Ghanaians beats all to win Hadith contest

A Ghanaian, Mohammed Kamal, has won the first-ever continent-wide competition on the Hadith (the sayings and actions of the Prophet Mohammed, SAW), marking a significant achievement at the Africa level.

The competition, held online, was organized by the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Oulema under the patronage of His Majesty, King Mohammed VI of Morocco. The event began with country-level contests across the foundation’s African branches, with winners in three categories advancing to represent their countries in the final round.

The virtual grand finale brought together over 120 finalists from 48 African nations, where another Ghanaian, Abdallah Alhassan, placed fourth.

Ghana triumphed over contestants from Arabic-speaking countries like Mauritania and Sudan, as well as predominantly Muslim countries such as Niger, Mali, Chad, Senegal, and Nigeria. Many of these countries have a longstanding tradition of rigorous Islamic education through rote memorization and intensive study, making Ghana’s success a remarkable milestone for sub-Saharan Africa.

The competition was particularly challenging as it targeted seasoned scholars of Hadith. Contestants were required to memorize 20 Hadiths focused on religious rulings and demonstrate their understanding of how these rulings apply across various branches of Islamic jurisprudence.

In an interview, winner Mohammed Kamal shared that while the contest was demanding, his prayers, dedication, and commitment to Allah helped him succeed. He encouraged fellow students to respect their teachers, take their studies seriously, and put in the hard work required to achieve their goals.

Sheikh Mustapha Ibrahim, President of the Ghana Branch of the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Oulema, expressed his pride in Kamal’s accomplishment, congratulating his family and teachers. He praised Kamal’s dedication to mastering the Hadith and commended the Ghanaian branch of the foundation for its efforts. Sheikh Ibrahim also encouraged Ghanaian Islamic students to embrace the teachings of the Prophet, study the Quran, and participate in similar competitions.

Sheikh Ibrahim further urged parents to support both secular and Arabic education, encouraging their children to participate in Quran and Hadith competitions. He also extended congratulations to all participants, the organizers, teachers, and everyone who contributed to the success of the event.

In a similar online competition, the grand finale of the 5th annual Quranic memorization contest, another Ghanaian, Muhibba Mohammed Khamis, earned recognition as the youngest female contestant.