Expert Stresses Teaching Quran to Children at Young Age
Maria Ulfah is a Quranic master who has dedicated her life to learning and teaching the holy book of Islam. She is currently a teacher at a Quranic center in Jakarta, where she shares her knowledge and experience with aspiring students. She is also a proud mother of three children who have memorized the Quran and become medical specialists.
Ulfah is a member of the panel of arbiters of Iran’s 40th International Quran Competition which is underway in Tehran.
Speaking to IQNA, she said that her journey with the Quran began when she was a child in Indonesia, a country with the largest Muslim population in the world.
She recalls how her mother taught her and her sister the Arabic alphabet and the basics of Tajweed, the rules of Quranic recitation. Every night, they would read short chapters of the Quran together and quiz each other on their memorization.
"My mother was very strict about completing the 30th Juz of the Quran before starting formal schooling. She wanted us to have a strong foundation in the Quran from an early age. She also encouraged us to listen to famous reciters from Egypt to improve our pronunciation and intonation," Ulfah said.
Ulfah and her sister excelled in Quran memorization and recitation, winning several competitions at the provincial and national levels. They also benefited from the Quranic education system in Indonesia, which integrates regular lessons with Quranic circles and courses.
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Ulfah said that every year, many students graduate having memorized the entire Quran, which is considered a “great honor and achievement” in the Muslim community.
Ulfah continued her Quranic studies under renowned Indonesian scholars and eventually became a teacher herself. She believes that teaching the Quran is not only a duty but also a privilege and a joy.
"I always recommend that Muslim families start teaching their children the Quran at a young age, so that its teachings become deeply rooted within them. The Quran serves as the foundation of life, offering guidance for personal and social aspects. Embracing its teachings can lead to happiness in both this life and the hereafter," Ulfah said.
Referring to Indonesian families’ encouraging of children to learn the Quran, she added, “Personally, I am grateful to have guided all three of my children—two daughters and a son—to become medical specialists while ensuring they also memorized the Quran. Alhamdulillah, I am proud of their accomplishments.”
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The prestigious competition, which began on Thursday, has attracted Quran enthusiasts from around the world.
More than 110 countries registered for Iran's 40th International Quran Competition, but only 69 finalists from 40 countries made it to the final round after a rigorous screening process.
Contestants compete in the main categories of Quran recitation (for men) and Quran memorization and Tateel recitation (for men and women).
The competition will run until Tuesday, February 20, and the winners will be honored at the closing ceremony on Wednesday, February 21.
The annual event, organized by the Awqaf and Charity Affairs Organization, aims to promote the Quranic culture and values among Muslims and showcase the talents of Quran reciters and memorizers.
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