Holy Quran competition gets one more category

While the main Quran competition started on Saturday night, the 11-category Dubai International Holy Quran Award (DIHQA) saw one more branch.

The five-member arbitration committee with chief judge Sheikh Athamneh. –Supplied photo

The 12th section comprises the recording of the tuneful recitations of competent Emirati and resident Quran memorisers, according to Ibrahim bu Melha, Chairman of the organising committee – DIHQA.

“The move is aimed at encouraging Quran memorisers in the UAE to hone their skills in terms of memorisation and recitation and give the chance to exceptional voices.”

The other categories of the iconic Quran Award include the International Holy Quran Contest, the Islamic Personality of the Year, Shaikha Hind bint Maktoum Quran Award, the Memorisation of the Holy Quran at Prisons, Lectures and Seminars Programme and the UAE National Memoriser Programme.

The award also includes the Most beautiful Recitation Contest, the Quranic Science Studies Programme, the Recitations (Qiraat) Programme, the Mushaf (The Quran of) Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the Centre of Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Centre for Manuscripts.

Bu Melha, Adviser to the Ruler of Dubai for Cultural and Humanitarian Affairs, also unveiled the first recording of full Quran recitation by popular Emirati reader, Eng Osama Al Safi. “This is the first implementation of the new branch.”

So far, 14 contestants have written the final public examination on the first two days of the main Quran contest at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry after the Taraweeh prayers at 10.30pm.

The first batch included six competitors from Ethiopia, Benin, Iraq, Netherlands, Nepal and Afghanistan while the second saw participants from Mauritania, Malaysia, Kuwait, Burkina Faso, Sri Lanka, Union Des Comoros, Mali, and Kosovo.

The 18th edition of the Dubai International Holy Quran Award, being held under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, is to see up to 87 participants from around the world over the period from July 5 to 17.

“Big prizes await toppers: the first winner will be awarded Dh250,000; the second Dh200,000, and the third Dh150,000. Winners from the fourth to the tenth will be gifted from Dh65,000 with Dh5,000 less each. The rest of the participants will receive a bonus of Dh30,000 each,” he said.

The Chief Arbitrator of the judging panel Jordanian scholar Sheikh Sameeh Ahmed Athamneh, said whenever people talk about Ramadan, the holy month of the Quran, they remember the Dubai International Holy Quran Award.

“The iconic 18-year-old Quran award has become a milestone and even the mother of all Quran awards around the world with its diverse categories and high standard and precise arbitration.”

The 12-category award encourages all Quran memorisers to comply with and keep close touch with this miraculous divine book, he added.

Sheikh Athamneh then enlightened the participants on the arbitration rules to observe to get the full 100 marks. “Some 60 marks go to memorisation while 35 marks will be given to Tajweed or recitation, and five marks for tuneful voice and good performance.”

ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com