Pakistan third biggest contestant in Saudi Qur’an, Adhan competitions

ISLAMABAD: More than 1,400 Pakistanis have registered to participate in Qur’an recitation and Adhan competitions announced by Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority on May 22, making the South Asian nation the third biggest contestant in the race after the Saudis and Egyptians.
In all, 30,000 Muslims from around the world have registered to participate in the competitions, 17,050 for the Qur’an recitation contest and 12,950 for the Adhan competition. The top five countries in terms of highest registration rates include Saudi Arabia (6,169), Egypt (3,335), Pakistan (1,421), Indonesia (1,184) and India (828).
Saudi authorities announced the unique religious race last month, aiming to highlight “the diversity of the cultures of the Islamic world, which is reflected in the different methods of reciting the Qur’an and raising the Adhan.”
The organizers of the two contests told the media they were hoping to encourage a better understanding of the Qur’an and its recitation among young Muslims and sought to promote moderate Islam that rejected “extremism and intolerance in all its forms.”
The Kingdom’s General Authority for Entertainment on Thursday extended the registration deadline from June 22 to August 18 due to the overwhelming response.
The extension is expected to benefit thousands of aspiring participants who have not managed to register as yet, guaranteeing a large turnout from across the world.
Saudi authorities have also promised to distribute prizes of 12,000,000 riyals among the participants with “the most beautiful and influential voices.”