The second annual Quran memorisation and recitation competition organised by the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Oulema (Islamic scholars), has ended in Accra.

The competition was held in three categories which constituted proficiency in the memorization of the entire or parts of the Quran —with a variety of recitation styles.

Some sixteen Muslims youth from six regions of Ghana participated in the competition which took place at the conference hall of the Islamic Council for Development and Humanitarian Services (ICODEHS).

Umar Issa of the Greater Accra Region emerged winner in the full Quran recitation —(Warash category) with 94 points, Hamzah Khalil also from Greater Accra Region won the Hafs recitation with 97.83 points whilst Abdul Mu’min Abdallah from Volta Region won in the Five Ahzaab (parts) category with 92.7 points.

All the winners in the three categories will represent Ghana in the Africa-wide grande finale in Libreville, Gabon in few weeks time.

According to the President of the Ghana branch of the Foundation, Sheikh Mustapha Ibrahim, whoever is blessed to master the Quranic knowledge has got the most precious thing in the life here and in the hereafter.

He called on the competitors to go beyond tahfeez (memorization) of the Holy Quran and study further areas of the religion which includes Islamic Jurisprudence, Hadith, and (Tafs?r) Islamic Exegesis among others.

Two of the judges—Sheikh Nuhu Adam and Duktur Abdul Razaq who also spoke about the success of the competition, commended the winners and urged other students to work hard to better their chances in next year’s competition.

The winners of the competition expressed their delight that their hard work and determination have (partly) led them to victories and urged others to work hard for a better chance in next year’s competition.

Below are the Categories and results of the competition:

Category A: Full Quran according to Warash recitation Genre/style.

1. Umar Issa—Greater Accra Region, with 94 points.

2. The second is Yusif Alhassan—from .....Volta Region with 90.7 points

3. The third is Umar Armiyawu from Northern Region who had 77.33 points.

Category B: Hafs recitation genre/style

1. First is Hamzah Khalil— from Greater Accra with 97.83 points

2. Second is Sa’ad Abubakar from Greater Accra with 93 points.

3.Third is Mohammed Awal Yakub from Northern Region with 83 points.

Category C: Five Ahzaab (parts) of the Quran with a variety of recitation genre/styles

1. First is Abdul Mu’min Abdallah from Volta Region, 92.7 points

2. Second is Maryam Musah from Greater Accra, 90.3 points

3. Third is Musah Issa from Northern Region with 90.2 points.

The first in each of the three categories will represent Ghana in a Africa-wife grande finale in Libreville, Gabon in a few weeks time.

Outlining the importance and health benefits of Quran memorization, the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Oulema (Scholars) Ghana Branch revealed that there are many spiritual benefits and rewards that Allah has promised those who memorize the Quran.

According to the Ghana Branch of the Foundation, the Prophet (SAW) said, such a person who recites the Quran and masters it by heart, will be with the noble righteous scribes in Heaven adding that a person who exerts himself to learn the Quran by heart and recites it with great difficulty, will have a double reward.

The Foundation further revealed that memorizing the Quran can also bring many other health benefits from mental health to physical health such as, help to increase memory space, can make one smarter, helps one to learn new things and stimulates creativity, can help slow down mental deterioration and memorizing the Quran can reduce stress and improve health.