Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, after presiding over a meeting to select the winner.
"Sheikh Sultan was selected for the prize in appreciation of his great efforts in the service of Islam within and outside the UAE," the prince told reporters.
The meeting was attended by Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, governor of the Asir region and director general of King Faisal Charitable Foundation, Muhammad ibn Jubair, president of the Shoura Council, Dr. Abdullah Al-Turki, secretary-general of the Muslim World League, Dr. Abdelouhed Belkeziz, secretary-general of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, and Dr. Muhammad Habeeb Al-Khoja, secretary-general of the Islamic Fiqh Academy.
Prince Sultan commended the international reputation achieved by the prize. Some Faisal prize winners have later received the Nobel Prize.
King Faisal Prize for Service to Islam is the most prestigious of the annual awards. Last year, Riyadh Governor Prince Salman, who is chairman of the Supreme Commission for Collecting Donations, received the prize.
Dr. Abdullah Al-Othaimeen, secretary-general of the prize, said the winners in the remaining categories will be announced by Prince Khaled Al-Faisal tomorrow. Various prize panels will hold three days of continuous meetings to pick the winners.
The total prize is worth SR3.75 million ($1 million), where each winner will receive $200,000 in cash in addition to a gold medal and a certificate summarizing the winner’s work.
The 25-year-old prize is granted annually to scholars and scientists who make significant contributions toward the spread of Islam and welfare of Muslims, Arabic literature, medicine and science.
The King Faisal Foundation was established by the late King Faisal’s sons to commemorate their father’s efforts in the service of Muslims, and for reviving Islamic heritage and promoting the development of humanity.
Besides awarding the King Faisal Prize, the foundation carries out humanitarian activities including charity work, investment projects, scholarships and health projects in more than 29 countries across the world.
To ensure the continuous flow of funds for the foundation’s various activities and projects, KFF recently established the 30-story Al-Faisaliya Tower at a cost of SR1.2 billion in the heart of Riyadh.
The project includes a commercial center, a five-star hotel with 224 rooms, residential apartments, a health club and a large conference hall. The 267-meter tall tower was opened last year.
Al-Othaimeen said the winners are selected after a long process. "The research is sent to specialized juries who study it for three-to-four months before giving their judgment," he said.
Institutions and organizations around the world nominate candidates for the prizes. Service to Islam nominees are reviewed only in the final Selection Committee meeting.
Nominations for each of the other four prizes go through a review process that lasts several months. Winners are chosen at the King Faisal International Prize headquarters in Riyadh.
These rigorous procedures have earned the King Faisal International Prize the esteem of scientific and academic communities. The 2001 winners bring the total to 134 laureates from 35 countries.
