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The Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs (Awqaf), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE), honoured students who participated in the second school Arabic calligraphy competition, ‘Al-Raqeem’, for the year 2025, in recognition of their efforts and distinguished participation. The competition targeted male and female students from both public and private schools. The honouring ceremony was attended by Undersecretary of the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Sheikh Dr Khalid bin Mohammed bin Ghanim al-Thani and Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Dr Ibrahim bin Saleh al-Nuaimi along with a number of educators and members of the ‘Al-Raqeem’ competition committee. The Undersecretary of Awqaf praised the integrative partnership between the two ministries, affirming that the ‘Al-Raqeem’ competition represents a successful model of institutional co-operation aimed at instilling aesthetic and educational values among students. He noted that the initiative strengthens students’ connection to the Holy Qur’an and Arab-Islamic identity through an authentic visual art Arabic calligraphy. The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education commended the efforts of the organising committee, emphasising that integrating traditional arts into the educational process contributes to the development of students’ aesthetic sensibilities and the reinforcement of moral and human values. He added that the wide participation witnessed in the competition reflects its success and the strong engagement of the educational field. The second edition of the school Arabic calligraphy competition, which launched in October and continued through December 2025, saw the participation of 479 male and female students from 24 public and private schools at the preparatory and secondary levels. This included four schools for students with disabilities, for both boys and girls – an important step reflecting the inclusivity of the competition and the breadth of its educational impact. Students competed in the Ruq’ah script by writing the 23rd verse of Sourat Al-Isra. This choice aimed to link Arabic calligraphy skills with lofty moral values, foremost among them filial piety. Chairman of the Organising Committee of the Qatar International Arabic Calligraphy Competition (Al-Raqeem), Dr Saleh bin Ali al-Akhn al-Marri affirmed that the competition seeks to restore Arabic calligraphy to its rightful status as a core component of Arab and Islamic cultural identity. He explained that directing the competition towards school students aims to nurture a generation that appreciates artistic beauty rooted in Qur’anic values and understands the significance of Arabic calligraphy within the Arabic Islamic Nation’s civilisational heritage. He added that the wide participation this year, along with the inclusion of schools for students with disabilities, clearly demonstrates the success of the initiative and motivates the organising committee to further develop future editions and expand its scope in service of its cultural and educational mission. The competition also featured introductory programmes and awareness workshops for participating students, including visual presentations on the history of Arabic calligraphy, its various styles, and tools. Training booklets and specialised Ruq’ah calligraphy pens were distributed to support students in developing their artistic skills and preparing for the final evaluations. The competition is held under the supervision of the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs and the Museum of Islamic Art, in co-operation with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education through its departments of programmes and activities, private schools, and kindergartens, with direct supervision from the administrations of participating schools. Regarding participation statistics, the 2025 school edition of the Al-Raqeem Arabic calligraphy competition witnessed broad engagement from public and private schools, with a total of 479 students of various nationalities, including 110 Qatari students. Among public schools, 258 students from ten schools participated, namely Ibn Khaldoun Preparatory School for Boys, Abu Ubaidah Preparatory School for Boys, Hassan bin Thabit Secondary School for Boys, Omar bin Al-Khattab Secondary School for Boys, Al-Hidaya School for Boys with Disabilities, Granada Preparatory School for Girls, Zainab Preparatory School for Girls, Al-Shaymaa Secondary School for Girls, Al-Risala Secondary School for Girls, and Al-Hidaya School for Girls with Disabilities. Private schools accounted for 221 participants representing fourteen schools, namely My School Academy, Global Universe Academy (Al-Waab), Al-Salam Fifth School, Queens International School, Palestinian School for Boys, Al-Furqan Secondary School for Boys, Al-Zaitoun International School (Al-Thumama), Cambridge International School, Next Generation School, Galileo International School, Al-Andalus School for Girls, Edison International School (Mureikh), Al-Maha Academy for Girls with Disabilities, and Al-Awsaj Academy for Students with Disabilities. 

