Quran memorisation contest gets underway

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum last night opened the Dubai International Holy Quran Award which features 70 contestants from around the world.

Six contestants from Lebanon, Kenya, Denmark, Iran, Tanzania and Germany were tested at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The Lebanese contestant, Mahmud Mohamad El Kafri, 18, said he started memorising the Holy Quran when he was 10 years old. He participated in contests in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. He is the sixth among his brothers and sisters and wishes to be a Muslim scholar.

Mohammed Ali Hadi, 17, of Iraqi origin, represented Denmark. He started memorizing the Holy Book when he was 11 and finished a few months ago. Essa Khorshedi, 21, from Iran, started memorising the Quran when he was 18 and finished when he was 20.

Salehe Seif Said, 13, represented Tanzania in the contest which will end on Ramadan 18. Hamoud Ould Mohamdy, 19, is of Mauritanian origin and represents Germany. He studies economics in the University of Kiel. The winner will be presented Dh250,000, while the second place winner will receive Dh150,000 and the third winner will get Dh100,000.

General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Minister of Defence, the founder-patron of the award will grace the closing ceremony at the Dubai Convention Centre on Ramadan 20.

Dr Aref Al Sheikh, Chairman of the Technical Committee, said that 70 points are allocated for memorisation, 25 points for recitation and five points for the voice of a contestant.

"A judge sounds the bell each time a contestant makes a mistake, which costs him half a point. Each contestant will be corrected this way twice. Upon the third mistake, a judge will step in telling the contestant the correct verse. With this mistake, the contestant loses a full point," Dr Aref said.

He added that other recitation mistakes may be registered without interrupting the contestant's recitation. "Preliminary tests are going on until the last contestant arrives in the country."

Tonight, six more contestants from Palestine, Belgium, Afganistan, Kuwait, Myanmar and Australia will be tested.