Bangladeshi hafiz Zakaria wins top spot in Saudi Quran competition

Bangladeshi hafiz Nuruddin Zakaria has secured first place in the fourth category of the 46th King Abdulaziz International Qur’an Memorisation, Recitation and Tafsir Competition in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

Zakaria outperformed hundreds of competitors from 133 countries to win the top position in his category, bringing international recognition to Bangladesh.

A student of Ar Rayhan International Madrasa in Dhaka, Zakaria competed in the fourth category, which required participants to memorise 15 consecutive juz of the Holy Qur’an and demonstrate proficiency in recitation and tajwid.

He successfully cleared all stages of the competition to emerge as the category winner.

A total of 334 contestants from 133 countries took part in this year’s competition, which featured five categories. Judges from Saudi Arabia and other countries evaluated participants on Qur’an memorisation, recitation, tajwid and related disciplines.

Organisers will award prizes to 50 contestants across the five categories.

Speaking in an interview during the competition, Zakaria said the Qur’an had taken him from a small village to the holy city of Makkah.

He described the opportunity to participate in the international competition at the Grand Mosque alongside contestants from different countries as one of the greatest honours and most memorable achievements of his Qur’anic journey.

Zakaria’s first-place finish for Bangladesh at the prestigious competition in Makkah has brought pride to the country and is expected to inspire young people to pursue Qur’an education and memorisation.

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The Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance organised the competition, which offered total prize money of 126 million Saudi riyals.

Zakaria’s victory as Bangladesh’s representative marks a significant achievement at an international gathering of talented Qur’an memorizers and reciters.

By carrying the Holy Qur’an in his heart and raising Bangladesh’s flag with distinction in Makkah, Zakaria has turned a personal achievement into a source of pride for Qur’an-loving people and the country’s madrasa education sector.