Kuala lumpur: Aiman Ridhwan Mohamad Ramlan’s second attempt in the International Quran Recital and Memorisation Assembly (MTHQA) proved fruitful when he was crowned champion in the qari category in the 65th edition. The 27-year-old from Taiping, Perak, said the victory was the greatest achievement in his career, having first represented Malaysia in 2022.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Aiman Ridhwan expressed his excitement and happiness after his first international championship win during the 65th MTHQA closing and prize-giving ceremony. He began competing in recitation competitions at the age of 15 and attributed his success to learning extensively from both Malaysian and international qaris. He stated that his experiences with qaris from Iran and Indonesia, who shared their knowledge of taranum, were invaluable.

Aiman Ridhwan prepared diligently for this year’s recital by focusing on improving his recitation, tajwid, pronunciation, voice quality, and taranum delivery to ensure a commendable performance in front of the judges. Meanwhile, the women’s qariah category champion, Wan Sofea Aini Wan Mohd Zahidi, shared how encouragement from her family, religious teachers, and friends helped her persevere despite facing health challenges. The contestant from Kelantan faced the flu two days before her competition, affecting her voice, but she managed to perform successfully.

Both champions in the Recital and Memorisation categories received RM40,000 in cash, jewellery sponsored by the Malaysian Islamic Economic Development Foundation (YaPEIM), additional prizes, and certificates of appreciation. The week-long event, held from August 2 to 9 under the theme ‘Membangun Ummah MADANI’ (Developing a MADANI Ummah), featured 71 contestants from 49 countries.