JEDDAH, 15 November 2003 — Participants at the 7th annual Qur’an reading competition held at the Philippine Consulate General on Thursday night excelled in performance and recitation skills.
Abdulhakim M. Mawalo, from Lanao del Norte and a student in Egypt, won the first prize scoring all 100 points in “tajweed”, “tarteel”, “tarannum” and “sawt” — the different categories in which all nine Filipino participants were judged by a panel headed by Sheikh Mahmoud Faraj, imam at Abu Bakar Siddique Mosque on Makarona Street.
Muhammad Nader S. Azgar (Lanao del Sur), a student from Makkah, won the second prize with 99.45 points; Ibrahim S. Samputi (Maguindanao) the third prize with 99.30 points, and Aquil Guinar (Lanao del Sur), the fourth prize with 99.15 points. All of them received cash and other prizes from donors.
The other participants were Ghazali Muhammad Ulama (Maguindanao) of Jeddah with 98.30 points; Abdulghani Muhammad Tahir (Maguindanao), a student in Egypt, with 96.15 points; Abdul Nasser H. Kulod (Maguindanao) of Jeddah with 94.35 points; Said Ibrahim of Jeddah with 85.10 points; and Mohammed Indalal (Basilan province) with 85.10 points.
Islamic Development Bank President Dr. Ahmad Muhammad Ali, who was the guest of honor, urged the community to conduct an in-depth study of the Qur’an and learn its teachings, which are “so vital today.”