The Department of Islamic Research and Studies at the Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs, in collaboration with the Mosques Administration, has opened a new branch of the adjudicated Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah Al-Thani Waqf Award, dedicated to imams, preachers, and muezzins.Director of the Department of Research and Islamic Studies, Sheikh Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Ghanem al-Thani, highlighted that the award constitutes a vital addition to the department's portfolio of cultural initiatives, demonstrating Awqaf's unstinting commitment to growing the intellectual capacities and research potential of imams, preachers, and muezzins.The award intends to support the department's pathway toward advancing the formation of the Imam-Educator, a faith leader with specialised competence in family life, social engagement, and educational development, while encouraging imams, preachers, and muezzins to engage seriously in Islamic scholarship and applied, community-based research, Sheikh Dr Ahmed pointed out.He further indicated that this engagement is intended to bring their intellectual capacities and thought leadership to the fore, enabling them to propose practical, faith-informed solutions to community challenges in a manner that meaningfully serves society.The initiative further aims to leverage outstanding research outputs in the development of Friday khutbah (sermon), educational lessons, and mosque-based awareness programmes, thereby reinforcing the mosque's role as a hub for community education, moral guidance, and social resilience, he said.Sheikh Dr Ahmed added that the award selected for its inaugural theme "values-based stability in the Muslim community” and the role of imams and preachers in safeguarding identity, ethics, and culture, in view of their critical importance, to be addressed through five principal themes.He elucidated that the first theme addresses the theoretical framework of the proposed topic, introducing its core concepts, foremost among them the notion of values-based stability, its standing within Islamic Sharia, and its foundational sources in the Holy Qur'an and the Prophetic Sunnah.This theme, he says, further examines the concepts of identity, ethics, and culture through the epistemological lens of revelation-based knowledge, clarifying their interrelationship and their collective role in fostering values-based stability within the Muslim community.He noted that the second theme explores the historical standing of the mosque, spotlighting its educational and social function as a community hub, and articulating its role in reinforcing values-based stability, safeguarding Islamic identity, and deepening ethical foundations.The third theme reviews the role of the imam in advancing values-based stability, outlining their standing and educational and da‘wah-oriented responsibilities, as well as the contribution of the minbar and structured lessons to guiding individuals and building community awareness in accordance with Islamic values, Sheikh Dr Ahmed explained.He further indicated that the fourth theme drills down on mechanisms of values reinforcement, addressing the practical tools available to imams, including lessons, educational programs, youth and family activities, and study circles, in addition to avenues for collaboration between mosques and community, educational, and media institutions.As for the fifth theme of the award, Sheikh Dr Ahmed noted that it will address contemporary intellectual, media, and social challenges that pose concrete threats to identity, values, and culture, while exploring viable responses and remedial approaches.This fifth theme is intended to outline the broad contours of a practical strategy aimed at strengthening identity, values, and culture, and at effectuating the role of imams in propagating these principles throughout society, he added.For his part, Director of the Mosque Affairs Department, Dr Sulaiman Jumaan al-Qahtani, pointed out that the award is a serious attempt to benefit from these scientific and research capabilities of imams.As such, the ministry announced a set of eligibility requirements and guiding criteria governing the award.These requirements are divided into two categories: those pertaining to the applicant, and those relating to the research paper itself.The ministry underscored that the applicant must be an imam, khatib, or muezzin serving at Awqaf and must commit to addressing all announced themes, while retaining the option to introduce additional themes deemed relevant to the research. Applicants are also required to structure the themes across chapters, sections, and subsections in a manner consistent with their approved research plan.Furthermore, the applicant's name must appear only on the title page, and the submission must be accompanied by a curriculum vitae and a copy of a valid identification document.In addition, Awqaf noted that joint submissions are permitted, provided all contributing authors are imams, khatibs, or muezzins employed by the ministry, clarifying that a previous award recipient is not eligible to participate again until two years have elapsed since winning the award.With regard to the research, Awqaf emphasised that the preparation of a submission specifically for the award is a prerequisite, in addition to the importance of fulfilling the fundamental standards of scholarly research, including introductions, documentation, indexing, and recommendations. Submissions must be presented in Arabic, accompanied by an abstract in both Arabic and English.The ministry also announced that the award may be withheld if the research does not meet the required standard of excellence, and its value may be revoked if it is found that the submission violates any of the stipulated conditions.The award's total value is QR100,000, distributed among the top three recipients, with the first-place winner receiving QR50,000, the second-place winner QR30,000, and the third-place winner QR20,000. 

The Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs has announced a strategic partnership with Google Cloud to deliver advanced artificial intelligence projects that accelerate digital transformation across the ministry.The partnership includes the launch of the Awqaf AI Factory, a unified technology environment featuring high-performance computing infrastructure for data processing and model training, and AI platforms built on the ministry's extensive archives.The ministry becomes the first government entity to partner with Google Cloud after the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.Director of Human Resources and Vice-Chairman of the Business and Systems Development Committee, Mohammed bin Hassan al-Malki said co-operation began in January 2024, leveraging Google's technologies to enhance administrative efficiency.He highlighted key initiatives such as the Smart Khateeb Assistant, Media Agent for video generation, Smart Sermon Evaluator, and Real-Time Sermon Translator.The Director of Da'wah and Religious Guidance, Jassim bin Abdullah al-Ali, noted that the Smart Sermon Evaluator delivered rapid, high-impact results, identifying assessment aspects beyond traditional methods.The ministry also migrated Islamweb, one of the world's most visited Islamic platforms, to Google Cloud, strengthening security, scalability, and AI-powered search and fatwa services.The Assistant Director of Mosques, Mohammed bin Abdul Latif al-Mahmoud, said the Smart Khateeb Assistant supports preachers with reliable scholarly content, relevant topic suggestions, and human-in-the-loop editing to enhance sermon effectiveness.Engineering Director at Google Cloud Gulf, Hatem al-Muhandis, praised the partnership for demonstrating how AI can preserve Islamic culture while improving operational efficiency, adding that Awqaf is Google Cloud's largest government partner after MCIT.  

Protection and Social Rehabilitation Centre (Aman), member of Qatar Foundation for Social Work, concluded a series of awareness workshops held at Qur'an memorisation centres for women and girls, in co-operation with the Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs.In this context, Acting Executive Director of Aman Centre, Fadl al-Kaabi emphasised that the main objective of these workshops, in co-operation with the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, represented by the Qur'an memorisation centres, is to enhance women's sense of security and highlight their role in the stability of the family and society. The workshops also aimed to equip participants with new skills and mechanisms for dealing with challenges and problems they may face, and to familiarise them with the centre's role and the key services it provides to protect them.Al-Kaabi noted that the awareness workshops targeted women and girls, focusing on raising awareness and educating the community about social protection issues, thus contributing to building strong and cohesive families. He explained that the number of beneficiaries of these workshops exceeded 900.He pointed out that these efforts come in fulfilment of the vision and mission of Aman Centre to provide social protection, strengthen family cohesion, and reduce violence in all its forms.For her part, Director of the Community Awareness Department at Aman Centre, Bakhita al-Ghayathin explained that the implementation of the "Aman" awareness workshops aimed to highlight several topics related to social protection, family safety, and protection from cyber extortion, in addition to raising awareness about bullying and its psychological effects.In contrast, Director of the Communication and Media Office at Aman Centre, Hanan al-Ali emphasised the importance of expanding co-operation with the largest possible number of partners in the country to serve the targeted groups of women, children, and victims of family breakdown and violence, stressing that awareness represents the first line of defense in achieving safety.Al-Ali added that activating community partnership with the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs contributes to raising community awareness and strengthening family cohesion, thus creating a safe and stable environment.  

The Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs honoured on Tuesday the winners of the top five places for males in the three categories (citizens, elite memorisers, general memorisers) in the full Holy Qur'an catergory of the 30th Sheikh Jassim bin Muhammad bin Thani Noble Qur'an Competition, at a ceremony held at the Sheraton Doha Hotel.The ceremony was attended by His Excellency the Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs Ghanem bin Shaheen al-Ghanem, a group of scholars, preachers and reciters, a number of officials from state institutions and its scientific and educational sectors, and a group of state guests, including: His Excellency Chairman of the Organising Committee of the Moscow International Holy Qur'an Competition Shaikh Dr. Rushan Abbyasov, Grand Mufti of Slovenia Shaikh Nevzet Poric, Grand Mufti of Croatia Shaikh Aziz Hasanovic.On this occasion, chairperson of the competition's organising committee, Malallah Abdulrahman al-Jaber, said that the competition represents one of the most prominent Qur'anic platforms in the Islamic world, thanks to the continuous support and care of the wise leadership, and the great interest of the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs. He noted that the competition, which was launched for the first time in 1993, has established its presence during the past three decades as one of the oldest Qur'anic competitions, the most diverse in branches, and the highest in terms of the value of the prizes.HE the Minister of Endowments honoured members of the Supreme Judging Committee, the winners, and the media organisations that covered the event.The top five winners in the citizens' category for full Quran memorisation were Abdulaziz Abdullah Ali al-Hamri securing first place and a prize of QR100,000. Ibrahim Mohammed Hashem al-Mashhadani came in second with an QR85,000 prize, followed by Mohammed Ahmed Mohammed Abdulrahim al-Haram in third place with QR70,000.Mohammed Abdullah Mohammed Buleidah received the fourth-place award of QR60,000, while Hamad Abdullah Tayis al-Jumaili came fifth with QR50,000.In the elite memorisers' category for full Quran memorisation, the United States' Hamza al-Habashi claimed first place with a prize of QR100,000.Yemen's Mohammed Abdu Ahmed Qasim took second place with QR85,000, and Tunisia's Rasheed Abdulrahman al-Alani finished third with a QR70,000 award.The fourth-place prize of QR60,000 went to Mahmoud Suleiman al-Mabruk Idris from Libya, while Egyptian contestant Magdy Abdullah Salem Ahmed earned the fifth-place prize of QR50,000.In the general memorizers' category, Nasser Nahed Deeb from the US achieved first place with a QR100,000 award.Khalid Hafiz Mohammed Fakhrul Huda from Bangladesh followed in second with QR85,000, and his compatriot Saad Abdul-Sattar Abu Saeed secured third place with QR70,000.Abdulaziz Fahad Mohammed al-Hawsali from Yemen placed fourth with QR60,000, while Bangladesh's Ismail Hafiz Mohammed Elias finished fifth with a QR50,000 prize.Al Jaber indicated that the launch of the competition came in commemoration of the approach of the founder of the state, Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed bin Thani and his keenness to spread knowledge and enhance the status of the Holy Quran among members of society. He explained that the closing ceremony comes as a culmination of the efforts of hundreds of participants from citizens and residents in various branches, from memorizing the entire Holy Quran, to the branches of partial memorization, which witnessed this year a wide participation of male and female students.He noted that the number of applicants in the current edition exceeded 2,450 male and female contestants, including about 800 participants from citizens. He pointed out that the competition witnessed this year a number of administrative and organizational amendments, including the complete separation of the male and female judging committees, in addition to allocating five independent centers for the winning female contestants in the three categories with the same value of the prizes allocated to men, in addition to increasing the value of the rewards allocated to the skilled male and female contestants who did not obtain one of the five winning positions in the competition.He added that the 29th edition also witnessed the launch of the "Rattel Branch" dedicated to male and female high school students in public and private schools, which was held in October with the aim of promoting love for the Holy Quran and consolidating moral and religious values ​​in the hearts of students.Al Jaber emphasized that the competition is witnessing increasing global expansion, as the organizing committee contributed during the current year to supporting a number of Quranic competitions outside the country, including the Russian Federation's Holy Quran Competition, the European International Competition in Croatia, and the Holy Quran Competition in Bosnia and Herzegovina, within the framework of the State of Qatar's role in serving the Holy Quran and promoting cultural and religious communication between peoples.The chairperson of the organizing committee noted the great support given by the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs to this competition, which contributed to enhancing the quality of the competition and developing its mechanisms and outputs.Al Jaber praised the efforts of all parties, members of the judging committees, organizing committees, and media institutions supporting the competition, stressing that the continuation of this effort contributes to preparing a generation that memorizes Quran and is capable of serving society in accordance with the tolerant values ​​of Islam.The ceremony featured a visual presentation, which traced the evolution of the Sheikh Jassim Holy Quran Competition, regarded today as one of the largest and most diversified Quranic contests worldwide.Over three decades rich with achievements, the competition has steadily expanded its branches to include a wide array of national and international categories, accompanied by continuous enhancements to its technical and administrative systems.This long journey has transformed the competition into a significant platform for nurturing Qatari youth in the memorization of the Holy Quran and has produced distinguished examples of proficient memorizers, preachers, and imams who now lead prayers and sermons across the country's mosques.The competition