National Qur’an recitation competition begins in Gombe

The 33rd edition of the Annual National Qur’an Recitation Competition organized by Centre for Islamic Studies of the Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto (UDUS), has opened in Gombe State on Friday.

Declaring the completion open, Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, said the competition will foster unity and understanding among Muslim faithful across the country.

Dankwambo also called on the Muslim youth to seek both western and Islamic knowledge in order to contribute their quota toward the development of the country.

The governor urged the organizers and participants to preach peace and religious tolerance, especially as the nation approach the 2019 elections.

In his address, the Vice Chancellor of UDUS, Professor Abdullahi Abdu Zuru, said 33 states and the FCT, Abuja were participating in six categories of the completion.

He added that over the years, the annual Qur’an recitation competition had provided a platform for uniting the Muslim Ummah across the country.

The vice chancellor said the winners in both male and female categories will represent the country at the international Qur’an recitation completion in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

Professor Zuru said the UDUS have concluded plans to register the competition with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) as Musabaqah Foundation for Qur’anic Recitation, to further promote Qur’anic education in the country.

In his speech, President Muhammadu Buhari represented by the Minister of Environment, Alhaji Sulaiman Hassan Jarma, described knowledge as an important recipe for national development.

He called on people to avoid hate speech and other actions that will threaten peace in the country ahead of the 2019 general elections.