The Doha Arabic Book Award organized a scientific seminar entitled “A Life for Science…Journeys and Testimonies” on Sunday, 22 Sha’ban 1445, corresponding to 3 March 2024. The winners of the inaugural Doha Arabic Book Award spoke about their scientific careers, relationship with writing, and authorship as the most important topics covered in their writings during the past decades.
The ceremony was opened by Mr. Abdulrahman Al-Marri, Media Advisor of the Doha Book Prize, who delivered a speech on this occasion in which he noted that “the Prize aspires to restore the necessary appreciation of Arab culture and its value, which would enhance the sense of sincerity, loyalty, and responsibility towards the Arabic language and promoting it.” He pointed out that the award “comes in light of the many challenges of science among the peoples and civilizations of the world, in which languages have entered as cultural vessels in a race to produce original ideas and gain the upper hand in various fields of knowledge.”
Dr. Abdulwahid Allami, Executive Director of the Award, delivered a speech in which he spoke about the Award’s objectives, which include appreciating the efforts of researchers, recognizing their scientific, intellectual and cognitive achievements, encouraging individuals and institutions to provide the best knowledge on the social and human sciences, honoring genuine studies, vulgarizing them, praising the efforts of their authors, and supporting leading publishing houses to improve the quality of the Arabic book in form and content.
Dr. Sedina Sadati moderated the first session of the ceremony, in which the Egyptian Azharite linguist Prof. Muhammad bin Muhammad Hasnain Abu Musa, a member of Al-Azhar’s Council of Senior Scholars, spoke about some of his journey with Arabic eloquence. Additionally, the well-known Moroccan philosopher Taha Abdel Rahman talked about the profound motives that led him to write on philosophy and ethics; the Algerian historian Prof. Nasser Eddine Saidouni told his scientific journey in the study of history; and the Lebanese researcher Gerard Gehami spoke about his scientific career centered on philosophy.
After a short break, Prof. Al-Siddiq Omar Al-Siddiq moderated the second session of the ceremony, in which the Qatari historian Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aqeel Al-Khatib spoke about his shift in his interests towards history, especially history in the Arabian Gulf, and the well-known Egyptian investigator and historian Prof. Ayman Fouad Sayed talked about his interest in historical studies and his experiences with manuscripts. Prof. Fihaa Abdul Hadi, a historian and researcher in Palestinian oral history, spoke about Palestinian women’s essential role in the ongoing liberation struggle since the occupation. The well-known Saudi academic Prof. Saad bin Abdulrahman Al-Bazai spoke about his first memories of the book, especially after his return from the United States, where he was introduced to different schools of criticism and crowned this knowledge with a systematic and critical vision towards non-Arab cultural products.
H.E. Prof. Koutoub Moustapha Sano concluded the second session with a keynote summarizing his journey in the acquisition of linguistic and religious sciences, starting with the scientific courses he frequented from a young age in his country, Guinea, his studies in Saudi Arabia and Tunisia, and moving to work as a lecturer in Malaysia, where he wrote and produced most of his works while serving as a professor at the International Islamic University in Malaysia.
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Secretary‑General of the Academy Visits the Consulate General of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan His Excellency Professor Dr. Qutb Mustafa Sano, Secretary‑General of the Academy, paid an official visit on 29 Sha‘ban 1447 AH, corresponding to 17 February 2026, to the Consulate General of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in Jeddah. His Excellency and his accompanying delegation were received by His Excellency Ambassador Mohammed Salah Sobhi Hameed, Consul General and Permanent Representative of Jordan to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, who welcomed him warmly and expressed his pleasure at the visit. He praised the distinguished intellectual efforts undertaken by the Academy under His Excellency’s leadership in addressing numerous religious and intellectual issues of concern to the Islamic world, affirming his personal honor in meeting His Excellency again and Jordan’s keenness to strengthen channels of communication and cooperation with the Academy, especially in areas of mutual interest. For his part, His Excellency expressed his deep gratitude and great appreciation to the Ambassador for the warm reception and generous hospitality. He commended the tremendous support, gracious care, and continuous attention the Academy has received from the leadership and people of Jordan since its establishment. He also conveyed his sincere appreciation for the Ambassador’s recent visit to the Academy, affirming the Academy’s full readiness to do everything that would enhance partnership, cooperation, coordination, and communication between the Academy and Jordanian religious and academic institutions. His Excellency was accompanied by Mr. Mohammed Al‑Mundhir Rida Al‑Shawk, Director of the Office and Protocol; Mr. Mohammed Waleed Al‑Idrisi, Director of Media and Public Relations; Ms. Sarah Amjad Badawi, Director of the Department of Family, Women, Children, and the Elderly; and Mr. Amjad Ibrahim Al‑Mansi, Head of the Protocol Section.
