The Scent of Speech (Otr Elkalam) show, the first competition program in the world that combines Quran recitation and the call to prayer (Adhan), will be launched on the first day of the blessed month of Ramadan. The show comes under the supervision and organization of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) and is broadcast on the Saudia TV channel.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the GEA, Turki Al Al-Sheikh, had recently announced the launch of the program, which is one of the global initiatives. He tweeted on his Twitter account: “The Scent of Speech (Otr Elkalam) program, as we promised you in the first entertainment conference, but we were delayed by Corona conditions, is the first competition program that combines the recitation of the Quran and the call to prayer (Adhan). More than 40,000 people applied from different countries of the world, and 36 participants qualified. It will be launched in the blessed month of Ramadan and broadcast on the Saudia TV channel.
The competition, which began its early stages in 2019, aims to highlight the beautiful voices in the recitation and intonation of the Holy Quran and the call to prayer (Adhan). The total value of the prizes is estimated at SAR 12 million ($3.2 million), which is the largest award in the recitation of the Holy Quran and the call to prayer (Adhan) in the world and one of the largest awards globally targeting talents in their fields.
The prizes for the most beautiful Quran recitation are divided as follows: the first place SAR 5 million, the second-place SAR 2 million, the third-place SAR 1 million, and the fourth-place SAR 500,000.
The prizes for the most beautiful call to prayer (Adhan) contest are divided as follows: the first place SAR 2 million, the second-place SAR 1 million, the third-place SAR 500,000, and the fourth-place SAR 250,000.
The competition launched by the GEA in 2019 is distinguished by its precise criteria and its jury that enhances competitiveness, with qualification stages through which qualified talents reach the final stages. The jurors are specialized in judging Quranic competitions, and they include muezzins from the Two Holy Mosques, key Quran reciters from around the world, and the most famous international competition assessors.
The GEA had made it possible for contestants from all over the world to participate in the competition, through easy registration procedures using modern technologies that did not require travel. The number of participants in the two branches of the competition reached more than 40,000 from 80 countries. Participations passed through four online qualifiers before reaching the final stages, which are expected to be broadcast in the Scent of Speech (Otr Elkalam) program on the Saudia TV channel during the Holy month of Ramadan.
