Saudi National Quran Contest Delayed
The country’s Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance Ministry said the 22nd edition of the national competition on memorization, recitation and interpretation of the Quran, known as King Salman Award, has been postponed.
It had been scheduled for the current lunar Hijri month of Shaaban but was delayed due to concerns over the spread of the virus, the ministry said.
The new date of the competition will be announced later, it went on to say.
Nearly 1,300 coronavirus cases have been reported in Saudi Arabia as of Sunday. There have also been eight deaths from the disease.
The novel coronavirus, known as COVID-19, has infected more than 724,000 people around the world.
The outbreak has had a major impact on global sporting, cultural, religious and political events, with a host of events canceled or postponed.
