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Mohammad Muhar obtained his B.A. and M.A. degrees in Islamic History from Dacca University in 1952-1953, and a Ph.D. in Modern History of Southern Asia from London University in 1963. He also held a Law Degree from Britain.

Professor Ali was a specialist in the Islamic history of the Bengali region. His 4-volume book A History of the Muslims of Bengal is a reliable source on the origins and spread of Islam and its impact on the spiritual, political, and cultural life of Bengalis. This scholarly text illustrates the role of Arabs and other Muslims in the inception and spread of Islam in that part of the world. The influence of Islam on Bengali literature, art, and architecture, and the resistance of Bengali Muslims to the British occupation of their land are also discussed in the book.

Professor Ali’s other contributions include A Brief Survey of Muslim Rule in India, Islam in the Modern World; An Outline of Ancient Indo-Pakistani History; The Bengali Reaction to Christian Missionary Activities, 1833- 1857, and The Fall of Siraj aAl-Dawla. Ali also wrote more general texts, including the 2-volume Sirat aAl-Nabi and the Orientalists, and The Quran and the Latest Orientalist Assumptions as well as an edition of the biography of Nawwab Abdullatif. He also wrote on the spread of Islam in Asia for the Islamic Geographical Encyclopedia.

Professor Ali served for many years as a Professor of Islamic History in Saudi Arabian universities and was a member of several international academic societies in his field of specialization. He was an outstanding scholar in his field and has used his pen in the service of Islam and Muslims of Bangladesh. He has contributed some 25 books and papers.

This biography was written in the year the prize was awarded.

Mohammad Al-Albani moved as a child with his family to Damascus, where he completed his early education and received rigorous tutelage in Arabic and Islamic studies by prominent scholars of that time.

Meanwhile, he worked as a clock and watch repairer to help support his family. Shaikh Mohammad Nasir Al-Din Al-Albani is considered by many academics as probably the greatest Islamic scholar of the 20th Century. 

Shaikh Al-Albani started to specialize in Hadith and related subjects in the 1930’s; by the age of 20, he transcribed and commented on Al-Hafiz Al-Iraqi’s monumental text Al-Mughnee ‘An Haml Al-Asfar, followed by a series of other books, lectures, and influential articles in Al-Manar magazine. It was not long before he surpassed all of his contemporaries to become the world’s leading authority in Hadith sciences. He wrote or edited more than 300 books and manuscripts, many of which became major references for Hadith scholars.

Shaikh Al-Albani visited and lectured in several Arab and European countries, including: Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Spain, Britain, Morocco, and Germany. He also taught Hadith Sciences in Al-Madinah Islamic University in Saudi Arabia for three years. His influential publications and widely attended classes and lectures, over a period of 60 years, have had a significant impact not only on the study of Hadith, but also on other branches of contemporary Islamic studies.

Although the Shaikh distanced himself from political activities, he was harassed several times, and arrested twice for a total of 9 months. During his imprisonment, he edited Al-Hafiz al-Munziri’s Mukhtasar Sahih Muslim. Eventually, he left Syria to Jordan, where he spent the last few years of his life.

This biography was written in the year the prize was awarded.

Yahia Bin Junaid graduated from the Department of Arabic Language and Literature at the College of Arts, King Saud University in Riyadh in 1969, obtained an MA in Library and Information Sciences from the University of Missouri in the USA in 1976 and a Ph.D. in Library Sciences and Documentation from Cairo University in 1983.

Professor Bin Junaid is a writer and scholar of Islamic libraries, a professor of Library Science at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University and a former Head Librarian of King Fahd Library in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He is the editor-in-chief of Alam Al-Makhtotat (World of Manuscripts), a literary Arabic periodical, a member of editorial boards of Al-Faisal and Ad-Dara, and consultant editor of Diriya magazines.

Professor bin Junaid has authored numerous articles and books in his field of specialization. Of particular importance is his book: Endowment and the Structure of the Arabic library, a highly definitive study into the role of endowments in the evolution of libraries and enhancement of education and culture in the Islamic world over ten centuries.

Bin Junaid served as a Member of the Saudi Consultative Council from 1997 to 2000, the Secretary General of King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, and a Member of the Board of Directors of King Fahad National Library.

This biography was written in the year the prize was awarded.

Abdulsattar Al-Halwaji obtained a bachelor’s degree of Arabic Language and a Diploma of Education from the College of Arts at Cairo University and the College of Education at Ain Shams University, respectively, in 1959. Thereafter, he obtained an MA from London University in 1963 and a Ph.D. from Cairo University in 1969 in Library Sciences.

Professor Al-Halwaji is an expert in Islamic libraries, ancient manuscripts, and the development of book craft during early Islamic eras. One of his best-known books on this subject is Al-Makhtout Al-Arabi (The Arabic Manuscript), an excellent research into the evolution of Arabic manuscripts, calligraphy, and book craft during the first four centuries of Islamic history. Al-Halwaji has also written many other books and research articles on the history of Islamic books and libraries. In addition, he edited an ancient text on book craft attributed to almu’iz ibn Badis, and translated World Survey of Islamic Manuscripts and Introduction to the History of Muslim East: A Bibliographical Guide by Sauvaget and Cahen.

