The holy mausoleum of Imam Reza (AS) in the northeastern hosted the final round of the 41st edition, which concluded in an awarding ceremony on Friday night.
“We are ready to host the International Quran Competition in Mashhad every year if the custodian of the holy shrine approves of it,” Hojat-ol-Islam Seyed Mehdi Khamoushi told IQNA in an interview.
The status of the Quran competitions in Islamic Iran, which is the stronghold of Wilayat, necessitates this, he said.
“The Quran must be intertwined with leadership. We should have come to this place sooner. We intended to, but we faced the outbreak of COVID-19. It was during the early custodianship of Hojat-ol-Islam Marvi, who also welcomed the idea. However, the pandemic caused some parts of the competition to be held virtually. At that time, I stated that we must act on this (hold the competition in Mashhad) at the earliest opportunity.”
He added that in this sacred place, “We were not waiting for an audience. The audience would come. The Astan Quds Razavi (holy shrine of Imam Reza) is a highly suitable environment for hosting such international events that carry a global message.”
He went on to say that the participants, among them Sunni brothers and sisters, gazed at this radiant shrine with such love and admiration. “The atmosphere of this shrine had a spiritual impact on them, and we consider this the connection between the Quran and the Ahl-ul-Bayt (AS).”
Hojat-ol-Islam Khamoushi further referred to the slogan of this year’s competition, “The Quran; the Only Guide to Perfection,” and said, “We must understand this unique guide to perfection through the words of the Infallible Imams (AS) and see it through their interpretative explanations.”
Elsewhere in his remarks, the cleric remembered the martyred President Ebrahim Raisi, who held up the Quran at the United Nations and declared it as the book of guidance for humanity.
“The mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran is to spread Quranic culture among human societies, which, God willing, will lead to the emergence of the Promised One,” Hojat-ol-Islam Khamoushi concluded.
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The International Holy Quran Competition of the Islamic Republic of Iran is annually organized by the country’s Awqaf and Charity Affairs Organization.
The competition aims to promote the Quranic culture and values among Muslims and showcase the talents of Quran reciters and memorizers.
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