The 46th session of the King Abdulaziz International Competition for Memorising, Reciting and Interpreting the Holy Qur’an kicked off in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, on Thursday.
The competition is being held under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman.
The competition that runs through Rabi Al-Awwal 6, corresponding to Aug. 19, is organised by the Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance.
A total of 334 male and female contestants from 133 countries are participating in the event, marking the largest turnout in the competition’s history.
The competition aims to encourage young Muslims to memorise, comprehend, and reflect upon the Holy Qur’an, foster honourable competition, and highlight Saudi Arabia’s efforts in serving the Qur’an and honouring its memorisers.
In a historic first, independent competitions for female participants will be held at the Makkah Hilton Hotel and Convention, while male category finals and the closing ceremony will take place at the Grand Mosque.
The competition comprises five categories, with a total prize pool of SR10,260,000 (N3.7bn), the highest since the competition’s launch. (Saudi Gazette)