April 15, 2005

CROWN PRINCE ABDULLAH PATRONIZES THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF KING ABDUL AZIZ PUBLIC LIBRARY. ON BEHALF OF THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES PRINCE SULTAN IBN ABDUL AZIZ PATRONIZES THE CEREMONY OF THE 27TH KING FAISAL INTERNATIONAL PRIZE. PRINCE KHALID AL-FAISAL: THE PRIZE WAS ESTABLISHED TO HONOR THE SYMBOLS OF SCIENCE AND HUMANITY WHO DEDICATE THEMSELVES TO THE SERVICE OF SCIENCE AND MANKIND. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard and Senior President of the board of directors of King Abdul Aziz Public Library, patronized and chaired a meeting of the board of directors of the library. During the meeting, issues pertaining to the work of the library were discussed. The meeting was attended by a number of officials. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz called for measures to combat deviant thoughts by carrying out cultural and educational programs, explaining the true teachings of Islam and driving home the merits of moderation and tolerance. "This country, which is honored to serve the two holy mosques, cannot tolerate any aberration of the fundamentals of Islam," the Saudi Press Agency quoted him as saying. Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz made this comment while addressing the board meeting of King Abdul Aziz Public Library in Riyadh. He also emphasized the library's role in spreading knowledge and obliterating ignorance. Faisal Muammar, an adviser at the crown prince's court and supervisor of the library, said more than 220,000 male and female researchers had benefited from the library last year. He estimated the total number of visitors to the library at two million. There are more than 1.2 million titles in the library, which has published 13 books. He said the board meeting discussed the progress of the library's unified Arab directory project, which aims at unifying data and facilitating exchange of information between libraries. Referring to the Saudi Arabian Encyclopaedia project, he said it would serve as an authentic reference on the Kingdom. It will contain information on every region of the Kingdom, its antiquities, historical sites, natural and agricultural resources, ancient history, culture and traditions as well as achievements in health, education, industry and communication. The first volume covering Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh and the Eastern Province has been completed and will be published this year, Muammar said, adding that the encyclopedia would be translated into English and other foreign languages. The project on rare books, coins, documents, pictures and maps also came up at the board meeting and Muammar said the library has already collected 81,000 rare documents and manuscripts. The board commended the library's plan to set up a databank of rare documents and Saudi and Islamic history and convert its manuscripts to electronic pages, giving researchers all over the world access to them through its website. Faisal Ibn Abdul Rahman Ibn Muammar, the library's general supervisor, said that during the meeting, members of the board listened to directives by Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz which express his ambitions and hopes to build this cultural imposing structure that has been honoured with the name of the founder of the Kingdom King Abdul Aziz God Bless his soul. The Crown Prince stressed the importance of realizing the aims of the library and praised the achievements realized by the cultural and scientific institutions during the era of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz. Crown Prince Abdullah expressed his satisfaction over the reports he saw and the discussions he witnessed in the meeting. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz thanked the members of the board of directors of the library and all its employees for their efforts in the service of the library. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard stressed the need for promoting libraries and developing their work so that they could benefit from modern technological developments in the field of information, libraries and data. Crown Prince Abdullah also reiterated the importance of publishing and translation, which does not only allow one to learn about other peoples' culture but has become a priority as a source of information about other peoples' culture, their views and trends. The Crown Prince said that this knowledge imposes on us to build bridges with these cultures in order to present to them our Muslim and distinctive Arab culture. Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz went on to say that books chosen for translation should support the culture of the Muslim human being and provide him with the knowledge to face other cultures. The board of directors reviewed issues on the agenda, the past achievements and activities of the library and commended them as well as future plans for the coming year. Members of the board of directors praised the efforts exerted by the library in the enrichment of cultural life and reviewed its achievements. The members of the board of directors then reviewed reports on the services of the library and its performance. The report said that research and information services were developed and the number of visitors has reached more than 2 million people. It also mentioned that the library includes around one million materials. The library provides King Abdul Aziz information base, books, modern magazines, equestrian information, rare books and free internet services. The number of working hours per month has increased to 740 hours as the library opens its doors between 7am and 9pm including Thursdays and Fridays and last year a quarter of a million researchers benefited from the library. Faisal Ibn Abdul Rahman Ibn Muammar, the library's general supervisor said that members of the board of directors also reviewed the cultural and scientific activities of the library, which included symposiums, lectures, cultural evenings, exhibitions, international book fairs as well as official visits to the library. Members of the board of directors praised the distinctive cultural participation of the library and especially the success achieved by the library. Ibn Muammar noted that members of the board of directors praised the Comprehensive Encyclopedia of the areas