Seven To Recite Tonight At 65th International Quran Assembly

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 3 (Bernama) -- Seven international participants will take the stage tonight in the tilawah (recitation) segment of the 65th International Quran Recitation and Memorisation Assembly (MTHQA), now underway at the World Trade Centre (WTC) Kuala Lumpur.

Mozambique’s Zacarias Nuro will open the second-day session, followed by Amal Nazirah Haji Asmat (Brunei), Jassim Bacarat Hadji Daud (Philippines) and Mohsen Ghasemi (Iran).

Also scheduled to recite are Muhammed Yahya Yildizhan (Türkiye), Nour Imane Aissani (Algeria) and Nurfaqihhah Aliyah Mohd Rizal (Singapore), according to the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) on its Facebook post.

In the memorisation category, Malaysia’s Putri Auni Khadijah Mohd Hanif and Muhammad Adib Ahmad Rozaini completed their recitations earlier today.

They were joined by six international participants, including Fahad Saeed S. S. Al-Qeraisi (Qatar), Najway Ali Zaydan Alkourbu (Libya), Mohamedelamin Elsuni Shaikheldin Elnaeim (Sudan), Abdul Rahman Ali (Ghana), Azizatou Bah (Ivory Coast) and Mahamadou Doucoure (Mali).

Held from Aug 2 to 9 under the theme ‘Developing a MADANI Ummah’, this year’s MTHQA gathers 71 participants from 49 countries.

Winners in the recitation category will receive RM40,000, with second and third place taking home RM30,000 and RM20,000 respectively, along with gold items sponsored by the Malaysian Islamic Economic Development Foundation (YaPEIM).

Meanwhile, JAKIM director-general Datuk Dr Sirajuddin Suhaimee said the department, in collaboration with Yayasan Warisan Ummah Ikhlas (WUIP), will organise MTHQA#QuranHour 2025 at 2.30 pm tomorrow in conjunction with the ongoing 65th MTHQA.

“The highlight of the programme, the ‘Pesan Tokoh’ segment, will be delivered by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar at 3.50 pm at the same venue,” he said in a statement today.

He said the event aims to promote deeper engagement with the Quran by encouraging it to be read, understood and applied in life.

Carrying the theme ‘The Rise of a Nation Lies Not in Loud Voices, But in Souls Guided by Quranic Values’, this year’s edition centres on Surah Al-Saff, which underscores the importance of unity and strength among Muslims.

Among those participating are former MTHQA champions, including 2014 winner Husaini Mahmur, 2011 champion Amirahman Abas and 2019 winner Sheikh Mo’min Falah.

-- BERNAMA