Saudi Arabia hosts Al Quran memorisation competition in SL for second time

Saudi Arabia will host the Al Quran memorisation competition in Sri Lanka for the second time, at Galle Face Hotel, Colombo, today.

This will be organised under the guidance of Saudi Arabia Ambassador Khalid Bin Hamud Al Qahtani.

High-ranking officials from the Saudi Arabian Islamic Affairs Ministry, alongside the Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Minister, are set to attend the ceremony.

In 2023, Sri Lanka hosted the largest and first-ever Al-Quran memorisation competition, organised under the supervision of the Ambassador and Ashshaik Badr Nasir Al Anasi, the Embassy’s Islamic Affairs Officer, with the support of the Islamic Guidance Ministry of Saudi Arabia.

The event garnered significant attention, with many high-ranking officials from the Islamic Guidance Ministry attending the awards ceremony, which received widespread acclaim in Sri Lanka.

The prize-giving took place at the Shangri-La Hotel, where the winners were presented with cash prizes totaling 250,000 Riyals (equivalent to approximately Rs. 22.5 million at the time).

The selection process for participants has been coordinated by the Saudi Arabian Embassy, with full support from the Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs.

The selection process, carried out in multiple stages across the country, culminated in the final selection of 24 winners – 12 male and 12 female – who will receive cash prizes, valuable awards, and certificates.

The awards ceremony will take place at the Galle Face Hotel in Colombo, with the presence of distinguished guests, including high-ranking officials from the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, the Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, and other dignitaries.

The event will be attended by key figures, including the Director of the Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs, Government Ministers, Members of Parliament, ambassadors, organisational leaders, scholars, intellectuals, and journalists.

The selection process for the competition took place in multiple stages at the district and divisional levels, with full support from M.S.M. Nawaz, Nilufar, and Ash Sheikh Mufti. Students from Arabic colleges and Muslim madrasahs registered with the Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs in Sri Lanka were given the opportunity to participate in the competition.

The bond between Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia spans over five decades, during which Saudi Arabia has made significant contributions to Sri Lanka’s development.

Saudi Arabia has long placed great emphasis on the Al-Qur’an and Al-Sunnah, a tradition that continues to this day. Al-Qur’an memorisation competitions are regularly held in Saudi Arabia and across the globe, with millions of Riyals awarded as prizes in honour of the late King Abdul Aziz and the current Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud.

(Ash Sheikh M.H. Shehudeen Madani, Director, Al Hikma Welfare Association Colombo)