On this occasion, minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Ahmed Toufiq, gave a speech on the results of activities by the Council of Ulema (Muslim scholars), as well as the actions undertaken to promote religious affairs, and handed the Council’s activity report to HM the King.

In his address, the minister highlighted the achievements made during the past year in favor of the dissemination of the Holy Quran and the safeguarding of the tradition of Prophet Sidna Mohammed (PBUH), as well as the actions of the Council of Ulema and the continued solicitude for religious employees, mosques and traditional education.

Then, HM the King, Commander of the Faithful, handed the Mohammed VI Award of Thinking and Islamic Studies (Award of Merit and Honor) tied to Mustapha El Bahyaoui (Tangier) and Hamid Ben El Haj Essalami (Fez).

This Prize is awarded annually in order to reward outstanding national and international scientific personalities and to encourage them to undertake high quality research in the field of Islamic studies, in accordance with the teachings of the noble Shariah, which advocates the search for knowledge and urges to make good use of it.

HM the King was then greeted by Hatim Ben Abdullah Ben Saâd Ben Raizah from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, who received from the hands of the Sovereign the Mohammed VI international Award of memorization, declamation and exegesis of the holy Quran.

HM the king was also greeted by Muhammad Miftah Farid (Indonesia  to whom the Sovereign handed the Mohammed VI international Award of Quran psalmody with memorization of five Hizbs.

HM the King, Commander of the Faithful, also presented the Mohammed VI Prize in Moroccan Calligraphic art (Honorary Award) to Larbi Tourak (Meknes), and the Mohammed VI Prize in Moroccan Calligraphic art (Excellence Award) to Youssef Sossi Alaoui from the city of Casablanca.

Afterwards, the Sovereign handed the Mohammed VI Award of Moroccan decorative art on paper (Honorary Award) to Othmane Fassi Fihri (Fez) and the Mohammed VI Award of the Moroccan decorative art on paper (Excellence Award) to Zakaria Meslak from the same city.

HM the King also awarded the Mohammed VI Prize for Arabic graphic design (Honorary Award) to Moulay El Hassan Haidara from Marrakesh, and the Mohammed VI Prize for Arabic graphic design (Excellence Award) to Abdelfattah Hraoui from Benguerir.

On the same occasion, HM the King was greeted by the jury of the Mohammed VI Award of Thinking and Islamic studies: professors Mohamed Kettani, Mohamed Yssef, Mustapha Benhamza, Idriss Khalifa, Ahmed Chaouki Binbine, Ahmed Chahlane, Abdelhamid El Alami and Ahmed Kostass (rapporteur of the jury).

The religious ceremony was attended by the head of government, the speakers of the two Houses of parliament, advisors to HM the King, members of government, presidents of constitutional bodies, senior officers of the Royal Armed Forces, members of the Islamic diplomatic corps accredited to Rabat, as well as by several Ulema and other civil and military figures.