Physically challenged student wins Quran competition and gets all-expenses-paid Hajj trip

A 17-year-old physically challenged student of the Aswaj Islamic School at Techiman in the Bono East Region, on Sunday came up tops at the Twellium National Quran Recitation Competition, aimed at promoting the studying of the Quran as a way to help the youth eschew social vices. 

For his prize, Master Luqman Swallah is getting an all-expenses-paid trip to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, to be part of the Hajj pilgrimage to holy sites this year.

In addition to the all-expenses-paid pilgrimage, Master Swallah also won a GH₵20,000 cash prize, a NASCO tablet as well as assorted products from the sponsors of the competition, Twellium.

He won the Kamil Ma'a Tafsir category, finishing ahead of Ashanti Regional representative, Mohammed Sani and Saeed Mohammed Qasim of the Western Region who placed second and third respectively.

In an interview after receiving his prize, Master Swallah said he never dreamt of going on the Hajj because he was from a poor home.

He expressed gratitude to God and the sponsors of the competition for bringing him a step closer to achieving his goal of becoming an Islamic scholar.

He said it was his determination to become the first member of his family to go to the Hajj, so he prepared very well for the competition.

Master Swallah said his triumph should serve as a motivation to all physically challenged persons that they are capable of competing with able-bodied persons.

The two-day event took place on Saturday, May 25 and Sunday, May 26 in Accra.

The Kamil Quran category was won by Central regional representative Abdul Rahman Ismail.

Alhassan Abdul Samad from Ashanti won the Nisf (Mariam) Category and Rafiq Abdul Aziz from Greater Accra emerged tops of the Al-Ankaboot Category.

All participants in the competition received various cash prizes between GH₵1000 and GH₵400 as well as assorted products.