MARAWI CITY (PIA)--Participants from Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao del Sur were hailed as winners of the recently concluded region-wide third Qur’an recitation and memorization competition for male and female categories held here at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex, Bangsamoro Government Center, January 20-22.
Led by the Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE) through its Directorate General for Madaris Education (DGME), the annual competition is part of the Bangsamoro Government’s commitment to promote the value of Qur’an reading among the Bangsamoro people.
The competition's winners received certificates and cash prizes totaling P100,000, while the first-place finishers received P75,000, followed by the second-place finishers with P50,000.
The winners for the Qur’an recitation (Al-Mujawwadah) include Sadhan Zacaria (Maguindanao II) who was hailed as the champion, 1st place - Kamaroddin Zaidon (Cotabato City), and 2nd place - Ahmad Muhammad Nazir Asgar (LDS II).
For the Qur’an Memorization (Tahfeez) male category, the winners include Muzaher Bito (Maguindanao II) who was named as the champion, 1st place - Mohammad Asiddin (Basilan), and 2nd place Abduljalal Hassan (Maguindanao II) while for the female category are Champion - Najaah Kadafie (LDS II), 1st place - Rohaima Guiafar (LDS I) and 2nd place Fairods Zacaria (Maguindanao II).
Najaah Kadafie, 14, from Maa'had Amal in Marantao, Lanao del Sur, extended her gratitude to the leadership of BARMM for spearheading the event.
Kadafie earned the title of Hafidha — someone who has not only learned to read the Qur'an but memorized it. She said it is a huge accomplishment to be the champion of the prestigious competition.
"Nakita namin ang pagsisikap ng Bangsamoro Government na bigyang halaga ang pag-aaral ng Islamic Education, partikular ang Qur-an. Idinadalangin ko na ipagpatuloy nila ang kanilang patuloy na atensyon dahil ito ay tungkol sa pag-aaral ng mga huling salita ng Allah (SWT)," she added.
(We have seen the efforts of the Bangsamoro Government to value the study of Islamic Education, particularly the Qur-an. I pray that they continue their constant attention as it is about learning the last words of Allah)
During the awarding ceremony, Education Minister Mohagher Iqbal stressed the importance of promoting Qur'an literacy and teaching its recitation, and memorization to every Muslim.
"We believe in Islam and we have the Holy Qur’an that we must learn, including its ethics and rules to guide us on the right path," Iqbal said.
"Alam nating lahat na ang taos-pusong pagbabasa ng Qur-an ay isa sa mga paraan at napakagandang gawain na maghahatid sa isang Muslim patungo sa Jannah (paradise)," he added.
(We all know that reading the Qur'an sincerely is one of the ways and a great deed that will lead a Muslim to Jannah)
The minister further said the MBHTE is building more public Islamic Schools or Madrasah in pursuance of Moral Governance.
"The BARMM Government is working hard to address the needs of the Islamic institutions in the region. This includes the continuous hiring of Islamic Studies and Arabic Language, or ISAL, teachers to provide relevant education," Iqbal said. (BIO/PIA-10/Lanao del Sur)
