The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has continued its support for the preservation and promotion of Qur'anic memorisation and learning in Nigeria through its Royal Embassy in Abuja. The embassy recently concluded the second National Qur'anic Memorisation and Tafsir Competition, a five-day event that brought together 132 Qur'an memorizers from 22 states. The competition, which took place at the National Mosque in Abuja, featured participants tested on the memorisation and recitation of 20, 40, and 60 Hizbs.
Sokoto and Nasarawa states emerged as overall winners in the male and female categories, respectively. Ahmad Abubakar of Sokoto State won the overall male title, while Shafa'atu Jibril Ibrahim of Nasarawa State claimed the overall female title. Each winner received a ₦3 million cash prize. The competition featured separate male and female categories, with Tafsir assessed across all categories to emphasize understanding and application of Qur'anic teachings.
Sokoto State produced a strong performance in the male categories, taking first place in both the 40 Hizb and 60 Hizb male categories. Ahmad Abubakar attributed his success to sustained dedication to memorising the Qur'an, citing his mother's encouragement and his own passion as key factors. Meanwhile, Nasarawa State claimed the overall female title through Shafa'atu Jibril Ibrahim, who won the 60 Hizb female category.
Zamfara State recorded the highest number of podium finishes across the six categories, despite not producing either of the overall winners. The state won the 40 Hizb female category, finished second in the 20 Hizb male and 60 Hizb male categories, and placed third in the 20 Hizb female category. Other category winners and podium finishers received cash prizes ranging from ₦2 million to ₦700,000.
The competition's organizers introduced Tafsir as a defining feature, aiming to address the gap where some Qur'an memorizers could recite large portions without understanding their meanings. Sheikh Sufyan Abdullah, one of the organizers, explained that Tafsir was compulsory for male and female contestants in all categories to encourage deeper understanding and application of Qur'anic teachings.
Deputy Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Nigeria, Ustadh AbdurRahman bin AbdulLateef Al Tuwaem, emphasized that the competition's significance went beyond the prizes. He urged contestants to maintain their relationship with the Qur'an and allow its guidance to shape their lives. Al Tuwaem also linked the initiative to broader efforts supported by Saudi Arabia's leadership to promote Qur'anic learning among Muslim communities.
Various dignitaries, including Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko and Dr. Al Hassan Yakub, stressed the importance of translating Qur'anic knowledge into conduct and promoting peace, togetherness, and understanding. The competition provided young people with an avenue to study the Qur'an beyond memorisation, internalizing its teachings and allowing them to influence conduct.
Key points
- The competition featured 132 participants from 22 states, with Sokoto and Nasarawa states emerging as overall winners.
- The introduction of Tafsir aimed to address the gap where some Qur'an memorizers could recite large portions without understanding their meanings.
- The initiative was supported by Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to promote Qur'anic learning among Muslim communities.
