Doha, June 28 (QNA) -The Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs (Awqaf), represented by the Department of Da'wah and Religious Guidance, held the annual ceremony of the Holy Quran and its Sciences Section to honor an elite group of outstanding and graduating students from Quran learning centers for the years 2023 and 2024.

The event took place at the Imam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab Mosque under the patronage of HE Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs Ghanem bin Shaheen Al Ghanim, and in the presence of HE Undersecretary of the Ministry Dr. Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Ghanem Al-Thani.

During the ceremony, 603 students from various educational levels, from introductory stages to full memorization of the Holy Quran, were honored, in addition to 15 outstanding heads of Quran centers and 100 distinguished teachers, in recognition of their dedicated efforts in serving the Book of Allah and advancing Quranic education.

The ceremony featured Quran recitations by students of varying levels, followed by a speech from Director of the Department of Da'wah Jassim bin Abdullah Al Ali, who emphasized that the event reflects the Ministry’s commitment to honoring Quran memorizers and enhancing the role of Quran centers as educational and moral institutions that contribute to nurturing a well-rounded generation conscious of its Islamic identity. He cited the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who said: "The best among you are those who learn the Quran and teach it."

Al Ali highlighted the major achievements of the Quran and its Sciences Section over the past two years, including the graduation of 181 students who memorized the entire Quran, the progression of 422 Qatari students to higher levels of memorization, and the enrollment of 92 distinguished Qatari students into the Al-Noor Educational Quranic Center. He also noted the organization of various educational and recreational programs to motivate students attending the centers.

A visual presentation during the ceremony showcased statistics on the development of Quran centers. The number of centers increased from 132 in 2023 to 148 in 2024, including 116 funded by the Ministry and 32 funded by private donors. Additionally, 28 Quranic study circles were held in mosques, supervised by 1,016 qualified mosque imams and muezzins.

The presentation revealed that the number of students enrolled in the Quran centers reached approximately 18,994 in 2024, including 2,249 Qatari students. The number of students who completed memorization of the entire Quran rose from 58 in 2023 to 123 in 2024.

The Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs (Awqaf) reaffirmed its continued efforts to provide a stimulating learning environment in Quran education centers and to equip them with the latest teaching tools, contributing to the memorization of the Holy Quran and the dissemination of its noble values, in line with Qatar's vision to promote the values of tolerant Islam. (QNA)