BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

A FEMALE teacher from Tahfiz Al-Quran Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Institute (ITQSHHB) will represent Brunei in the 10th Hasyimiah Government International Memorisation, Recitation and Interpretation of Al-Quran for Women in Amman, Jordan starting tomorrow.

A four-person delegation led by Hassan Baha Hj Umar left for Jordon yesterday for five days and will be returning on April 27. The sending off ceremony was held at the Brunei International Airport.

The Brunei representative, Nur Ezzati Hj Rosli, 23, will compete with more than 10 representatives from countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Bangladesh.

The Qariah (female Al-Quran reader), who graduated from Maahad Qiraat Alazhar Shoubra in Egypt last year, told The Brunei Times that the Islamic Syiar Development Department under the Ministry of Religious Affairs informed her about the competition in February this year.

“I have been practicing and sharpening my memorisation skills two to three times a week since then,” said Nur Ezzati.

“This is my first time participating in an international competition. I am a bit nervous. But, InsyaAllah, I will do my best,” she said.

Nur Ezzati was offered a job to teach Al-Quran subject at ITQSHHB four months ago.

She will will be competing in the ‘20 Juzu’ (sections) category, where she will have to recite random verses from the Al-Quran selected by judges during the competition.

Nur Ezzati started memorising the 30 Juzu’ Al-Quran in 2003 when she was still in Form 1 at ITQSHHB. She was able to recite the whole 30 Juzu’ in 2006.

There are four categories in the competition; 10- Juzu’, 20- Juzu’, 30- Juzu’ and 30- Juzu’ with tafsir (scriptures).

Nur Ezzati was tutored for two months by Ustazah Himesadeja Adenan, who won second place in the MABIMS (Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore) Mahrajan Huffaz (memoriser of 30 Juzuk) in 2010.

Ustazah Himesadeja said that Nur Ezzati was diligent throughout her weekly practice before the competition.

“As we are religious teachers, we search for the convenient time to practice for at least an hour or two for two to three days a week,” said Ustazah Himesadeja.

“We focus on the particular Juzu’ that Nur Ezzati has trouble with and repeating it again and again,” she added.

She hoped that Nur Ezzati would win the competition because of her determination and concentration.

According to a press statement from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, a Year 11 student from ITQSHHB, Raihanah Hj Ali Asgar, won second at the ninth Hasyimiah Government International Memorisation, Recitation and Interpretation of Al-Quran for Women in Amman, Jordan last year.

She competed in the 10 juzu’ (sections) recitation and memorisation category.

The Brunei Times