Seeking to promote "Global Reciter" Competition "Islamic Affairs’ Delegation Visits Malaysia

08-Nov-2015

A delegation from the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments, headed by Shaikh Abdulla Qahtan Al-Omari, Director of Quran Affairs, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the International Web-based Holy Quran Recitation Competition, recently visited the Republic of Malaysia as part of a campaign carried out by the ministry to promote the competition inside and outside Bahrain. Notably, the Global Reciter competition is privileged by the noble patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, king of Bahrain.

On the first leg of their tour, Shaikh Abdul Karim Zakaria, Assistant Director of Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) and Secretary of Malaysia International Competition received the delegates. The ministry delegation held a meeting at JAKIM premises in the presence of Head of Printing, Reviewing and Publishing the Holy Quran, officials of the Holy Quran Review Committee and staff responsible for Quranic competitions. The Bahraini and Malaysian counterparts confirmed, the necessity of strengthening ties between the two countries and spreading awareness and Islamic noble values.

Subsequently, Shaikh Al-Omari thanked the Malaysian side for their warm reception, stressing the importance of JAKIM key role in promoting the competition and encouraging the engagement of various specialized Quranic institutions and centers.

During the visit, the Malaysian side presented a documentary film demonstrating the establishment of JAKIM and its various activities for the Malaysian community. The Bahraini delegates also inspected the method of the Malaysian Global Holy Quran competition, which is considered as the oldest international Quran competition, and attended a brief presentation about the system of reviewing, printing and publishing the Holy Quran in Malaysia.

In turn, the ministry delegation showcased Bahrain’s experience in teaching the Holy Quran, historical background of the Holy Quran centers and their activities in the Kingdom of Bahrain. This involved a presentation about Global Reciter and ways of promoting the competition in the Malaysian mass media and among students of religious and Quranic institutions and centers; in addition, the meeting discussed ways of cooperation in printing, reviewing and publishing the Holy Quran.

Furthermore, the delegation visited Dar Al Quran Alkarim boarding school, which accommodates 3,000 students who learn the Holy Quran, types of Qirâʾât and basics of Arabic language and religious sciences. As part of the visit program, the delegation met the principal of the school Dr. Nour al-Din Ahmad, heads of departments and staff of religious educational. After attending a presentation focused on the learning system, divisions and curricula of the school, Mr. Al-Omari reflected on the education system in Bahrain, hailing the government role in serving the Holy Quran and spreading its values. He also concluded with highlights on the idea of the Global Reciter, mechanisms of participation utilizing live demonstration from the competition website to encourage students to participate in the competition and finally recommended ways of cooperation to promote it in various branches of the school.

The meeting discussed ways of cooperation with the school to benefit from its experience in teaching Holy Quran, and coordination in training Quran teachers in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

It is worth mentioning that the Global Reciter competition was launched on September 1, 2015, and the honoring ceremony will be in April 2016