Saudi has no plans to revoke King Faisal Prize from Qaradawi

Secretary General of the Saudi King Faisal International Prize, Abdel-Aziz Al-Sabeel, has denied reports that the prize will be revoked based on personal views or stance, Rassd.com reported yesterday.

In a press release issued on Tuesday Al-Sabeel said that the prize – which was established in 1976 by King Faisal’s sons – is awarded to people who serve humanity in the field of Islamic studies, Arabic, medicine and science.

According to Arabi21.com Al-Sabeel stressed that the prize is given irrespective of citizenship, faith, gender or sect and reiterated that there is no plan to revoke the prize from any person who is critical of Saudi Arabia, Saudi newspaper Okaz reported.

Read: Saudi, UAE add Qaradawi to ‘terror list’

Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, the former head of the International Union for Muslim Scholars, was chosen for the prize in 1994 along with Sheikh Sayyid Sabiq.

Last week Al-Qaradawi was listed along with 58 other prominent Muslim figures and leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood living in Qatar on a Saudi-Emirati-Bahraini blacklist. Saudi and its allies have cut ties with Doha after allegations that the Gulf state sponsors terrorism.

Earlier this week the Saudi ministry of culture removed 112 books authored by Al-Qaradawi from its libraries.