The Landmark 48th Session of the Prize Comes as the King Faisal Foundation Marks 50 Years of Impact
Riyadh, April 15, 2026
Held under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and attended by HRH Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of the Riyadh Region, HRH Prince Turki Alfaisal, Acting Chairman of the Board of Trustees of King Faisal Foundation, and King Faisal Prize Secretary General Dr. Abdulaziz Alsebail took the stage on the evening of April 15 to honor the laureates of the King Faisal Prize’s 48th session — a celebration of minds whose work echoed far beyond the walls of their laboratories and lecture halls. The ceremony this year is coinciding with a landmark milestone: the 50th anniversary of the King Faisal Foundation, established in 1976 and launching its Prize in 1979.
Service to Islam Prize: Where Entrepreneurship, Philanthropy, and Scholarship Converge
The Service to Islam Prize was jointly awarded to Sheikh Abdullatif bin Ahmed Alfozan and Professor Mohamed Mohamed Aboumousa.
Sheikh Abdullatif Alfozan, one of Saudi Arabia’s most prominent figures in business and social development, was recognized for his pioneering contributions to institutional philanthropy. His journey began with the founding of Abdullatif and Mohammed Alfozan Company with his brother, which later expanded into more than 40 companies across various sectors.
He also launched and supported numerous impactful initiatives serving Muslim communities, including the establishment of Islamic centers, mosques, and educational projects, as well as programs aimed at strengthening the nonprofit sector. Among his notable contributions are the “Ajwad Endowment” and Alfozan Community Service Program, which has benefited over one million people.
His work extended to education, healthcare, and urban development through initiatives such as Al Fozan Academy, Afaq Autism Center, and the Abdullatif Alfozan Global Award for Mosque Architecture, in addition to housing and environmental projects. His humanitarian efforts also reached beyond Saudi Arabia through mosque construction, well-digging, education support, and relief initiatives. Sheikh Abdullatif Alfozan has been widely recognized at the Arab and international levels, receiving an honorary award from The World Peace and Prosperity Foundation at the British Parliament in 2017, and being selected among the most influential Arab figures in social responsibility in 2020. In his speech, he stated: “Commercial establishments are a means, not an end, and a path to serving Islam, building homelands, and ensuring human prosperity. True loyalty requires that giving become a deeply rooted principle and a constant endeavor through which we seek divine reward and strive to leave a meaningful impact.”
Professor Mohamed Aboumousa, a founding member of the Council of Senior Scholars at Al-Azhar since 2012, was honored for his extensive scholarly contributions to Arabic language and rhetoric, particularly in exploring the rhetorical inimitability of the Qur’an and Prophetic traditions. He has authored more than 30 books on rhetoric, literary analysis, and heritage studies, many of which have become essential references for researchers. His academic career includes teaching, supervising, and mentoring generations of students, alongside active participation in international conferences and hundreds of scholarly sessions at Al-Azhar Mosque.
Professor Aboumousa has held a scholarly teaching circle at Al-Azhar since 2014, in which he teaches the two most important books in Arabic rhetoric, Secrets of Eloquence and Proofs of Inimitability by Imam Abd Al-Qahir Al-Jurjani. The number of these circles has reached nearly 300. In recognition of his scholarly work, 15 theses and academic studies have been written to examine his intellectual contributions. A commemorative volume was published containing 20 articles and thematic studies about his work. A section of his biography was included in Arabic rhetoric textbooks for secondary level schools. He was selected among the top 10 figures in the Arab and Islamic world in terms of scholarly contribution to be honored in the inaugural session of the Doha Arab Book Award in 2024. In his speech, he said: “All deeds are alike in form; what truly counts is the quality of excellence. Allah has honored you by making you among the finest leaders of the finest ummah brought forth for humankind, and He has granted you a clear understanding of what produces such a community that is knowledge, excellence, mastery of one’s work, full dedication to it, and love for caring for its people.”
Islamic Studies Prize: “Trade Routes in the Islamic World” Between the Depth of History and the Precision of Fieldwork
The Islamic Studies Prize, dedicated this year to “Trade Routes in the Islamic World,” was awarded to Professors Abdelhamid Hussein Hammouda and Moh’d Wahib Hussein.
Professor Abdelhamid Hussein Hammouda was recognized for his comprehensive and analytically rigorous scholarship on overland and maritime trade routes across the Islamic world, offering a cohesive historical understanding that serves as a key reference for both specialized research and broader knowledge.
He completed his Ph.D. in Islamic history at the Faculty of Arts, Minia University. He held several administrative positions within the university, including Head of the History Department in both the Faculties of Education and Arts from 2003 until 2006, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Arts for Post-Graduate Studies and Research in 2009, and Dean of the Faculty of Arts from 2011 until 2018. He also supervised the Departments of English, Chinese, Libraries, and Information Systems. Professor Hammouda authored several encyclopedias, including The Encyclopedia of the History of Islamic States in the East, in ten volumes; The Encyclopedia of the Early Islamic Period and Its Civilization, in six volumes; and The Encyclopedia of Trade Routes in the Islamic World, in five volumes. There is a fourth encyclopedia that is currently in press. He also authored around sixteen books on various fields of Islamic history and Islamic civilization that were all published in Cairo. In his speech he said, “One of the significant topics addressed by the prize in the field of Islamic Studies in its forty-eighth session is Trade Routes in the Islamic World. These routes have always represented the lifelines connecting people and nations throughout history. Along these routes caravans of merchants traveled eastward, westward, northward, and southward, laden with goods of every kind. Commercial exchange flourished along these routes, and they became conduits through which ideas, beliefs, and cultures were transmitted. They became the arteries linking civilizations.”
