IRCICA Newsletter, issue 82-83

Following the opening ceremony, the conference continued
with its working session, under the chairmanship of Mr. Faruk
Çelik, Minister of State of the Republic of Turkey. The working
session deliberated on the following subjects:
a. Principles, scope, perspective and guidelines of the Year’s
program
b. Possible events and activities
c. Activities that are already implemented, planned and
proposed by the Member States, national, regional and
international organizations
d. Modalities of organisation, implementation, cooperation,
communication and highlighting of the results of the Year’s
activities.
A total of 25 presentations and statements were delivered
during the working session on behalf of the Member States
and Muslim communities.
Eight ministers took
the floor, representing
Azerbaijan, Bangladesh,
Macedonia, Mauritania,
Palestine, Senegal, Sudan,
and Turkey; high officials
from the ministries, state
departments for religious
affairs, of the Member
States also took the
floor. An outline of the
proceedings is given below,
where the presentations
are arranged according to
the alphabetical order of
the countries.
Mr. Ramiz Zekaj, Director General, Albanian Institute of
Islamic Thought and Civilisation, Tirana, pointed out that
today Albanians are settled not only in Albania but also in
Macedonia, Kosovo and even Serbia. “Albanians have been
interested in Qur’anic studies since they adopted Islam; they
rendered considerable services to Qur’anic sciences. Until the
beginning of 20th century the Qur’an was not translated into
Albanian. Interest in reading the Qur’an is stil growing today.
… Speaking of Qur’anic studies, I would like to underline that
the King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Holy Qur’an
is an important institution. It renders significant services to
Qur’anic studies. I would like to take this opportunity also to
thank IRCICA here for its studies in this area.”
Mr. Bouzeid Boumedienne, Director of Culture, Ministry of
Religious Affairs and Awqaf of Algeria, gave information to
the audience on the activities being carried out in Algeria. An
international competition for the memorization of the Qur’an
is ongoing, with the participation of 53 children. “We are trying
to keep alive the tradition of memorizing and reciting the
Holy Qur’an. We are trying to match old traditions with new
technologies. This synthesis of old and new offers us a new
model, one that is advanced with respect to form and content.”
Mr. Boumedienne then touched upon the question of the
differences observed in the recitation and explanation of the
Qur’an. “In certain countries we see excesses in the reading,
whereby some are trying to
develop local methods;
this is not advisable. We
should underscore and
benefit from the richness
of our past. Variations in
reciting the Qur’an must
be preserved; in Africa, in
Morocco, in Turkey, this
diversity is preserved.” Mr.
Bouzeid Boumedienne also
referred to the aesthetical
dimension of Qur’an
copies; “Achievements in
calligraphy in copying the
Qur’an must be underlined.
The successes recorded in
Turkey in this field since
Ottoman times are praiseworthy.”
H.E. Mr. Hidayat Orujov, Chairman, State Committee of the
Republic of Azerbaijan for Work with Religious Associations,
underlined the significance of the conference in bringing all
Muslim countries together which would help strengthen their
solidarity. He said “As was pointed out by late President Heydar
Aliyev in 1994, the religion of Islam has for centuries formed the
basis of the spiritual existence of Muslim peoples and enabled
them to acquire a place in the world. In Azerbaijan, the Holy
Mr. Ramiz Zekaj
Mr. Bouzed Boumedienne
H.E.Hidayat Orujov
H.E.Mr. Shahjahan Miah
4
Newsletter May-August, No: 82 / September-December 2010, No: 83