The 2023 Musabaqah Tilawatil Qur’an Mahasiswa (MTQ-M) or Students Competition of the Holy Quran Recitation was officially opened by the Rector of Hasanuddin University (UNHAS), Prof. Jamaluddin Jompa, M.Sc well known as Prof JJ, on Monday, April 10, 2023, at the ground floor of the Rectorate Building. This MTQ-M is an annual competition held by the Students Affairs of UNHAS during Ramadan when all Muslims observe the whole month. This MTQ-M was also attended by the Vice-Rector for Academic and Students Affairs, fellow Vice Deans of several faculties, and a council of judges.
The chief committee, Dr. Abdullah Sanusi, reported that the number of participants this year was 374 students. Of this number, the students from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) reached the highest with 63 students, followed by the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA) with 50 students and the Faculty of Medicine (FK) with 46 students. In addition, Dr. Sanusi explained that this year MTQ-M was followed by five international students participating in several types of competitions such as one student joined five chapters of the holy Quran memorization competition, three students joined the holy Quran recitation and one student participated in a quiz contest on the Quran contents.
In responding to Dr. Sanusi’s report, Prof JJ told the Vice-Rector for Academic and Students Affairs to provide category winners to international students who took part in this MTQ-M as this was the first time participated by international students coming from four different countries, namely Palestine, Yemen, Jordan, and Burkina Faso. In addition, Prof. JJ reminded the participants that the context should not be to win trophies but to improve spiritual abilities that can develop their characters that love the holy Quran, their families, the nation, and their country.