Winners Of Sheikh Ali Bin Abdullah Al Thani Endowment Prize Announced

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs has announced the winners of the prestigious Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah Al Thani Endowed Research Prize at both the international and local levels, during a press conference held yesterday at the headquarters of the Ministry.

In the 15th edition of the international award, dedicated this year to the theme“Social Solidarity and its Role in Achieving Community Security”, the prize was awarded to Ismail bin Abdullah Al-Hajj, a researcher from Morocco. Meanwhile, the first edition of the local prize, which focused on“Family Cohesion and its Role in Raising Children”, was shared between two research teams. One winning study was authored by Dr. Omar Othman Al-Khatib, whose work emphasized applied aspects and rooted the subject in its Islamic legal dimension.

The second winning study was co-authored by Dr. Khalifa Ahmed Bu Hashim Al-Sayyid and Laila Fadl Hamad Sada, who concentrated on field research, surveys, and practical recommendations. The jury decided on joint winners, noting that the two studies complemented each other and offered equally significant scholarly contributions.

Speaking at the event, Sheikh Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Ghanem Al Thani, Director of the Department of Research and Islamic Studies, highlighted the high level of competition this year. A total of 57 researchers from 15 countries participated, representing Qatar, Oman, Yemen, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Sudan, Algeria, Morocco, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, and Indonesia.

“The committee praised the submitted works for their scientific rigor, methodological strength, and originality,” Dr. Al Thani said.“Some studies were recommended for publication within the Kitab Al-Ummah series after securing authors' consent, reflecting the broader value of the research beyond the prize itself.”

He emphasized that while the award officially recognizes only one winner at each level, all submissions enrich the Arab and Islamic library.“Even those not awarded will likely be published and circulated, ensuring their impact continues,” he added.

The Sheikh Ali Prize, first launched nearly three decades ago, is Qatar's first and largest endowed refereed award in Islamic culture, scholarship, and thought. With a value of QR200,000 for both the international and local categories, it is fully funded by the endowment of the late Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah Al Thani, in honour of his lifelong dedication to Islamic scholarship, cultural heritage, and the advancement of knowledge.

Over the years, the award has tackled diverse and pressing themes such as endowments and community development, environmental issues from an Islamic perspective, the challenges of education in the Muslim world, human rights in light of Sharia objectives, the role of heritage in shaping the future, the jurisprudence of divine laws, collective duties and sustainable development, and citizenship and belonging.

Looking ahead, Sheikh Dr. Ahmed Al Thani announced that the Department of Research has chosen“Artificial Intelligence and the Ethics of Technology in Islamic Thought: A Study of the Challenges of the Digital Revolution from an Islamic Perspective” as the theme for the 18th International Prize, and“Financial Education for Children in Accordance with the Islamic Approach and Its Impact on the Family Economy – The Role of Islam in Building a Sound Financial Culture” as the theme for the 4th Local Prize, noting that the deadline for submissions for both awards is January 1, 2028.

The Director of the Department of Research and Islamic Studies also drew attention to the fact that January 1, 2026 will be the deadline for submissions for the 16th International Prize, on the theme“Jurisprudence of Social Relations in Light of Quranic Stories,” and the 2nd Local Prize, on the theme“Social Media and Its Impact on the Cultural Identity of Qatari Society.” He added that January 1, 2027 will be the deadline for submissions for the 17th International Prize, on the theme“The Islamic Ummah in the Post-Globalization Era – A Foresight Study,” and the 3rd Local Prize, on the theme“The Friday Sermon and Its Role in Reform: The Qatari Society as a Model.”

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