Professor Al-Halwaji’s career as Professor of Library Science at Cairo University extended over many years, during which he assumed administrative offices such as a Chair of the Department of Library Science and Documents and a Vice-Dean of the College of Arts. He also taught for some time in Saudi Arabia. He is presently a Professor Emeritus at Cairo University and a Member of the Publications and Writers Committee of the Supreme Council for Culture in Egypt.

This biography was written in the year the prize was awarded.

Abdulkarim Zedan was educated in Iraq and Egypt. He graduated from the College of Law in Baghdad University in 1950, and obtained the Diploma of the Sharia Institute in 1958 and a Ph.D. in Islamic Sharia from Cairo University in 1962.

Professor Biej taught Islamic Sharia at the College of Arts and the College of Law in Baghdad University for many years, and rose through academic ranks to full professorship and Deanship of the College of Islamic Studies. After his retirement, he was named a Professor Emeritus at Baghdad University in recognition of his contributions to teaching and research. He subsequently served as a Professor of Islamic Sharia and Comparative Fiqh at the Departments of Islamic Studies and Graduate Islamic Studies in the College of Arts at Sana’a University in Yemen.

Professor Biej authored numerous articles and several books; some of his works were translated into other languages – English, Turkish, Indonesian, Malaysian, and Hindi – and are being taught in several Arab and Islamic Universities.

This biography was written in the year the prize was awarded.

Akram Al-Umari graduated from the College of Education in 1963 and obtained his M.A. at the College of Arts in Baghdad University in 1966, and a Ph.D. in Islamic History at Ain Shams University in Cairo in 1974. After teaching for a few years at Baghdad University, he was recruited by the Islamic University of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, where he was a Professor of Islamic History at the Department of Islamic Studies and the Department of History from 1976 to 1995. During that period, he was the Chairman of the Department of Post-Graduate Studies and the Scientific Council of the University, a researcher at the Sunnah and Sirah (Life and Traditions of the Prophet Mohammad) Center, and a member of the Scientific Council of the King Fahd Complex for Printing the Qur’an. He is currently a professor at the College of Sharia in the University of Qatar.

Al-Umari is a prominent scholar of Islamic history and Sirah and author of more than 20 books and numerous articles in these fields. His books on the life and history of the Prophet Mohammad contain insightful analyses of the events that led to societal transformations during the early part of Islam. They describe the struggle of the Prophet and his closer companions to preserve their new identity in the face of immense challenges. The books also analyze Islamic ideals and concepts from religious and historic perspectives, and are important references for students and readers of the Prophet’s sirah. Other related Arabic texts by Al-Umari include those on Al-Maedinah society, the rightly-guided caliphs era, and the Islamic civilization.

Professor Al-Umari has authored several important books dealing with the history and values of Islam in general, and with the life and history of Prophet Muhammad and the Khaliphs, in particular. His works place him among leading contemporary scholars of Islamic history. One of his best known contributions in his two-volume book The Authoritative History of the Prophet Muhammad, which contains exhaustive analyses and interpretations of events in the Prophet’s life. This thoroughly documented manuscript, which has been translated into English and other languages serves as an important source of information for researchers.

This biography was written in the year the prize was awarded.

Sabiq Al-Tihami studied at Al-Azhar Institute and graduated from the College of Sharia in 1947. He held different administrative and academic responsibilities including a Deputy Director of the Department of Mosques, a Director of the Department of Training and Cultural Affairs of the Egyptian Ministry of Endowments, a Director of the Egyptian Mabarra (an Egyptian Government charitable organization) in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, a Lecturer at al-Azhar Institute in Cairo and finally Chairman of the Department of Sharia, and a Professor of Graduate Studies at Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah.

One of Shaikh At-Tihami’s most important concerns was to present often intricate Islamic laws in a manner that is readily comprehended by students and ordinary Muslims alike. This is best exemplified by his eloquent 3-volume text, Fiqh Al-Sunnah (Sunni Sharia Laws). The style in which this book was written, and the wealth of information it contains, makes it an indispensable source for students throughout the Islamic world. It has been translated into several languages.

Shaikh Al-Tihami authored more than 10 other books andnumerous articles on Islamic laws and other aspects of the Islamic creed, including: Characteristics of Islamic Sharia; Sources of Islamic Sharia; Islamic Doctrines; Our Creed; Elements of Power in Islam, and Call to Islam. He was an active participant in Islamic Conferences; due to his versatile knowledge and lecturing skills, he was frequently invited by Muslim communities in Europe, the United States of America, and the former Soviet Union to lecture.

Shaikh Al-Tihami was awarded Egypt’s Order of Merit (First Class) in 1989 for his lifelong academic contributions and outstanding services to his country.

