Contestants find Quran memorisation easy, yet speak no Arabic

Competitors in the Dubai International Holy Quran Awards have memorised over 600 pages of Arabic text, but many of them do not understand a word of the language. All of them say it is not difficult to memorise the Holy Quran because they are responding to a strong spiritual conviction.

Nasrullah Niganned Yousif, a scholar and companion of India's competitors, who helped to translate from Urdu to Arabic, said, "God performed a miracle and certain people can memorise it without knowing the meaning. It is not easy even for someone who knows Arabic to memorise 600 pages."

Nasrullah, a teacher in an Islamic school in Delhi, said it is easier for children to memorise the Holy Quran before learning Arabic. The Singapore competitor does not understand a word of Arabic, but his recitation was one of the best. Muzammil bin Mohammed Yaseen, 13, said it was not difficult to memorise the Holy Quran, although he didn't understand it.

"When I was 10 years old I started memorising and finished it in one year and nine months. In the beginning I faced some difficulty, but I was very determined. I will start learning Arabic. I want to study jurisprudence and be a scholar," he said.

Muzammil said that if a person wants to do something, he should not put it off. It is better to start memorising the Holy Quran from an early age. Ata Allah Adhar Ahmed Sulaiman, 14, from France, memorised the Holy Quran in 14 months.

"I started when I was seven years old. I memorised it for about 16 hours a day. My father is Indian and my mother is French. "My three sisters, a brother, my father and my mother have memorised the Holy Quran. My mother encouraged me to memorise it and helped me a lot. I do not understand the words, but I will start learning Arabic."

Abdul Mateen Abdul Kareem, 13, from Nepal, said he started memorising four years ago and now wants to learn Arabic. "I memorised it for about eight hours a day and now I spend the same time every day  reciting it because I don't want to forget. I will start learning Arabic and I wish to be a scholar."

Zabeeh Allah Safee Allah Abdul Rashid from India said that he started memorising the Holy Quran when he was 10 years old and finished only recently. "I understand the words which also occur in Urdu. It was not difficult to memorise the 600 pages. The melody in the verses also made it easy.

"I feel proud to take part in such an international competition. We are all brothers even though we speak different languages." The Dubai International Holy Quran Award has also attracted diplomats from many countries.

Ali Hussein Al Abbani, Consul-General of Libya, said the award is the pride of Muslims and the Arab nation. "Attachment to the religion is the only way to development and modernisation," Al Abbani said.

"We in Libya realised this and we established the first Holy Quran competition in 1971 which was open to all Arab and Muslim countries. He said Libya is proud to be taking part in the Dubai International Holy Quran Award, especially since the winners of the first and second sessions were Libyan. The Libyan competitor came seventh last Ramadan.

Palestinian Consul-General Salmeem Abu Sultan said Arab and Muslim countries feel proud to take part in such an international event which encourages children to become attached to their religion.

"We feel proud as a Muslim nation to see that children less than 10 years old are memorisers of the Holy Quran," he said. Afghan Consul-General Aziz Al Rahman ABdul Ahad said, "I call on all Arab and Muslim countries to emulate this deed as it is a great motivation for children to memorise the Holy Quran."