JEDDAH, 12 October 2006 — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has been declared this year’s winner of the Prince Naif International Prize for Sunnah and Islamic Studies. The higher commission for the prize which includes a number of Islamic scholars was unanimous in its selection of the king.
King Abdullah was picked for the prize in appreciation of his efforts in the service of Islam and Muslims, especially the initiative he took to convene the emergency Islamic summit in Makkah last December, an official statement said.
“We have also taken into consideration the position of King Abdullah as the leader of an Islamic country that uses the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah as the basis of its governance and life,” the prize committee said in a statement.
It said Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of King Abdullah, has been extending its continuous support to projects aimed at serving the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and teaching subjects related to it in all levels of education.
“The Kingdom also establishes colleges and departments for Sunnah and related subjects, encourages national and international contests on Sunnah and the life of the Prophet and honors outstanding scholars who specialize in Sunnah and Islamic studies,” the statement said.
Interior Minister Prince Naif, who instituted the prize in 2002 to encourage scientific research in Sunnah and Islamic studies, expressed his delight at the selection of King Abdullah for the prestigious award. “The annual prize is given to outstanding Islamic personalities, scholars and researchers as well as to organizations and scientific centers that have made substantial contributions to the promotion of Sunnah,” the prince said.
Prince Naif commended the king’s efforts in the service of Islam and Muslims. “King Abdullah has won the love and appreciation of the Islamic world as a result of these efforts,” he pointed out.
Naif also thanked the king for his continuous support to the prize going back to the time when it was only an idea. The prince also underlined the progress and popularity achieved by the prize within a short span. Each prize consists of a cash award of SR500,000, a certificate of appreciation and a medal.
Last year, Crown Prince Sultan distributed the prize to five winners. They were: Fatima Saleh Al-Jared (Saudi), Dr. Hikmat Basheer Yaseen (Iraqi), Dr. Rukaya Taha Al-Jabir Al-Alawani (Bahraini), Dr. Rawiya Ahmad Al-Dhahhar (Saudi) and Sheikh Adnan ibn Muhammad Al-Arour (Syrian).
The prize committee consists of 14 members including representatives from the Muslim World League, Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance, Al-Azhar Mosque, University of Islamabad, Umm Al-Qura University and Imam Muhammad ibn Saud University.
