On November 9-10, the Qur’an reciters’ competition was held in Kyiv Islamic Cultural Centre. 77 participants from various cities of the country and foreigners were competing in the Holy Book knowledge and verses recitation. Every participant got the right to take part in the XX All-Ukrainian Qur’an Recitation Contest, after becoming the best in the regional competitions. Men, women, teens and even children (the smallest participant was 6 years old) were among the contestants.
The competent jury consisted of Hafizes (Quran ‘keepers’ who had learnt it by heart. - Ed.). They are Sheikh Haider Muhammad al-Hajj, teacher of Quran and Shariah, knows 10 types of the Holy Book reading; Sheikh Murat Suleimanov, member of the Ukrainian Council on Fatwa and Research, and Bilal Hamza, the jury chairman, the head of the Ukrainian Association for the Quranic Studies, and the Imam of Al-Masar Mosque (Odesa). The jury was evaluating the participants reciting of Koran ayats in accordance with strict tajwid rules. 9 reciters demonstrated knowledge of the whole text by heart, 15 contestants - knowledge of half of the Koran (15 joules); 18 were competing to demonstrate their knowledge of 10 juzes; 17 were reciting 5 juzes by heart, and 18 – 2 juzes.
Before announcing the names of the winners, Seyran Aryfov, the chairman of CSU "All-Ukrainian Association "Alraid" addressed the participants of the competition, their mentors and sincere fans:
– At the end of any good deed, we say: Alhamdulillah! We thank Allah for his help! If we said Alhamdulillah yesterday: for helping us to come to this wonderful, blessed event dedicated to serving for the Book of Allah! – now everybody should say: Alhamdulillah! Thank Allah for helping us to complete successfully this wonderful service to Him! May Allah reward everyone who once participated in organisation of this competition – all organisations, all jury members, everyone who helped ... May Allah bless, reward and give His mercy to all of you – to all those present here, those, who supported, participated, have come here with a brother, sister or friend, parents who had done a great deal to make their children know the Quran, learn the Quran and be able to participate in such wonderful competitions. Thank Allah, the Lord of the worlds, for this event and may Allah reward all! Barakallahu fikum!
Sheikh Bilal Hamza, the jury chairman, announced the winners’ names:
Murad Hammad (Kyiv) became the best among the experts in Koran knowledge by heart;
I st place among the half Quran learners - Yakhia Abdussalam;
I st place among those who know 10 juzes by heart - Arzy Arifova;
I st place among those who know 5 juzes by heart - Abdurrahman Almasri;
I st place among those who know 2 juzes by heart - Said Haydarov.
The runners-up are as follows:
The whole Quran: Adam Iskhak (2nd place) and Jamalladin Kamalletdin (3rd place);
The Half Quran nomination - Ualia Bihaia (II place) and Muhammad Iskanderov (III place);
10 Juzes nomination - Lashin Salakhutdinov (II place); third place was not awarded;
5 Juzes nomination - Samira um Abdurrahman (II place), Muaz Bufirua (III place);
2 juzes nomination - Sihrab Kassem (II place), Usman bin Muhammad Muin (III place).
All-Ukrainian Contests for Quran Reciters is available for everyone regardless gender, age or ethnic origin. All-Ukrainian Qur’an Recitation Contest is held by the CSUAUA “Alraid” and RAMU “Umma”, supported by the fellow believers from abroad – Muslim World League and Holy Quran Memorization International Organisation (HQMIO).
