The preliminary rounds of the 34th Sultan Qaboos Holy Quran Competition commenced on Monday in Barka, located in the Al Batinah South Governorate of Oman. The event is organized by the Sultan Qaboos Higher Center for Culture and Science, operating under the Diwan of Royal Court.

Rashid bin Humaid al Dughaishi, chairman of the committees overseeing both the preliminary and final stages of the competition, reported that 756 male and female participants were evaluated during the initial phase. Contestants represented various wilayats, including Al Seeb, Bahla, Samayil, Al Suwaiq, Al Rustaq, Salalah, and Taqah.

The competition features seven distinct levels, each based on the quantity of the Quran memorized and the age of the participant. The highest level requires memorizing the entire Holy Quran, while subsequent levels involve memorizing between 24 and 2 consecutive parts. Eligibility for the different levels is determined by birth year, with the youngest categories requiring memorization of smaller portions: Level 4 for those born in 2001 or later, Level 5 for 2012 or later, Level 6 for 2016 or later, and Level 7 for participants born in 2019 or later.

The tournament aims to promote Quranic memorization and recitation skills across Oman and encourages participation from a broad demographic, reflecting the importance of Quranic tradition within Omani culture. The competition will proceed with further rounds as finalists are selected from the current participants.