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The Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs, represented by Mosques Department, inaugurated the historic mosque in Al Rafiq area of Al Jumailiya following the completion of comprehensive maintenance work. This initiative is part of the ministry's plan to expand and develop mosques across all areas of the country, in line with urban growth, population increase, and Qatar National Vision 2030.The historic mosque features a main prayer hall accommodating 36 worshippers, as well as the mosque's liwan that can also accommodate the same number, where Friday prayers are held. The mosque also includes 120-square-meter courtyard, with its southeastern corner housing a minaret reflecting a traditional architectural style, while the ablution area is located in the northeastern section.The ministry explained that maintenance work was carried out on both the mosque's exterior and interior walls to preserve its heritage character, including construction of a new roof in keeping with traditional architectural spirit of historic mosques.Emphasizing the importance of preserving the mosque's heritage essence, the ministry added that the facility has been equipped with a new electrical network, air conditioning, lighting and sound systems, as well as security and safety devices.

The Department of Islamic Research and Studies at the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs will launch the first event of the second cultural season of the 'Knowledge Integration' seminar series on Tuesday.The first seminar will discuss the possible implications of the process of knowledge integration, within the framework of examining and reflecting on selected models from the long history of Islamic civilization and the cultural, intellectual, and scientific achievements that have continued to shape the present and build the future.The seminar will be held at the Imam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab Mosque, immediately after Isha prayer. Held in cooperation with the Ibn Khaldon Centre for Humanities and Social Sciences at Qatar University, the seminar will feature the participation of a select group of scholars, researchers, and academics.Director of the Department of Research and Islamic Studies Sheikh Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Ghanem Al-Thani said that the seminar is a semi-annual, scientific, and intellectual cultural event held twice a year. It focuses on the causes, tools, and methods for achieving interaction and integration between various sciences, and it examines cultural issues and social problems from an Islamic perspective, he added.The Director of the Department of Research and Islamic Studies said that the seminar's primary goal is to promote a culture of cognitive integration, which tops the list of objectives the Department of Research aims to achieve through its seminars, lectures, and various publications.As for the second seminar of this season, Sheikh Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Ghanem Al-Thani explained that it will take place in February 2026 and explore possible ways to advance 'cultural interaction' as a foundation for cognitive integration. This will be achieved through two main, interconnected axes, each with its own intellectual and practical implications.

The Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs (Awqaf) took part in the 10th meeting of Their Excellencies undersecretaries and senior officials responsible for Islamic affairs and endowments in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states. HE Undersecretary of the Ministry of Awqaf Dr. Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Ghanem al-Thani chaired Qatar's delegation to the meeting, which was held Wednesday in the State of Kuwait with the participation of official delegations from across the GCC.In his remarks, HE Dr Sheikh Khalid stressed that such meetings serve as a strategic platform for discussing aspirations, challenges, and exchanging expertise and best practices. He emphasized the importance of coordinating efforts among GCC countries to develop a unified vision that enhances the religious and social roles of ministries of Islamic affairs and endowments, supports developmental goals, and empowers the sector to fulfill its civilizational and humanitarian mission for Gulf societies and beyond.He also commended the significant efforts made by the ministers and undersecretaries of Islamic affairs and endowments across the GCC, which he said reflect the region’s commitment to meeting the aspirations of its peoples and advancing sustainable development. He extended his gratitude to Kuwait for its warm hospitality and excellent organization, and praised the efforts of the GCC General Secretariat and the Standing Committee of Islamic Affairs Specialists for their productive work during the current session.The agenda included proposals to share scientific research and experiences in the field of endowments through interactive virtual seminars; showcase best practices in Islamic affairs and set criteria for the successful social role of mosque imams. Also discussed were artificial intelligence in Islamic affairs; intellectual security codes for mosque imams, energy conservation in mosques and technical requirements for building and upgrading mosques.The meeting also presented a proposal to hold a Gulf Week for the Protection of Religious and Moral Values of the Family. Participants presented several recommendations aimed at enhancing co-operation among GCC states in the field of Islamic affairs and endowments. These recommendations will be submitted to the upcoming meeting of GCC Ministers of Islamic Affairs and Endowments for approval and adoption.

