Dubai: Some 35 male inmates will soon be released from Dubai's Central Jail after having memorised the entire Quran or parts of it in the prison.
The Dubai International Holy Quran Award (DIHQA) ,in cooperation with the General Department of Punitive Establishments of Dubai Police, honoured 173 male and female inmates who memorised the entire or parts of the Quran in 2005.
The inmates, who will be released, memorised the Quran and got deductions in their sentences upon the directives of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to reduce the jail terms of inmates who memorise the Quran, said Ebrahim Mohammad Bu Melha, Chairman of the DIHQA organising committee said.
A.M., a 26-year-old UAE national inmate sentenced for life, is among the inmates who will be released.
"I spent four-and-a-half years in jail and memorised the entire Quran. My goal after getting out is to help my family and get married," he said.
Until the end of last year, 665 inmates benefited from the sentence deductions.
Bu Melha said 1,702 male inmates and 163 female inmates had joined the Inmates Memorisation Programme since it started in 2002. Nine of them memorised the entire Quran, 19 memorised 20 sections, 15 15 sections, 123 10 sections, 221 five sections and 41 three sections.
Sections memorised Term deducted
Entire Quran 20 years
20 sections 15 years
15 sections 10 years
10 sections 5 years
5 sections One year
3 sections Six months
