The King Faisal Prize (, formerly King Faisal International Prize), is an annual award sponsored by King Faisal Foundation presented to "dedicated men and women whose contributions make a positive difference". The foundation awards prizes in five categories: Service to Islam; Islamic studies; the Arabic language and Arabic literature; science; and medicine.
The first King Faisal Prize was awarded to the Pakistani scholar Abul A'la Maududi in 1979 for his service to Islam. In 1981, Khalid of Saudi Arabia received the same award. In 1984, Fahd of Saudi Arabia was the recipient of the award. In 1986, this prize was co-awarded to Ahmed Deedat and French Roger Garaudy.The King Faisal International Prize - Winners in Twenty Five Years (1979-2003) , Page 25.
The King Faisal Award 2026 for Service to Islam announced on April 15, 2026 was jointly conferred on Sheikh Abdullatif Ahmed Alfozan of Saudi Arabia and Professor Mohamed Mohamed Aboumousa of Egypt.
Award process
Designation of subjects
Each year, the selection committees designate subjects in Islamic Studies, Arabic Literature, and Medicine. Selected topics in Islamic Studies category are aimed at highlighting areas of importance in Muslim societies. Arabic Literature topics relate to specialized areas within the discipline. Topics in medicine are supposed to reflect current areas of international concern. The science category covers a broad range of subcategories e.g. physics, mathematics, chemistry and biology.
Nomination
Islamic institutions, universities and previous winners of the King Faisal Prize can nominate a person for the award. Nominations from ordinary individuals or political parties are not accepted. The nominee or nominated institution(s) must be known for their leading practical or intellectual role in the service of Islam and Muslims. Nominated works must be published, benefit mankind and enrich human knowledge.
Selection
Winners of the Prize for category "Service to Islam" are chosen directly by the respective selection committee. For other Prize categories, pre-selection by peer reviewers is carried out, which is followed by scrutiny of the works of worthy nominees by selected referees of each discipline. Autonomous, international, specialist selection committees are then convened at the headquarters of King Faisal Foundation in Riyadh each January to make their final decisions.
Prizes The prize in each of the five categories consists of: A Certificate written in Arabic Diwani calligraphy and signed by the Chairman of the Prize board, His Royal Highness Prince Khalid Al-Faisal Bin Abd Al-Aziz, enclosed in a binder of the finest leather inscribed with the winner’s name and a summary of his/her work which qualified him/her for the prize. A 24 carat 200 gram gold medal, with one side bearing the image of King Faisal, and the prize category written in Arabic, and the other holding the logo of the prize and the prize category in English. A check of SAR 750 thousand (an equivalent of US$ 200 thousand), distributed equally between the winners if they are more than one.
Co-winners in any category share the monetary grant. The prizes are awarded during a ceremony in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, under the auspices of the King of Saudi Arabia.
Country standings The five countries with most award-winners included 2026 were:
Position Service to Islam Islamic Studies Arabic Language and Literature Medicine Science Total United States 0 1 3 32 29 65 Egypt 8 8 23 0 2 41 Saudi Arabia 18 9 3 0 0 30 United Kingdom 0 2 0 13 13 28 Germany 0 1 0 3 6 10
Sydney Brenner was considered to be the first Jew to win the King Faisal Award, in 1992. Ronald Levy was reported to be a Jewish recipient in 2009.
