King Faisal Prize 2026 Winners: Full List and Details
In a global cultural and scientific event hosted by the Saudi capital, Riyadh, the General Secretariat of the King Faisal Prize announced this evening the winners of its 2026 cycle in its five categories. The announcement was made in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Turki bin Faisal, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies. The ceremony took place in the Prince Sultan Grand Hall at the Al Faisaliah Center, and was attended by a distinguished gathering of intellectuals, scholars, and media representatives.
The Service to Islam Award: Honoring Generosity and Eloquence
The award began its announcements with the “Service to Islam” category, where the selection committee decided to jointly award this year the prize to Sheikh Abdul Latif bin Ahmed Al-Fawzan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al-Fawzan Company, and His Eminence Dr. Muhammad Muhammad Abu Musa, Professor at Al-Azhar University. Sheikh Al-Fawzan is being honored in recognition of his distinguished approach to institutional charitable work and his establishment of the “Ajwad Endowment,” which is considered a pioneering model in sustainable development and humanitarian initiatives. Dr. Abu Musa, on the other hand, received the award for his extensive scholarly efforts in serving the Arabic language and the eloquence of the Holy Quran, his authorship of more than thirty books that have enriched the Arabic library, and his enlightening role through his membership in the Council of Senior Scholars at Al-Azhar.
Islamic Studies: Exploring Trade Routes
In the field of Islamic Studies, whose theme this year was “Trade Routes in the Islamic World,” the prize was awarded to Dr. Abdul Hamid Hussein Hammouda from Egypt and Dr. Muhammad Wahib Hussein from Jordan. Dr. Hammouda’s work was distinguished by its comprehensive examination of the land and sea trade networks that connected the Islamic East with the Levant, Egypt, and the Sahara, highlighting the civilizational role of trade in spreading Islam. Dr. Muhammad Wahib, on the other hand, made a significant contribution by utilizing modern technologies and archaeological surveys documented with GPS, offering a precise scholarly analysis of the Meccan trade route.
Arabic language, medicine, and science: global achievements
In the field of Arabic language and literature, with the subject of “Arabic Literature in French”, Professor Pierre Larcher from France was awarded the prize, in recognition of his efforts in translating the Mu’allaqat and pre-Islamic poetry, which contributed to building bridges of cultural communication between Arabic literature and the Western reader.
In the medical field, the Medicine Prize, with its theme of “Obesity Treatments,” was awarded to Professor Svetlana Moiseyova from the United States, for her pioneering discovery of the GLP-1 peptide, which revolutionized the development of modern and effective treatments for diabetes and obesity, representing a qualitative leap in global public health.
The award concluded its announcements with the Science (Mathematics) category, where Professor Carlos Kennig from the University of Chicago won for his profound contributions to mathematical analysis and differential equations, which have opened up broad applied horizons in the fields of medical imaging and fluid mechanics.
The importance of the award and its international standing
The King Faisal Prize, first awarded in 1979, is one of the world's most prestigious prizes and is often considered a strong indicator of future Nobel Prize winners. Since its inception, the prize has aimed to serve Islam and Muslims, promote Islamic values, highlight major civilizational achievements, and honor science and scientists who have made significant contributions to humanity in various fields of knowledge.
