MADINAH, 15 March 2008 — Saudi Arabia has contributed $1 billion to support poor countries of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Interior Minister Prince Naif said while presiding over a prize distributing ceremony here Thursday night. Prince Naif emphasized the Kingdom’s strong commitment to Shariah.
“Our government has set a condition that no rules and regulations in the country should contradict Islam or the Qur’an and Sunnah,” he told the gathering.
He said Saudi Arabia has been in the forefront of countries that support societies afflicted with natural calamities. “Saudi Arabia will always be in the forefront in doing good deeds for the benefit of Islam and Muslims,” he added.
Prince Naif also praised the efforts of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah in the service of Islam and Muslims. He also applauded the king’s winning of the King Faisal International Prize for Service to Islam.
The interior minister said the prize for the memorization of Hadith was introduced to promote the life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). “King Abdul Aziz established the Kingdom on the basis of the Qur’an and Sunnah.”
As many as 30 winners, including girls, received prizes during the ceremony, which was attend by Shoura Council Chairman Dr. Saleh Bin-Humaid and Education Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Obaid. Their guardians received the prizes on behalf of the girls.
Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh commended Prince Naif’s efforts to promote the Hadith, which is the second-most important source of information about Islam after the Qur’an.
Bin-Humaid also noted the efforts of Saudi rulers in the service of Islam and the encouragement they give to memorizers of the Qur’an and Sunnah as well as Islamic researchers.
The prize for Hadith memorization is a branch of Prince Naif International Prize for Sunnah and Islamic Studies.
Al-Obaid said he was proud of the participation of many school students in the competition. Dr. Saaed Al-Harithy, secretary-general of the prize, said the prize was instituted to encourage young men and women to learn the teachings of the Prophet and apply them in their daily lives.
The Naif Bin Abdul Aziz International Prize for Sunnah and Contemporary Islamic Studies was instituted in 2002 to encourage scientific research in the Sunnah of the Prophet and Islamic studies and promote a spirit of competition among Muslim researchers around the world.
The commission for the prize is chaired by Prince Naif and its members include Prince Saud ibn Naif, Prince Mohamed ibn Naif, Prince Nawaf ibn Naif, the minister of Islamic affairs, secretary general of the Muslim World League, the head of Al-Azhar, Sheikh Yousuf Al-Qaradawi, and the rectors of the Islamic University of Islamabad, Imam Mohamed ibn Saud Islamic University in Riyadh and Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah.
