To date, 13 Qari and Qariah (Al-Quran readers) have received the incentive in a bid to promote excellence in reading Al-Quran since it was inaugurated in 1989, granted by His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.
From the figure, four are qari and nine were qariah who achieved success in the International Al-Quran Reading Competition held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
This was highlighted by Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) Haji Mohammad Rosli bin Haji Ibrahim during a handover ceremony at The Rizqun International Hotel, Gadong yesterday.
Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman handed to Haji Muhammad Zul-Hafiz bin Tengah.
Haji Muhammad Zul-Hafiz represented the Sultanate in the 63rd International Al-Quran Reading Competition in Kuala Lumpur. At the competition, he was placed third with a score of 90.38 per cent despite being his first international competition.
According to the permanent secretary, the MoRA, through Islamic Syiar Development Division, organised an intensive Al-Quran course from May 20 to August 2.
The course was facilitated by two experts, Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Yussop bin Bakar, in melody and intonation; and Ustaz Haji Abdul Hafiez bin Haji Nuh, in the tajwid and fasahah (fluency).
The permanent secretary added that the ministry conducted a Tarannum Al-Quran workshop specifically for participants who were in the final of the National Al-Quran Reading Competition this year from May 29 to June 3. – Rokiah Mahmud
