SALALAH: The Directorate General of Endowments and Religious Affairs in Dhofar Governorate celebrated the conclusion of the sixth edition of the Dhofar Holy Quran Forum on Sunday at the Sultan Qaboos Youth Complex for Culture and Entertainment in Salalah, honouring 300 memorisers of the Quran.
The ceremony was graced by Salem bin Muslim Qatan, Vice President of the State Council, and attended by Eng Ahmed bin Saleh Al Rashidi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs, along with other officials.
Ahmed bin Ali Al Busaidi, Director General of the General Directorate of Endowments and Religious Affairs in Dhofar highlighted that this year’s forum is the result of diligent efforts and an annual plan for the Holy Quran schools, which have grown to 18 across the governorate.
He noted a significant increase in enrollment, with 4,000 male and female students of various ages participating this year, marking a 33 per cent rise from the previous year.
The forum aims to motivate memorisers of the Holy Quran to continue their efforts and encourage different segments of society to engage in memorisation through distinguished educational and supervisory cadres, as well as diverse religious programmes in a stimulating environment.
Khawla bint Abdullah Al Najjar, Head of the Women’s Education and Guidance Centre at the General Directorate of Endowments and Religious Affairs in Dhofar Governorate, emphasised the importance of Quranic programmes, particularly for female memorisers.
She highlighted the ‘Tahadiu Quran’ programme, which operates across the governorate’s wilayats twice a week, focusing on different levels of memorisation, including 15, 20, and 25 parts, and the entire Quran.
This programme, starting at the beginning of the school year, aims to enhance the quality of memorisation.
The ceremony featured a visual presentation on the ‘Pledge to Recite the Quran’ programme, a theatrical performance, and a song about the virtue of the Quran, performed by students from the Quran schools under the General Directorate of Endowments and Religious Affairs in Dhofar Governorate.
Asma bint Alawi Al Dhahab, speaking about the forum’s impact, noted that its programmes significantly encouraged memorisation through dedicated teachers who imparted the rules of memorisation, recitation, and intonation. She expressed a commitment to continue teaching the Holy Quran, in line with the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH): “The best of you is the one who learns the Quran and teaches it.”
The forum, which began in September last year and concluded in May, aimed to prepare excellent memorisers, enhance their skills, and provide them with Quranic sciences. It also sought to groom qualified memorisers to represent Oman in international competitions. The ceremony’s sponsor honoured the Quran memorisers who participated in the forum’s competition, as well as the organisers, participants, and supporting companies. - ONA
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