Quran Recitation Session Held at Holy Shrine of Imam Reza (A.S.)

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - A Quran recitation session was held Saturday night, June 23, in the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS) in Mashhad.Grand Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi, head of the Awqaf and Charity Affairs Organization Hojatol-Islam Ali Mohammadi, and International Holy Quran Competition’s contenders were present in the spiritual session.It began with recitation of verses from the Holy Quran by an Egyptian reciter followed by a speech delivered by Hojatol-Islam Mohammadi. He extended felicitations on the auspicious occasion of Sha’bania (birth anniversaries of Imam Hussein (AS), Imam Sajjad (AS) and Hazrat Abbas (AS)) and presented a report about the 29th International Holy Quran Competition.He said the contest was held with the participation of representatives from 68 countries in the 5 continents, adding that 47 memorizers and 56 reciters attended the important religious, cultural and Quranic event.Hojatol-Islam Mohammadi regarded the large number of participants as an indication of the greatness of Iran, the Islamic System and the Islamic Revolution.He pointed to the competition’s sideline events, saying they included a Quranic exhibition, a congress for honring female Quran activists, and a scientific-research conference organized on two themes: “Quran and Islamic Awakening” and “Quran and Human Perfection”.Grand Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi also addressed the session, saying that it was an horo for the country to organize the Quran competition at such a level.He referred to the desecration of the Quran and said despite the enemies’ efforts, interest in the Quran is growing in the world day after day.The grand source of emulation enumerated four responsibilities about the Quran, namely reading the Quran, contemplating on it, acting upon its teachings and promoting it. He expressed hope that Quran reciters and memorizers give due attention to the four responsibilities.The Quran recitation session at Imam Reza (AS) came to a conclusion by recitation of verses from the Quran by Egyptian master Ahmed Ahmed Noaina and Tawasheeh performance. /129