Pretoria, September 16, 2024, The South African National Quran Council held the closing ceremony of the 14th National Quran Memorization Competition 2024 on Saturday at Nurul Islam Masjid in Lenasia, Gauteng province, in the presence of Imam and Khateeb of the Grand Mosque Yasser bin Rashid Al-Dosari.
Al-Dosari is currently visiting South Africa as part of the program of visits by the imams of the Two Holy Mosques, organized and supervised by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah, and Guidance.
The competition was also attended by the Religious Attaché of the Saudi Embassy in South Africa, Muhammad bin Abdul Salam Ashour, and the Head of the South African National Quran Council, Sheikh Qari Basheer Patel, along with several Islamic figures and association leaders in South Africa.
The competition brought together around 400 male and female contestants, of whom 22 male contestants and 13 female contestants advanced to higher levels of the competition. They demonstrated their memorization abilities by mastering various portions of the Quran, including the entire Quran (30 Juz’/parts), half of the Quran (15 Juz’), and 5 Juz’.
Nine male contestants and seven female contestants emerged as winners, receiving prizes totaling 200,000 Saudi Riyals.
During the closing ceremony, Al-Dosari emphasized in his speech that the Quran represents the constitution of the Muslim nation, their source of pride and glory, and the guidance from which they derive their path and methodology.
He highlighted the Quran as the guiding light that the nation carries to the world, leading people from darkness to light and revealing the clear truth. It encompasses laws, judgments, admonitions, parables, stories, and news, explaining the system of the universe and the concept of life. He stressed that no aspect of religion is left unclear, nor any part of the universe left ambiguous, thanks to the Quran.
Al-Dosari reiterated that Saudi Arabia has demonstrated immense care for the Holy Quran and its reciters, supporting its dissemination and encouraging competitiveness in its memorization, recitation, interpretation, and teaching since the Kingdom’s establishment by its founder, King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud—may God have mercy on him. He emphasized that this approach has continued through his righteous sons up to the present era, under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and HRH the Crown Prince.
Al-Dosari expressed his gratitude to the Saudi leadership for their diligent efforts and great care for the Quran, and for their service to Islam and Muslims worldwide. He also thanked the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah, and Guidance for their dedication in utilizing all resources to ensure the success of these visits and achieve their objectives.
In his remarks, the Kingdom’s Religious Attaché in South Africa noted that the competition, which began in 2001, has been endorsed by many Saudi ambassadors. Ashour emphasized the Kingdom’s commitment to supporting the care and dissemination of the Holy Quran.
