180 people take part in Koran recitation contest in Dushanbe

DUSHANBE, June 20, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- Students from the Islamic Institute of Tajikistan have won the republican Koran recitation contest.

More than 180 people, including 76 qari (a person who recites the Koran with the proper rules of recitation (tajweed), participated in the contest that took place in Dushanbe on June 18-19.

The competition was for best recitation of the verses of the holy book.  The organizing committee said the contest was aimed at scouting for new talents in recitation and to provide them with necessary training and knowledge of the art.

A jury consisted of experts from a number of Muslim nations, including Osman Khalid from Saudi Arabia, Ahmad Hamdi Yildirim from Turkey, Ali Mansour from Egypt, Mirza Magomed, deputy mufti from Kyrgyzstan, and others.

The final part of the contest was held at the Dushanbe Youth Center.  Three students from the Islamic Institute of Tajikistan – Muhammadiqbol Sharipov, Yusuf Taghoyev and Komron Komiljon – were recognized as winners of the contest.  The winners will have an opportunity to perform Hajj this year.

The republican Koran recitation contest was initiated by President Emomali Rahmon and the first republican Koran recitation contest took place in 2009.  In 2010, Karomatullo Tayfourov, a student at the Islamic Institute of Tajikistan, won the contest and was given an opportunity to perform Hajj.

One of winners of last year’s republican Koran recitation contest, Nabialloh Saidov, was recognized as the best Koran reciter in an international contest in Egypt, in which representatives of 75 countries of the world participated.  This year, several finalists will take part in similar international competitions as well.