In the international Hifzul Qur'an competition Quran-er Noor — Powered by Bashundhara Group, Indonesia’s Muhammad Zaki won the title of the world’s best Hafiz, while Bangladesh’s Md Irshadul from Netrokona secured the top position at the national level.
A total of three contestants were awarded at the international level, while eight were recognised at the national level.
The winners were presented with prize money and honorary certificates at the Navratri Hall of the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) on Saturday evening.
The event was attended by renowned Islamic scholars, prominent educators, Imams from various mosques, and madrasa Hafiz students. This marked the conclusion of the second edition of the country’s largest and first-ever international Qur'an recitation competition.
At the beginning of the event, gratitude was expressed to the visionary leaders behind this groundbreaking initiative, Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan and Managing Director Sayem Sobhan Anvir.
Hafiz participants from Bangladesh and 17 other countries took part in the international competition. The champion and two runners-up were awarded cash prizes along with certificates and honorary plaques. The champion received Tk15 lakh, the first runner-up Tk10 lakh, and the second runner-up Tk7 lakh.
Indonesia’s Muhammad Zaki claimed the championship title, while the runners-up were Yemen’s Muhammad Baligh Sayyid Abdul Ghaffar Ali and Bangladesh’s Hafiz Md Irshadul Islam.
Md Irshadul Islam, the second runner-up in the international competition, secured the top position in the national contest. He achieved this honour by outperforming around 10,000 contestants across 11 zones in the country. The second and third positions were claimed by Hafiz Md Jihadul Islam and Hafiz Abdur Rahman Bin Nur, respectively. The fourth to eighth places were secured by Hafiz Md Zubair Ahmed, Hafiz Md Shahed Alam Tarif, Hafiz Mohammad Yusuf Ali, Hafiz Muhammad Affan Bin Siraj, and Hafiz Abdur Razzak Noman.
The first prize in the national competition was Tk10 lakh, the second prize Tk7 lakh, and the third prize Tk5 lakh. The fourth and fifth prizes were Tk2 lakh each, while the remaining three winners received Tk1 lakh each.
In addition to monetary rewards, all winners were presented with certificates and honorary plaques. Similar to the first edition, this year’s winners will also have the opportunity to perform Umrah with their parents.
The chief guest of the event, Hazrat Maulana Mahfuzul Haque, Secretary General of Befakul Madarisil Arabia Bangladesh and a Governor of the Islamic Foundation Board of Governors, said, "Whoever contributes to presenting the Qur'an to people and society deserves congratulations and appreciation. International and national Hifzul Quran competitions are among the strongest platforms for showcasing the Qur'an to society and the country."
He congratulated Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan and Managing Director Sayem Sobhan Anvir for organising the country’s first international Hifzul Quran competition. He also appreciated the judges and everyone involved in making the competition successful.
He further said, "May Bashundhara Group continue organising such competitions in the future as well. May Allah reward the Chairman and Managing Director of Bashundhara Group both in this world and the hereafter for their noble work."
Quoting a hadith, he said, "Every entity has a source of pride, and the pride of my Ummah is the Holy Qur'an." He emphasised that the Qur'an is the ultimate constitution for Muslims and the greatest source of honour for a believer.
At the event, Kader Gani Chowdhury, Deputy Managing Director of East West Media Group Ltd and Secretary General of BFUJ, said, "The Holy Qur'an is the guidance for humanity’s salvation. It is Allah’s greatest blessing, His mercy, light, and healing. The miraculous power of the Qur'an is that it remains preserved in people’s hearts. Those who learn, practice, research, and preach the Qur'an, and live by it, become Allah’s special servants, known in Hadith as ‘Ahlullah’ or the people of Allah."
"The knowledge of the Qur'an is a priceless asset that will bring honour in the hereafter. It will intercede for its bearer before Allah and even grant special recognition to the parents of those who dedicate themselves to the Qur'an. Therefore, we should either memorise the Qur'an ourselves or at least increase our recitation. We should also strive to make our future generations Hafiz of the Qur'an," he added.
The event was presided over by Hazratul Allama Syed Mohammad Mosaddiq Billah Madani, a Governor of the Islamic Foundation Board of Governors.
Special guests included Professor Dr Shamsul Alam, Vice Chancellor of Islami Arabic University; Hazratul Allama Maulana Ashraf Ali Nijampuri, Senior Muhaddis of Hathazari Darul Uloom Muinul Islam Madrasa; and Hazratul Allama Dr Khalilur Rahman Madani, a Governor of the Islamic Foundation Board of Governors.
Also present were Ustadul Huffaz Hafiz Qari Sheikh Abdul Haq, President of Huffazul Quran Foundation Bangladesh, and many other esteemed Islamic scholars.
Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque
