Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs (Awqaf) honoured the female winners of the 11th edition of the 'Al Muhaddith Al Saghir' competition.
The ceremony was organised by the Department of Da'wah and Religious Guidance, with the participation of several female leaders from the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE), as well as the winning students and their parents.
The Al Muhaddith Al Saghir competition is a continuation of the Quranic competitions held throughout Qatar. It is the fruit of cooperation between the Department of Da'wah and Religious Guidance, the General Directorate of Endowments at the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, and the MoEHE, represented by Jassim Bin Hamad Secondary School for Boys, Umm Al Qura Primary School for Boys, and Al Iman Secondary School for Girls.
Seventeen female students were awarded shields bearing the names of female narrators of hadiths from the female companions of the Prophet. The shields were presented to the winners by Assistant Undersecretary for Educational Affairs at the MoEHE Maha Zayed Al Ruwaili, and Assistant Director of the Department of Da'wah and Religious Guidance for Women's Activities at the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs Wafa Essa Al Muhaiza.
125 female students who achieved distinction in the fifth level (elite 1) were also honored, as were four female students who achieved distinction in the sixth level, ten female students affiliated with the Audio Education Complex, and five female students affiliated with the Al Noor Center for the Blind.
Director of the Department of Da'wah and Religious Guidance at the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs Jassim Al Ali emphasized that the Al Muhaddith Al Saghir competition represents one of the most valuable initiatives that strengthens Islamic identity in the hearts of young people and deepens their connection to the Sunnah of the Prophet, not only through memorisation, but also through application, emulation, and reflection.
He added that choosing the names of the female companions to be on the honorary shields sends a valuable and emotional message, confirming to the students that they are following in the footsteps of the female companions in conveying the noble prophetic guidance and conveying his message.
He pointed out that this year's competition witnessed a significant increase in the number of participants and an increasing interest from schools and parents, reflecting the growing community awareness of the importance of connecting children to the noble prophetic heritage, in light of the successful strategic partnership with the MoEHE and the General Directorate of Endowments. At the same time, he urged the participating parties to continue their cooperation to pursue the prophetic educational message, to produce generations who memorise the noble hadith, act upon it, and love the Prophet and his noble companions.
12,381 students registered for the current edition of the competition, of whom 8,328 students from 443 schools and 1,313 parents qualified.
The competition's organising committee, in cooperation with the Endowment bank for the service of the Quran and Sunnah, affiliated with the General Directorate of Endowments, awarded valuable cash prizes to the top-ranked winners at all eight levels of the competition.
Prizes range in value from QR200 to QR2,500, depending on the level and degree of excellence, in the student and parent categories. Prizes for students who receive shields range in value from QR4,000 to QR6,000.
