The Islamic personality of the year is Dr Mohammad Saeed Ramadan Al Bouti as named by the organisers of the Dubai International Holy Quran Awards.

Ebrahim Bu Melha, chairman of the organising committee, made the announcement during a press conference yesterday. He said Dr Al Bouti was chosen unanimously by the award's committee.

Dr Al Bouti, a prominent Syrian scholar, will be awarded Dh1 million at a ceremony to be held under the patronage of General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and UAE Defence Minister, at the Dubai Airport Expo Centre on Ramadan 20.

Born in a village in north Iraq, Dr Al Bouti migrated with his father, the late Shaikh Muallah Ramadan, also a renowned scholar, to Damascus at the age of four.

He completed his Sharia secondary studies at Al Tawjeeh Al Islami Institute in Damascus and got his university degree in Sharia from Egypt's Al Azhar University in 1955.

In 1965 he received his PhD from the same university. Bu Melha said Dr Al Bouti was chosen from among many prominent Islamic scholars. He has been honoured for his distinguished contributions in the service of Islam.

"Dr Al Bouti is a noted writer on Islamic issues, literature, philosophy, sociology and civilisations. His books have been well-received the world over.

"Some of his titles include Europe from Technology to Spiritual Life, Freedom of Man, Islam and Contemporary Life, Dialogue is Way to Co-existence, The Economics between Communism and Islam and Islam is a Safe Haven for All Human Communities.

He has contributed to many international conferences in Arab and Islamic countries, Europe and the United States.

He is also a visiting professor at many Arab and Islamic universities and supervises the master's and doctoral degrees in the Sharia College at Damascus University and other universities.

Many of his fatwas and views can be found on his web site www.bouti.com.

The number of participants in the eighth edition of Holy Quran competition increased to 61 this year.

The contestants will be tested initially on their memorisation before the beginning of the competition on Ramadan 8. The contest is open to males under the age of 21.

The first-, second- and third-prize winners will receive Dh250,000, Dh150,000 and Dh100,000, respectively.

Al Bouti received his PhD from Al Azhar

  • Dr Mohammad Saeed Ramadan Al Bouti was born in Iraq.
  • His family emigrated to Damascus when he was four.
  • He did Sharia secondary studies at Al Tawjeeh Al Islami Institute in Damascus and got his degree from Egypt's Al Azhar University in 1955.
  • In 1965 he got his PhD degree from Al Azhar.