Mahfel TV Show Enhanced People’s Love for Quran
Mahfel is a Quranic show produced and aired by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting’s (IRIB) Channel 3 during the blessed month of Ramadan. The first season of the show was aired in Ramadan 2023 and the following seasons in 2024 and 2025. It has been warmly welcomed by millions of viewers in Iran and other countries.
Prominent Iranian qaris Ahmad Abolqassemi and Hamed Shakernejad have been among the program’s hosts in all of the seasons aired so far.
The two traveled to Indonesia in this year’s Ramadan (March 2025) and attended Quranic programs in a number of major mosques in the Southeast Asian country.
Speaking to IQNA, Abolqassemi said Mahfel has had a significant impact on the people and showcased the blessings that exist in the country.
The TV show led to a greater flourishing of Quran classes, Quran education, and an increase in people’s emotional connection to the Quran, he said.
“It also revealed the truth our people to the world. I don’t get involved in political issues, but our people have a deep interest in the Quran. If you sit down and talk to them, you will find that many express regret about being distant from the Quran and not benefiting from it enough. This sentiment is our asset, and if we don’t make use of it, we will suffer great losses.”
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As for the program’s impact internationally, he referred to the Ramadan trip to Indonesia and said Mahfel has “introduced the true Quranic face of our country, which we never had the opportunity to showcase to the world. We have many Quranic achievements in our country, but only a few people were aware of them.”
He said the Quranic programs held in Indonesia during their stay there received a lot of attention because “we had invited Indonesian reciters (to the Mahfel TV Show), which is why we were also invited there and became more familiar with their Quranic programs.”
He noted that Quranic gatherings are highly regarded in Indonesia.
“Even the style and tone of the salutations they send indicate that the gathering was well-received.”
Abolqassemi spoke about the impact of the international presence of Iranian reciters and their connection with other communities, saying, “These kinds of trips are influential. Many nations can affect their governments. When we go to a country and recite (the Quran), the people there are more likely to accept that Iran is an Islamic and Quranic country, and they often do not believe the rumors and conspiracies circulating in social media.
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“If this interest develops between our people and those in Indonesia, it will undoubtedly benefit both sides. This path is opened by Quran reciters. They pave the way because there is no sensitivity towards the Quran reciter. Rather, they are seen as credible and virtuous individuals who earn a great deal of respect. This respect and attention towards the Quran reciter, which reflects a general trust in them and likens them to scholars, facilitates the development of this interest among the people.”
He further referred to Quran recitations by himself and Shakernejad in Indonesia, noting that reciting the Quran at the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta was quite challenging, both technically and because not everyone is allowed to recite there.
“An audience of nearly 30,000 people attended this event, which was broadcast live on Indonesia’s national channel as well as on virtual platforms like YouTube.”
He added, “We also had several other programs with seminary students and the public, which were very well-received.”
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