- Selection Committees started their meetings at King Faisal Prize headquarters to select laureates in Islamic Studies,
Arabic Language & Literature, Medicine, and Science
- HRH Prince Turki Al-Faisal to chair committee meeting to select the laureate in Service to Islam
- Laureates Names to Be Announced on January 7
Riyadh, KSA, January 5, 2026:
King Faisal Prize will be announcing the names of its 2026 laureates on the 7th of January in Riyadh. In preparation for the announcement, specialized selection committees of the prize’s 4 categories – Islamic Studies, Arabic Language & Literature, Medicine, and Science started their meetings at the Prize’s headquarters today, 5 January 2026 and will continue until the 7th. On the 7th of January, His Royal Highness Prince Turki Al-Faisal Bin Abd Al-Aziz will chair the committee meeting to select the laureate of the Service to Islam prize.
The General Secretariat had announced the topics of the 48th session of King Faisal Prize for 2026, as follows:
- Islamic Studies: “Trade Routes in the Islamic World”.
- Arabic Language & Literature: “Arabic Literature in French”.
- Medicine: “Discoveries Transforming Obesity Therapeutics”.
- Science: “Mathematics”.
As for the King Faisal Prize for Service to Islam, it is considered an honorary award granted to those who have contributed a pioneering role in serving Islam and Muslims intellectually, scientifically, or socially through works, activities, programs, and projects that have had a tangible impact on society.
The General Secretariat also pointed out that nominations are made by scientific institutions, universities, research centres as well as scientific and language councils, provided the nominated individual is alive and their nominated work is already published. The work should also be informative and contribute to the enrichment of knowledge for the development of humanity.
The Prize selection committees this year include experts, specialists, and scholars, coming from different countries to meet in Riyadh and examine the nominated works to select the laureates in an objective and transparent manner, in accordance with the rules and regulations developed by the General Secretariat of the Prize.
Members of the selection committee for the Service to Islam Prize, chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Turki Al-Faisal Bin Abd Al-Aziz are leading scholars in Islamic law and jurisprudence.
HRH Prince Turki Al-Faisal will announce the names of the chosen prize laureates for 2026 in the five different categories on Wednesday January 7 at Prince Sultan Grand Hall in Al-Faisaliah Center, Riyadh.
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About King Faisal Prize:
The King Faisal Prize (KFP) was established by the King Faisal Foundation in 1977 and was granted for the first time in 1979. The Prize recognizes the outstanding works of individuals and institutions in five categories: Service to Islam, Islamic Studies, Arabic Language and Literature, Medicine, and Science. Its aim is to benefit Muslims in their present and future, inspire them to participate in all aspects of civilization, and enrich human knowledge and development. Laureates are selected based on their scientific competence and research excellence taking into consideration precise scientific criteria overseen by several specialized committees, which undertake the responsibility of examining nominations, evaluating the scientific output of nominees, and then selecting the laureates.