11 Distinguished Iranian Quran Activists Honored
The ceremony was held on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan with the participation of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Culture and Islamic Guidance Minister Seyed Reza Salehi Amiri and a number of other cultural, religious and Quranic officials.
Salehi Amiri in an address highlighted the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Quranic activities and achievements in recent years, saying the number of Quranic centers in the country rose from 210 in 2012 to 1370 in 2016.
The growth of budgets for Quranic activities, annual participation of over 500,000 in a nationwide Quranic examination, translation of the Quran and publication of works on Hadiths and Quran interpretations were among other activities in the country in Quranic fields, he noted.
The president also gave a speech at the program, saying one of the fruits of the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, was promotion of Quranic activities in the country.
Later in the ceremony, eleven Iranian figures were honored for the activities and services to the Holy Quran.
They included Ali Montazeri, founder of national and international Quran competitions for university students; Shoja Zuweidat, memorizer of the entire Quran and winner of top ranks in international Quran competitions in Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq; Ahmad Abolqassemi, prominent Quran reciter and teacher and founder of a Quranic institute in Albania; and Hojat-ol-Islam Seyed Jafar Kashfir, author of a Quran exegesis entitled "Nur-un Ala Nur”.
