Quran's teachings 'must be practised'

Muslims should read the Holy Quran constantly and practice its teachings as this will save them on the Day of Judgment, according to a renowned Muslim scholar.

"Reading the Quran helps a Muslim on Judgment Day and crowns him with dignity and pride just like a university student who wears a cap on his day of graduation," said Shaikh Nabeel Al Awadi, Deputy Director-General of the Committee of Identifying Islam in Kuwait.

He warned against deserting the Quran and said this was unforgivable and unacceptable.

"Unfortunately, millions are only using it for decoration without reading it," he said.

He delivered a lecture titled The Quran Don't Desert It, about reading the Quran and the importance of practising it as part of the activities of the Dubai International Holy Quran Award (DIHQA) on Monday.

Shaikh Al Awadi said there were many individuals who read the Quran without understanding it or abiding by it.

He said Allah's words in the Quran help solve any sort of problem.

"The Quran is the best service that we could offer to the world in order to solve the world's problems," he said.

He said once a Chinese man who was passing by a mosque heard from the minaret an imam (prayer leader) reading the Quran.

He loved what he heard and entered the mosque.

He loved the sound of the Quran and he felt humble and submissive.

"When he heard it was the Quran he instantly converted to Islam. Then he brought four of his friends who also converted to Islam just because they heard the intonation of Allah's words," he said.

Shaikh Al Awadi called on all Muslims to read, understand and abide by the Quran instead of deserting it as millions are doing nowadays.

He explained that reading the Quran was not the only act required. People should be thinking about its content, reading the lessons, and implementing them because familiarising oneself with the Quran makes a person, on Judgment Day, unable to claim that he was ignorant.

"God's words fill the heart with relief, joy and peace; besides, it makes the person feel more faithful and religious," he said.

Addressing more than 450 people at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he said a French Muslim student had met one of her colleagues in the university.

The cover of his book had a French translation of a Quranic verse. Her colleague did not know that it was a Quranic verse.

The other day the Muslim student brought him the translation and he instantly converted to Islam.

9th recitation contest begins

The DIHQA's 9th Quran recitation contest began yesterday at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Saeed Harib, Vice-chair of the Organising Committee of the DIHQA, inaugurated the event.

The DIHQA organising committee examined seven contenders of various nationalities. Earlier the Competitions Committee at DIHQA chose 50 contenders from different countries after they passed the primary tests.

Contestants taking part were from all over the globe, including Bosnian, Ethiopia and South Africa.

Chairman of the judging committee Shaikh Ahmad Al Maasarawi said he was pleased contestants from different parts of the world with different backgrounds were participating in the contest.

He said that the DIHQA had reached an international level with recognised support from Shaikh Mohammad who loved the Quran and supported youngsters who wished to memorise it.

He called on competitors to recite the Quran at a moderate speed and to avoid slow recitation.