of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which provides documented data on the Kingdom and its areas based on modern references, while it offers detailed information on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, its cities, villages, legacy, traditions, arts, the aspects of its modern civilization and the characteristics of each region. He went on to say that this information will help future generations to know the history of their country and the tiniest details about the different areas of the Kingdom and its history. Members of the board of directors supported the idea of the project and its mechanism as it presents the Kingdom and its different regions to all sectors of the society while it documents the development of the Kingdom in different areas. Ibn Muammar pointed out that the board of directors agreed on holding a symposium on the Muslim message. The general supervisor of the library said the board of directors has agreed on the account report of the 1425/1426H budget and has endorsed the budget for the new year. The meeting expressed its thanks and gratitude to Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard and Supreme Chairman of the board of directors for his care and unlimited support to the King Abdul Aziz Library and for his support of culture. After the end of the board meeting Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard and Supreme Chairman of the board of directors saw a number of old manuscripts, documents, rare photographs, maps and coins in the library. The meeting was attended by Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Tuwaijri, Deputy Supreme President of the library's board of directors, Staff General Prince Miteb Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy commander of the National Guard member of the board, the Secretary General of the Muslim World League Abdullah Ibn Abdul Mohsen Al Turki, member of the Shoura Council Abdul Rhaman Ibn Ibrahim Abou Hmeid, the Under Secretary of the National Guard Dr Abdul Rahman Ibn Subait Al Subait, the Director of King Saud University Dr Abdullah Ibn Mohammed Al Faisal, the Director of Imam Mohammed Ibn Saud Islamic University Dr Mohammed Ibn Saad Al Salem, the Under Secretary of the National Guard for cultural and Educational Affairs and General Supervisor of the Library Faisal Ibn Abdul Rahman Muammar, the Head of Religious Guidance in the National Guard Dr Ibrahim Ibn Mohammed Abou Aba and the Director of the Center for Specialized Studies Dr Abdul Rahman Ibn Hamad Al Said. On the other hand and on behalf of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz, Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General patronized the handing ceremony of King Faisal International 27th Prize for 1425H. Upon arrival at the headquarters of King Faisal Charitable Foundation, Prince Sultan was received by Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Riyadh Region, Prince Khalid Al-Faisal Ibn Abdul Aziz, Foundation's Director General and Head of the Prize Panel; Prince Turki Al-Faisal, Saudi Ambassador to the United Kingdom and Ireland; Prince Bandar Ibn Saud Ibn Khalid, Foundation's Deputy Director General and Dr. Abdullah Ibn Salih Al-Othaimeen, the Secretary General of the Prize. A speech ceremony was held on this occasion. Addressing the ceremony, Prince Khalid Al-Faisal pointed out that the Prize was established to honor the symbols of science and humanity who dedicate themselves to the service of science and mankind. Then Dr. Al-Othaimeen announced the winners in the fields of Islam's service; Islamic studies; medicine and science. Prince Sultan handed the prizes to the winners who expressed their happiness to win the prizes. Then Prince Sultan graced a dinner party held on this occasion. The ceremony was attended by a number of princes and officials. -- Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General presented awards to this year's winners of the King Faisal International Prize at a glittering ceremony. A number of princes, Cabinet ministers, diplomats, senior government officials and other dignitaries attended the presentation ceremony held at the Prince Sultan Hall in the Al-Faisaliah complex. Earlier, Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, director general of the King Faisal Foundation and chairman of the King Faisal International Prize Board, welcomed Prince Sultan and the guests. The Prize for Arabic Language and Literature was withheld as none of the entries qualified for the prestigious award. Each winner of the award received SR750,000 ($200,000) in cash, a certificate outlining the laureate's work and a commemorative 22-carat gold medallion. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Abdullah Al-Othaimeen, Secretary-General of the King Faisal International Prize, cited Dr. Ahmad Muhammad Ali, president of the Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank, and the Al-Hariri Foundation of Lebanon as the joint winners of the 2005 King Faisal International Prize for Service to Islam. He said Dr. Ali was awarded the prize in recognition of his achievements in the field of Islamic banking. As president of the IDB, he had not only consolidated the conformity of banking transactions with Islamic laws but also set an example of successful and modern Islamic banking. He also established a comprehensive infrastructure within the bank, including the Islamic bank portfolio, investment shares, Islamic investment institution, Islamic research and training institute, prize for Islamic economics and many others. In his acceptance speech, the IDB chief referred to the challenges facing the Islamic Ummah, both from within and outside. He said two of the major challenges were the attempt to misrepresent Islam as a "kernel of terrorism." "Another very important challenge is poverty and illiteracy that prevail in most Islamic countries, and the backwardness in different fields of science and technology, as revealed by current international and local economic statistics," he said. Dr. Ali announced that he had decided to donate his monetary share of the prize to serve as a nucleus for a fund, under the auspices of the Islamic Development Bank, to establish an annual prize for best achievement in promoting trading cooperation between Islamic countries. Lebanon's Al-Hariri Foundation was recognized for its promotion of education and culture. So far, it has supported college