Al Faleh Educational Holding organised the 19th Sheikh Faleh Bin Nasser Al Thani Qur'an Memorisation Competition featuring schools across Qatar, a statement said yesterday.

Sheikha Anwar bint Nawaf al-Thani, CEO of Al Faleh Educational Holding and sponsor of the competition, met with the organising committee to establish the rules and guidelines for the competition.

The competition commenced on April 21 and concluded with a grand award ceremony on May 17. As usual, the competition was divided into two sections. The first was for students of Doha Academy from kindergarten to secondary school, while the second section was for all schools in Qatar. All participants were tested on the premises of Doha Academy.

In the first phase as many as 597 students from 236 schools participated, including independent schools, community schools, international schools, kindergartens, and all branches of Doha Academy. Throughout the competition, Sheikha Anwar bint Nawaf al-Thani closely followed the process and ensured all requirements were met.

Among the jurors was Sheikh Abdul Salam Qandeel, an imam and preacher at the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs of Qatar, who received high readings from Al-Azhar Al-Sharif. He has also served as an arbitrator in many international competitions. The general supervisor and organiser of the competition was Sheikh Yousri Elsaka, the coordinator of the sharia sciences at Doha Academy.

Sheikha Anwar bint Nawaf al-Thani hosted the final ceremony at the Academy's headquarters in Al Waab on May 17. She invited all finalists, their families, and coordinators from the winning schools.

The ceremony programme included various segments, and this year’s prizes comprised 90 in-kind prizes and 30 cash prizes.In the first section of the competition (for Doha Academy), 15 students won cash prizes and 24 students won in-kind prizes. In the second section, for other schools, 15 students won cash prizes and 66 students from various schools won in-kind prizes.

Edward Cooper, principal of Doha Academy, spoke about the significance of organising such a competition: "Congratulations to all the students who participated this year, and many thanks to their teachers for their support. Competitions like this, which bring schools together to promote Islamic values, are highly rewarding. I was amazed by the students' reading skills in terms of knowledge and beauty. I would like to thank event organizer Sheikh Yousri Elsaka for leading this event."

A representative of Sheikha Anwar bint Nawaf al-Thani, along with the judging panel and the principal, distributed the awards to the winners. All supervisors, participants, and parents praised the effort put into the competition and its excellent organisation and preparation, the statement added.