Saudi Arabia’s Hasanat bint Ali Al-Harithy bagged first prize in Jordan’s Hashimiya International Holy Qur’an Competition for Women. As many as 33 contestants from 30 countries participated in the seventh edition of the contest, which concluded in Amman on Thursday. Saudi Arabia participated for the first time in the memorization, recitation and interpretation of Qur’an competition.

The general secretariat for the Qur’an competition at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance picked Hasanat, a student of the Charity Society for the Memorization of Qur’an in Madinah, to represent the Kingdom in the competition.

Hasanat expressed her extreme delight in winning the prestigious international contest. “I am presenting this great achievement to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, Crown Prince Naif, deputy premier and minister of interior, Minister of Islamic Affairs Sheikh Saleh Al-Asheikh and my family. In the international competition, I represented the Kingdom of humanity where the Qibla of Muslims is situated and where all eyes of Muslims are turned,” she said, while noting that she was fully aware of her responsibility as the lone representative of the land of the Two Holy Mosques in the event.

Hasanat also thanked the Madinah charity society for its commendable efforts in helping young men and women learn and memorize the holy book. Ali bin Ahmad Al-Harithy, who accompanied his daughter Hasanat to Jordan, thanked Minister Al-Asheikh for his utmost keenness and sincere efforts that enabled his daughter to secure this remarkable achievement. He also commended Fahd Al-Zaid, the Saudi ambassador to Jordan, for his continuous support.

Mansour Al-Sumaih, secretary-general of the general secretariat for Qur’an competition at the ministry, said earlier that Al-Asheikh had received an invitation from his Jordanian counterpart to send a Saudi delegate to the competition. The general secretariat nominated Hasanat who won second prize in the local competition for Prince Salman prize, held in Madinah this year.

It was for the first time Saudi Arabia also took part in the judging panel of the competition. Al-Asheikh had approved sending Aziza bint Hussein Al-Yousuf, assistant professor at Taiba University in Madinah, to Jordan as a judge. Other members of the three-member judging panel included representatives of Jordan and the UAE.

The contest, organized by Jordan’s Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Ministry, aimed at encouraging women to strengthen their relation with the Qur’an and preparing them to raise generations familiar with the teachings of the holy book. There were three levels of contest — memorization of the holy book in full, 20 parts and 10 parts with interpretation and good presentation.