has embraced participants from all age groups and backgrounds, males and females, beginners and advanced memorizers, specialists and the general public, those who have memorized the entire Quran or portions of it, Arabic speakers and non-Arabic speakers, and even new converts to Islam. It has also welcomed participation from schools, institutions, public bodies, and the private sector.The presentation further highlighted the launch of the encyclopedia of Quranic readings and sciences by Sheikh Dr. Ahmed Aissa El Masarawi, former Grand Sheikh of the Egyptian Qira'at and Chairman of the Supreme Judging Committee.The encyclopedia was released electronically through IslamWeb and the competition's website, in recognition of Dr. El Masarawi's longstanding role in judging the competition since its early years and his efforts in establishing precise and rigorous standards that elevated the competition into a model of excellence.The Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs has given remarkable attention to the spread of Quranic learning circles across the country.These circles have continued to bear fruit, with thousands of students of various ages and nationalities joining them, helping shape a Quranic generation that the State hopes will serve as a source of strength for Qatar and the wider Muslim community.The presentation also detailed the organizing committee's careful selection of the judging panels, choosing distinguished imams with proven expertise in Quranic evaluation.These judges assessed contestants thoroughly through the first and second stages in terms of memorization, performance, and tajwid. Winners received substantial financial rewards, while those who passed the second stage without advancing to the final round were granted encouragement prizes. Additional financial awards were dedicated to participants known for their beautiful recitation voices. 

The Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs (Awqaf) has called on all Muslims in Qatar to perform a rain-prayer (Salat al-Istisqa), on Thursday as the nation faces a spell of dry weather. The prayer, a practice deeply rooted in Islamic tradition, will take place at 6:04am in 124 mosques and prayer grounds across the country. It dates back to the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who led such prayers to seek divine relief during dry seasons. The ritual is a spiritual means of invoking rain and is often performed collectively when rainfall is delayed, reflecting a broader cultural and religious approach to coping with environmental hardship. An Awqaf statement Wednesday urged Muslims to approach the prayer with humility and reminded them of several acts believed to bring about divine acceptance of prayer including sincere repentance, restitution of rights, fasting and giving charity. The statement cited Qur'anic verses and a hadith that emphasise the virtue of fasting and charity, advising participants to avoid adornment, wear simple clothing, and demonstrate modesty and spiritual need before God.

His Excellency Minister of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs Ghanem bin Shaheen al-Ghanem, and Minister of Haj and Umrah of the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan al-Rabiah, signed in Jeddah Sunday a pact to regulate the arrangements for Qatar's pilgrims for 1447 AH, as part of the joint coordination between both ministries and the early preparations for the upcoming pilgrimage season. The agreement intends to reinforce collaboration and joint coordination for facilitating the entry and exit of Qatar's pilgrims through all ports, streamlining their procedures while they're inside the kingdom, in addition to backing the Qatari Haj Affairs Office's efforts in providing top-notch services in the areas of transportation, accommodation, and the pilgrims' move to the Holy Sites, ensuring an easy and tranquil performance of Haj rites. **media[379692]** The signing took place as part of the participation of HE al-Ghanem in the 5th Haj and Umrah Services Conference and Exhibition, themed "From Makkah to the World", patronised by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Organised by the Saudi Ministry of Haj and Umrah, in partnership with the Pilgrim Experience Programme, the two events are held from November 9 to 12, with the participation of over 270 local and global entities, alongside 225 speakers. The events convene nearly 80 panel discussions and 60 professional workshops. During the meeting, both ministers discussed a raft of regulatory and service themes that constitute a priority in Awqaf's plans for the upcoming period, foremost of which is advancing services in the Holy Sites and connecting them with the projects of optimising logistics and infrastructure support for pilgrims. **media[379694]** His Excellency al-Ghanem hailed the monumental efforts taken by the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, coupled with a steadfast follow-up on the part of Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud to have innovative facilitations and services in place, in terms of top-notch services that help pilgrims perform pilgrimage rites in a comfort and tranquil atmosphere. He affirmed that the sage leadership in Qatar is committed to providing all kinds of amenities to the nation's pilgrims. **media[379693]** For his part, al-Rabiah lauded the level of the terrific organisation the Qatari Haj Mission had displayed during the last Haj season 1446 AH, along with the adherence of Qatar's pilgrims to the regulatory instructions, considering these as reflective of Awqaf's superb efforts in managing the Haj campaign. In addition, the two ministers underscored that pilgrims' safety and health are among the top priorities, noting the importance of enforcing the health cards of pilgrims to ensure they are fit and free of chronic and life-threatening illnesses as part of the joint efforts to secure a wholesome and safe pilgrimage season. The two aforementioned events are a global platform that convenes a top-rung of officials, experts, and representatives of states and organizations to review the state-of-the-art outstanding projects and initiatives, as well as cutting-edge technologies in the Haj and Umrah system. The move manifests Saudi Arabia's efforts to have a sophisticated infrastructure provided to pilgrims, streamline their procedures, and improve their faith experience from the moment of their arrival until departure.

