JEDDAH, 4 September 2006 — As many as 171 contestants representing 37 countries and 32 organizations around the world will take part in the 28th King Abdul Aziz international Qur’an recitation and memorization competition which opens in Makkah today.

Saleh Al-Asheikh, minister of Islamic affairs, endowments, call and guidance, emphasized the significance of the seven-day event, which aims to encourage Muslim youths to study the Qur’an and live in accordance with its divine teachings.

“The message of the Qur’an is relevant for all ages and places. It calls for openness and reforms in the framework of some solid principles,” the minister said and urged Muslims not to become an obstacle in the way of spreading its message.

The Qur’an rejects all types of extremism and calls for safeguarding human rights, Al-Asheikh said. The minister condemned Al-Qaeda militants for distorting the peaceful message of the Qur’an and causing chaos and destruction on Earth. “When it is said to them: ‘Make no mischief on Earth,’ they say, ‘We only want to make peace.’ Surely, they are the ones who make mischief, but they realize it not,” he said quoting from the Qur’an.

He spoke about the Saudi government’s efforts to spread the message of the Qur’an. The King Fahd Qur’an Printing Complex in Madinah prints and distributes copies of the Qur’an as well as translations and commentaries in major world languages.

Al-Asheikh said the annual Qur’an competition organized by his ministry would be expanded to include new programs in the coming years. Since 1979 when the competition began, 4,408 contestants have participated in the event.

The contests are held in five categories: First, memorization of the whole Qur’an with tajweed (intonation) and explanation of word meanings; second, memorization of the whole Qur’an with recitation and tajweed; third, memorization of 20 parts of the Qur’an with recitation and tajweed; four, memorization of 10 parts with recitation and tajweed; and five, memorization of five parts with recitation and tajweed.

The committee of judges includes six members from the Kingdom and one each from Egypt, the UAE, Malaysia, Turkey, Algeria and Cameroon. The ministry has arranged a number of programs for the contestants.

including visits to the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, the Qur’an printing complex and other educational and Islamic institutions and centers.