By Sheikh Alie Kallay
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), under the patronage of its Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Da’awah and Guidance, has successfully concluded an International Quranic Competition in Sierra Leone; the first time the prestigious event has been hosted outside Saudi Arabia.
The competition, organised in collaboration with leading Islamic scholars in Sierra Leone, brought together 25 finalists who emerged from earlier stages of the contest. The finalists competed in four categories: memorisation of the entire Qur’an with Tafseer, full Qur’an memorisation, half Qur’an memorisation, and one-third Qur’an memorisation. The final stage was held at the Gaddafi Mosque in November 2025.
The grand winner received a cash prize of US$6,000, while other winners received prizes ranging from US$1,800 to US$3,800.
Speaking on behalf of the organisers, the Supervisor of Saudi Missionaries in Sierra Leone, Dr. Muhammad Muhammad Jalloh, expressed gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their support. He also thanked Islamic scholars, judges, and the Government of Sierra Leone, led by President Dr. Julius Maada Bio, for ensuring the success of the programme.
Chief Judge Sheikh Adam Faruq Bah praised the KSA Embassy in Dakar, Senegal, for facilitating the participation of Dr. Muhammad Faal as an independent international examiner, which he said enhanced the credibility of the competition.
The closing and prize-giving ceremony took place on 11 January 2026 at the Freetown City Hall. The event was attended by senior officials from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including the Religious Attaché of the Saudi Embassy in Dakar, Mr. Salman Alfuhaidi; Head of Chancery, Mr. Sulthan Al-Rashidi; representatives of the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs; and the Chargé d’Affaires of the KSA Embassy in Freetown, H.E. Fahad Dhafir Raafee’i.
Also present were prominent Islamic leaders and scholars from Sierra Leone, representatives of Islamic organisations, officials from relevant government ministries, and members of the diplomatic community, all of whom commended the initiative for promoting Islamic education, unity, and cultural exchange.
The historic hosting of the International Quranic Competition in Sierra Leone was widely hailed as a milestone in strengthening religious and cultural ties between Sierra Leone and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
