TEEN QURAN RECITERS WIN TOP PRIZE AT TH TAHA CLUB NATIONAL MUSABAQAH

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 30 (Bernama) -- Muhammad Irfan Syakir Romainor, 16, and Nur Aufa Hanis Nazri, 14, were crowned as the champion qari (male Quran reciter) and qariah (female Quran reciter) at the TaHa Club National Musabaqah (competition) 2024, which took place yesterday, according to Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH).

Muhammad Irfan Syakir, representing the southern region, and Nur Aufa Hanis, representing the northern region, won a cash prize of RM1,000 and a domestic vacation package voucher worth RM500.

Group managing director and chief executive officer of TH, Syed Hamadah Syed Othman, said in a statement today that the programme aims to help create a Quran-literate generation and serves as a platform for TH to uphold the Quran's significance in the lives of teenagers as they face the challenges of the digital world today.

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"Alhamdulillah…over the past two years, we have witnessed children as young as nine and 11 years old becoming champions and runners-up for their exceptional ability to recite the holy verses of the Quran.

TH established the TaHa Club to inculcate the savings habit among young depositors aged 0-6 (TaHa Manja), 7-12 (TaHa Cilik), and 13-17 (TaHa Bestari). 

Syed Hamadah expressed hope that this musabaqah programme can be an initial step in instilling the love of the Quran in children from a young age, thus producing community members that are always grounded in faith.

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The TaHa Club National Musabaqah featured five male reciters and five female reciters competing for the national champion qari and qariah titles.

They were the champion qari and qariah selected from the state and region-level musabaqah throughout the country, which started in May and attracted over 1,000 reciters.

The panel of judges included the qariah who won the 2022 International Al-Quran Recitation and Memorisation Assembly, Sofizah Mousin, along with two judges from TH.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Irfan Syakir expressed gratitude for being chosen as the champion qari, adding that he did not expect to win. 

"Every day, I dedicate at least three hours to reading the Quran, improving my tajwid (proper pronunciation), and practising taranum (the art of reciting the Quran with melodious tones). I avoid ice-cold drinks and oily foods to ensure my voice remains clear, and Alhamdulillah, this effort has been worthwhile," said the Selandar, Melaka native.

First-time champion qariah Nur Aufa Hanis, who hails from Kulim, Kedah, said it was a meaningful victory. 

"Alhamdulillah, I am thrilled to have made my parents proud. Every week, I travel from Kulim to Baling to learn Quran recitation with my teacher, who is also my aunt, Hasnah Ayob, who has taught and guided me a lot, especially in terms of my reading and breathing techniques.

"I hope that TH can continue programmes like this in the future because they are beneficial in bringing young generations like me closer to the Quran and educating us on the correct methods of tajwid and taranum," she said.

-- BERNAMA