Iraq’s International Festival for Reciting the Holy Quran

The second International Festival for Reciting the Holy Quran was marked by numerous foreign participations this year as it also included research sessions and competitions in reciting and memorizing the Holy Quran.

Many readers of the Holy Quran have attended this year’s second edition of the International Festival for Reciting the Holy Quran held in Al Sulaymaniyah. This initiative is not the first of its kind; however it gathered many special contributors.

“Many international reciters took part in this festival in an attempt to renew their spiritual ties and broaden their knowledge in the Science of the Quran in addition to many young talents from Kurdistan who also recited the Holy Quran”, said Omar Ali, member of the Islamic League.

“This is a majestic and important activity; reviving it through festivals is a must”, added Preacher Ahmad Benjuini.

The participants and the audience reiterated the importance of holding such festivals since they promote reciting the Quran in addition to other spiritual, religious and creative values evoked by the beautiful voices of chanters.

“These festivals are endowed with artistic, creative and esthetic values, embodied in the beautiful prayers we have heard today as the Quran was recited in beautiful melodies and rhymes by splendid voices”, commented Dr. Muthana Amid, an official in the Islamic League.

“I have noticed that my Kurdish brothers love the Quran; that’s why they held this great event. I have travel to many countries to take part in similar festivals”, stated Ahmad Al Zahri, a Quran reciter from Bangladesh.

“This event is very-well planned and many have attended it since it is part of the International Conference for the Holy Quran organized by the Islamic League in Kurdistan”, mentioned Abdul Latif Al Aazab, a reader from Egypt.

The Holy Quran Recitation Festival comprised many activities namely a research sessions, competitions in chanting and memorizing verses, and Quran discussions as numerous cultural institutions, researchers and academics took part.