By I. G. Bhatkali from Calicut
Calicut (Kozhikode), Aug 9: Iran demonstrated a great performance to win the Hifz-e-Quran and Qiraat competition 2006 while India came first in the Azaan competition.
The final round was held in Tagore hall, Calicut, Kerala on August 6. The five-day competition concluded here in which people from Iran, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malyasia, UAE and Bangladesh had participated. Even from within India the participants came from various regions including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttara Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu to display their talent.
Iran’s Ameen Poya's voice impressed one and all and the audience were spell-bound by his long qiraat. His talent secured him the first place in the qiraat competition and second place in azaan competition. One more Irani, Issa Khurshedi excelled in the hifz Quran competition and beat others hands down to secure the first prize and with it a cash award of Rs one lac.
A beautiful rendition of the azaan was given by Ubaidullah, son of Moulana Makhdum Hussain hailing from Maharashtra while the Azaan called by Muhammed Ashrafur Rahman, who hails from Bangladesh was also good. Both were declared first in Azaan competition. The bangladeshi azaan participant was the youngest in the International competition.
Karnataka boys Muhammed Asif Ali Mazhari from Bangalore and Muhammed Anees Baddu from Bhatkal got 2nd and 3rd place respectively.
The final list of award winners are as follows:
Hifz Quran:
First: Eisa Khorshedi S/o Aboll Fath (Tehran, Iran)
Second: Muhammed Asif Ali Mazhari (Bangalore, Karnataka, India)
Third : Hafiz Muhammed Anees Baddu (Bhatkal, Karnataka, India)
Third : Ghalib M C (Karanthur, Calicut, Kerala, India)
Third : Muhammed Baba Muhiddin (Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India)
Qiraat:
First : Ameen Poya Ameer (Tehran, Iran)
Second: Muhammed Irfan (Sendhwa, Badwa, Madhya Pradesh, India)
Third : Muhammed Asadullah (Lahore, Pakistan)
Azaan :
First : Ubaidullah S/o Moulana Makhdum Hussain (Ahmed Nagar, Maharashtra, India)
First : Muhammed Ashrafur Rahman (Kishoregong, Bangladesh)
Second : Ameen Poya Ameer (Tehran, Iran)
Third : Muhammed Ayoub Mafzul Ahmed (Chittagong, Bangladesh)
The whole programme was a great success. All the participants were given free food and provided with living and transport facilities. Soon after the conclusion of the programme, general convener Janab Abdul Majeed Jukaku first thanked Allah and said that this programme met with success because of the support coming from various zones.
Answering a question from this correspondent, he replied that the expenditure of this programme was more than Rs 50 lakhs but the full amount was collected from only 4 people of Calicut whose names have been withheld as they did not want publicity for their contributions as per Quran's directions. He said that he got full support from the ulamas of Bangladesh, Srilanka, Iran and Malaysia. He also praised the Ulamas of Kerala like Hafiz Abdul Majeed, Moulana Jukaku Nouman and others. He said that Moulana Ansar Khateeb Madani, Moulana Abdul Bari Nadvi and various others were fully supportive of him.
Judge Moulana Hafiz Syed Shabbir Ahmed Umri (from Umar Abad, Tamil Nadu) displayed his brilliance, his knowledge of the Quran was noticed during the event. He grilled the Hafiz competitors. While other judges of the programme, Mufti Abdur Rahim (Maharashtra), Qari Muhammed Riyaz (Lucknow), Qari Mazhar Baandi (UP), Moulana Muhibullah Baaqi Nadvi (Bangladesh), Hafiz Muhammed Afraad (Sri lanka), Qaari Kalimullah Qasimi (Bangalore, Karnataka) also performed well and conducted good test.
On the final day the hall was packed to the brim and there was no place even to find a toehold. Many people had to stand through the programme because of the overfilled hall. A screen had been put up outside the hall where thousands of people could watch the proceedings taking place inside. Many people from Bhatkal also came to see the programme in Calicut on the final day.
In an Interview, Abdul Majeed Jukaku, who is originally from Bhatkal but living in Kerala from childhood, said that this was the first International Quran Hifz, Qiraat and Azaan competition held in Kerala State. Earlier the Taalimul Quran and Calicut Islamic cultural Society have conducted the National level competitions every five years. He said that now his organization is planning to conduct the same international competition in Calicut every three years.
Abdul Majeed Jukaku is the president of Kerala State Athletics Association (Trivandrum) since 1972. He is also the Vice-President of Atheletics Federation of India (New Delhi), Vice President of Confederation of All India Traders, New Delhi, President of Malabar Chamber of Commerce, Calicut and many other associations. Kerala has won many national and international events in athletics under his presidentship.