teaching the Quran to children in Saudi Arabia is one of the most important and noble educational aspects that receives great attention from the family, society, and the state, as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is considered one of the most prominent Islamic countries that pays special attention to memorizing the Holy Qur’an and teaching it to children at different age levels, as many schools and Qur’anic circles are established that aim to instill the values ​​and principles of Islam in the souls of children from a young age.

The importance of teaching the Quran to children in Saudi Arabia

teaching the Quran to children in Saudi Arabia is one of the priorities of the educational and religious process. It is of great importance and is reflected in the individual and society. Among its importance are:

• In light of the contemporary challenges and temptations that may affect children, teaching the Qur’an is an effective means of protecting them from wrong ideas and behaviors and directing them towards a correct path that aligns with Islamic teachings.
• Teaching the Qur’an prepares children to be active members of society, as they acquire communication skills and respect for others. They also learn to cooperate and participate in Qur’anic circles and competitions, which enhances their future role as good citizens.
• The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is distinguished as the cradle of Islam and pays special attention to teaching the Holy Quran, as instilling the love of the Quran in the hearts of children from an early age enhances the sense of national and religious belonging and makes them realize the importance of preserving their religious and cultural heritage.
• The Holy Quran carries great behavioral and moral guidance, and teaching children these principles from an early age contributes to directing their behavior toward goodness and away from negative behaviors, which leads to building a morally disciplined generation.
• Memorizing and learning the Quran helps children develop their mental abilities such as memory power, focus, and attention, as studies indicate that children who memorize the Quran have higher analytical skills and mental abilities.

How can schools promote teaching the Quran to children in Saudi Arabia?

Schools have a vital role in teaching the Quran to children in Saudi Arabia and can do so through a range of methods and activities that contribute to improving the education process and motivating children to memorize and understand the Qur’an. Among the most important methods that schools can adopt to enhance the teaching of the Qur’an are:

Allocating daily classes for teaching the Qur’an

Schools should allocate regular classes daily or weekly for teaching the Holy Qur’an with a focus on memorization, recitation, and understanding the basic meanings as this helps to enhance continuity in teaching the Qur’an to children.

Using innovative teaching methods

Applying modern teaching methods such as Quranic stories, interactive activities, and memorization games, where techniques such as the smart board and visual presentations can be used to explain meanings and rulings interestingly and easily.

Encouraging gradual memorization

Schools can develop plans for memorizing the Qur’an based on dividing the texts into small parts that are easy for children to memorize while encouraging them to review what they have memorized regularly, which enhances their comprehension and ability to memorize for the long term.

Holding motivational competitions

Organizing internal competitions between students in memorizing and reciting the Holy Quran motivates children to compete positively, as these competitions can be at the class or school level, with prizes and certificates of appreciation being presented to motivate students to memorize more.

The Role of Technology in promote teaching the Quran to children in Saudi Arabia

Technology plays an increasing role in teaching the Quran to children in Saudi Arabia, as it contributes to making the educational process more interactive and attractive while providing modern means to facilitate memorization and recitation. Among the most important things that technology does:

Parental follow-up through electronic reports

Some applications provide parents with periodic reports on their children’s progress in learning the Qur’an, which facilitates monitoring daily performance and enhances cooperation between the school and the family in promoting Qur’anic education.

Electronic competitions

Some organizations organize online competitions for children to memorize the Qur’an, where children can participate in local or international competitions online, which enhances the competitive spirit and motivates them to improve their level of memorization and recitation.

Quran Teaching Apps for Children

Many applications are dedicated to teaching children to recite and interactively memorize the Holy Quran, as these applications often contain recitations by different reciters, tools for repeating verses for memorization, and educational games to motivate children to continue learning. Some applications also provide a simplified explanation for children.

Distance Learning and E-Learning Platforms

Children in Saudi Arabia can benefit from online Quran learning platforms that provide live and recorded lessons in recitation and memorization as these platforms provide flexibility for parents and children to choose the appropriate time and place for learning.

What are the benefits of Memorizing the Quran for children remotely?

Memorizing the Quran for children remotely offers many benefits that contribute to improving the learning process and providing a comfortable and flexible environment for children and their families. These benefits include:

Flexibility in time and place

1. Distance learning allows children to memorize the Quran at times that suit their schedules and free time, making it easier to integrate Quran memorization with other activities such as studying or playing.
2. Children can memorize from their homes or any other place without having to travel to a specific learning center, providing convenience and flexibility for families.

Providing a comfortable learning environment

Thanks to distance learning, children can choose the learning environment that suits them best, which allows them to focus more and feel comfortable while memorizing, as this helps improve performance and increase comprehension.

Access to specialized teachers

Distance learning provides access to distinguished teachers who specialize in teaching the Holy Quran from anywhere in the world, which means that children can benefit from the expertise of highly qualified teachers regardless of where they live.

Personal and individual interaction with teachers

Distance education can provide an individual learning environment that allows the teacher to provide personalized guidance to each child based on their level and specific needs, which enhances the learning process and helps children overcome difficulties.

What is the government’s role in teaching the Quran to children in Saudi Arabia?

The government’s role in teaching the Quran to children in Saudi Arabia is pivotal and vital, as the Kingdom pays great attention to promoting religious education, especially teaching the Qur’an to children. This interest is reflected in several policies and programs that aim to promote the teaching of the Holy Qur’an to children inside and outside schools, whether in government centers or community programs. Among the most important things that the government does:

Government schools and Quranic education programs

The Saudi government formally integrates the teaching of the Holy Quran into the school curriculum from the elementary stages, where children learn to read and memorize the Quran with an emphasis on the correct understanding of the rules of Tajweed and interpretation. The government curriculum also includes daily or weekly classes dedicated to memorizing the Holy Quran.

