COTABATO CITY (SDN)— Reading or reciting the verses of the Islamic Holy Book, the Glorious Qur’an, as is taught in Islam, provides the reciter/reader and the listeners inspiration and blessing from Allah.
Thus, it is not surprising that in mosques (Islamic houses of worship), and in homes, many Muslims have made a habit to recite or read verses from the Qur’an, which they believe is a revelation from Allah (God in Arabic).
It is no accident then, nor a coincidence, that Muslim countries (even in a non-Muslim country like the Philippines) conduct Qur’an reciting or reading competition to get more Islam believers to get closer to the Holy Book. And by getting closer to the Qur’an, they get closer to Allah.
And more so, they get inspiration, for just listening to a Qur’anic recitation, say Islamic preachers, provide some blessings.
In this connection, the Bangsamoro Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) sponsored a number of Qur’an reciters at the 2022 Shariff Kabunsuan here in the city to get Allah’s myriads of blessings. MBHTE is one of the primary ministries of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
A qari (expert Qur’an reader, reciter) is shown as he demonstrates the reading of the Islamic Noble Qur’an. (Images via MBHTE)
The MBHTE’s Directorate of Madaris Education (DME) sponsored the reciters, with the Islamic activity to showcase their skills.
Qur’an reciters bring national and international experiences
MBHTE-DME Director General Tahir Nalg cited the activity’s significance.
“The Qur’an exhibition is part of our celebration of the Shariff Kabunsuan Festival for 2022. The preacher (Muhammad Shariff Kabunsuan) arrived here and brought Islam. “Qur’an, for the information of everybody, is not a religious book, it is a code of life. The melodious reading of it is an art or a science, it is important not only for Muslims but for humanity,” Nalg emphasizes.
Those who performed during the Qur’an reciting activity, one of the features of the festival, are known for their experiences performing or competing in the country’s national levels and in international events abroad.
They are Suleman Abdulaziz, Noman Pembayabaya, Muhamidin Umpong, Daud Abdulgani, Qamaruddin Zaid, Saudi Gandisa, Sabila Alim, Mohammad Nazir Asgar, Abdulwadud Esmail, Yusop Pandit, Mohammad Siddik Guiwan, Lahmudin Makaduat, Musa Panday, Abdul Jalil Amirol, and Abdulatip Daud.
On December 15, the Bangsamoro government in collaboration with the Local Government of Cotabato and other partners kicked off this year’s colorful and culturally rich Shariff Kabunsuan Festival until December 19, which the autonomous government declared a holiday for the celebration.
Among others, the festival commemorated the arrival of Arab-Malay missionary Muhammad Shariff Kabunsuan to Southern Philippines, which planted the seed of Islam in the country.
The Bangsamoro region, established in 2018 by the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) to implement the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), is made up of the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi, the cities of Cotabato, Lamitan, and Marawi, as well as the 63 SGA villages that voted “yes” in a plebiscite in January and February 2019 to be under the BARMM jurisdiction.
According to the Philippine Atlas, the region has 4,404,288 people. It has 116 municipalities: Basilan, 11 municipalities; Lanao del Sur, 39; Maguindanao, 36; Sulu, 19; and Tawi-Tawi, 11. Its component cities are Cotabato (the regional center and capital) in Maguindanao; Lamitan in Basilan; and Marawi in Lanao del Sur. — EKU (✓)