Winners by subject
Service to Islam
Year Branch Country Winner name Winner title 1979 Service to Islam Sayyid Abul Ala'a AI-Moudoodi Maulana1980Service to Islam Sayyid Abul-Hasan Ali Al-Hasani Al-Nadawi Mufakkir-e-Islam Mohammad Natsir Doctor 1981 Service to Islam King Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al Saud His Majesty 1982 Service to Islam Abdulaziz bin Baz Shaikh 1983Service to Islam Hasanein M. Makhlouf Shaikh Tunku Abdul Rahman Prince 1984 Service to Islam King Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques 1985 Service to Islam Abdul Rasul Sayyaf Mr1986Service to Islam Ahmad H. Deedat Mr Roger Garaudy Doctor 1987 Service to Islam Abu Bakr Mahmoud Gumi Shaikh 1988 Service to Islam Ahmad Domocao Alonto Doctor 1989 Service to Islam Muhammad Al-Ghazali Al-Saqqa Shaikh 1990Service to Islam Ali Al-Tantawi Shaikh Khurshid Ahmad Professor 1991 Service to Islam Dr. Abdullah Umar Nasif His Excellency 1992 Service to Islam Dr. Hamid AIgabid His Excellency 1993 Service to Islam President Alija Begovitch President 1994 Service to Islam Muhammad Ibn Al-Uthaymeen Shaikh 1995 Service to Islam Shaikh Gad AI-Haq Ali Gad AI-Haq His Eminence 1996 Service to Islam Abd AI-Rahman H. AI-Sumait Doctor 1997 Service to Islam Dr. Mahathir bin Muhammad Prime Minister 1998 Service to Islam President Abdou Diouf His Excellency 1999 Service to Islam Jum'ah AI-Majid Abd Allah Mr 2000 Service to Islam AI-Azhar AI-Sharif - 2001 Service to Islam The Saudi Arabian High Commission for Donations to Bosnia-Herzegovina - 2002 Service to Islam Shaikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi His Highness 2003 Service to Islam Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Foundation - 2004 Service to Islam Abd ar-Rahman Muhammad Siwar Adh-Dahab Field Marshal2005Service to Islam Ahmed Mohamed Ali His Excellency AI-Hariri Foundation - 2006Service to Islam Shaikh Salih bin Abd AlRahman AI-Husayyin His Excellency Yusuf bin Jasim bin Mohammad AI-Hidji Shaikh 2007 Service to Islam Mintimer Sharipovich Shaimev His Excellency 2008 Service to Islam King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques 2009 Service to Islam Principal Sharie Society for Quran and Sunnah Scholars Cairo - 2010 Service to Islam Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Prime Minister 2011 Service to Islam Abdullah Ahmad Badawi His Excellency 2012 Service to Islam Sulaiman Bin Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rajhi Shaikh 2014 Service to Islam Ahmed Lemu Sheikh, Justice 2015 Service to Islam Zakir A. Naik Doctor 2016 Service to Islam Salih bin Abdullah al Humaid Doctor 2017 Service to Islam Salman bin Abdulaziz King 2018 Service to Islam Irwandi Jaswir Professor 2019 Service to Islam International University of Africa, Khartoum - 2020 Service to Islam The Makkah Document - 2021 Service to Islam Mohammed Al-Sharekh Mr2022Service to Islam Ali Hassan Mwinyi His Excellency Hassan Mahmoud Al Shafei Professor2023Service to Islam Choi Young Kil-Hamed Professor Nasser bin Abdullah Al Zaabi His Excellency2024Service to Islam Japan Muslim Association - Mohammad Sammak Doctor2025Service to Islam Liajlehum Association for Serving People with Disabilities - Sami Abdullah Almaghlouth -2026Service to Islam Abdullatif Ahmed Alfozan Sheikh Mohamed Mohamed Aboumousa Professor
Islamic studies
Year Branch Topic Country Winner name Winner title 1979 Islamic studies Studies dealing with the influence of Muslim scholars on European civilization Fuat Sezgin Professor 1980 Islamic studies Studies on the hadith of Muhammad Muhammad Mustafa Azmi Doctor 1981 Islamic studies Studies on the role of Shari'a in the restoration of the society - Not awarded ----- 1982 Islamic studies Contemporary economic problems from an Islamic perspective Muhammad Najatuallah Siddiqui Professor 1983 Islamic studies Studies on the Quran Muhammad A. Odaimah Professor 1984 Islamic studies General theory in Islamic jurisprudence Mustafa A. AI-Zarka'a Shaikh1985Islamic studies