The winners of the King Faisal International Prize for 2012 were announced at an awards ceremony in Riyadh yesterday. Makkah Governor Prince Khalid Al-Faisal bin Abdulaziz, who serves as Chairman of the King Faisal International Prize Commission, said during a speech that the award is the King Faisal Foundation’s way of honoring and supporting intellectuals and scientists. The Prize is awarded in five categories, including service to Islam, Islamic studies, Arabic language and literature, medicine, and science. Since its inception in 1399 H. [1979], the Prize has been awarded to 216 winners from 40 countries.

The Secretary-General of the Prize Commission, Dr. Abdullah bin Salih Al-Othaimeen, announced the winners as follows: Suleiman bin Abdulaziz Al-Rajhi of Saudi Arabia was declared the winner of the King Faisal International Prize in the service to Islam category. The prize for Islamic Studies went to Adnan bin Mohammad Al-Wazin of Saudi Arabia. In the field of Arabic language and literature, Egyptians Ali Hilmi Ahmad Moussa and Nabil Ali Mohammad shared the prize. Dr. Richard Berkowitz and Dr. James Bruce Basil, both Americans, shared the prize for medicine, and another American, Dr. Alexander Farzewski, won the science prize.