In Appreciation of the Care from His Highness the Crown Prince

 Dr. Al Othman Declares:“Prince Sultan Ibn Abdulaziz’s Chair for Contemporary

Islamic Studies”An Innovational Contribution in Addressing Current Islamic Issues

His Eminence Abdulaziz Ibn Abdullah Al Sheikh, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Grand ‘Mufti’ and President of the Board of Senior ‘Ulama’ (religious scholars) and the Department of Scientific Research and Ifta (Religious interpretation) signed with His Excellency the King Saud University Rector, Professor Abdullah Ibn Abdurrahman Al Othman a contract for the creation of Prince Sultan Ibn Abdulaziz’ Chair for Contemporary Islamic Studies. Upon this occasion, the University Rector had the honor to present to His Highness the Crown Prince a souvenir gift.

After that, His Highness Prince Sultan Ibn Abdulaziz inaugurated the Chair’s Website.  The inauguration was attended by His Royal Highness Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdulaziz, Deputy Minister of Defense and Aviation and General Inspector for Military Affairs.

His Excellency the University Rector took the opportunity on this occasion to express his deep gratitude and appreciation to His Highness the Crown Prince –may Allah preserve him – for his generous initiative to create and fund the Chair of Prince Sultan Ibn Abdulaziz for Contemporary Islamic Studies and said: “The instructions of our leaders –may Allah preserve them – to enhance scientific research, not simply in terms of providing financial support, but also through sustained effort towards achieving strategic national goals, represent indeed some of the main instruments for realizing the  prospective vision of the universities in the Kingdom.”

His Excellency also declared that the scientific services for this Chair shall be focused on contemporary Islamic issues and said: “…and because the person sponsoring the Chair is one of the Key figures among the Islamic elite scholars of our time; that is His Eminence the Grand ‘Mufti’ – may Allah preserve him – not mentioning the distinguished researchers from King Saud University, and thanks to the Kingdom’s good reputation in this respect, the studies to be conducted under the chair shall make an outstanding contribution to research on current Islamic issues and to the endeavors to contain them through composed scientific methodology; all for the good of our Islamic Nation.”

Finally, His Excellency confirmed that Prince Sultan Ibn Abdulaziz’s Chair for Contemporary Islamic Studies constitutes a valuable addition to the Research Chairs Program, which is also supported by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques – may Allah preserve him.  He pointed out that the current University policy is focused on scientific research and the opening up of new horizons for faculty members at the University to achieve creativity and excellence both at the local and international levels and that the Chairs Program is instrumental for that end.