Malaysian Student Shares Challenges Of Being Tarawih Imam In New Zealand

By Mohd Afiq Zulkifli

KUALA LUMPUR, March 7 (Bernama) – Completing the recitation of one juzuk, or approximately 20 pages of the Quran, during eight rakaats of tarawih prayers was a challenge faced by Muhammad Hanif Zakaria when he was invited to be the imam throughout Ramadan in Auckland, New Zealand.

Muhammad Hanif, 24, a third-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Qiraat Studies at Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM), also made history as the first Malaysian student invited to lead tarawih prayers at Masjid At-Tawheed in Papatoetoe, located about 20 kilometres from downtown Auckland, from March 2 to 26.

In an interview with Bernama, Muhammad Hanif, who is also a hafiz of the Quran, said that in Malaysia, imams typically complete one juzuk of the Quran in 20 rakaats during tarawih prayers, which includes recitation during the Isyak prayer. However, in New Zealand, he had to finish one juzuk in just eight rakaats.

“Together with another local imam, we complete one juzuk of the Quran in only eight rakaats of tarawih. Each of us recites two to three pages per rakaat, so the qiam (standing in prayer) for each rakaat is longer. Additionally, my recitation needs to be loud and melodious. In Malaysia, while one juzuk is completed every night, imams usually read one page per rakaat for 20 rakaats of tarawih and Isyak prayers, so the qiam is not as long,” he said.

To tackle this challenge, the young man from Kampung Tukol, Peringat, Kelantan, shared that he dedicates two study sessions each day to review the Quran verses he plans to recite during tarawih—one at 4 am and another after Zohor.

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To maintain his stamina and momentum throughout Ramadan, he ensures sufficient rest by sleeping for a few hours after 8 am.

“At the start of Ramadan, i felt nervous as it was my first time being a tarawih imam abroad, where the practices differ from Malaysia. But Alhamdulillah, I’ve adjusted well now,” he said, adding that more than 30 congregants attend prayers at the mosque at any given time.

In addition to leading tarawih prayers, Muhammad Hanif also serves as the imam for the five daily prayers and teaches Quran recitation to local Muslim children after Subuh.

Discussing the atmosphere of Ramadan in New Zealand, the youngest of five siblings said that fasting hours are longer, lasting about 14 hours, with Subuh around 5.30 am and Maghrib around 8 pm.

“I’ve noticed that the Muslim community here truly embraces Ramadan, eagerly competing in performing good deeds. Although the tarawih prayers are longer, with the imam completing one juzuk of the Quran in eight rakaats, the congregation stays and finishes the prayer together. Similarly, during Iftar, they share food with one another,” he said.

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Reflecting on his selection as the imam in Auckland, Muhammad Hanif revealed that he never imagined travelling abroad, let alone being invited to lead prayers.

“It all started when I was asked to attend a photo session and write a report about the imam interview session in New Zealand, which was organised by the IQRA’ Centre for Ummah at USIM, since I am part of the club’s multimedia and publicity committee.

“Suddenly, I was asked to participate in the interview, which caught me by surprise because I was unprepared. But perhaps due to my Quran memorisation, I was chosen over four other students,” he said, adding that he flew to New Zealand on Feb 26.

-- BERNAMA