Al-Qalam 
By Nabeelah Shaikh
In a remarkable showcase of talent, dedication, and spiritual commitment, 20-year-old Aasiyah Abbas has emerged as the winner of the females’ Full Quran category at the prestigious National Quran Memorisation competition.
The event took place on Saturday, 14 September, at the Nurul Islam Masjid in Lenasia, Johannesburg. Abbas, a young woman from Grassy Park in Cape Town, was honoured to be recognised for her incredible achievement, marking a significant milestone in her Quranic journey.
Reflecting on her experience, Abbas expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity to participate in the competition. She started her Quran memorisation journey when she was just three and a half years old.
“I couldn’t really read at that age, but I learnt half of Juz 30 through my father reciting and me repeating. Then my parents put me in a proper hifz school at the age of five. I continued to do hifz while attending primary school and finished my hifz when I was 11 years old,” Abbas said.
She attributes her success to the unwavering support and guidance of her parents.
“It was through my parents’ wisdom that I was able to complete my hifz at such a young age,” she said.
Completing the memorisation of the Quran is a remarkable feat in itself, but she said maintaining the memorisation requires dedication and consistency.
“Since completing my hifz at 11, I have worked diligently to maintain it and maintaining consistency is important. It was these efforts that led me to competitions like this one. I heard about the Quran competitions and was encouraged to enter,” she said.
For Abbas, winning the competition was an emotional moment.
“It was nice, Alhamdulilah. I cried. I didn’t expect to win,” she said, reflecting on the overwhelming joy and gratitude she felt.
However, amidst her personal triumph, Abbas couldn’t help but feel some sadness at the lack of female representation in the competition.
“I also felt a bit sad that there are so few girls that enter this competition in comparison to the many hufaadhs that enter. I would like to see more females given these opportunities.”
The issue of female participation in Quranic competitions is one that Abbas hopes will change in the future. She believes that more girls would feel comfortable competing if the conditions allowed for a more inclusive and supportive environment.
“Something I really admired in this competition is that they completely separated the males and females, which should make more females comfortable to compete in these competitions. Everything was so well organised, and we were treated amazingly,” Abbas said.
For Abbas, this competition was a stepping stone towards greater opportunities. She hopes to continue participating in future competitions, both locally and internationally.
“I would love to enter a competition where I can go further and compete internationally. And even if I don’t win, it doesn’t matter. The exposure and experience is important to me. This competition has also helped me with my confidence. I am very shy and reserved, and this opportunity got me out of my comfort zone a little bit. My aspirations for the future are rooted in a desire to continue growing, both in my Quranic knowledge and in my personal development.”
Qari Basheer Patel, one of the event organisers, praised the success of the competition, noting the high level of preparation and effort put in by all participants.
“We didn’t expect such a big crowd at the event. The musjid was packed to capacity,” Patel said.
He also highlighted that, unlike previous years, there were no eliminations in any of the five categories.
“This year, we had not one elimination. In all five categories, everyone who took part was very well prepared, and the scoring was very tight,” Patel said.
The quality of the competition, he said, is a testament to the growing interest in Quranic studies and hifz across the country.
“The benefit of this competition is that the interest in the field of Quranic sciences, tajweed, and hifz increases,” Patel said, expressing optimism about the future of Quran memorisation in South Africa.
He also mentioned that there would now be opportunities for winners to participate in international Quran memorisation competitions, further encouraging a culture of excellence in Quranic studies.
The National Quran Memorisation competition saw not only Abbas’s victory but also several other winners across different categories. In the male Full Quran category, Muhammad Musharraf Sayed came in first, while Muhammad Irfaan Valli won in the males’ 15 Juz category. Noor Muhammed Alli secured first place in the Male’s Ajzaa category. In the female category, Fardowsa Tahir Abdi Badal came first in the 15 Juz category, and Zainab Sulayman Jansen took first place in the Ajzaa category.
