By Mohammed Danlami
The Religious Attaché Office at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Abuja has concluded the National Competition for the Memorization and Interpretation of the Holy Qur’an, organized in cooperation with the Center for Islamic Studies at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University in Sokoto.
The closing ceremony was attended by His Excellency Dr. Isa Ali Pantami, former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy of Nigeria, alongside a number of senior officials, scholars, and academics.
The event was also attended by the Acting Religious Attaché, Mr. Yahya Al-Sufyani, and held under the patronage of the Chargé d’Affaires, Mr. Saad bin Fahd Al-Marri.
The final ceremony saw broad participation from contestants representing various Nigerian states, in addition to strong engagement from educational institutions specializing in Qu
r’anic programs.
In his address, Mr. Saad bin Fahd Al-Marri expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman – may Allah preserve them – for their continued support in serving the Holy Qur’an and disseminating its teachings across the world.
He also extended thanks to the Ministry of Islamic Affairs for its sustained efforts in supporting Qur’anic programs, and he underlined the Kingdom’s humanitarian and relief role in serving communities in need.
He further commended the Religious Attaché Office for its clear and impactful efforts in Nigeria in support of religious and educational programs.
Al-Marri stressed that this competition forms part of the Kingdom’s ongoing and leading role in serving the Holy Qur’an and the Prophetic Sunnah.
He highlighted a range of flagship initiatives, including the printing and worldwide distribution of copies of the Noble Qur’an, as well as the organization of local, regional, and international competitions in memorization, recitation, tajwīd, and interpretation.
The ceremony concluded with the honoring of the winners who achieved the top positions, amid wide praise for the high standard of organization and the prominent role of the Kingdom in supporting Qur’anic and educational programmes in Nigeria.
A landmark announcement at the ceremony was the award of prizes by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which included a total of 35 Million Naira rewards for the winners.
In an exceptional gesture, the top winners were also granted the honor of performing Hajj for free as part of the “Guests of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Programme for Hajj, Umrah, a programme that reflects the Kingdom’s dedication to serving Muslims worldwide.