The Department of Islamic Research and Studies at the Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs announced Tuesday 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.During a press conference, Awqaf evinced that the decision to share this 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 hailing from Qatar, Oman, Yemen, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Sudan, Algeria, Morocco, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, and Indonesia.He further added that the prize's panel lauded the submitted research which were literally in a high degree of scientific excellence in terms of approach and objectivity, prompting the panel to significantly recommend verification from some research and further submission to the Book of the Nation Series to weigh the possibility of publishing them once the consent of research leads.Even if the prize has essentially opted for one winning dissertation for each level, it has incredibly succeeded in supplying the Arab Islamic Library with 57 outstanding research and books by approaching this bulk of research, as long as the leads who were not lucky to win will strive to publish and distribute them, Sheikh Dr. Ahmed said.He stated that the research department has selected "Artificial Intelligence and Technology Ethics in Islamic Thought: A Study of the Challenges of the Digital Revolution from an Islamic Perspective" as the theme for the 18th International Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah Al-Thani Endowment Prize, while the theme for the upcoming session of the local prize will be on "Financial Education for Children According to Islamic Methodology and Its Impact on Family Economy- Islam's Role in Building a Sound Financial Culture" for the 4th local prize, noting that Jan.1, 2028, ought to be the deadline for submitting research for both prizes.He pointed out that Jan.1, 2026, ought to be the deadline for receiving the research submitted to the 16th International prize on the Islamic jurisprudence of social relations in light of Qur'anic stories, along with the second edition of the local prize on social media and its impact on the cultural identity of the Qatari community.It has been determined that Jan.1, 2027, would be the deadline for receiving the researches submitted to the 17th edition of the international prize on the Islamic ummah and the post-globalization era: A foresight study, as well as the third edition of the local prize on the Friday Sermon and its role in reform: the Qatari society as a model, highlighted Sheikh Dr. Ahmed.Qatar News Agency (QNA) reached the Assistant Director of the Research and Studies Center at the Police Academy in Qatar, Capt. Dr. Khalifa Ahmed Bo Hashim Al Sayed, who evinced that his participation in the local prize came after he delved into the topic of family cohesion and its role in childcare: The Qatari society as a model.Al Sayed pointed out that his participation, which ranked first, has diligently revealed how tight-knit families can take care of children in the Qatari community through identifying the reality of family cohesion and care for children in terms of Sharia perspectives.Identifying the contemporary issues, modern methods, and a wide range of societal challenges, along with their impact on tight-knit families and taking care of children, was imperative, alongside the role of the whole-of-government approach, social centers, and scholars at home in preserving this cohesion, he underlined.Al Sayed noted that his study also discussed clarifying the impact of the tight-knit family in caring for children in many respects that include psychology, emotion, morality, education, and science.A field study was conducted using a descriptive-analytical approach, along with the preparation and distribution of a questionnaire to a random sample of 747 individuals from various segments of Qatari society, he said.He further elucidated that the findings were literally consequential, pointing out that the impact of diverse issues on family cohesion and caring for children in Qatar is almost high, based on social dispensation, as well as education and culture, emphasizing that this cohesion has an apparent and profound impact and comes based on the scientific, moral, and educational levels, as well as psychology and emotion.With respect to the recommendations of this study, Capt. Al Sayed evinced that they advocate for reconsidering the policies and measures in connection with job patterns in the Qatari community to preemptively avert the detrimental consequences arising from the long hours of work that could potentially affect familial relationships.The recommendations laser-focus on social collaboration with the nation's competent authorities, namely the Supreme Council for Family Affairs and Doha International Family Institute (DIFI), in urging families to dedicate a limited time to their sons and daughters to use social media, Al Sayed outlined, noting that the recommendations stressed the importance of crafting a strategy that strengthens family cohesion and contributes to caring for children.In essence, the prize is the first and largest endowment-based prize in culture, advocacy, and Islamic thought in Qatar, supported by Awqaf to encourage research and develop a new generation of scholars, with a value of QR200,000 for both the international and local categories.Over nearly three decades, the prize has advanced pivotal contributions across diverse knowledge fields, addressing issues such as societal endowments, Islamic perspectives on the environment, family and education, heritage and nation-building, governance, dialogue, human rights, divine laws, communal obligations, transformative jurisprudence, citizenship, and development.