The Qur'an Recitation Competition Was Held at IZU

IZU students demonstrated their skills with Qur'an recitation in the Qur'an Recitation Competition. In the program organized in two categories, women and men, students competed to recite the Qur’an in the most beautiful way.

The Qur’an Recitation Competition was held at IZU with the strong participation of academics and students. Organized jointly by the IZU Faculty of Islamic Sciences and the Islamic Sciences Club, the competition was held in two separate categories for women and men, where students showcased their proficiency in Qur’an recitation. In the women’s category, Meleknur Aydın, a fourth-year Arabic Language Teaching student, won first place; Tuba Ceylan, a first-year student of the Faculty of Islamic Sciences, came second; and Lina Maraşlı, also a first-year student of the Faculty of Islamic Sciences, came third. In the men’s category, Necip Fazıl Belge, a first-year student of the Faculty of Islamic Sciences, won first place; Abdullah Akkad, a fourth-year Arabic Language Teaching student, came second; and Bilal Gök, a second-year student of the Faculty of Islamic Sciences, came third.

The men’s category of the competition, held at the Abdullah Tivnikli Conference Hall, was attended by academics and students, including IZU Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Cevat Acar, Vice Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Küçük, IZU Secretary General Dr. Fatih Hasdemir, Faculty of Islamic Sciences Dean Prof. Dr. Hasan Kamil Yılmaz, and Vice Dean Prof. Dr. Özcan Hıdır.

HIDIR: “WE WANT TO MAKE THE COMPETITION A TRADITION”
In his opening speech, Faculty of Islamic Sciences Vice Dean Prof. Dr. Özcan Hıdır stated that they would like to make the “Qur’an Recitation Competition,” organized for the first time this year, a traditional event. Hıdır recalled the hadith, “This Qur’an is such a book that some people rise with it while others fall,” and expressed the hope: “May Almighty Allah make us among those who rise with the Qur’an.”

YILMAZ: “RAMADAN IS THE SEASON OF THE QUR’AN”
Prof. Dr. Hasan Kamil Yılmaz, Dean of the Faculty of Islamic Sciences, emphasized that the month of Ramadan has a special significance in terms of the connection established with the Qur’an. Reminding that Ramadan is the season of the Qur’an, Yılmaz stated that it is especially meaningful that this competition took place in a season when the Qur’an was revealed. “The Qur’an is guidance and light. It shows us the right path. Our connection with the Qur’an should always continue,” said Yılmaz, referring to the words of Mevlana: “The more you serve it, the more the Qur’an will open the sea of meaning to you.” He added, “To understand it, we need to increase our service to the Qur’an.”

ACAR: “THE QUR’AN IS OUR GUIDE”
In his speech, IZU Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Cevat Acar congratulated the contestants, their teachers, and the academics of the Faculty of Islamic Sciences. Acar stated that our nation is among the leading societies in showing respect to the Qur’an and said, “The Turkish style of recitation has a distinct beauty among Qur’an recitations. Reciting the Qur’an beautifully is certainly valuable, but the Qur’an is our guide. Establishing a connection with its meaning, understanding what Almighty Allah expects from us through the Qur’an, and living accordingly should be the priority.” Acar also emphasized that the “Memorization Program in 75 Days” carried out at IZU by Faculty of Islamic Sciences faculty member Gülsüm Arslan is important both for shortening the duration and for incorporating meaning into the memorization process.

The jury members of the women’s category were Faculty of Islamic Sciences faculty member Gülsüm Arslan, Presidency of Religious Affairs officials Belgin Zengin and Zeynep Köse, Mehmet Emin Saraç Imam Hatip High School memorization instructor Hatice Durmuş, and İSMEK Qur’an instructor Halise Akgül. In the men’s category, the jury consisted of Prof. Dr. Hasan Kamil Yılmaz, Prof. Dr. Özcan Hıdır, Faculty of Islamic Sciences faculty member Gülsüm Arslan, and lecturers Mustafa Temimi and Adil Ebuşar.