The Ghanaian Minaret

Accra: Usama Zongo, a 21-year-old memoriser of the Quran has become the new owner of a Kia Picanto vehicle for winning a national Quran competition.

The past student of Al Al Azhariyya Islamic Senior High School in Kumasi of the Ashanti region was among 32 contestants selected across the country to partake in the complete Quran category of the competition.

 Six were shortlisted after intense auditioning to compete in the grand finale of the “Legend of the Quran” held under the theme, “Creating Interest in Memorisation and Recitation of the Noble Quran among the Youth”,

The event organised by Haqqul Mubeen Institute also had a category for half memorisers which had 16 participants from across the country shortlisted to four contestants for the final.

In the full Quran category, Hamza Khalil from the Oti region was the first runner up to Usama Zongo followed by Salihu Uthman from the Ahafo region as the second runner up.

In addition to the car, Zongo received a cash prize of GHS10,000 while Hamza received a motor tricycle and a GHS 5000 with Salihu receiving a GHS3000 cash prize and a motorbike.

For the half Quran category, the winner, Khalid Yakub from the Ahafo region received a motorbike as well as a cash amount of GHS5000 while Salma Ibrahim, the first runner up from the Northern region received a flat screen television and a cash of GHS3000.

Meanwhile, Zainab Abdul Rahman, the second runner up from the Ashanti region received a tabletop fridge and a cash amount of GHS1500.

In an interview, Usama indicated that started his Quran journey from childhood has been possible with Allah’s will and the support of scholars and parents

“It is not easy, and it is important for one to understand the essence of memorising the Quran as its relevance supersedes any worldly gift. The journey needs consistency and persistence”.

He said he looked forward to teaching others and living by the tenet of the book to attain the pleasure of his maker.

“The fact that you were first doesn’t mean you are better than your colleagues. There were people among us who we knew were better. It just happened that they were not favoured.

“It would be unfair to say that winning a Quran competition is the best criteria to determine whether memorising the Quran has been beneficial or not” he said.

Professor Naail Mohammed Kamil, Head of Department for Human Resource & Organisational Development, School of Business at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology advised memoriser to purify their intentions for the Quran.

He urged memorisers to be cautious of the day of Judgement when Allah would punish some reciters for reciting the Quran to get people to praise them.

Chief Superintendent of Police,Imam Husein Abdur Rahim Husein of the Ghana Police Service commended the organiser for the initiative.

He also urged them to consider introducing scholarship packages for participants to motivate contestant pursue higher education.