Sami Almaqhlouth

Sami Abdullah Almaqhlouth (born 1962) is a Saudi author specializing in historical and geographical atlases. He serves as an advisor to the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information and the Muslim World League. He previously worked in general education and has published twenty-two historical and Islamic atlases translated into several languages. He was awarded the King Faisal Prize for Service to Islam in 2025.

Sami Almaqhlouth was born in Al-Mubarraz City, Al-Ahsa Governorate, in Eastern Province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where he was also raised. In 1968, his family moved to Dammam City for a period before returning to Al-Ahsa, where he received his primary education, specifically at Hamzah Bin Abdulmuttalib School, which was known at the time as the 'Wooden School.' He memorized the Holy Quran at an early age and discovered his interest in history and geography during elementary school.

He moved to Al-Khafji City in 1975 and completed his general education there. Afterwards, he moved to Riyadh City and studied in the Department of History at King Saud University for one year before returning to Al-Ahsa, where he completed his university hours at King Faisal University after the opening of the College of Education. He studied history as a major and geography as a minor and obtained his bachelor’s degree in history and geography in 1988 with second-class honors.

Sami Almaqhlouth worked as a teacher in general education for the intermediate and secondary stages from 1987 until 1998. He was then assigned to work at the Ministry of Knowledge (currently the Ministry of Education) until he took early retirement in 2015.

Among the roles he held was serving as an imam and preacher at Almaqhlouth Mosque in Al-Ahsa for nearly twenty years. He was also appointed as a consultant at the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information and a consultant at the Muslim World League.

Sami Almaqhlouth worked with the Ministry of Knowledge (currently the Ministry of Education) on preparing "Mawsu'at Al-Mamlakah Al-Arabiyah As-Saudiyah Al-Iliktruniyyah" (the Kingdom Electronic Encyclopedia) and "Al-Fahd Raid At-Talim Al-Awwal" (Al-Fahd The Pioneer of Education). He also presented several academic documents, such as the document "Atlas Tarikh Ad-Da'wah Al-Islamiyyah" (Atlas of the History of Islamic Dawah) for the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, and geospatial documents including "Atlas Al-Haramayn Ash-Sharifayn" (Atlas of the Two Holy Mosques), "Atlas Mintaqat Ar-Riyadh" (Atlas of Riyadh Province), and "Al-Atlas As-Saudi Lil-Ighathah Wal-A'mal Al-Insaniyyah" (Saudi Atlas for Relief and Humanitarian Work). He also worked on the project "Tadmin Al-Mafahim As-Siyahiyyah Wal-Athariyyah Fi Al-Muntaj At-Talimi" (Incorporating Tourism and Archaeological Concepts into Educational Content).

He contributed a number of preliminary ideas related to atlases and documents, including preparing the introductory concept for "Atlas Al-Malik Salman Bin Abdulaziz" (Atlas of King Salman Bin Abdulaziz: Spatial Memory), the document "Atlas Al-Lughah Al-Arabiyyah" (Atlas of the Arabic Language) for the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language, as well as presenting a detailed concept for the museum "Al-Quran Al-Karim Was-Sunnah An-Nabawiyyah" (Museum of the Holy Quran and Prophetic Sunnah) for the Muslim World League, and the document "Atlas Rabitat Al-Alam Al-Islami" (Atlas of the Muslim World League).

He also presented a variety of television programs, including: "Aalam Al-Muhaddithin" (Great Hadith Scholars), "Al-Majami Al-Maskooniyyah" (Ecumenical Councils), "Al-Futuhat Al-Islamiyyah" (Islamic Conquests), the program "Wamid Al-Jamr" (Sparks of Embers), and the program "Masarat Al-Hamalat As-Salibiyyah" (Paths of the Crusades).

Sami Al-Maghlouth was appointed as a member of the Social Sciences Curriculum Development Team for the Comprehensive Curriculum Development Project, and as a member of the team that authored "Al-Atlasat Al-Madrasiyyah Al-Jughrafiyyah" (Geographical School Atlases), which were implemented by Obeikan Library for the Ministry of Education.

Sami Almaqhlouth published a series of historical and Islamic atlases totaling twenty-two works, including Al Atlas Al Tarikhiy Lisirat Al Rasul (The Historical Atlas of the Prophet’s Biography), Atlas Tarikh Al Anbiya wa Al Rusul (Atlas of the History of the Prophets and Messengers), a series of Atalis an Al Khulafa Al Rashidin (Atlases on the Rightly Guided Caliphs), Atlas Hurub Al Riddah (Atlas of the Apostasy Wars), Atlas Al Futuhat Al Islamiyyah (Atlas of Islamic Conquests), a series of Atalis Tarikh Al Duwal Al Islamiyyah (Atlases on the History of Islamic States), Atlas Al Hamalat Al Salibiyyah (Atlas of the Crusades), Atlas Tarikh Al Alam Al Hadith (Atlas of Modern World History), Al Atlas Al Siyahi Lil Mamlakah (Tourism Atlas of the Kingdom), Atlas Al Adyan (Atlas of Religions), Atlas Al Amakin fi Al Quran Al Karim (Atlas of Places in the Holy Quran), Atlas Alam Al Muhaddithin (Atlas of Great Hadith Scholars), Atlas Al Qurra Al Asharah wa Riwayatihim Al Ishrun (Atlas of the Ten Reciters and Their Twenty Narrators), Atlas Alam Al Mufassirin (Atlas of Great Quranic Commentators), Atlas Al Firaq wa Al Madhahib fi Al Tarikh Al Islami (Atlas of Sects and Doctrines in Islamic History), and Atlas Alam Al Fuqaha (Atlas of Renowned Jurists).

The atlases were translated into several languages, including English, Indonesian, Urdu, Malay, Turkish, Persian, Bengali, Uzbek, and French.

Sami Almaqhlouth was honored as a pioneer of historical atlases in the Arab world by Al-Ahsa Literary Club in 2017, and he received the Saudi Author Award in 2016. He later won the King Faisal Prize for Service to Islam in 2025, jointly with the 'Tebyan Quran for the Deaf' project, one of the initiatives of the 'For Them Association' serving persons with disabilities.