Doha: The Department of Islamic Research and Studies at the Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs announced Tuesday the names of the winners of the Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah Al-Thani Endowment Prize. Moroccan researcher Ismail bin Abdullah Al Hajj won the 15th edition of this global prize, which focused on social solidarity and its role in achieving community security. The first local edition of the prize on family cohesion and its role in childcare was shared by Dr. Omar Othman Al Khatib, Dr. Khalifa Ahmed Bu Hashim, and Layla Fadl Hamad Sada.
According to Qatar News Agency, Awqaf evinced during a press conference that the decision to share the local edition came based on the findings of the prize’s panel, which affirmed that each researcher complements the other and constitutes a critical addition. Director of the Department of Islamic Research and Studies, Sheikh Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Ghanem Al-Thani, highlighted that the prize drew a major contest among 57 researchers from various countries, including Qatar, Oman, Yemen, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Sudan, Algeria, Morocco, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, and Indonesia.
The prize’s panel lauded the submitted research for its high degree of scientific excellence in terms of approach and objectivity. This prompted the panel to recommend verification from some research and further submission to the Book of the Nation Series for potential publication once the consent of research leads is secured.
Despite selecting one winning dissertation for each level, the prize has succeeded in supplying the Arab Islamic Library with 57 outstanding research and books. Sheikh Dr. Ahmed noted that even those who did not win will strive to publish and distribute their work. He also announced the themes and submission deadlines for future international and local editions of the prize, focusing on areas such as artificial intelligence, technology ethics, financial education for children, and more.
QNA reached Capt. Dr. Khalifa Ahmed Bo Hashim Al Sayed, the Assistant Director of the Research and Studies Center at the Police Academy in Qatar. He explained that his participation in the local prize involved studying family cohesion and its role in childcare within the Qatari society. His research revealed the importance of tight-knit families in caring for children, identifying the contemporary challenges they face.
Capt. Al Sayed emphasized the role of government, social centers, and scholars in preserving family cohesion. His study used a descriptive-analytical approach and involved a questionnaire distributed to a random sample of 747 individuals from various segments of Qatari society. The findings highlighted the significant impact of family cohesion on children’s welfare.
The study’s recommendations include reconsidering job-related policies to prevent work from affecting familial relationships negatively. It also calls for social collaboration with authorities like the Supreme Council for Family Affairs and Doha International Family Institute (DIFI) to manage social media usage among youth.
The Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah Al-Thani Endowment Prize is the largest cultural and Islamic thought prize in Qatar, supported by Awqaf to encourage research and cultivate new scholars. With a value of QR200,000 for both international and local categories, the prize has made significant contributions to various knowledge fields over nearly three decades.