Kaduna: Association Hosts Qur’anic Competition for Deaf Students

The Al-Furqan Deaf Islamic Da’wah Association, Zaria, has organised a Qur’anic recitation competition for hearing-impaired students drawn from 13 Local Government Areas of Kaduna State.

Malam Yasir-Suleiman Kofa, leader of the competition, told the Voice of the people (VOP) on Wednesday in Zaria that participants competed in four categories: one-Hizf (volume), two-Hizf, five-Hizf with tafsir (interpretation), with four contestants representing each LGA.

He said the contest was aimed at encouraging hearing-impaired students to showcase their knowledge of the Qur’an and deepen their Islamic learning. Winners in the one-Hizf and two-Hizf categories, from Ikara and Kaduna South LGAs respectively, received ₦50,000 each. Runners-up were awarded ₦30,000, while third-place contestants received ₦20,000. The five-Hizf with tafsir category ended without a declared winner.

Alhaji Mahmud Isma’ila, member representing Zaria City Constituency in the Kaduna State House of Assembly, urged Islamic organisations to promote the use of sign language in Qur’anic teaching to make knowledge more accessible to the deaf community. He described it as a rare and unique approach that would ease religious practice for hearing-impaired Muslims.

In support, the lawmaker donated 10 copies of the Qur’an in Sign Language worth ₦140,000 to the Centre for Islamic Legal Studies, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and Kaduna State University, with each institution receiving five copies.

The event, themed “Kaduna State Deaf Qur’anic Sign Language Competition and Grand Launching of the Qur’an in Sign Language for the Deaf,” attracted participants from within and outside the state and was described by organisers as a resounding success.