Manama: Under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (SCIA), in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments, held an event at the Ahmed Al Fateh Islamic Centre to mark Laylat Al Qadr and the closing of the 30th edition of the Bahrain Holy Quran Grand Prize. The event was attended by Shaikh Abdulrahman bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Khalifa, President of the SCIA.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the ceremony began with Quran recitations by winners, followed by speeches highlighting the spiritual significance of Laylat Al Qadr and the importance of unity, charity, and piety. A short film reviewed the history of the prize over 30 years, spanning from 1996 to the present. Participation included 5,033 competitors, comprising 1,841 males and 3,192 females across several categories. The categories included full memorisation of the Quran, partial memorisation of 20, 10, 5, or 3 ajza'a (sections), and memorisation of the 30th juzu's (section). Other categories featured recitation and good performance, the Bayan Prize for school students, the Ajran Prize for people with special needs, the Ghufran Prize for inmates of the Reform and Rehabilitation Centre, the Ridhwan Prize for the general public, and the Salman Al Farsi Prize for non-Arabic speakers recitation.
The event also included individual and special awards, recognising achievements such as the Best Local Quran Competition, the oldest and youngest competitors, the Mizmar Dawood Prize, the best male Quranic centre, and the family Quran Prize. The ceremony was attended by Shaikh Khalid bin Ali bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council, and Nawaf bin Mohammed Al Maawda, Minister of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments.