RAK Holy Quran contest begins

The third Ras Al Khaimah Prize for the Holy Quran began yesterday , with 52 contestants competing for top honours.

Sheikh Omar bin Abdul Aziz Al Qasimi, the Undersecretary of the prize, said the third edition of the award is characterised by two main features, in a bid to improve the event.

At a press conference on Tuesday at the Ras Al Khaimah Foundation for the Holy Quran and its Sciences, he said the prize this year was being sponsored by seven major establishments - four cement factories, two Islamic banks and the Ras Al Khaimah Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture.

The two previous competitions were solely sponsored by His Highness Sheikh Saqr bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah.

He said another change this year is the suspension of one category - the memorisation of five chapters.

In the past two years, the prize had four main categories: memorisation of the whole Quran, memorisation of 20 chapters, memorisation of 10 chapters and memorisation of five chapters.

The fourth category was suspended in order to raise the level of competition. Ras Al Khaimah has a large number of people who memorise five chapters of the Holy Quran and the foundation will give cash prizes to school students who memorise at least two chapters.

Saleh Mohammed Al Dhafiri, Director General of the foundation, said the final 52 contestants were selected after preliminary tests.

He said six men and three women qualified for the first category (memorising the whole Quran), eight men and three women qualified for the second category (memorising 20 chapters), and 27 men and five women qualified for the third category (memorising ten chapters).

He said due to the suspension of the fourth category the number of contestants this year had dropped. In the first edition of the prize 75 contestants took part and in the second 81.

The Ras Al Khaimah Prize for the Holy Quran was set up under the directives of Sheikh Saqr to highlight the excellence of people who memorise the Holy Quran or major parts of it.

The competition has been encouraging the young generation to memorise as much as possible of the Holy Quran and this is a major service to Islamic nations. The prize has also played a central role in activating the work of the Quran Memorisation Centres, and spread the spirit of competition.

Obaid Al Braiki, a member of the Board of Trustees of the foundation, said this year many other activities have been included.

Renowned religious scholars have been invited to deliver lectures during the competition which will conclude on February 27.

He said Sheikh Abdul Bari Al Thobaiti, who is the Imam of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) Mosque in Al Madinah Al Monawarah in Saudi Arabia, will be the guest of honour and will deliver more than one lecture, along with the Friday prayers and speeches at the Sheikh Zayed Mosque.

He added that four other renowned Islamic scholars, one each from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt and Kuwait and famous Egyptian actress Hanaa Tharwat, who gave up her career and became an Islamic preacher, will also be present.

An invitation will be delivered to the Al Quds Mufti to grace the competition.

Other main events will be recitation of Islamic songs at mosques.

The winner will receive Dh24,000 in cash, while the second prize carries Dh20,000 and the third Dh16,000.