Annual Quran Competition in Liberia

TEHRAN (IQNA) – Heads shaking slowly in agreement or disagreement with the melodic recitations by participating young Muslim boys, the judges sit facing a sea of believers, who have sacrificed their Ramadan to attend the Annual Quranic Recitation Competition.

The judges are seeking memory skills, pronunciation and the capacity of the boys to pick up Quranic verses from any position.

As each boy comes forth at the call of his name, the panel of judges gave out anonymously packaged slips containing introductory verses from various Surahs (chapters) of the Holy Quran. The student hands it to a reader, who begins the recitation and the student is expected to complete it.

Head judge, Imam Abdullah Mansaray from Clara Town Mosque thanked the community for their cooperation in this competition. He praised the students for their excellent display of scholarship, and challenged other Liberian children to give some of their time out in learning from the Quran.

The 46 participants from various memorization centers around Monrovia competed in 11 categories, including those who committed the entire Quran to memory. Mostly dressed in immaculately designed flowing robes, when called up, each boy greets in the acceptable Islamic fashion of Aslaamu Alaikum, and is handed anonymously packaged slips containing introductory verses from various Chapters of the Holy Quran. The student hands it to the reader among the judges, who begins reading the script. At a pause, the boy is expected to join the reading - but from memory. Slowly, but carefully, each boy recites, seeking approbation from the judges.

The proceedings are quite competitive, as all of the boys have completed studies of the Quran. However, because this is memory work, some boys slip during the competition. They stray off, reciting verses from different Surahs. The judges quickly signal the contestant and allow an opportunity to correct -of course, at the risk of the points.

The event, which is now in its 17th season in Liberia, was organized by the United Dawah Ummah of Liberia at the 17th Street Mosques, is a useful pastime for Muslims during the month of Ramadan. It helps adherents go through Sundays while fasting to ward off any distractions.

Participants are regular kids, who go to the same schools like other kids, play or watch soccer, share reasonable aspirations for future life, pray five times a day as is expected of all Muslims, but have a huge Quranic reading diet.

Source: Front Page Africa