Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Sardar Muhammad Yousuf inaugurated the first global Hassan Qirat competition in Islamabad, calling the event a historic and blessed occasion. The minister said Pakistan has the honour of hosting the inaugural competition, which brings together reciters from around the world to celebrate the Quran and its recitation.
Sardar Muhammad Yousuf highlighted that participants from 40 countries are taking part in the Hassan Qirat contest, which will run from 24 to 27 November with a concluding ceremony on 29 November. He praised the efforts of renowned qari Syed Sadaqat Ali for his role in organising the event and noted the spiritual and educational significance of such gatherings.
The minister underlined the ministry’s commitment to reviving reforms initiated during the previous government and continuing work under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s leadership. He said the government has convened a national scholars and mufti council and launched steps toward establishing a Quran board and a structured system of congregational prayer, known locally as nizam salat.
Sardar Muhammad Yousuf emphasised that the Quran is a primary source of guidance and urged citizens to learn Arabic so they can read, understand and implement its teachings. The Hassan Qirat competition, he said, should help promote Arabic education in Pakistan, and the ministry is coordinating with universities to start programmes for learning and teaching Arabic.
Speaking about religious harmony and the country’s image abroad, the minister observed that Pakistan must present the true face of Islam through conduct rather than words. He called for unity, adherence to Quran and Hadith, and service to all humanity, stressing that deliberate and measured Quranic recitation is a means to spiritual rescue and success in both worlds.
On the broader agenda, Sardar Muhammad Yousuf reiterated that acquiring knowledge is obligatory for every Muslim man and woman, and the ministry will continue its work to expand religious education and institutional frameworks that support Quranic learning and recitation such as the Hassan Qirat competition.
