BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

BRUNEI’S representative to the 15th International Tilawah Al-Quran competition left for Russia yesterday for the second time in two years.

Qari Muhammad Ali, a third-year student of the Seri Begawan Religious Teachers University College (KUPU SB), will compete with other international participants at the three-day competition from September 18 until 20 at Moscow.

Muhammad, 30, won a third place in a recent Tilawah competition in Jakarta, Indonesia, and he hoped to be able to present the best performance in the upcoming competition in Moscow

“I will try to give my best performance in the competition,” he told The Brunei Times prior to his departure at the Brunei International Airport last night.

Muhammad was under the tutorship of his former tarannum (a style of reading the Quran through singing) mosque teacher, Hj Abdullah Hj Lakim, at Kg Belimbing mosque.

The tutor taught Muham-mad when he was 10 years old.

Hj Abdullah mentioned about Muhammad’s commitment in learning tarannum for more than four years when he was young.

“This year, I teach him the technique and methods on how to perform Quran recitation in international level and provide advice,” said Hj Abdullah, who has been teaching tarannum for 52 years.

Meanwhile, Acting Senior Religious Officer at the Islamic Syi’ar Development Division, Haslin Hj Md Noor, spoke the benefit of sending local qari to compete in international level.

“This will provide opportunity to local qari to gain more experience and knowledge by exchanging views with other international competitors,” said Haslin.

The international competition will also provide Brunei representative with judging experience for regional competition when they return, he added.

The Brunei Times