Tahfidz Graduation at SMP Juara Bandung
On the cool morning of Tuesday, May 10, 2023, students in white uniforms arrived at school with bright smiles. They were warmly greeted by the teachers. “Are you ready for the Tahfidz Graduation today?” asked one teacher to a student. “I’m ready, insha Allah,” the student replied confidently.
In early January 2023, all students embarked on the TTQ (Tahfidz, Tilawah, and Qira’at) program, striving to meet the target of memorizing three juz (chapters) of the Quran. A total of 240 students put forth their utmost effort to reach this goal. They became so closely engaged with the Quran that some even recited verses in their sleep. For ninth-grade students, after nearly four months of hard work in the second semester, they finally faced the Final Tahfidz Exam in collaboration with the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Bandung City on Thursday, May 4, 2023. The exam results showed that almost 90% of the students earned the “Outstanding” designation.
On Wednesday, May 10, 2023, the highlight of the TTQ program took place at SMP Juara Bandung: the Quran Tahfidz Graduation. A total of 84 students participated, including all ninth graders and students from seventh and eighth grades who had met the minimum target of three juz.
The graduation ceremony was solemn and lively, attended by prominent guests such as Mr. H. Iman Aminuddin, SH., M.Kn., Head of Islamic Education at the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Bandung City, who expressed his profound appreciation for SMP Juara Bandung’s unwavering commitment to Quranic programs.
Also present were the PAI Supervisors from SMP Juara Bandung, the Primary Supervisor from the Bandung City Department of Education and Culture, and the CEO of Indonesia Juara Foundation. The CEO encouraged the students to remain steadfast in their Quranic review (muraja’ah) to retain their memorization.
Mr. Putra Muhammad Pajruddin, SE, Principal of SMP Juara Bandung, also reminded the graduates to not only memorize the Quran but to learn and practice its teachings as a guide for life.
During the ceremony, the invited guests randomly tested the graduates, who, with Allah’s help, were able to answer all questions.
Among the 84 students, three successfully completed memorizing all 30 juz: Dzaki Nur Ramadhan, Akram, and M. Fadhil. These students shared that their desire to memorize the Quran came from within, with no external pressure. Dzaki Nur Ramadhan, one of the graduates, mentioned that his personal drive to memorize the Quran deepened his love for it.
The event concluded with a prayer led by one of the parents, who expressed his pride and gratitude to SMP Juara Bandung for helping his daughter memorize three juz. After the prayer, the Quran Tahfidz Graduation for the 2022-2023 academic year officially ended.
Mustofa, Lc., M.Fil.I.