Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has said  memorisation and recitation of the Holy Qur’an will greatly help mental development in the reciters, especially young people.

He urged the Muslim community to ensure constant reading and memorisation of the holy text.

The governor spoke on Sunday in Ilorin at the closing ceremony of the Qur’an and Hadith Competition organised by the Cultural Attache Office of the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Abuja, and the As-Sunnah Academy of Da’awah and Research, Ilorin, Kwara State.

The governor was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Mamman Saba Jibril.

The competition involved six categories, each featuring brilliant reciters and memorisers of the Qur’an/Hadith.

The leading reciters of the day included Abdulrahman Ismail; Ahmad Abdulsalam; Abdullateef Zakariyah; Khadijah Ajijolakewu; Zainab AbdulGafar; Naeem Abdulsalam; Usman Ayinde; Kamaldeen Suleiman and Abdulmajeed Abdullateef.

Others were Ahmad Abdulazeez; Muslimah Abdullateef; Sofiyullahi Murtadha; Maryam Abdulkareem; Maiyaki Muktar; Salimah Abubakar; Aisah Abdulrahman; Zainab Abubakar; and Ali Muhammad.

The governor said it was imperative for Muslim faithful, particularly youths, to pursue the knowledge of Qur’an and Hadith, including memorising them to advance the cause of Islam and to guide their ways of life.

Mr AbdulRazaq described the holy book as the root and science of all knowledge and tasked the faithful to dedicate themselves to regular recitation, congratulating the organisers and various winners of the competition for a successful event.

He pledged the commitment of his government to continue to create an atmosphere that allows for peace and religious tolerance among all faiths in the state.

The Cultural Attache of the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Nigeria and Chief host, Sheikh Dr. Nami Ibn Jaarullah Asshamari, on his part, said the competition was a testament of the dedication of Saudi Arabia to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His noble messenger.

He said Saudi Arabia was committed to fostering the foundations for a peaceful coexistence among the people of the world and to showcasing the true voice of Islam based on the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah.

“Dear noble gathering, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is constantly working to serve the interests of Islam and Muslims wherever they may be. It is also committed to fostering the foundation of peaceful coexistence among the people of the world and to showcasing the true voice of Islam based on the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah, free from all forms of extremism, excess, negligence, and decay, in line with the words of Allah, the Almighty,” he said.

He thanked the governor and all royal fathers for creating a suitable environment for hosting the competition, and the organising committee for making the ceremony a huge success.

In his opening remarks, chairman of the occasion, Justice Abdulateef Kamaldeen, described the gathering as a scholarly one that not only recognises the importance of the Qur’an, but also honours the committed memorisers, whose efforts and commitment cannot be overemphasised.

(NAN)