Supporting Quranic Centers and Circles

1. The government supervises many Quranic centers that aim to teach children how to memorize and recite the Quran. These centers are spread across various Saudi cities and provide their services to children for free under the supervision of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance.
2. Funding and logistical support are provided for these centers, in addition to training teachers and preparing curricula that are appropriate for the children’s abilities and different levels.

Encouraging Quranic Competitions

1. The government supports the organization of many national and international Quranic competitions that encourage children to memorize and recite the Quran. The most famous of these competitions is the King Abdulaziz International Quran Memorization Competition, which encourages children to participate from all over the Kingdom.
2. These competitions enhance the competitive spirit among children and motivate them to continue learning and memorizing the Quran.

Supporting children with special needs

The government provides special programs for memorizing the Holy Quran for children with special needs, such as blind children or those with hearing disabilities, where customized educational services are provided that take into account their individual needs, with the provision of assistive tools such as the Quran written in Braille or the use of audio applications.

What are the challenges of teaching the Quran to children in Saudi Arabia?

teaching the Quran to children in Saudi Arabia faces some challenges that can affect the effectiveness of the educational process, despite the great efforts made by the government and educational institutions to support this field. The most prominent of these challenges are:

Technological challenges and reliance on distance education

• Despite the advancement of technology and the availability of distance education platforms, some children face difficulty adapting to this type of education, especially in rural or remote areas where access to the Internet may be weak or limited.
• Some children may lack the necessary technical support or appropriate electronic devices, which hinders their progress in the memorization and learning process.

Distraction and lack of concentration in children

Some children suffer from distraction and lack of concentration, especially at young ages, as memorizing the Qur’an requires deep concentration, which makes some children face difficulties in following lessons regularly and continuing to memorize without distraction.

Lack of continuous motivation

Some children may lack sufficient motivation to continue memorizing the Qur’an due to the lack of effective motivational mechanisms. The absence of Qur’anic competitions or motivational programs in some places can lead to a decline in enthusiasm among children.

Busy children and busy school schedules

• Children in Saudi Arabia study intensive academic curricula, in addition to extracurricular activities. This busy schedule may lead to less time available for memorizing the Qur’an or make it less priority for some families.
• The overlap of school activities with memorization circle times may pose a challenge in finding a suitable time to focus on memorizing the Qur’an.

What are the possible solutions to overcome the challenges of teaching the Quran to children in Saudi Arabia?

Overcoming the challenges facing teaching the Quran to children in Saudi Arabia requires implementing innovative and sustainable solutions to enhance education and make it more effective and attractive to children. The most prominent of these solutions are:

Overcoming technological challenges and distance education

• Expanding the provision of high-speed internet in remote and rural areas and ensuring the availability of appropriate electronic devices for children through partnerships with government and charitable institutions.
• Providing technical support to families facing difficulties in using technology to educate their children remotely, such as organizing guidance workshops on how to use digital platforms.

Organizing study time and activities

• Providing Quran memorization programs with a flexible schedule that fits school study times and other activities such as offering memorization sessions in the early morning or evening to suit children’s different schedules.
• Coordinating between schools and Quranic centers to reduce the academic burden on children and ensure that sufficient time is provided for learning and memorizing the Quran without affecting their academic achievement.

Stimulating children’s focus and attention

• Integrating creative activities such as Quranic songs, illustrative animations, or educational game competitions to make the memorization experience more enjoyable for children.
• Designing teaching methods based on play and interaction methods to make children actively participate in the learning process such as organizing practical workshops that include Quranic games and educational competitions.

Training and developing teachers’ capabilities

• Providing teachers with training courses on methods of teaching the Qur’an to children, including methods of dealing with individual differences and diversity in children’s comprehension abilities.
• Granting rewards and recognition to teachers who demonstrate excellence in teaching children, encourages innovation in teaching methods.

The role of elmadrasah.com in teaching the Quran to children in Saudi Arabia

The role of elmadrasah.com in teaching the Quran to children in Saudi Arabia can be vital in providing innovative educational solutions based on technology and meeting the needs of religious education for children. The most important things the platform offers are:

• elmadrasah.com offers online Quran memorization classes for children using live video technology, giving children the opportunity to learn the Quran from home with ease and flexibility.
• Access to recorded lessons that children can watch at any time, giving them the ability to review lessons on their own time and repeat lessons until they have mastered the verses well.
• The platform also provides gradual memorization programs that suit children’s levels, as memorizing the Qur’an is divided into small stages that suit their abilities and ages, which helps improve their focus and understanding.
• elmadrasah.com provides periodic tests for children to measure their progress in memorization and recitation and provides follow-up reports to parents about their children’s progress in learning the Qur’an.
• Virtual workshops are also offered related to teaching the Qur’an to children, such as Tajweed and simplified interpretation workshops, which help them understand the meanings of the verses in addition to memorizing them.

In conclusion, teaching the Quran to children in Saudi Arabia represents a fundamental pillar in establishing Islamic values ​​and building a spiritually and morally balanced generation. Instilling the love of the Holy Qur’an in children from an early age strengthens their relationship with the Book of God and gives them basic guidance that helps them face life’s challenges with wisdom and faith. Teaching the Qur’an also contributes to strengthening the Islamic and national identity of children, which ensures the continuity of transmitting the teachings of the true religion from one generation to another.