The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "The best of you is the one who has studied the Quran and taught it to others" (Al-Bukhari).

Every day, millions of Muslims from around the world study the Holy Qur'an. On 14 October 2012 Moscow concert hall "Kosmos" will host XIII Moscow International Quran recitation competition under the patronage of the Chairman of the Russian Muftis Council Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

This year's competition will take place in the category hifz - competitors will compete in the reading of the Koran by heart.

The upcoming competition will be first held in two stages. Only 7 participants that past qualification stage will compete in the final.

The event will be attended by over 30 participants from Turkey, France, Kazakhstan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the U.S., Indonesia, Tunisia, South Africa, China, Morocco and other countries. Newcomers to the contest are Barbados, Uganda, Senegal, Tanzania. Organizers of the competition prepared an impressive cultural program for guests and participants.

Moscow International Quran recitation competition has more than ten years history. For the first time the Russian capital hosted the competition in 2000. The Debut competition was organized in the building of the Moscow Cathedral Mosque. Since 2003 the contest went to the regional level, and in 2005 became the all-Russian. In 2007, the contest has gained international status, the judging was composed from Hafiz and reciters of the Quran from Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Russia.

Last year, the best reciter on the Quran was found 28-year-old imam of the Al-Aksa Said Dawood from Palestine.

Tickets for the Moscow International Quran recitation competition will be available on newsstands in the mosques in Moscow.

Dilara Bagautdinova

Semptember 05, 2012.