Bangsamoro officials and guests gather at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex in Cotabato City on Dec. 18 to witness the 30 Bangsamoro Qur’an champions showcase their talents in reading and memorization of the holy book. This is part of the 2023 Shariff Kabunsuan Festival. (Faisal Camsa Jr./BIO)
COTABATO CITY— The 2023 Shariff Kabunsuan Festival featured the talents of thirty (30) Bangsamoro champions in Qur’an reading and memorization, who had previously participated in national and international competitions.
Among the objectives of this activity were to appreciate the beauty of Qur’anic recitation and memorization, foster a deeper understanding of the holy book, and promote cultural exchange.
The champions hailed from Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Marawi City, Cotabato City, and the Special Geographic Area (SGA). Additional participants came from Cotabato province, Sultan Kudarat province, and Manila.
Distinguished guests at the event, held on Monday, December 18, at the Bangsamoro Government Center, included Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Educatiion (MBHTE) Minister Mohagher Iqbal, Director General for Madaris Education Tahir Nalg, Bangsamoro Mufti Sheikh Abdulrauf Guialani, Governor of Maguindanao del Norte Abdulraof Macacua, and President of Shu unul Qur’an Central Committee Sheikh Mas’ud Lantong.
Director General Nalg underscored the importance of the Qur’an, stating that understanding its meaning and putting it into practice are the primary focus of the festival celebration.
“Kung ang pag-uusapan is the celebration of this festival—ito (Qur’an) po dapat ang kauna-unahang sine-celebrate natin sapagkat si Shariff Kabunsuan ay dumating sa Mindanao dahil po sa Islam at ang Qur’an is the primary reason kung bakit siya napadpad dito,” Nalg said.
[If we are to discuss the celebration of this festival, (Qur’an) should be the very first thing we celebrate because Shariff Kabunsuan arrived in Mindanao due to Islam, and the Qur’an is the primary reason why he came here.]
This event was not a contest but a reading exhibition by the Philippine National Champions in both Mujawwadah and Tarteel and Memorization categories.
Each of the 20 reciters from the Mujawwada category received P20,000.00 in cash from MBHTE and an additional P5,000.00 from Governor Macacua. Meanwhile, the 10 huffaz received P10,000.00 from MBHTE and P3,000.00 from the governor.
In addition to the cash prizes, each reciter received a certificate of participation. The activity was organized by the MBHTE Director for Madaris Education, Bangsamoro Darul Ifta, and the Shu unul Qur’an Central Committee. (Myrna S. Tepadan/BIO)
