No: S-13015) in Bangladesh, dedicated to spread the recitation of Holy Quran through teaching & organizing Int’l Qirat Conferences since 1966. The International Quran Recitation Association (IQRA) was formed at the end of January in 1966 in West Pakistan. This was the first organization of Quran Reciters (Qari’s) in the world. The persons behind formulation of International Quran Recitation Association (IQRA) are as follows:
1. Sheikh Mahmoud Khalil Al Hussori (Egypt) - President [first committee]
2. Qari Zaher Qasmi (Pakistan) – Secretary General of IQRA
3. Sheikh Abdul Basit Muhammad Abdus Samad (Egypt) – Executive member
4. Sheikh Qari Muhammad Yusuf (Bangladesh) - Executive member
5. Sheikh Ali Muhammad Sharfuddin (Yemen) - Executive member
6. Qari Muhammad ilias (Pakistan) - Executive member
8. Mawlana Asif Qasmi (Pakistan) - Executive member
The 1st International Quran Recitation Conference was organized in February, 1966. The 2nd International Quran Recitation Conference was organized in the following year, January 1967.The conference took place at Karachi, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet under the auspices of IQRA. Quran Reciters of 17 countries attended the conference and they were selected as life members of IQRA. The participated countries were-
Egypt, Pakistan, Bangladesh (the then East Pakistan), Lebanon, Yemen, Malaysia, Iran, Indonesia, Morocco, Turkey, Sri lanka, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Philippine, Nigeria, Sudan and Soviet Russia. Following after second conference some political crisis and within few years the death of the IQRA president along with some other important members, the activities of International Qur’an Recitation Association (IQRA) came to a halt. Sheikh Qari Muhammad Yusuf (Rah.) from Bangladesh who was one of the founder member of IQRA who managed to reactivate IQRA in Bangladesh In 1991. Under the auspices of International Quran Recitation Association (IQRA) Bangladesh, the first International Quran Recitation Conference was held at Outer Stadium, Dhaka on 15th November 1991. The conference was inaugurated by the then Honorable President of Bangladesh, Mr. Abdur Rahman Biswas. International Quran Recitation Association (IQRA) is a not for profit registered Social & Religious organization dedicated to spread the correct recitation and teaching of holy Quran. IQRA has been consistently organizing Quran recitation conferences at several locations in Bangladesh since 1991 till now. IQRA created an immense interest in and love for the correct recitation of the holy Quran among the people of Bangladesh. IQRA plays a vital role to strengthen our existing brotherly relationship with the people of Muslim countries in the world.
