Doha: The Department of Islamic Research and Studies at the Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs, in collaboration with the Mosques Administration, has launched a new branch of the adjudicated Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah Al-Thani Waqf Award, dedicated to imams, preachers, and muezzins operating at Awqaf.
According to Qatar News Agency, Director of the Department of Research and Islamic Studies at Awqaf, Sheikh Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Ghanem Al-Thani, stated that the award serves as a crucial addition to the department’s cultural initiatives. It underscores Awqaf’s commitment to enhancing the intellectual and research capabilities of imams, preachers, and muezzins. The award aims to foster the development of the Imam-Educator, focusing on family life, social engagement, and educational development, while encouraging engagement in Islamic scholarship and community-based research.
Sheikh Dr. Ahmed emphasized the importance of this initiative in showcasing the intellectual capacities and leadership of imams, enabling them to offer practical, faith-informed solutions to community challenges. The initiative also seeks to utilize outstanding research outputs to enhance Friday khutbah sermons, educational lessons, and mosque-based awareness programs.
The inaugural theme of the award, ‘values-based stability in the Muslim community,’ addresses the role of imams and preachers in preserving identity, ethics, and culture. This theme is explored through five principal themes, including the theoretical framework, the historical role of mosques, the imam’s responsibilities, mechanisms for reinforcing values, and contemporary challenges.
Dr. Sulaiman Jumaan Al Qahtani, Director of the Mosque Affairs Department at Awqaf, highlighted that this new branch of the award is part of the ministry’s efforts to advance the scientific and research capabilities of imams and muezzins. The ministry has announced eligibility requirements and criteria for the award, which include submission guidelines and the necessity for research to be prepared specifically for the award.
The total award value is QAR 100,000, distributed among the top three recipients. The first-place winner will receive QAR 50,000, the second-place winner QAR 30,000, and the third-place winner QAR 20,000. The ministry reserves the right to withhold the award if submissions do not meet the required standard of excellence or if any stipulated conditions are violated.