RIYADH (Dispatches) -- Saudi Arabia and Iran scooped top spots in a Qur’an and call to prayer recital competition in the kingdom, state press agency SPA reported.
Iranian contestant Younes Shahmoradi secured first-place in the Qur’an recital part of the competition, earning a prize of $800,000 (three million Saudi rials), followed by Abdulaziz al-Faqih from Saudi Arabia in second place, SPA said. Al-Faqih won $500,000 (two million Saudi rials).
In the call to prayer category, Muhammad al-Sharif from Saudi Arabia emerged as the winner, taking home a prize of $500,000 (two million SAR). Indonesian contestant Diaa al-Din bin Nizar al-Din secured second place, winning one million riyals ($267,000).
Saudi Arabia’s chairman of the General Authority for Entertainment Turki al-Sheikh presented the winners with their awards. The competition – aatr al-kalam or perfume of words in English – had a total prize pool of $3,000,000 (12 million SAR), SPA said.
Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Entertainment launched the program in 2019 to celebrate “exceptional vocal talents in Qur’anic recitation and the call to prayer,” according to SPA.
During the finale, the program received six certificates from the Guinness Book of Records. These included recognition for the largest Qur’anic competition in terms of participating countries, the largest competitions in the call to prayer, as well as the largest prizes in Qur’anic and call to prayer competitions.
More than 50,000 contestants from 165 countries took part in the qualifying round for the event, which was held in January, of whom 50 went on to the final round that was broadcast on MBC and the Shahid digital platform.