King Faisal Prize Winners to be Honored Under the Patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques

The King Faisal Prize will hold its annual ceremony in Riyadh the day after tomorrow, under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The event aims to honor the winners of the 2025 awards.

During the ceremony, six prominent winners will be recognized for their outstanding achievements in the fields of Islamic service, Islamic studies, Arabic language and literature, medicine, and science. Their contributions have significantly benefited humanity and enhanced knowledge.

The Islamic Service Award for 2025 is being granted to the Tabeen Quran Society for their initiative in presenting the meanings of the Holy Quran in sign language through an interactive electronic application called “Mus’haf Tabeen”. This initiative, the first of its kind globally, allows individuals with hearing impairments to understand and contemplate the Quran, as well as promoting inclusivity in Islamic education.

Additionally, the Islamic Service Award is bestowed upon Sami Abdullah Al-Mughless, a consultant at the General Authority for Surveying and Geospatial Information in the Kingdom. This recognition is in appreciation of his exceptional efforts in documenting Islamic history by preparing over 40 historical and geographical atlases, covering various stages of Islamic history, personalities, and artifacts. Many of these atlases have been translated into multiple languages, contributing to the widespread dissemination of Islamic historical knowledge.

The Islamic Studies Award for this year focuses on “Studies on the Effects of the Arabian Peninsula”. It is being jointly awarded to Professor Saad Abdulaziz Al-Rashed, a prominent Saudi archaeologist, for his essential contributions in studying Islamic inscriptions and archaeological heritage in the Arabian Peninsula. Sharing the award is Professor Saeed Fayez Al-Saeed for his comparative work on ancient inscriptions and writings in the Arabian Peninsula, furthering the understanding of pre-Islamic civilizations.

The Medicine Award for this year, themed “Cellular Therapy,” is granted to Professor Michel Sadelain, a Canadian national and a professor at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in the United States. He is recognized for his pioneering work in developing CAR-T cell therapies, which have shown effective clinical results in treating blood cancers and recently demonstrated promising efficacy in autoimmune diseases and solid tumors.

This year’s Science Award is dedicated to the field of physics, with Professor Sumio Iijima from Japan being selected for his groundbreaking discovery of carbon nanotubes using an electron microscope. This led to the establishment of a new scientific field in material science and nanotechnology, with wide-ranging applications from electronics to biomedical technology.

The Arabic Language and Literature Award, focusing on “Studies on Identity in Arabic Literature,” has been withheld this year due to the submitted works not meeting the award criteria.

Since its establishment in 1977, the King Faisal Prize has honored 301 winners from 45 different nationalities for their distinguished contributions to Islam, knowledge development, and humanitarian service. The prize includes a handwritten certificate in Arabic calligraphy, a 24-carat gold medal weighing 200 grams, a monetary reward of 750,000 Saudi Riyals (equivalent to approximately 200,000 USD), and is signed by His Royal Highness Prince Khalid bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz, the head of the award committee.