DUBAI, 5 April 2008 — Sitting at the head of a class, correcting a student’s recitation of the Holy Qur’an, Ata, 29, seems like any other Qur’an teacher.
However, what differentiates this tutor from others is the fact that Ata — who memorized the Qur’an in prison — is currently serving a life sentence for murder at Dubai Prison in Al-Aweer.
His students, all convicts, are participants of a unique Dubai government initiative — launched in 2002 by the late ruler of Dubai Sheikh Maktoum ibn Rashid Al-Maktoum — to release prisoners who memorize Islam’s holy book early.
Sheikh Maktoum was inspired by the belief that the Qur’an offers spiritual guidance and provides its readers with the ethos to lead upright lives.
“If an inmate honors the Holy Qur’an, then God will help him or her change themselves into becoming a better person,” said Ibrahim Bu Melha, chairman of the Dubai International Holy Qur’an Award, which is running the program.
Prisoners who memorize the entire Qur’an are released 20 years early, those who memorize 20 chapters get 15 years off, those who memorize 15 chapters get 10 years off, those who memorize 10 chapters get five years off, those who memorize five chapters get a year off, and those who memorize three chapters get six months off.
However, as a convicted murderer, Ata is unable to have his jail term lessened. The program is not open to murderers and people guilty of serious crimes. “I’ve been in prison for 12 years and every day I regret what I did,” he said.
In fact, Ata was not allowed to join the program initially. However, his constant pestering to participate paid off and he was allowed to join after six months. It took him one year and three months to memorize the Qur’an in its entirety.
“When the program started I enrolled even though I knew that my term would not be reduced. I had already started to memorize the Qur’an by myself, as the words of God gave me strength to deal with imprisonment,” said Ata.
Because of his dedication, Ata’s Qur’an teacher recommended he be enlisted as an assistant teacher. A couple of years ago, he was promoted as a teacher. He now has 28 students and conducts lessons in the mornings and evenings. He also receives a monthly salary, which he sends to his mother and younger siblings in Pakistan.
Lt. Col. Dr. Adel Al-Suwaidi, director of the Inmate’s Education and Training Department, said that hundreds of inmates have benefited from the program since its launch. “It has helped a lot with the morals of the prisoners. We also have less trouble from those who are enrolled on the program,” he said.
Al-Suwaidi said those that take part in the program are less likely to go off the track again. “Out of the hundreds, who have benefited, only four have returned to prison. Those four are drug addicts,” he said.
For Ata, the program is a blessing from God. “It has given me a purpose in life and something to look forward to instead of years of doing nothing. Now I have dedicated myself to teaching the Qur’an and hope that the Holy Book will give strength to my students to stay on the right path after their release,” he said.
