Five contestants sit final tests on 9th day of Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Int’l Holy Quran Competition, 3rd edition

Dubai – UAE

Sallam Sallam  

 : With the last five contestants tested yesterday (Tuesday), the 3^rd edition of the Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak International Holy Quran Competition came to a close

57 sit final tests, six were disqualified

Records show that 57 out 63 participants managed to clear the initial qualifying tests, and appear in public for final examinations at the Cultural and Scientific Association at Al Mamzar area, Dubai, according to a top official

H.E Ibrahim Mohamed Bu Melha, Adviser to the Ruler of Dubai for Cultural and Humanitarian Affairs and Chairman of organising committee of the Dubai International Holy Quran Award (DIHQA), said six other contestants were unfortunately disqualified for poor performance

“All our partners worldwide have been urged to nominate the best of the best of their full Quran memorisers, and train them well for this prestigious global Quran competition which attracts competent memorisers from around the world”

The international competition, part of the Dubai International Holy Quran Award, started at the Cultural and Scientific Association at Al Mamzar area, Dubai, on November 04, he added

Concluding ceremony of competition to be held on Friday

“The top ten winners are to be announced in the concluding ceremony to be held on Friday, Nov 16,” he said

“The ceremony, to see a representative of the Mother of the Nation Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, is to feature a documentary film on the competition, and examples of tuneful recitations are to be included in the closing function” 

The ninth and final day of the competition saw the presence of H.E Ibrahim Mohamed Bu Melha, Adviser to the Ruler of Dubai for Cultural and Humanitarian Affairs and Chairman of organising committee of the Dubai International Holy Quran Award (DIHQA), and Dr. Saeed Abdullah Hareb, Vice Chairman of the Organising Committee

Also present were members of the DIHQA Organizing Committee, a number of officials, contestants and their assistants, businessmen, sponsors, some students from the Bilal Bin Rabah Quran Study Center in Dubai, and a large audience

Five contestants tested on final day of competition

The ninth day of the competition saw five contestants, includingFatime Mahamat Mahamoud, Chad, Noor Mohamed Abdulla Sultan Alhmoudi, UAE, Aqilah Binti Haji Ayop, Brunei, Fotima Vohidzoda, Tajikistan, and Hamdiatou Alassani, Togo

Participants so excited about participation in competition

All participants expressed their honour, pride and happiness to participate in this amazing competition, represent their countries, and meet with this big number of full Quran female memorisers from around the globe

Once full Quran contestant, now renowned arbitrator

Some 14 years back, the fourth edition of the Dubai International Holy Quran Award (Dihqa) saw a brilliant contestant from Nigeria. His name was Tahir Idris Al-Naim

This excellent full Quran memoriser, who mesmerized the audience and arbitration committee with his perfect memorisation and beautiful recitation, has come again to Dubai, but this time as one of the renowned judges of the arbitration committee

Having mastered all schools, rules, and arts of Quran recitation, Al-Naim managed to obtain a PhD in Islamic and Quranic studies that he becomes eligible for taking the stage as a judge in several competitions and this time in the Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak International Holy Quran Competition

“The Dubai International Holy Quran Award attracts not only the best of the best Quran memorisers worldwide, but also the most competent scholars and arbitrators,” he said. “It is really an honour to join this elite committee after these long years of hard work and commitment to the holy Quran”

“The Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak International Holy Quran Competitionis now the first and most important Quran contest in the world in terms of development, services, perfect organization, and model coordination with all the entities concerned”

The organising committee of the Dubai International Holy Quran Award plays a significant role in sponsoring scientists, learners, and memorisers of the Quran, he added

“All Arab and Muslim countries and foreign communities worldwide are so keen to participate in the competition and all branches of the Dubai International Holy Quran Award every year”

“This is mainly due to God’s help, commitment of organising committee, and unlimited support of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, whose humanitarian initiatives speak volume in every nook and corner”

Bu Melha exchanges trophies with diplomats and sponsors

H.E Ibrahim Mohamed Bu Melha, Adviser to the Ruler of Dubai for Cultural and Humanitarian Affairs and Chairman of organising committee of the Dubai International Holy Quran Award, presented the trophy of the Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak International Holy Quran Competition to Dubai Customs for sponsoring the activities of the 9th day of the competition

He, along withDr. Saeed Abdullah Hareb, Vice Chairman of the Organizing Committee and Ahmed Al Zahid, Member of the Organizing Committee, Head of the Media Unit, honoured all sponsors, staff and volunteers, and media people

They also gave a special honouring to the family of Ali Hassan Humaid from Iraq as the model Quranic family. “The parents of this exceptional family have managed to teach their two daughters and three sons, who are all visually impaired, the holy Quran, and one of those girls is participating in the third edition of the Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak International Holy Quran Competition”

Lucrative Prizes Await Top Winners

H.E Bu Melha said while lucrative prizes await top winners, the one who manages to rank first will receive Dh250,000, as compared to Dh200,000 for the second, and Dh150,000 for the third

“Up to Dh65,000 will be given to the winner of the fourth position in comparison to Dh60,000 for the fifth, Dh55,000 for the sixth, Dh50,000 for the seventh, Dh45,000 for the eighth, Dh40,000 for the ninth, Dh35,000 for the tenth”

Those who rank eleventh and below but manage to score 80% will receive Dh30,000 each, he added. “Those who score 70% to 79% will be presented with Dh25,000, and those who score 69% or less will go home with Dh20,000 each”

Emirati contestant proud to represent UAE in competition

24-year-old Noor Mohamed Abdulla Sultan Alhmoudi said she was so honoured to represent her beloved country, UAE, in the third edition of the Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak International Holy Quran Competition

The full Quran memoriser, based in Fujairah, is doing her master’s degree in Fiqh or jurisprudence in the University of Sharjah

“I started memorising the Quran at an early age with the help and encouragement of my parents, particularly my father who used to accompany me to Quran memorisation sessions at the mosque, and then to a specialized Quran study centre in Fujairah where I learnt the Quran in full”

However, Noor gave more time to the Holy Quran when she was 17, and managed to finish her journey of Quran memorisation in just one year

“I have participated in so many local Quran competitions; mainly the Sheikha Hind Bint Maktoum Quran Competition, the Quran Competition of the General Authority for Islamic Affairs and Endowment in Abu Dhabi, Ajman Holy Quran Competition, but the Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak International Holy Quran Competition is my first international participation”

Though Noor managed to learn the Quran in full some time back, she affirmed that this was not everything, as she needed to keep refreshing her memorisation so as not to forget it

“I was so excited to finish and refresh my full Quran memorisation twice, but it was not that perfect, and I needed to exert more effort, and the Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak International Holy Quran Competition was the greatest motive to finish this big sacred mission as perfect as due”

Noor was so happy about the spiritually uplifting gathering. “It is so inspiring to meet this big number of full Quran memorisers from around the globe, but the competition was so stiff, and the performance of most contestants was so remarkable,” she said, extending her sincere appreciation to the organising committee of the Dubai International Holy Quran Award for their tireless effort to make a big success of this global competition

“They have provided us with everything needed from accommodation to food, gifts, trips, transport, medical check-ups, and sincere advice,” she said. “I feel honoured and gifted to represent my country in this prestigious competition”   

Later, and as is the case every day, the morning and evening sessions of the competition concluded with the distribution of cash and in-kind prizes to the audience as per a raffle draw