- Title: PHILIPPINES: Children compete in Koran reading competition in the Philippines
- Date: 29th September 2008
- Summary: FRUITS, AND DRINKS LYING ON MAT DATES VARIOUS OF PARTICIPANTS AND OTHER PEOPLE EATING DURING THE BREAKING OF FAST
- Embargoed: 14th October 2008 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Philippines
- Country: Philippines
- Topics: Religion
- Reuters ID: LVAA5Q9GK4O32AEYF6A4OMK04E0C
- Story Text: Muslim children in the Philippines participate in a Koran reading competition that tests their voices and learning skills of the Muslim holy book. The children are judged based on their pitch and vocal control, as well as their pronunciation and mastery of the Arabic verses.
The mood was festive on Saturday (September 27) in Manila's Culiat village, as dozens of Muslim children put their voices to the test in a Koran reading competition to mark the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.
Culiat village, one among several Muslim enclaves scattered throughout Manila, played host to the afternoon contest that lasted until the Iftar meal (the meal to break the fast).
Clad in caps and veils, Muslim boys and girls tested their memorization of the Muslim holy book against each other. Some of the participants were as young as 10 years. Age is of little consequence in a competition where voice quality and memory power are the factors that determine victory.
Macrina Morados, one of the organisers of the event and a professor at the Institute of Islamic Studies in the University of the Philippines, said that the annual competition strives to sow the seeds for the next generation of Muslim teachers and adherents. This year marks the fifth of the contest.
"We have to encourage them to learn the Holy Koran and the prophetic tradition. So it's not just memorization but understanding the Koranic verses, looking at the values and applying it into their day-to-day lives," said Morados.
Muslim children memorize the Koran in madrasahs under the watchful supervision of a teacher. Despite tensions and suspicion from surrounding non-Muslim communities in light of a decades-old war against Muslim militants in the southern Philippines, madrasahs and Muslim enclaves are a fixture in Manila.
The Koran is read in Arabic, which poses a problem for Muslim children in the Philippines, where the primary languages are Filipino and English.
Mohammad Hyder Baganday, 12, admitted this difficulty and said he only understood basic concepts from the Koran not the Arabic words and verses.
But Baganday said this inspires him to strive harder to learn so he can pray for his loved ones properly.
"I always think of my mother who is working abroad, and that's why I read the Koran so that nothing bad will happen to her," said Baganday.
Ustadz Ebnoraji Cailo, who supervises the children as they learn the verses, said the language barrier poses a challenge to the teachers as well.
Cailo said he recites the verses in Arabic first, and then proceeds to explain the passage in Filipino to his students.
But while Arabic is a difficult language for non-native speakers, Ustadz Cailo said Muslims, especially those aiming to become spiritual leaders, are expected to have a progressively deeper understanding of Arabic and the Koran as they grow up.
"They really get challenged, but some of them are also supervised closely, and their voices and pronunciation are nurtured closely by their parents until the children become imams themselves," said Cailo.
Reciting the Koran in the competition requires pitch and vocal control, as well as pronunciation and mastery of the Arabic verses, not to mention an unwavering Muslim faith.
Winners of the contest received cash prizes and head-dresses-- turbans for male contestants and veils for females. Besides the material rewards, the contest aims to inspire young Muslims in deepen their own faith and that of others.
"I'll teach my classmates who can't read the Koran properly, and I'll urge them to read it more. I'll also tell them that there is prestige in these kinds of contests, and that they can fight for Islam through Koran reading," said Jannah Pepanio, who emerged as the champion of the competition.
The Koran is the main scripture in Islam, and is believed by Muslims to be a book of divine guidance. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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