COTABATO CITY – Participants from Maguindanao del Sur and Lanao del Sur were hailed as winners of the recently concluded region-wide 3rd Qur’an recitation and memorization competition for male and female categories held here at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex (SKCC), Bangsamoro Government Center, from Jan. 20-22, 2023.
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 champions of the competition received certificates and cash prizes worth Php100,000.00 while the first placers took home Php 75,000.00, followed by the 2nd placers with Php 50,000.00.
The following are the list of winners:
Qur’an recitation (Al-Mujawwadah)
Champion: Sadhan Zacaria (Maguindanao II)
1st: Kamaroddin Zaidon (Cotabato City)
2nd: Ahmad Muhammad Nazir Asgar (LDS II)
Qur’an Memorization (Tahfeez) Male Category
Champion: Muzaher Bito (Maguindanao II)
1st: Mohammad Asiddin (Basilan)
2nd: Abduljalal Hassan (Maguindanao II)
Qur’an Memorization (Tahfeez) Female Category
Champion: Najaah Kadafie (LDS II)
1st: Rohaima Guiafar (LDS I)
2nd: Fairods Zacaria (Maguindanao II)
Najaah Kadafie, 14, from Maa’had Amal in Marantao, LDS, 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.
“Maliit pa ako ay itinuro na sa akin ang Qur’an hanggang sa ito na ang nakasanayan ng aking puso,” Kadafie said.
“Nakita namin ang pagsisikap ng Bangsamoro Government na bigyan 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.
During the awarding ceremony, Education Minister Mohagher Iqbal stressed the essence 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 in 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.
The minister further said that 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. (Johaira Sahidala/BIO)
