The Holy Qur’an competitions have always received great attention and support from the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, who has described them as one of the most effective ways of encouraging young people to engage with the Qur’an. In his valuable remarks, he has openly expressed his strong support for these competitions.
The Islamic Revolution achieved victory through the guidance of the Holy Qur’an and with the goal of establishing a Qur’anic society under the leadership of a great leader whose life was deeply devoted to the Qur’an.
The people of Islamic Iran safeguarded this revolution through their sacrifices, giving their lives in the path of implementing the noble teachings of the Holy Qur’an under the guidance of the late Imam.
After the passing of the late Imam Khomeini, one of the greatest supporters of Qur’anic activities has been his distinguished student, Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution. His continuous encouragement of young people to study the Qur’an, together with his support for Qur’an reciters, memorizers, and scholars, has produced lasting achievements whose impact continues to grow.
Organizing Qur’anic Competitions
The organization of Qur’anic competitions at every level of society—from schools and universities to government institutions and the armed forces—has encouraged increasing numbers of people to study, memorize, and engage with the Holy Qur’an.
Likewise, the prestigious International Holy Qur’an Competitions held in the Islamic Republic of Iran in the fields of Qur’an Recitation, Memorization, and Tafsir have strengthened the bonds among distinguished Qur’an reciters and memorizers from across the Muslim world. These gatherings have also emphasized the importance of unity among Muslims around the Holy Qur’an in the face of global challenges.
When participants from different Islamic countries witnessed the high standard of Qur’anic memorization and recitation in Iran, many acknowledged that, following the Islamic Revolution, Iran had given exceptional attention to Qur’anic education.
Iranian Qur’anic champions—particularly its memorizers—have reached remarkable levels of excellence. Even young Iranian memorizers have achieved outstanding international success while competing alongside adults with many years of experience in Qur’anic memorization and recitation.
One outstanding example is Ali Rezazadeh Juybari, who brought great pride to his country by achieving first place in an international Holy Qur’an competition held in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Although some children of his age preferred not to participate in competitions, Ali consistently demonstrated his abilities by earning top positions in the national Qur’an memorization competitions for three consecutive years.
Meeting with the Leader of the Islamic Revolution
During the closing ceremony of the 18th International Holy Qur’an Competition for Qur’an Recitation, Memorization, and Tafsir, Ali Rezazadeh Juybari attracted the special attention of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.
After answering difficult Qur’anic questions posed by distinguished reciters, memorizers, and scholars from various countries while standing on the stage, everyone witnessed the joy that his remarkable performance brought to the Leader, especially when Ali confidently answered questions presented by renowned Egyptian scholars.
When Ali approached to greet the Leader after the ceremony, His Eminence warmly welcomed him and began asking him several questions in the presence of the audience.
Those present were naturally curious about their friendly conversation. Ali listened respectfully and answered each question politely. Whenever he thought the conversation had ended and attempted to leave, the Leader gently placed his hand on Ali’s shoulder and invited him to remain seated for a little longer.
Later, when Ali was asked about their discussion, he explained that the Leader had asked him about his Qur’anic studies, educational level, and personal background.
Although other Qur’anic presentations followed during the ceremony, many participants considered Ali’s program to be the most memorable. His performance deeply impressed the distinguished reciters and memorizers from around the world, and many believed that there was no child in the Islamic world comparable to this remarkable young Qur’an memorizer.
Praise from Sheikh Sayyid Saeed
Supporting this view is the statement of the renowned Egyptian Qur’an reciter Sheikh Sayyid Saeed, who said:
“We have millions of Qur’an memorizers throughout the Arab world, yet from the oldest to the youngest, we do not have anyone like Ali Rezazadeh.”
He made this statement during a Qur’anic gathering in Lebanon.
Afterward, Sheikh Sayyid Saeed requested a video recording of Ali’s Qur’anic presentations, saying:
“I want to take this recording to Al-Azhar University in Egypt so that they may learn from the educational methods used with Iranian children.”
The Value of Qur’anic Competitions
Despite his many achievements, Ali Rezazadeh Juybari has continued to participate in Qur’anic competitions and has always regarded them with great respect.
Preparing for these competitions encourages memorizers to review and strengthen what they have learned. More importantly, Qur’anic competitions create an atmosphere of unity, friendship, and spiritual joy.
Unlike many other competitions, there are no true losers in Qur’anic competitions. Every sincere participant is a winner. Even if a memorizer does not receive an award, he has already gained something far greater—the honor of living with the Holy Qur’an, the Divine Word that enlightens hearts and transforms lives.
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Keywords: Holy Qur’an Competitions • Ali Rezazadeh Juybari • International Qur’an Competition • Qur’an Memorization • Qur’an Recitation • Leader of the Islamic Revolution • Qur’anic Education