HE the Minister of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs Ghanem bin Shaheen al-Ghanem met Sunday with the visiting Syrian Minister of Endowments Mohammad Abu al-Khair Shukri and his accompanying delegation from the Supreme Fatwa Council.The two sides discussed co-operation relations in the fields of endowments and Islamic affairs, and ways to enhance and develop them. They also exchanged views on topics of common interest.

Zakat Affairs Department at the Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs has announced that it will embark on providing a free service of Zakat calculation for individuals and enterprises throughout the year. It highlighted that this move is intended to assist Zakat payers in knowing the accurate amount of Zakat due, based on Islamic Shariah and accepted accounting standards. Head of Zakat Services Section, Ahmed Jaber al-Jarbouei, highlighted that the department has been committed, through this service, to enabling owners of companies to perform the obligation of Zakat more easily, reflecting the Awqaf’s leading role in serving the community and ultimately realising the intended objectives of this pillar in promoting social interdependence and mercy among community members. The section includes an elite of in-the-know Shariah specialists and qualified accountants who always lend accurate counselling in calculating Zakat, whether through field visits, digital channels, or directly reaching out to the public, with this service being provided in a completely confidential way to ensure preservation of payers’ financial information privacy, al-Jarbouei noted. Al-Jarbouei further indicated that throughout the past period, the service has been provided to over 150 companies nationwide, adding that the team specialising in field visits at the section always embarks on visiting these companies and reaches out to their financial departments. Official letters from the Zakat department have been delivered to those companies, showcasing the due amounts that should be paid as Zakat after accurately vetting the financial data provided by each company, he added. Al-Jarbouei emphasised that these efforts are part of the department’s strategy to enhance awareness of the importance of paying Zakat in a timely manner, in addition to providing individuals, enterprises, and those who wish to correctly perform this Islamic pillar with Shariah support. He pointed out that the service is within reach of all throughout the year, either by visiting the department’s premises or by contacting the specialists online.

The Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs is set to inaugurate the 4th season of the cultural initiative, Ummah Forum, on knowledge of revelation Tuesday.The season will begin with a seminar on knowledge of revelation: the referential framework for understanding the mind, featuring distinguished scholars from the College of Sharia and Islamic Studies at Qatar University (QU).The seminar, scheduled to take place at the Imam Muhammad ibn Abd Al Wahhab Mosque in Doha after the Isha prayer, will delve into the topic through three main themes, notably knowledge of revelation: certainty values and epistemological indicators, knowledge of revelation: methodological framework for rational inquiry (examples from Islamic heritage), and referential framework for formulating a visionary centre on the path to insight.The second theme explores understanding the mind within the context of revelation knowledge, addressing the role of the mind: innovating means of comprehension and producing tools of perception, interaction between mind knowledge and revelation knowledge as a pathway to scientific production, and mind knowledge in isolation from revelation knowledge: impacts and consequences.The third theme will present a futuristic vision, attempting to anticipate the future in light of the guidance of revelation and the faculties of the mind.Director of the Department of Islamic Research and Studies at Awqaf, Sheikh Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Ghanem al-Thani, clarified that the forum’s season includes three additional seminars, chiefly revelation knowledge as the origin of epistemic production in Islamic civilisation, covering epistemic production in Islamic civilisation: origins and roots, epistemic production in Islamic civilisation: laws of continuous contribution, and futuristic vision on the horizons of (possible) interaction between revelation knowledge and the faculties of the mind for knowledge production.This is in addition to revelation knowledge as the certain source of human societal laws, covering revelation knowledge: certainty source and foundations of laws, the mind as a tool for understanding, assimilation, and proper application of laws, futuristic vision on enhancing the functions of the mind to discover societal laws, revelation knowledge as the pathway to civilisational inheritance, covering civilisational inheritance in light of revelation knowledge, civilisational inheritance: requirements and conditions, and futuristic vision on restoring the role of revelation in qualifying and preparing the contemporary Muslim to contribute to the journey of contemporary civilisation.

