Under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and on his behalf — may God preserve him — His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of Riyadh Region, honored last evening the winners of the King Faisal Prize for 2026 in its 48th session, at the Prince Sultan Grand Hall in the Al Faisaliah Hotel in Riyadh.

Upon his arrival at the ceremony venue, His Highness was received by His Royal Highness Prince Turki bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, and His Highness Prince Bandar bin Saud bin Khalid, Secretary-General of the King Faisal Charitable Foundation, and the Secretary-General of the King Faisal International Prize, Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Sebail.

After the royal anthem, the ceremony began with recitation of verses from the Holy Quran, then His Royal Highness Prince Turki bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz delivered a speech in which he expressed thanks to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, the Supreme President of the King Faisal Charitable Foundation, for his patronage — may God preserve him — of the prize, appreciating the presence of the Deputy Governor of Riyadh Region at the honoring ceremony.

His Highness affirmed that the 'King Faisal Prize' continues steadily in its established mission to honor science and scholars, and to solidify the status of knowledge as a fundamental pillar in serving humanity.

He said: On behalf of my brother His Royal Highness Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Governor of Makkah Region, and Chairman of the King Faisal Prize Committee, I am pleased to welcome you to the King Faisal Prize ceremony in its forty-eighth session.

He added: I am pleased to extend the highest expressions of gratitude and appreciation to my master, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud — may God preserve him — for his continuous support and gracious patronage of this prize, and I also thank the King Faisal Charitable Foundation for its efforts in serving science and scholars.

His Highness pointed out that today's world is experiencing fluctuating conditions and increasing challenges, with crises escalating and conflicts intensifying, indicating that the wise leadership continues its steadfastness on its sound path and its wise role in steering the ship of the nation to safety.

His Highness explained that the exceptional circumstances the region is experiencing, and the rising sound of weapons and bloodshed, enhance the importance of the role undertaken by the King Faisal Prize in honoring science and celebrating scholars who contribute to the happiness of humanity and the service of mankind.

His Highness affirmed that the prize draws inspiration from the directives of the wise leadership, which make the mind and insight the basis for decision-making, and always seeks what is in the interest of the nation, the peoples of the region, and the world.

His Highness noted that the King Faisal Charitable Foundation, and all its branches, continue to work to achieve the vision of King Faisal — may God have mercy on him — who aspired more than half a century ago for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to be a source of enlightenment for humanity and peace.

His Highness concluded by praying for King Faisal — may God have mercy on him — expressing his thanks and appreciation to the attendees, congratulating the winners, and wishing them continued success.

Following that, the Secretary-General of the King Faisal International Prize, Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Sebail, delivered a speech in which he presented the six winners in recognition of their pioneering achievements in the fields of Service to Islam, Islamic Studies, Arabic Language and Literature, Medicine, and Science, which have contributed to serving humanity and enhancing knowledge.

The Selection Committee decided to award the 'Islamic Studies' prize, jointly, to: Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al-Fozan Holding Company, Sheikh Abdul Latif Al-Fozan, for adopting a distinctive methodology for charitable work represented in supporting qualitative initiatives linked to developmental needs, and establishing 'Awqaf Ajwad' as a societal arm for establishing and developing humanitarian initiatives; and Professor at Al-Azhar University Dr. Mohamed Abou Moussa from Egypt, for authoring more than thirty books in the field of Arabic language, especially rhetoric concerned with clarifying the inimitability of the Holy Quran, his founding membership in the Council of Senior Scholars at Al-Azhar, his participation in numerous international scientific seminars and conferences, holding more than three hundred sessions in Al-Azhar Mosque to explain heritage books, and his work on consolidating cultural identity among youth.

In the 'Islamic Studies' branch, the committee decided to award the prize for this year 2026, on the topic 'Trade Routes in the Islamic World', jointly to: Professor at Fayoum University in Egypt Dr. Abdel Hamid Hamouda, for presenting integrated scientific works characterized by comprehensiveness and objective analysis, covering land and sea trade routes and their networks and branches in regions including the Islamic East, Iraq and Persia, the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Egypt, and the Great Sahara; and Professor at Hashemite University in Jordan Dr. Mohammed Hussein, for his works characterized by high scientific value and clear field authenticity, based on direct archaeological surveys supported by precise coordinate documentation using GPS, with detailed analytical maps that enhanced the reliability of results, and his approach distinguished by linking the Quranic text with geographical and field data, providing a balanced scientific reading of the Meccan 'Ilaf' route in its geographical and historical context, and considering his work a qualitative addition in documenting early trade routes in the Arabian Peninsula.

As for the 'Arabic Language and Literature' prize, on the topic 'Arabic Literature in French', it was awarded to Professor at Aix-Marseille University in France, Professor Pierre Larcher, for presenting Arabic literature to French readers with creativity and novelty that made him appreciated by critics and specialized scholars, his high-level scientific methodology in studying ancient Arabic poetry, presenting it in a manner suitable for the context of French culture, and possessing a critical project represented in his French translations of the Mu'allaqat and his study of pre-Islamic poetry with academic rigor.

The 'Medicine' prize, on the topic 'Impactful Discoveries in Obesity Treatments', was awarded to Professor at Rockefeller University in the United States, Professor Svetlana Mojsov, for her pioneering work in discovering the biologically active glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) as a hormone with receptors in the human pancreas, heart, and brain, her employment of advanced and modern techniques in peptide biochemistry, and her provision of precise physiological studies showing that this hormone is a potent stimulator of insulin secretion. These discoveries contributed to the development of a new class of treatments for diabetes and obesity.

In 'Science', the committee decided to award the prize on the topic 'Mathematics' to Professor at the University of Chicago in the United States, Professor Carlos Kenig, for his pioneering contributions to mathematical analysis, which have contributed to a profound transformation in the understanding of nonlinear partial differential equations, providing a set of mathematical techniques that are now commonly used, and his work opening new horizons for research, with applications emerging in various fields, including fluid mechanics, optical fibers, and medical imaging.

The ceremony was attended by a number of royal highnesses, princes, officials, members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Kingdom, and intellectuals and thinkers from various parts of the world.