| Azlan Othman |
THE Ministry of Religious Affairs through the MABIMS Centre of Al-Quran Studies and Dissemination is currently holding the preliminary rounds of the annual Al-Quran Memorisation and Understanding Competition, which is divided into five categories.
Category A is open to participants aged 11 and below, who were born on June 1, 2007 and after, and have never won in this category for two consecutive years.
They are required to memorise Surah Ath-Thariq, Surah Al-A’laa, Surah Al-Ghasyiyah, Surah Al-Fajr, Surah Al-Balad, Surah Asy-Syams and Surah Al-Layl, together with a set of significant chapters from Surah Adh-Dhuhaa to Surah An-Naas, and provide an understanding of Surah Al-Muthaffifiin, Surah Al-Insyiqaq and Surah Al-Buruj.
Category B is open to students aged 17 and below, who were born on June 2001 and after, and who have never won in this category for two consecutive years. Students from local and overseas Tahfiz Al-Quran institutions are also eligible.
The students are required to memorise Surah Al-Kahf, Surah Luqman, Surah As-Sajdah, Surah Ar-Rahman, Surah Al-Waqi’ah, Surah Al-Mulk and Surah Al-Insan, and provide an understanding of Surah Yaasiin and Surah Jinn.
Category C is open to all age groups who have never received a special allowance for the memorisation of Al-Quran, and have never won in this particular category for two consecutive years. They are required to memorise the first three chapters of Al-Quran and provide an understanding of the second Surah.
Category D is open to all age groups who have never won in this particular category for two consecutive years and have never received any special allowance to memorise Al-Quran for the memorisation of 30 chapters. They are required to memorise the first 15 chapters of Al-Quran and provide an understanding of Surah 13.
Category E is open to all age groups who have never won in this particular category for three consecutive years in memorising 30 chapters. The participants are required to memorise the first 30 chapters from Al-Quran and provide an understanding of Surah 24.
A total of 250 participants have registered for the competition, from which 12 with scores of above 65 per cent in all categories will be selected for the semi-finals.
The preliminary stages of the competition are currently being held for six days, until January 21.