Qatar, represented by the Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs, participated in the 11th meeting of GCC Islamic affairs ministers held in Kuwait Monday.The Qatari delegation participating in the meeting was headed by HE the Minister of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs Ghanem bin Shaheen bin Ghanem al-Ghanem.The delegation included HE the Undersecretary of the ministry Sheikh Dr Khalid bin Mohammed bin Ghanem al-Thani; Assistant Undersecretary for Islamic Affairs Khalid bin Shaheen al-Ghanem; Director General of the General Administration of Endowments (Awqaf) engineer Hassan bin Abdullah al-Marzouqi, and Director of the Islamic Affairs Department Mohammed bin Jabr al-Mannai.Kuwait’s Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Dr Mohammed Ibrahim al-Wasmi, said that these blessed fraternal meetings embody the visions and directives of the leaders of the GCC states, towards strengthening unity, integration, and rapprochement among member states in various fields.During the sessions, the ministers adopted a number of issues and topics of common interest, most notably: the exchange of scientific research and experiences in the field of endowments (Awqaf) among member states through interactive seminars via videoconferencing technology, in addition to presenting distinguished experiences in the field of Islamic affairs, and the organisation of the GCC Endowment Week and the GCC Week for the Protection of Religious and Moral Values ​​of the Family.The ministers also decided to establish standards and controls for the success of imams in their social role, prepare an intellectual security charter for mosque imams and regulatory indicators, and adopt technical guidelines for the construction and development of mosques, as well as a GCC vision for rationalising electricity consumption in mosques.The ministers emphasised the importance of employing artificial intelligence in the fields of Islamic affairs, advocacy, and guidance.They discussed a working paper on the risks of energy attraction, established a GCC scientific observatory to highlight the true image of Islam’s tolerance, and explored a shared vision for historic mosques.It was also decided to develop a national index to measure the impact of endowments on society and to hold a GCC competition to raise awareness of endowments, charitable work, and volunteering.The ministers also discussed mechanisms for developing joint action and integrating advocacy and guidance efforts, and exchanging best practices in consolidating the values ​​of moderation, tolerance and strengthening community partnerships in serving Islamic and humanitarian causes.On the sidelines of the meeting, Dr al-Wasmi honoured the members of the Permanent Committee working to study the proposals.He also honoured Qatar’s Undersecretary of the Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs HE Sheikh Dr Khalid bin Mohammed bin Ghanem al-Thani, and Director of the Islamic Affairs Department Mohammed bin Jabr al-Mannai.

The Department of Zakat Affairs at the Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs has revealed that it has received over 1,000 applications for assistance in paying tuition fees for the academic year 2025-26 since the beginning of September, as part of its efforts to support deserving families and enable their sons and daughters to continue their education without financial hitches.The department has hitherto handled over 750 applications, with payment of tuition fees for eligible students in private schools and local universities underway after each case was reviewed based on Shariah guidelines and approved criteria, ensuring that Zakat funds reach the rightful recipients, said Zakat Department head Abdulmonem Ali al-Hamadi.He noted that the reception of assistance applications for tuition fees began from the beginning of the current academic year until October 1.Al-Hamadi lauded the efforts of the benefactors and members of society who contribute through their Zakat to support such programmes, noting that their Zakat has had a profound impact in ensuring the continued support of this segment of students and in alleviating the burden of tuition fees on their families.He highlighted that the department continues its role in enlarging its social services through a variety of ventures and initiatives that include funnelling financial aid to eligible cases, providing accommodation, medical treatment, subsidising education, in addition to relieving the financial distress of eligible debt-burdened individuals, reflecting its mission to strengthen social solidarity and promote the nation’s sustainable social development. – QNA