Muslims in Nigeria are in a race to complete recitation of the Qur'an as many times as possible before Ramadan winds down, with many parents enticing their children to memorize the holy book in return for gifts, among other things.
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"In my family, because my wife and myself are both working, we challenged ourselves to see who reads the Qur'an how many times during the holy month," Hassan Abubakar, a banker and father of two children, told OnIslam about how his family observe spirituality in Ramadan.
"Last year, she beat me by reading it three times while I only read it once and then another half. But I'm determined not to lose to her this year.
"Alihamdulillahi, I have finished reading the Qur'an once this year just a day after she finished hers. But curiously, I am now leading her in the second. Maybe she's deliberately slowing down for me," Abubakar said, adding he hopes to also recite the while Qur'an three times this year.
Ramadan, the holiest month in Islamic calendar, kicked-off in Nigeria on June 18.
In Ramadan, Muslims, save the sick and those traveling, abstain from food, drink, smoking and sex between dawn and sunset.
Muslims dedicate their time during the holy month to be closer to Allah (swt) through prayers, self-restraint and good deeds.
Known as the month of Qur'an, it is customary for Muslims to spend part of the days during Ramadan studying, reciting and reading from it.
For Ibrahim Eshinlokun, a civil engineer, he is encouraging his children to memorize as many verses of the Qur'an as they can, with a promise to reward who memorizes the most verses.
"I have three children, two boys and a girl. All of them can recite the Qur'an, Masha Allah. But we have given them the task of using the month to memorize the holy book. There is a gift for everyone but the best among them has a star prize," Eshinlokun said.
"I promised them a very good holiday if they put up a good show in memorizing the Qur'an. And because they are just starting their third term examination and holiday is just a few days away, I can see the excitement. I am just using it to encourage them to get closer to the Qur'an."
Eshinlokun said he is also taking part in memorizing the Qur'an.
"I am not just leaving them to do this. I am a part of it. We have the target to memorize between 10 and 20 surah. I must confess I am not so good at memorizing though I am struggling not to be defeated," he said.
Alhaja Shakira Olasumbo, a chartered accountant, said she spends her weekends attending Qur'an tafseer since she is not able to recite the holy book by herself.
"But I have a four-year-old son who has started memorizing the Qur'an. I pray Allah bless him to be very versed in the knowledge of the Qur'an," she said.
"In order to encourage him, I have tasked him to memorize 10 surah in return insha Allah [God willing] for a gift of big children's car on his next birthday.
"He is very excited and I see him beating the record set for him insha Allah. May Allah make it easy for all of us. I am also determined to learn the Qur'an very soon," Olasumbo added.
Babazanna Abdulkarim, a resident of Nigeria's northeastern town of Maiduguri, said that Ramadan is an opportunity he uses to boost spirituality by forming a circle for recitation of Qur'an.
"Of course, all of us in my family and even our circle of friends do recite the Qur'an before Ramadan, but of course the intensity increases during the month," he told OnIslam.net.
"For instance we form a circle of friends to recite the Qur'an verse after verse. At iftar, we invite people over to our places for iftar and general prayers to seek Allah's blessings especially as regards [to] the ongoing crisis in our region."
Abdulkarim said he and his friends also visit the camps of those who are internally displaced in the town to "distribute food and other stuffs we feel they need."
