The Mohammed VI Foundation for African Ulema has announced the winners of its 7th annual Quran recitation and memorization competition. The competition, which took place in the Moroccan city of Fez, brought together participants from 12 African countries, including Niger, Nigeria, Mali, Somalia, Mauritania, Tanzania, Mauritius, Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, and Rwanda. A total of 114 contestants qualified for the final stage, representing the foundation's 48 branches across Africa.
The competition consisted of three categories: memorizing the entire Quran with recitation in the Warsh narration, memorizing the entire Quran with recitation in various narrations, and Quranic recitation with memorization of at least five parts. A total of 26 contestants participated in the first category, 42 in the second, and 46 in the third. The participants demonstrated a high level of Quranic recitation and memorization skills, reflecting the emphasis on Quranic studies in their respective countries.
In the first category, the top three winners were Oubeydou Allah Abou Bakr from Niger, Bashir Yunus from Nigeria, and Mohamed Jalo from Mali. In the second category, the winners were Abdoul Kader Youssouf Mohamed from Somalia, Hamoud Lahbib El Taleb Boubakar from Mauritania, and Ismaïl Youssouf Hamad from Tanzania. In the third category, the winners were Ahmed Ahmadou Sidi Mohamed Abou Oubaida from Mauritania, Abdoul Bâ from Mali, and Yahya Ben Ali Mlam Hassan from Mauritius.
In addition to the top three winners in each category, the competition also awarded three encouraging prizes to contestants from Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia, and Rwanda. The youngest participant, 7-year-old Abdourahmane Jalo from Guinea-Bissau, and the youngest female participant, 10-year-old Hassana Bajou from Gambia, also received special prizes.
The competition was evaluated by a panel of judges comprising scholars and Quranic reciters from Morocco, Senegal, Tanzania, Mauritania, Nigeria, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Central African Republic, Burkina Faso, and Sudan. The event was organized by the Mohammed VI Foundation for African Ulema, which aims to promote Quranic studies and encourage young Africans to memorize and recite the Quran.
The foundation's efforts are in line with the Moroccan monarch's emphasis on promoting Quranic studies and encouraging young people to engage with the Quran. The competition is part of the foundation's annual activities, which include local Quranic competitions in its 48 branches across Africa. This year's competition saw the participation of over 1,300 contestants, with 114 qualifying for the final stage.
The Mohammed VI Foundation for African Ulema was established to promote Quranic studies and Islamic education in Africa. The foundation's activities are focused on encouraging young Africans to engage with the Quran and promoting Quranic recitation and memorization skills. The annual Quranic competition is a key event in the foundation's calendar, bringing together young Quranic reciters and memorizers from across Africa.
Key points
- The competition had 114 contestants from 12 African countries.
- The winners were awarded prizes in three categories: Quranic memorization, recitation, and recitation with memorization.
- The competition aims to promote Quranic studies and encourage young Africans to engage with the Quran.