education of nearly 35,000 students. It has also built schools and colleges throughout Lebanon and, in its efforts to preserve Islamic architecture, refurbished ancient mosques in that country. Accepting the award on behalf of his late father, Bahauddin Rafiq Hariri thanked the King Faisal Foundation for the honor bestowed on the Al-Hariri Foundation. He said the award underscored his father's belief that Islam combines benevolence and mercy with moral and economic development of mankind. Professor Carole Hillenbrand of the University of Edinburgh was awarded the Prize for Islamic Studies. She was cited for her pioneering research, specifically her revolutionary approach to the largely one-sided subject of the Crusades. The citation said she has sought to clarify several misconceptions about Crusades, thereby making it possible for history to be viewed from a more balanced and impartial perspective. Describing the award "as a jewel in our crown", she said it would help to promote a better understanding of the Islamic world in the West. Carole observed that recent enrolments in Arabic and in Islamic studies at Edinburgh had seen a dramatic and unprecedented increase. "So the time is ripe for educating a new generation that is hungry to know more about other cultures," she observed. The Prize for Medicine went to Sir Richard Doll and Sir Richard Peto of the Clinical Trial Service Unit (CTSU) at Oxford University. They were honored for their pioneering epidemiologic research that has unequivocally established the link between tobacco and various diseases, such as vascular diseases and cancers. "Indeed, so great has been the impact of their studies that several national health policies have been modified as a result of these findings. The World Health Organization (WHO) itself changed its position on smoking which culminated in a demonstrable decline in deaths related to cancer and atherosclerotic vascular diseases in several developed countries," according to the citation read out by Dr. Al-Othaimeen. Thanking KFF for the great honor, Professor Doll said his joint research with Sir Richard had established that when the public began to give up smoking following an awareness campaign mortality rates throughout the UK dropped and many premature deaths were averted. In the science category, Professors Federico Capasso, Frank Wilczek (USA) and Anton Zeilinger (Austria) shared the prize for their distinguished contributions in their respective fields. Professor Carole Hillenbrand, who teaches Islamic History at the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom, won the award for her book "The Crusades: Islamic Perspectives." A linguist fluent in 11 languages, including Arabic, Persian and Turkish, Professor Hillenbrand gravitated to Islamic studies after a stint in a government department working on airplanes. Since then she has been flying high in linguistics and Islamic studies, especially the medieval period from 5th to 7th centuries A.H. She said she was proud of receiving the award. "The King Faisal Foundation has shown that it selects an award winner purely on the basis of merit. I am grateful to them for the honor conferred on me. My work was evaluated by best Islamic scholars from the Arab world." Professor Hillenbrand expressed concern over the growing Islamophobia in the West and said the Western countries that used to target Communism in the past have now identified a new target in the form of Islam. "The perception about Muslim East and Christian West is no longer valid, since the Muslim diaspora is scattered all over the Western countries. This kind of Islamophobia could produce extreme reaction, and Muslims living in the Western countries could be adversely affected," she said, adding that she would devote her time and effort to promoting better understanding between the two peoples. In this context she called on the Arab journalists to have greater interaction with the West just as Western journalists do in this part of the world. On her part, she would like to have closer links between her university and Islamic universities through an academic exchange program. Asked about the phenomenon of political Islam, Professor Hillenbrand said it was understandable that every Muslim country would like to have a society not based on materialism or globalization and to genuinely establish a Muslim society in modern times. Nevertheless, it depends on whether that interpretation of political Islam is one that does not involve extremist groups using methods opposed to Islamic teachings. "I don't believe that Islam and democracy are incompatible, but there is a lack of understanding in the Western countries of the fact that different Muslim countries will have a different interpretation of what democracy means depending on their local situation." Responding to a question on the challenges facing the Islamic world, she said they should take what is best from their Islamic traditions and blend them with information technology and other high-tech areas. The Islamic world during the medieval period rose to its pinnacle by paying greater attention to science, medicine and mathematics thereby attracting students from the West, she noted. Referring to the current situation in Iraq, she said it could not be called a jihad, since a fatwa (Islamic verdict) was never issued by any internationally recognized Islamic scholar. "If Muslims want to describe the current fighting in Iraq as a jihad, it is for them to say, but I don't think it can be called a jihad, since Iraq had a secular government before it was toppled. From the Islamic point of view, the person eligible to call for jihad was either the caliph during the Islamic era or an Islamic scholar in modern times. No such call has been issued." The professor also clarified that the fighting in Iraq cannot be called a Crusade either, since it is now a dead concept. "You can only call for a crusade against smoking or in another secular sense." Asked about the main conclusions she had drawn about the Crusades, Professor Hillenbrand said although the Franks lived in the Muslim world for some 200 years, they did not leave their mark on the canvas of medieval history in that region. The Muslims became inward-looking as a result of the Crusader invasion from the West and the Mongol invasion from the East. However, they were able to overcome the challenges by drawing upon the strength of Islam.