Students from King Abdulaziz University secured top positions in the 27th edition of the local competition for the prestigious King Salman bin Abdulaziz Award for the Memorization, Recitation, and Interpretation of the Holy Qur’an, which is supervised and implemented by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance.

Maryam Al-Khatib, a student from the Faculty of Medicine, secured second place in the Third Category of the competition, designated for full memorization of the Holy Qur’an. Shomoukh Al-Zanbaqi, from the Department of Biology at the Faculty of Science and Arts in Rabigh, won first place in the Second Category, while Anas Abduljawad, from the Department of Architecture at the Faculty of Architecture and Planning, achieved third place in the Fifth Category.

Maryam Al-Khatib expressed her pride in the recognition, stating: “This achievement is the result of the support of my family and university. Securing second place in the full memorization of the Holy Qur’an represents a great motivation for me to continue my academic journey in the Faculty of Medicine. The Book of Allah is the finest companion on the path to success.”

For his part, Anas Abduljawad emphasized the value of participating in the competition, saying: “I am proud that our beloved Kingdom sponsors such competitions and this award, which bears the name of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. It stands as clear evidence of his care for the nation’s youth. We were warmly honored and recognized. By the grace of Allah, this achievement motivates me to combine excellence in memorizing and reflecting upon the Holy Qur’an with professional excellence in architecture to serve my country.”

Shomoukh Al-Zanbaqi stated that winning first place in the competition is a great honor she deeply cherishes. She added that combining academic excellence in her scientific specialization with distinction in memorizing and interpreting the Holy Qur’an has been her goal, and she hopes this achievement will mark the beginning of further successes through which she can serve her country and university.

The award aims to encourage young men and women to engage with the Book of Allah through memorization and understanding, foster a spirit of honorable competition, enhance mastery and revision, and invest their time in pursuits that benefit both them and their nation.