Saudi Gazette An ostentatious award ceremony was held at Laylaty ballroom to honor over 800 women –– who had successfully memorized the Book of Allah in one year. The ballroom was exquisitely decorated with pastel-colored fresh flowers. The ceremony was organized by the women's branch of the Charitable Organization for Memorizing Holy Qur'an (COMHQ). It was sponsored by Sidra Capital (SC) and Al-Murjan Holding Company (AMHC). Princess Abta Bint Muqrin Bin Abdul Aziz graced the event and congratulated the Hafizaat for their outstanding achievement. The Hafizaat from Jeddah and Makkah came from all walks of life. They wore long, white graduation gowns with a garlands of flowers draped around their necks. Each one of them had an inspirational story to tell with the Qur'an. A practicing physician from among them shared her story of how she had worked at the hospital during the day and studied the Qur'an at night. An elderly lady said that she had been a full-time mother for 30 years. After her children grew up and went to universities abroad, she decided to study Islamic Law and the Qur'an. Another touching story was from a blind woman, who told everyone how she had memorized the Qur'an by only listening to it on a tape recorder. There were also women, whose second language was Arabic yet they had managed to learn and pass the test. The COMHQ is responsible for overseeing all the Qur'an teaching schools in Jeddah, where students are taught to recite the Qur'an correctly and clearly. Students sit through a series of tests held by the organization before they are given certificates. The founder of the women's branch, Dr. Fatima Naseef, dedicated her life to the teachings of the Qur'an. She is a mother of six children and was widowed at the age of 30. With patience, perseverance, utmost faith in Allah, along with an awesome sense of humor, she raised her children and obtained two bachelor's degrees, one in History and another in Islamic Law. She completed her master's and then went on to obtain a doctorate in Islamic Studies, after which she managed the organization and even wrote several books. Her vision is to see a large number of women become Hafizaat every year, who will implement the teachings of the Qur'an and make this society a better place to live. “No woman should ever say that she cannot, or it is too hard to learn the Qur'an. No book is as rewarding or enjoyable or beneficial to learn as the Book of Allah. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: ‘The best of you is the one who leans the Qur'an and teaches it.'” She extended her thanks and appreciation to the two private companies that sponsored and participated in this beautiful event. The public relations director of AMHC, Elham Bafarat, said that she was proud and honored to be part of this celebration and that supporting this event was among the top priorities of her company's social responsibility projects. Sanaa Al-Dukhail, the public relations director of SC, was also happy to have served her community and especially those who have been tirelessly working to teach the Qur'an. __
