Journeys & Reflections

At The Mecca Center, we believe that every journey is an opportunity to learn, grow, and connect. “Journeys & Reflections,” is a special newsletter where our staff and community members share their personal experiences. These stories reflect the diverse and enriching lives of our community.

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More Than a Win

A Journey of Review and Reward

By: Diya Alshahrour

Our beloved Prophet ﷺ said, “Keep reviewing the Qur’ān, for I swear by Him in whose hand is my soul that it is more liable to escape than camels which are tethered.” This is an order from the Prophet ﷺ to keep reviewing the Quran repeatedly; otherwise, Allah SWT will cause us to lose it.

Because of this, I decided to register for the 5-juzz category in the annual MAS ICNA Quran Competition. I was also inspired by one of my friends, a fellow teacher and student of MQI, Yaman Alghafeer, who won second place in the 10-juzz category in last year’s competition. My Sheikh, Sheikh Moustafa Ismail, was also a huge source of inspiration and, after Allah SWT, the reason I was able to do so well in the competition. For the past three years, he has always stressed the importance of maintaining a daily portion of the Quran to review.

Due to this encouragement and guidance from my Sheikh, I was able to quickly review the last 5 juzz in the week leading up to the competition. I even sat with one of my friends and recited all 5 juzz to him in one sitting, just a few days before the competition. I am thankful to Allah for blessing me with companions who encourage one another to have a strong relationship with the Book of Allah SWT.

In the days after I recited all the ajzaa, I was regularly spot-tested by my friends and my Sheikh, working on reciting the passages with proper tajweed. On the day of the competition, I made an effort to keep reciting and practicing until an hour before my time slot. At that point, I made duaa to Allah SWT to purify my intention for His sake alone and to allow me to recite in a way that pleases Him before the judges.

When it was time for me to recite to the judges, by the grace of Allah, I received no mistakes or taps in the three questions they asked me. I was very happy because, at the end of the day, my goal was not to win but rather to achieve itqan of the last 5 juzz, and I felt that I had done so. I had a feeling that I might have won, but even if I hadn’t, I still felt I had reached my goal and was prepared to move on to a higher category in next year’s competition.

Before the ceremony, the organizers had all the winners from each category go backstage and seated us in the order we would appear. At that moment, I realized that I had won first place, Alhamdulillah. Walking onto the stage as they announced me as the first-place winner was a great experience, but the best part was hearing my family and friends cheering for me enthusiastically from the audience.

Shortly after MAS ICNA, I was inspired to also sign up for the MQI Quran Competition. I wanted to continue building on the momentum and test myself again in an environment I’m familiar with and love. Alhamdulillah, I did well in that competition too, and it was yet another reminder of how much barakah comes from consistently reviewing the Quran. I’m deeply grateful to be part of a community that values the Quran and pushes us to grow.

Winning the Quran competition has humbled me more than anything else. I realized that there are others in the same category as me who worked harder and deserved to win more than I did, but it was the will of Allah SWT that I receive this honor. I ask that Allah SWT always keep my intention pure, and I ask that He make us all among the people of the Quran—those who are His specially chosen people. Ameen.

Register Now for the Mecca Quran Institute Quran Competition