Hamad honored for service to Qur’an

Bahrain’s King Hamad has won this year’s prize for the global personality best serving the Qur’an, instituted by the Jeddah-based International Qur’an Memorization Organization (IQMO).
Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal gave away IQMO prizes to winners during a function here Tuesday night. Sheikh Hamoud bin Abdullah Al-Khalifa, Bahrain’s ambassador to Riyadh, received the award on behalf of the king. “The Bahraini government and people consider this award a medal of honor for their country,” the ambassador said.
The event at Jeddah Hilton was attended by a large number of businessmen, academics and Islamic scholars. Addressing the ceremony, Abdullah Al-Turki, secretary-general of the Muslim World League, urged Muslims to follow the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him). “We can find the solution for all our problems in the Qur’an and Sunnah,” he said.
Earlier in his welcome address, Abdullah Basfar, secretary-general of IQMO, commended Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and Crown Prince Salman for helping the organization spread the message of the Qur’an.
Speaking to Arab News, Basfar said the ceremony was successful because it was attended by delegates of Qur’anic organizations from different parts of the world.
He said King Hamad was given the award for services including printing and distributing copies of the Qur'an, setting up a department for Qur’anic affairs at the Ministry of Labor, Islamic and Endowment Affairs, and organizing an international Qur’an contest.
The best Qur’an college prize went to Omdurman College in Sudan; the best Qur’an memorization society prize to a Jeddah society that helped 10,600 people memorize the holy book; the best Qur’an institute prize was awarded to Al-Masarawi Center in Egypt; and the best Qur’an contest prize went to Kuwait.
Other winners were Sheikh Hussein Noor of Somalia (best Qur’an teacher) who helped about 900 students memorize the Qur’an; Sheikh Abdul Hakeem Suleiman of Egypt (the oldest teacher) who spent most of his life teaching the Qur’an; Ayman Rushdi Suwaid (best research); Radio Qur’an in Saudi Arabia (the best radio and TV program); and the comprehensive electronic encyclopedia of the Qur’an (the best website).