7 contestants sat final tests on Day-2 of Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Int’l Holy Quran Competition
Dubai – UAE
Sallam Sallam
Up to 13 contestants have so far sat the final test of the Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak International Holy Quran Competition, 3rd edition. These included seven participants who were examined on
Monday as part of the second day activities
The event, being held at the Dubai Cultural and Scientific Association from 4 to 16 November, witnessed the presence of H.E Ibrahim Mohammed Bu Melha, Advisor to His Highness the Ruler of Dubai for Cultural and Humanitarian Affairs, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Dubai International Holy Quran Award (DIHQA)
Also present were members of the DIHQA Organizing Committee, a number of officials, the contestants and their assistants, and some students from the Bilal Bin Rabah Quran Study Center in Dubai, and a large audience
Later, father of Cameroonian contestant Maryam Samiyah Ismail presented a gift to H.E Ibrahim Mohamed Bu Melha. It consist of some panels used by Quran memorisers in Cameroon and some African countries in writing the entire Quran before being granted the title of ‘Hafez’ or ‘Full Quran Memoriser’. Should the errors exceed a certain number, the learner is asked to rewrite the Quran in full again
The second day of the competition saw a stiff competition among seven contestants. These included Kadiatou Doucoure, Congo Brazzaville, Messoude Toulba, Mauritania, Mohaba Mifta Baroda, Ethiopia, Sara Mohamed Abdullah Hasan Husaini, Bahrain, Putri Nur Nadia Binti Bakri, Malaysia, Asmaou Said Himidi, Union Des Comores, and Fatima Jalloh, Sierra Leone
All participants expressed their ultimate happiness to be part of this popular global competition which is one of the most important Quran competitions in the world
The third day of the competition is to see seven more contestants. These include Khansaa Hussein Ahmed, Kenya, Khaoula Azouz, Algeria, Patimat Magomedova, Daghstan, Sajeda Mahd Ali Awadi, Jordan, Rahma Bamuwaayira Kasoma, Uganda, Zainab Natha Mohamed Naleem, Sri Lanka, and Hawa Mohamed Wais, Djibouti
The morning and evening sessions of the competition are always concluded with the distribution of cash and in-kind prizes to the audience as per a raffle draw
The Award Organizing Committee thanked all local and international media for covering and telecasting the activities of the competition that has attracted a large number of officials and foreign communities nationwide
Interviews with Contestants
In an interview with some competitors, 20-year-old Mauritanian contestant Messoude Toulba said she proudly came all the way from Nouakchott the capital with a big hope to return home with biggest prize
“Both my father, who is an imam of a mosque back home, and my mother, are full Quran memorisers”
Her parents used to encourage her and her siblings about their journey with the Holy Quran, and how they managed to have this honour
“I started memorising the Quran at the age of seven and finished at 12,” she said, noting that she did not go to school until she finished memorising the Quran in full. “This was the top priority for me and my entire family”
“Imagine that you are going to stand in front of Almighty Allah who will order her to recite and Quran and get elevated to a higher rank as per the amount you used to recite in life,” these were my permanent words of my father to me
He used to explain everything related to each and every verse of the holy Quran to Messoude to get a better idea and memorise it as perfect as possible. “He even used to act and link whatever I learned by heart with real life”
Having shown an exceptional performance in a local competition home, Messoude was nominated to represent her country in an international Quran competition in Jourdan
“But, I have been long waiting to compete in the Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak International Holy Quran Competition from the very moment I watched it on TV. It is a big dream for all female Quran memorisers to chip in this prestigious competition”
Mohaba Mifta Baroda, Ethiopia, said she was so happy to participate in this competition. “This is actually my first international participation, and I wish to return home with the big prize”
Having shown an exceptional performance in a local competition specially organised for nominating the representative of her country, she managed to far excel all her counterparts, and is now representing her country in the competition
“I started memorising the Quran at the age of 17, and with God’s help, family support, and a firm will, I managed to finish memorization in a record time of only eight months”
Mohaba’s brother, who is also a full Quran memoriser, used to encourage her, and stay up late with her so that she could finish the memorization in a shorter time
24-year-old Bahraini contestant Sara Mohammed Abdullah Hassan Hosseini is a graduate of the College of Civil Engineering
“My mother, who is a full Quran memoriser, helped me much,” she said. “I started memorising the Quran at the age of seven and finished when I was 11”
Sara participated in several international Quran competitions in Jordan and Algeria, but there was a big difference between them and Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak International Holy Quran Competition. “This one is much better in terms of reception, organization, setting, and prizes in favour of the latter”
Memorising the Quran is not a big deal, but it needs full determination and a firm will, she underlined. “No matter how perfect one memorises the Quran, reciting it in public in front of this big audience and competent arbitration committee is so hard and challenging”
This competition has helped her refresh her memorization of the Quran, she added. “Memorising the Quran has had a significant impact on my entire life and academic study”
