Moroccan Boy Wins Interntional Quran Recitation Competition

Here is an piece from The Peninsula on the International Young Quran Reciter contest that was held in Qatar, and the first place winner Abdul Basit Abdul Fattah Warrash from Morocco.
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Moroccan wins Quran recitation contest
Sunday, 28 August 2011 03:32

DOHA: Al Jazeera Children’s Channel (JCC) and the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Qatar celebrated the conclusion of International Quran Recitation Competition in “Laylat Al Qaree Al Saghir” (The ‘Young Reader’ night) yesterday.

The Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs H E Dr Ghaith bin Mubarak Al Kuwari and Mahmoud Bouneb, Executive General Manager of Al Jazeera Children’s Channel, handed out prizes to the first three winners namely Abdul Basit Abdul Fattah Warrash from Morocco and Amjad Yehya Nasser from Yemen, and Noura Al Shahama Taqiyah bint Nouri Najmi from Malaysia who have successively won QR100,000, QR75,000 and QR50,000.

A prize of QR50,000 was granted to the best recitation by a non-Arab contestant, which was dually won by Bilal Nour Eddine (11 years old) from Indonesia and Zakaria Faydallah (10 years old) from Bangladesh, and a prize for the best teacher valued at QR30,000 went jointly to Mozah Bint Mohamad Center for Holly Quran and Islamic affairs (Qatar) and Wahat Al Furqan Quran teaching Center (Egypt).

The event, attended by Islamic scholars, teachers and public figures, took place in Katara Cultural Village. “Laylat Al Qare Al Saghir” aired live on JCC and QF Radio, and was also broadcast via JCC website (www.jcctv.net) and the competition webpage (http://www.jcc-quran-competition.tv/)in addition to the Arab States Broadcasting Union and the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU).

It showcased live participations of children from Al Quds (Jerusalem), Baghdad, Cordoba, Toronto and Brasilia and hosted children from China, USA, Niger, Russia, Iran, Turkey, Tajikistan, and Thailand who have excelled in reciting from the Holy Book.

Over two thousand participants from different nationalities across the globe - aged between 9 and 12 years - took part in the preliminary competition. In the final stage, three children competed by reciting verses from the Holy Quran at the “Laylat Al Qaree Al Saghir” event in front of a panel of qualified jury and judges. The winners were selected based on their diction (Tajweed), performance, melody and voice.

Dr Ghaith bin Mubarak: “We value this fruitful partnership with Al Jazeera Children’s Channel, the children’s channel of choice that took this remarkable competition worldwide and reached out to the young talents in Quran reciting.”