Opinion…NIGERIA SHINES AT THE INTERNATIONAL QUR’AN RECITATION COMPETITION

(R-L) Al-Bahir Goni Othman and Faisal Muhammadul-Awwal with a Nigerian official

By Ibrahim Abdullahi

This year’s International Qur’an Recitation Competition has just ended in Saudi-Arabia with Nigeria winning the 2nd position in the Competition. The Competition which took place in the holy-city of Makkah, had 69 Countries participating.

Nigeria was represented by two Competitors. They are Hafiz Faisal Muhammadul-Awwal from Zamfara and Hafiz Al-Bashir Goni Othman from Borno State. They were the winners of 1st positions in their categories in the National Qur’an Recitation Competition held in Ilorin – Kwara State in February this year.

While Faisal Muhammadul-Awwal won 2nd position in the highest category of the International Competition featuring memorisation of the Complete Holy Qur’an with Tafsir (commentary), Al-Bashir Goni Othman came 2nd in the 2nd category of the International Competition featuring memorisation of the Complete Holy Qur’an without Tafsir.

By coming second in his category, Faisal Muhammadul-Awwal was given a cash prize of 200,000 Saudi Riyals equivalent to Twenty Million Naira (N20 million) while Al-Bashir Goni Othman bagged 100, 000 Saudi Riyals equivalent to Ten Million Naira (N10 Million) also for coming 2nd in his category.

At the end of the Competition, Saudi Arabia came 1st in the highest category of the Competition with Saudi Arabian Competitor – Hafiz Ahmad Abdul-Azeez Al-Abideen given a cash-prize of  250, 000 Saudi Riyals equivalent to N25 Million.

The Competition which is opened only to the youth not above the age of 25 years from all over the world, was instituted by Late  King Abdul-Azeez of Saudi-Arabia with a view to promoting Qur’an Memorization, arts and sciences of learning of the Holy Book.

At this point, I want to appreciate the great contribution of Late Sultan of Sokoto Alh. Ibrahim Dasuki, CON who initiated the National Qur’an Recitation Competition in Nigeria in 1986 through the Usman Dan Fodiyo University Sokoto (then University of Sokoto) which provided the platform to train the Memorizers through regular Competitions at all levels annually. Also, the contribution of Late Sultan Muhammadu Maccido and  most importantly the present Sultan and President-General of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs Alh. Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar who remain unbeatable in the struggle for acquisition of sound spiritual and mundane knowledge for all in Nigeria and beyond. Since assumption of office over ten years ago, Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar has not missed any of the annual Nwtional Qur’an Recitation Competition organised round Country.

Finally, Usman Dan Fodiyo University Sokoto under the able and dynamic leadership of  Professor  A. A. Zuru as the Vice-Chancellor,  academic and non-academic staff of the Centre for Islamic Studies of the great University for sustaining the National Qur’an Recitation Competition which has annually produced the Nigeria’s bests in Qur’an Memorization.

Ibrahim Abdullahi, FICPM is the National Coordinator, Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria (MMWG).