Top scholars of Islamic sciences and humanities receive Farabi Awards

TEHRAN,Oct.30(MNA) -- Top scholars of Islamic sciences and humanities from different countries were honored at the Farabi International Awards. The awards ceremony, which was held on October 29 at Tehran`s Milad Tower, was organized by Iran`s Ministry of Science, Research and Technology. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad handed the awards to the top researchers, Iranologists and historians in various fields of the Islamic sciences, history, geography, humanities and Persian literature. A total of 2033 research documents were submitted to the secretariat of the awards out of which 85% were authored by foreign scholars and intellectuals. The Philosophy, Eloquence, Religions and Mysticism category ranked first receiving 265 works and the least quantity was submitted to the Islamic Revolution and Imam Khomeini Studies category. Male researchers have written 70% of the research works and 55% of them were compiled by researchers aged over 35. The submitted works are in the form of 1002 books, 297 research results, 210 doctoral dissertations, and 524 masters’ theses. Applied research, mixed method research, fundamental research, and developmental research competed at the awards. The purpose of the Farabi festival is to help reinforce the religious perspective toward the human sciences. Applying the human sciences in removing problems from a society is also among the topics to be discussed at the festival. The festival also aims to build positive attitudes in society and increase motivation among the youth. The event is named after Farabi (c. 878-950), a Muslim philosopher and a prominent musician who was regarded in the Arab world as the greatest philosophical authority after Aristotle.