The event, which took place at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Deira, saw the presence of a number of Shaikhs, ministers, senior officials and dignitaries.

Saudi contestant Adel Mamoud G. Al Khier came first in the Quran memorisation category and won the Dh250,000 prize money, pushing Chadian Alhaj Mahamat Djidda and Libyan Abdelbari R. Ali Bsibsu to second and third spots, respectively.

While Djidda won Dh200,000, Bsibsu bagged Dh150,000.

The other top eight were Bello Amada Mahamat (Niger), Omer Mohamed Adam Gote (Sudan), Jamal-Ud-Din El-Kiki (Australia), Zayad Ali Omar Balhatish Al Jaberi (UAE), Ahmad Ali Taha (Lebanon), Abdallah Aribi (Algeria), and Patel Wacil (France). They were gifted Dh65,000 to Dh35,000 — Dh5,000 less for each lower position.

Top 10 Quran memorisers Adel Mamoud G. Al Khier, Saudi Arabia Alhaj Mahamat Djidda, Chad Abdelbari R. Ali Bsibsu, Libya Bello Amada Mahamat, Niger Omer Mohamed Adam Gote, Sudan Jamal-Ud-Din El-Kiki, Australia Zayad Ali Omar Balhatish Al Jaberi, UAE Ahmad Ali Taha, Lebanon Abdallah Aribi, Algeria Patel Wacil, France

Top five most beautiful reciters Mohammad Nazmus Sakib Rumman, Bangladesh Ebrahim Saeed, Yemen Mohammed Ashraf, Egypt Ulul Amri Jaenudin, Indonesia Ahmad Harir, Afghanistan

The contestants, who scored 80 per cent and above, were rewarded with Dh30,000 each, while those whose performance was estimated at 70 to 79 per cent received Dh25,000 each. The participants with scores less than 70 per cent got Dh20,000 each. Certificates and cash prizes were given away to other participants as well.

The top five winners in the ‘Most Beautiful Recitation’ contest were named on Sunday night. They were Mohammad Nazmus Sakib Rumman (Bangladesh), Ebrahim Saeed (Yemen), Mohammed Ashraf (Egypt), Ulul Amri Jaenudin (Indonesia) and Ahmad Harir (Afghanistan). They were gifted in turn with special prizes of Dh5,000, Dh4,000, Dh2,000, Dh2,000, and Dh1,000.

Three contestants with tuneful voices initiated the ceremony with some verses from the Holy Quran, followed by the speeches of Award organising committee chairman Ibrahim Bu Melha and arbitration committee head Sheikh Ibrahim Al Akhdhar.

Three documentaries were displayed on the award’s 17-year history, an outstanding Quran memoriser and Dr Sheikh Zakir Naik who won the Dh1-million Islamic Personality of the Year award. Finally, the sponsors, jury members and top ten winners were honoured.

Bu Melha, who is also the Adviser to the Ruler of Dubai for Cultural and Humanitarian Affairs, said the award, which started with two sections in 1997, had branched out to 11 categories in 2012 and saw the participation of 160 countries over its 17-year history.

“This is basically due to the incessant support of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.”

The ceremony this year coincided with the ninth death anniversary of Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, founder of the UAE, godfather of all Emiratis, prudent leader and noble man, Bu Melha said.

“The award, in commemoration of the death anniversary of Shaikh Zayed, is planning to run an international Quran competition among all top winners of every international Quran competition from next year.”

Head of the jury panel Al Akhdhar from Saudi Arabia said the 12-day competition this year saw 80 contestants selected from an original list of 90, after the apology of the three competitors of Singapore, New Zealand and Gabon. “Seven other contestants from Zambia, Benin, Belgium, Fiji, Norway, Grenada, and Mauritius were disqualified during initial tests for poor performance.”