By Sadiq Abdulfatah

The 46th King Abdulaziz International Competition for Memorising, Reciting and Interpreting the Holy Qur’an has begun in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, with 334 contestants from 133 countries taking part.

The competition opened on Thursday under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman.

Organised by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance, the event will run until Rabi Al-Awwal 6, corresponding to August 19.

The 334 male and female participants represent the largest number of contestants recorded in the competition’s history.

The annual competition seeks to encourage young Muslims to memorise the Holy Qur’an, understand its teachings and reflect on its message. It also promotes healthy competition among participants and highlights Saudi Arabia’s efforts to serve the Qur’an and honour those who memorise it.

For the first time, female contestants will have independent competition sessions at the Makkah Hilton Hotel & Convention, while the male category finals and the closing ceremony will be held at the Grand Mosque.

The competition features five categories and offers a total prize pool of SR10.26 million, equivalent to about N3.7 billion, making it the largest prize fund since the competition began.