RIYADH, 22 April — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd has given his approval to establish special centers for girls for the memorization of the Holy Qur’an in all parts of the Kingdom, according to Islamic Affairs Minister Saleh Al-Sheikh.
He said the king has directed the authorities to allocate 2,500 square meters of land at suitable locations to establish female branches of the Charitable Societies for Memorization of the Holy Qur’an.
"This gesture will have a tremendous impact on the Islamic upbringing of the younger generation," the minister said. He also commended the king for encouraging youths to learn and memorize the Holy Qur’an.
Al-Sheikh underscored the support being given by the government and people to Qur’an charitable societies, which is evident in the growing number of such societies in various parts of the country.
According to an official report, there are 232 charitable societies in the Kingdom, including 22 that are reserved for women. The report estimates that their revenues and expenditures in 2000 were SR850 million and SR800 million respectively.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Sheikh, the grand mufti, highlighted the important role of good translations of the Qur’an in spreading the message of Islam. He made the observation while speaking about the seminar on "The translation of the meaning of the Qur’an: Present and Future."
However, the mufti said that such translations must be precise and must in no way contradict any Islamic teachings.
"Translations of the Qur’an can also help non-Muslims to learn about the basics of Islam," he added.
