TEHRAN – A major Qur’anic event, with the participation of Mahfel TV show hosts, is set to mark the start of the Islamic Unity Week at the Imam Reza (AS) Holy Shrine in Mashhad.
The Great Prophet Courtyard of the shrine will host the event on Thursday, with tens of thousands of pilgrims expected to embrace the program.
Titled “In Love of the Prophet,” the event will celebrate the start of Islamic Unity Week and the blessed birthdays of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Imam Sadigh (AS).
Prominent qaris and hosts of Mahfel TV show namely Ahmad Abolghasemi, Sayyid Hassanayn al-Hulw, Hamed Shakernejad, Hojat-ol-Islam Gholamreza Ghasemian, and Rizwan Darwish are set to attend the event.
Mahfel, a Qur’anic TV show aired on the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) during the holy month of Ramadan, has attracted millions of viewers who tuned in just before breaking their fast to listen to the Holy Quran.
The second season of the program was broadcast just before sunset every day in the holy month this year. It offered a spiritual oasis for viewers as they prepared to break their fast.
With a primary focus on the Qur’an, the show aimed to enrich the brief moments of respite for fasting individuals through insightful discussions and captivating recitations.
The 17th day of Rabi al-Awwal, which falls on September 21 this year, is believed by Shia Muslims to mark the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), while Sunni Muslims regard the 12th day of the month (September 12 this year) as the birthday of the last prophet.
The interval between the two dates is celebrated every year as the Islamic Unity Week.
Late Founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran Imam Khomeini (RA) declared the occasion as the Islamic Unity Week back in the 1980s.
Meanwhile, the 38th edition of the Qur’an and Etrat competition of Iran’s university students has begun the northwestern city of Tabriz, with the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences hosting the event. 
A total of 277 contenders are competing in different categories in the men and women sections after making it to the finals.
Tarteel, Qur’an recitation, memorization of the Qur’an at different levels, recitation of supplications and elegy recitation are among the categories of the contest.
A total of 45 Qur’an experts are serving in the panels of judges in the men and women sections. The competition which began on Monday will run until Wednesday.
The annual event is jointly organized by the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology and the Ministry of Health and Medical Science. It is aimed at promoting Qur’anic teachings among university students.