Samia urges moral regeneration in Quran Reciting Competition finals

Dar es Salaam. President Samia Suluhu Hassan has emphasised the prioritisation of moral regeneration in the country, directing religious institutions to actively instill spiritual principles into young people.

President Hassan was speaking on Saturday, August 31, 2024, at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es        Salaam, where participants from 11 countries competed for supremacy in the finals.

The finals were organised by the National Muslim Council of Tanzania (Bakwata) in collaboration with the International Islamic Organisation (IIO).

During the event, a participant from Algeria emerged the winner of the World Women’s Quran Reciting Competition finals, followed by another from the United States.

Other participants who trailed the list came from Jordan, Zanzibar, and Tanzania Mainland, whereby they received various prizes, including cash.

In her speech, President Hassan urged religious institutions to devise new methods of providing quality religious education to boys, girls, and women to ensure the community had the good foundation of its principles.

“We should not only provide religious education to our children, but also to women who spend a lot of time with children. Let’s educate everyone to have strong foundations,” she said.

Further, she said every time she spoke at religious forums, her emphasis had been on the families, which, she explained, were the foundation of the nation and that women naturally had a significant role in nurturing good families.

“Raising a girl child with strong faith principles prepares her to become a good woman and mother in the future. You will agree with me that adults with strong principles of justice are a result of their upbringing,” she said.

She added that if a girl received proper religious education, not only reading the Quran, but also understanding it and its chapters, she would be able to become a good mother and woman in the future.

However, she said this strategy should go hand in hand with properly raising boys with good morals, as instructed by religions.

President Hassan reiterated that Muslims should not only read the Quran, but also should understand its teachings, noting that the Holy Book contains answers to challenges, and following its guidance will prevent people from going astray.

Regarding the competition being held in Tanzania, President Samia said, “The fact that this event is taking place here is also due to Tanzania’s growing international acceptance of its peace and stability. Tanzanians should continue protecting it.”

Earlier, Tanzania’s Mufti, Sheikh Abubakar Zubeir, stated that the respect for women in Islam was significant, which is why the organisers chose Tanzania to host the competition, saying it was a great honour granted by God to the nation.

“But I have no doubt that this choice was made with our country in mind, recognising its leader, a just, people-loving, and equity-promoting leader, who is our mother (President Samia), and they decided to bring the competition here,” he said.

“Women have indeed been placed in high regard by God, as even in the entire Quran, which has 114 chapters, there is a chapter dedicated to women, whereas men do not have a chapter named after them,” Mufti Zubeir added.

He underscored that the Quran came to teach good morals and behaviour, but there is now a challenge of moral decay, with women and the youth being the most affected.

“Nowadays, an adult can respond rudely; it is not unusual for someone to speak ill of their parents. This indicates a lack of morals. The Quran, which the young women competed in reciting, teaches us good morals,” he said.

“We hope that after this, we will have learnt the good morals required by Allah and what Prophet Muhammad has taught,” he said.

Bakwata Secretary General Sheikh Nuhu Mruma said the competition, themed ‘A Mother is a Nurturer,’ reflected Tanzania’s status as a host due to having a female president.

“There are few countries with female leaders, which is why President Samia’s name shines brightly,” said Sheik Mruma.