Professor Mohammad Wahib Hussein was awarded also the Prize in recognition of his distinguished field research documenting historical trade routes across the Arabian Peninsula, particularly the Meccan Ilaf route. His work combines archaeological surveys, advanced geographic documentation, and analytical mapping, offering a balanced and original contribution to the study of early trade networks.
Holding a PhD from Hacettepe University, he has led major excavation and survey projects and founded a Cultural Resources Management program to advance heritage preservation in the Arab world. His research spans archaeometallurgy and heritage studies, including the discovery of early copper production centers and the UNESCO-listed Baptism Site on the eastern bank of the Jordan River. With over 100 peer-reviewed articles, 56 books, and more than 40 major discoveries, his work has significantly enriched the field. He has received numerous regional and international awards in recognition of his contributions. He said in his acceptance speech, “.I close with the inspiring words of His Royal Highness Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, may Allah protect him: “The glory of individuals does not come from status, lineage, or ancestry; it is born of their great deeds that serve their faith, their nation, their country, and all humanity.””
Arabic Language and Literature Prize: Bridging Cultures Through Translation
In the field of Arabic Language and Literature, dedicated this year to “Arabic Literature in French,” the Prize was awarded to Professor Pierre Larcher, Emeritus Professor of Arabic Linguistics at Aix-Marseille University and Emeritus Researcher at the Institute for Studies and Research on the Arab and Muslim Worlds in Aix.
In 1980, he defended a 3rd cycle thesis in Arabic linguistics, and in 1996, a state thesis in letters and humanities. He taught and conducted research across Syria, Libya, and Morocco before joining several French universities, where he served until becoming Emeritus Professor at Aix-Marseille University. His work bridges Arabic and Semitic linguistics with the analysis and translation of pre-Islamic Arabic poetry. Widely recognized for its innovation, his research covers language history, syntax, pragmatics, and sociolinguistics, while his acclaimed French translation of the Mu‘allaqāt stands as a landmark contribution to cross-cultural literary exchange. With over 350 scholarly publications, he has played a key role in advancing Arabic studies globally and has been widely honored for his contributions to both linguistics and translation. He was recognized for his outstanding contributions to presenting Arabic literature to French audiences with both creativity and academic rigor. His translations of pre-Islamic poetry, particularly the Mu‘allaqat, have been widely acclaimed and serve as a bridge between Arab and French cultures. In his speech, he said, “Winning such an international prize is a tribute to half a century of continuous academic work in the fields of Arabic linguistics and the translation of Arabic literature, particularly pre-Islamic Arabic poetry; two disciplines closely intertwined. Pre-Islamic poetry occupies in the Arab civilization a place comparable to that of Homer’s works in the Greek civilization.”
King Faisal Prize 2026 Honors Svetlana Mojsov, one of the Scientists behind Ozempic, and Mathematician Carlos Kenig, who Decoded Laws of Motion
The Medicine Prize, focused on “Discoveries Transforming Obesity Therapeutics”, was awarded to Professor Svetlana Mojsov, Research Associate Professor at Rockefeller University.
She was recognized for her pioneering discovery of the GLP-1 hormone and its role in regulating insulin secretion, which led to the development of a new generation of treatments for diabetes and obesity, significantly improving millions of lives worldwide. In 1983, she made a critical breakthrough by identifying the biologically active form of GLP-1 and demonstrating its role in stimulating insulin secretion, establishing its therapeutic potential. Her work laid the scientific foundation for a new class of treatments for metabolic diseases. Her contributions have earned global recognition, including the Lasker Award, Breakthrough Prize, and Princess of Asturias Award, among others. In her speech, she said, “Twenty-five years after we published our findings Novo Nordisk Pharmaceutical Company developed long lasting injectable GLP-1 analogs for diabetes and obesity. I am humbled that my work that started 40 years ago with a hypothesis has benefited the health and lives of millions of people worldwide.”
The Science Prize in Mathematics was awarded to Professor Carlos Kenig, Louis Block Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago, was awarded the King Faisal Prize in Mathematics for his pioneering contributions to nonlinear partial differential equations. By applying advanced harmonic analysis, his work has transformed the understanding of complex physical phenomena, with applications spanning fluid mechanics, optical fibers, and medical imaging. His research on wave behavior and free boundary problems has provided fundamental insights into the stability and evolution of systems, resolving long-standing mathematical challenges and shaping modern analysis.
A globally recognized leader in his field, he has received prestigious honors including the Salem Prize, Bôcher Prize, and Solomon Lefschetz Medal, and has been invited to speak at the International Congress of Mathematicians three times. In his acceptance speech, he stated, “I became interested in mathematics at the age of 12, when in my first year of high school in my native country Argentina, our math teacher taught us Euclidean geometry, and how to prove rigorously theorems about triangles. I was hooked from that time on! I then had the very good fortune to study at the University of Chicago, and to be a postdoc at Princeton University, under some of the most outstanding mathematicians of the 20th century. These experiences influenced the direction of my research, which turned to topics in mathematical analysis, and eventually mostly to the study of the partial differential equations that govern our physical world.”
The King Faisal Prize 2026 ceremony is a historical milestone. The King Faisal Foundation turned 50, marking half a century of championing human excellence. Established by the Foundation in 1977 and first awarded in 1979, the King Faisal Prize has since honored 308 laureates from 45 countries in recognition of their outstanding contributions across various fields of science and humanitarian causes. Each laureate from the prize’s 5 categories is endowed with USD 200 thousand; a 24-carat gold medal weighing 200 grams; and a Certificate inscribed with the Laureate’s name and a summary of their work which qualified them for the prize.