This biography was written in the year the prize was awarded.

Yusuf Al-Qaradawi memorized the Holy Quran by the age of nine. He was educated in Al-Azhar, receiving the Alimiyya degree in 1952 from the College of Usul Alad-Din (Religious Fundamentals of Islam), a Post-Graduate Diploma in Arabic Language Studies in 1958 from the Institute of Advanced Studies in Arabic Language and Literature, and a Master’s degree in 1960 and a Ph.D. in 1973 from the Department of Quranic Studies at the College of Usul Al-Din.

Professor Al-Qaradawi’s contributions include more than 120 books and articles on different Islamic issues, ranging from the fundamental principles and laws of Islam to the needs and challenges of modern Muslim societies. He is also famous for his popular poplular Al-Jazeera Television program Al-Shariah Wa Al-Hayat (Sharia and Life), with an estimated 40 million viewers worldwide, and Islam Online, a website he established in 1997. Many of his books have been translated into other languages. Shaikh Al-Qaradawi’s contributions to the study of Islamic law are best illustrated in his book Fiqh Al-Zakat, a major reference in the Islamic world.

Professor Al-Qaradawi was the founder and the Dean of the College of Shari’a and Islamic Studies and the founder and current Director of Sunnah Research Center at Qatar University. He is also the President of the World Muslim Scholars Association, the European Council for Islamic Guidance and Research, the Supervisory Commissions of Islamic Banks of Qatar and Bahrain, Vice-President of the International Commission for Alms in Kuwait, and Member of the Islamic Academy of Fiqh of the World Muslim League and several other Islamic research institutions and charity organizations. He is a trustee of Oxford University Center for Islamic Studies and has been recently named technical consultant for an epic movie in English on the Prophet Muhammad.

Professor Al-Qaradawi received the Islamic International bank prize in 1990.

This biography was written in the year the prize was awarded.

Hasan Al-Sa’ati received his B.A. in English Language from Fuad Al-Awal University in Cairo in 1938, and a Ph.D. in Sociology from London University in 1946. After graduation, he served at the High Institute for Social Services in Halwan and Alexandria University before joining Ain Shams University, where he became a Professor of Sociology at the College of Arts, and the Dean of the College between 1961-1968. After his retirement, he was named a Professor Emeritus at Ain Shams.

Professor Al-Sa’ati was a pioneer Arab sociologist and educator. His professional studies in sociology were published in numerous scholarly articles in Arabic and English, as well as 16 books including: Social Dynamics in Industry: A Monographic Study of an Egyptian Enterprise; The Middle Classes in Egypt; The New Aristocracy, and Bourgeoisie in Egyptian Society: Applications of Socialism; Sociology and Development in Contemporary Egypt, and Youth and Violence and Religion: Secularization and De-Secularization.

Professor Al-Sa’ati’s studies combined a deep understanding of theory with a keen awareness of the society’s actual workings, and an insistent attempt to explore a field long dominated by Western thought. His research on sociology from the Islamic perspective, such as his articles on the role of Islam in the social and economic development of Egypt and the impact of urbanization and modern industrialization in Islamic societies, as well as his other studies of broader aspects of sociology, influenced an entire generation of sociologists in Egypt and the Arab world.

Professor Al Sa’ati was awarded the Egyptian Order (Second Class) in 1977, an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Al-Awzai’ Islamic College in Lebanon in 1990, and the Egyptian State Prize for Social Sciences in 1992.

This biography was written in the year the prize was awarded.

Al-Seddiq Al-Darir graduated from Law School and obtained his Ph.D. in Islamic religious law (Sharia) from Cairo University in Egypt in 1967. He was a Professor Emeritus at Khartoum University, and a member of Arabic Language Academy in Khartoum, the Islamic Fiqh Academy in Jeddah, and the Islamic Fiqh Academy of the Organization of the Islamic Conference in Makkah, and an honorary member of the Indian Islamic Academy at Aligarh. He was also a member of the Supervisory Commission of Islamic Financial Institutions in Bahrain, and Chairman of the Supervisory Commission of Islamic Banks, Financing, and Insurance Institutions in Sudan and was considered the pioneer of that field in Sudan.

Shaikh Al-Darir started his career as an administrator before joining the Faculty of Law in Khartoum University, where he became a Professor of Islamic Sharia. He authored a number of books on Islamic financial dealings such as terms of contracts, insurance, banking, equities and loans. These books include: Insurance Contracts in Islam; Family Law System in Sharia Courts in the Sudan, and Al-Gharar in Contracts and its effect on Contemporary Transaction. The last-mentioned text is particularly important, thoroughly researched and well-documented work that reflects Al-Darir’s deep knowledge of the fundamental economic concepts of Islam and their applications in contemporary economics and finance. Professor Al-Darir also wrote many scholarly articles on Islamic financial dealings and participated in conferences and lectured at several Arab universities.

This biography was written in the year the prize was awarded.