Studies and editions on the Islamic doctrine Muhammad Rashad Salim Professor Farouk A Oesouki Doctor Mustafa M. Suliman Doctor 1986 Islamic studies Studies dealing with Islamic history Abd AI-Aziz AI-Duri Professor 1987 Islamic studies Principles and practices of international relations in Islam - Not awarded - 1988Islamic studiesStudies dealing with Islamic education Muhammad Kotb Shathly - Mikdat Yalçın Professor 1989 Islamic studies Studies dealing with the Islamic city Saleh Ahmad AI-Ali Professor 1990Islamic studiesFinancial dealings in Islamic Shari'ah Al-Seddiq M. Al-Darir Professor Umer Chapra Doctor 1991 Islamic studies Studies dealing with the spread of Islam into an area outside the present boundaries of the Islamic World - Not awarded - 1992 Islamic studies Origins of research methodologies in contemporary - Not awarded - 1993 Islamic studies Muslim achievements in the field of sociology Hasan As-Sa'ati Abd AI Aziz Professor 1994Islamic studiesStudies dealing with Islamic law EI-Sayyid Sabiq At-Tihami Shaikh Yousef A. AI-Qaradawi Doctor 1995 Islamic studies Studies dealing with thematic commentary of the Quran - Not awarded - 1996 Islamic studies The life of Muhammad Akram Dia'a Al-Umari Professor 1997 Islamic studies Studies on the status of women in Islam Abd AI-Karim Zedan Biej Professor 1998Islamic studiesStudies on libraries or the evolution of Islamic book craft Abd AI-Sattar Al-Halwaji Professor Yahia M. bin Junaid Professor 1999 Islamic studies Contributions to the study, verification and authentication of the hadith Shaikh Muhammad Nasir Ad-Din Al-Albani Shaikh 2000 Islamic studies Studies dealing with the spread and cultural impact of Islam outside the Arab Muhammad Mohar Ali Professor 2001 Islamic studies Studies on matters with no Islamic legal precedent - Not awarded - 2002 Islamic studies Studies into the objectives of Islamic legislation - Not awarded -2003Islamic studiesStudies dealing with history of Islamic economics Izz EI-Din Omar Mousa Professor Ibrahim Abu Bakr Harakat Professor 2004Islamic studiesBasics of Islamic jurisprudence Yacoub Abd AI-wahab AIBahussain Doctor Ali Ahmad Ghulam Muhammad Nadvi Doctor 2005 Islamic studies Defense of the Islamic state during the 5th and 6th centuries A.H Carole Hillenbrand Professor 2006 Islamic studies The origins of Islamic jurisprudence - Not awarded 2007 Islamic studies Muslims' contribution to pure or applied sciences Roshdi Hifni Rashed Professor 2008 Islamic studies Rules governing international relations during peace and war in Islam - Withheld - 2009 Islamic studies Studies by Muslim scholars on the concept of "imran" (civilization cycles) Abdessalam M. Cheddadi Professor 2010 Islamic studies Studies dealing with religious endowments (Waqf) in Islam - Withheld -2011Islamic studies Socioeconomic aspects in the Islamic world through 10th–13th century H; Halil İbrahim İnalcık Professor Muhammad Adnan Bakhit Al-Sheyyab Professor 2012 Islamic studies Human rights in Islam Professor Adnaan Bin Muhammad Al-Wazan His Excellency 2015 Islamic studies Cultural heritage of Al-Madinah al-Munawwarah Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Kaki Doctor 2016 Islamic studies Muslim geography heritage Abdullah bin Yousif Al-Ghunaim Professor 2018 Islamic studies Critical editions of Islamic historical and biographical texts Bashar Awad Professor 2020 Islamic studies Islamic heritage of Alquds Mohammed Hashim Ghosheh Doctor 2021 Islamic studies Endowment in Islam - Withheld - 2022 Islamic studies Andalus's Islamic heritage - Withheld - 2023 Islamic studies Islamic architecture Robert Hillenbrand Professor 2024 Islamic studies Islamic Legislations and their Contemporary Applications Wael Hallaq Professor2025Islamic studies Studies of Archaeology in the Arabian Peninsula Said Faiz Alsaid - Saad Abdulaziz Alrashid Professor2026Islamic studies Trade Routes in the Islamic World Moh'd Wahib Hussein Professor Abdelhamid Hussein Hammouda Professor
Arabic language and literature