Nigerian Sheikh Commends King Mohammed VI's Dedication to the Quran
In a heartfelt address in Fez, Nigeria's Sheikh Talha Thabet Ahmed, the Director General of the Agency for the Development of Islamic Sharia Research, expressed his admiration for the relentless efforts of His Majesty King Mohammed VI in promoting the Quran and supporting its adherents. This commendation took place during the opening ceremony of the seventh edition of the Quran Memorization and Recitation Competition, organized by the Mohammed VI Foundation for African Scholars over three days.
Sheikh Talha emphasized that this competition serves as a living embodiment of the spiritual and intellectual unity that binds the children of the African continent in their commitment to memorizing the Quran. He described it as a message of peace, security, enlightenment, and guidance, which reinforces the values of Islam while nurturing a spirit of moderation and balance among the youth. In a time when challenges abound and ideas clash, he underscored the importance of instilling the noble ethics and principles of the Quran in the hearts of the younger generations.
Expressing profound gratitude towards the foundation's president, His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Sheikh Talha conveyed his appreciation for the king's exceptional support for the Quran and its followers. He noted that the competition, which features three categories—complete memorization according to the Warsh narration, complete memorization across various Quranic recitations, and memorization of at least five parts with Tajweed and proper articulation—fosters connections among Quranic scholars across various African nations. He remarked that listening to the melodious voices of young Africans reciting the Quran with sincerity and humility fills the hearts with joy and inspires hope for a community deeply rooted in its noble lineage and source of pride.
Sheikh Talha further explained that the diverse competition levels account for the different abilities and learning environments across African countries. The foundation has been closely monitoring the competition since its inception, ensuring its noble objectives are met while serving the Quran and encouraging participants to strengthen their bond with it. The competition is being held remotely for its seventh session and will continue until Sunday, with participants competing for top positions in the three established categories.
This year, 26 participants are competing in the complete memorization category with recitation according to the Warsh narration, 42 are in the complete memorization category with various recitations, and 46 are participating in the Tajweed category with at least five parts memorized. A panel of judges, comprising scholars and reciters from Morocco, Senegal, Tanzania, Mauritania, Nigeria, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, the Central African Republic, Burkina Faso, and Sudan, will evaluate the performances in person from Fez.
A central technical team from Fez, in coordination with the technical teams from the foundation's branches across the participating countries, is ensuring the remote connection and transmission of the competition stages through video conferencing technology. This setup allows participants to compete from their respective countries while ensuring direct monitoring of various competition phases.
The Mohammed VI Foundation for African Scholars aims to strengthen the connection of African Muslim youth with the Holy Quran through this annual competition. It encourages them to memorize, recite, and understand the Quran while discovering and showcasing the potential of young Quranic talents across the continent. This initiative aligns with the esteemed attention His Majesty King Mohammed VI dedicates to the Quran and its scholars, reaffirming his commitment to nurturing the bond between the youth and the teachings of the Holy Book.
As reported by cawalisse.com.
