THE stage was set in Dubai. It was a well-thought out bash, with massive prizes in cash and an array of noble luminaries on stage. The setting might seem like yet another “made-for-TV talent show.” But the event being beamed by satellite across the Muslim world every Ramadan is no “American Idol.”
It is the Qur’an recitation and memorization contest where the best reciters of the Holy Book are awarded handsome cash prizes and citations. It is also the setting where the “Islamic Personality of the Year Award” is conferred on a selected notable personality from the Islamic world.
It is an important event that is marked every year in the Arab and Muslim world. Though the event gets wide coverage in the Arab media, it is generally given the short shrift by the Western media.
Over the years, the Dubai International Holy Qur’an Award (DIHQA) is slowly gaining in popularity and stature. The unique event is organized during the holy month of Ramadan every year with grace and sobriety. Mostly young Muslim boys from countries including Iran, Iraq and from as far as Brazil, Australia and the United States face off in about three weeks of nightly performances that end on the 21st night of Ramadan.
The winners of the Qur’an recitation competition, judged best by Ulema at reciting the Qur’an from memory, are neither accorded the place like other celebrities outside the Islamic world on the world stage, nor do they become the object of breathless gossip in glossy magazines.
Instead, they become stars of a different sort — they earn the respect of Ulema, religious scholars and devout Muslims. Invitations are extended to them to recite the Holy Book in melodious voice in several religious gatherings.
The DIHQA Organizing Committee, this year, picked Mohammed Ali Al-Sabooni, Jeddah-based renowned Islamic scholar from Syria, as the “Islamic Personality of the Year.” UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed ibn Rashid Al-Maktoum presented the prize of Dh1 million to Sheikh Sabooni at a grand ceremony in Dubai on the 21st night of the holy month of Ramadan (Oct. 2).
Prizes were also distributed to the winners of the International Qur’an Memorization and Recitation Competition in which 85 contestants took part. The first prize of Dh250,000 in the international competition was presented to Mohammed Fuzlur Rabbi from Bangladesh, the second prize of Dh200,000 was given to Abdullah Muhammad Abdullah from Yemen, and the third prize of Dh150,000 went to Muhammad Al-Sheriff Idris from Libya.
Sheikh Sabooni was informed of the award while he was in the holy city of Makkah. He was chosen because, to quote DIHQA Organizing Committee Chairman Ibrahim Bu Melha, “the scholar has done remarkable work in the interpretation of the Holy Qur’an and has completed a number of research studies on the subject. Sheikh Al-Sabooni is one of the contemporary scholars who interpreted Qur’an. He has 40 publications in Qur’anic Tafseer (interpretation).”
There are many other Qur’an recitation and memorization competitions organized throughout the world — in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt, Libya, Jordan, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and many other countries. But the Dubai competition is on a grand scale. On the first day of Ramadan every year, the attention of the Islamic world turns to Dubai where a festive atmosphere dawns; young memorizers of the Holy Book, who are officially nominated by either their respective countries or by Islamic centers to which they are associated, demonstrate their ability to memorize and recite the Holy Qur’an.
During this period the contests hall in Dubai is thronged by enthusiastic crowds, making the event a milestone in international Holy Qur’an contests worldwide. Besides the contest, the 20-day event is divided into many categories, which include lectures on Islamic studies by various eminent scholars, religious luminaries and preachers.
Many of the Qur’an reciters are as young as 16. And the youngest contestant so far was the nine-year-old Australian, Abdullah Al-Zahabi, who took part in 2006. The Australian boy hoped to become an Islamic scholar, “sheikh and Muslim preacher.” He cherishes the goal in his future plans to “be able to teach people the Qur’an.”
This year’s youngest memorizer was a 16-year-old, Umer Bin Abdullah, from the southern Indian state of Kerala. Umer, a student from Karanthur Markazus Saqafathi Sunniyya, represented India in the competition.
True to its vision, the DIHQA, which was launched in 1418H of the Islamic calendar (1997), endeavors to be a leading and outstanding forum at the Islamic world level in the field of serving the Holy Book and its scholarship in honoring all those who work in this field.
Motivation for young Muslims to abide by the true teachings of Islam and to recognize their duties toward their faith and Islamic mission is DIHQA’s aim.
While the contest is the main activity during this period, the selection and the announcement of the Islamic Personality of the Year too is eagerly awaited. This year’s personality, Sheikh Sabooni, was born in the Syrian city of Halab (Aleppo) in 1930. His father taught him Islamic teachings and helped him memorize the Holy Qur’an when Sabooni was studying in high school. He combined the learning of science and religion at various institutes and graduated from the Shariah school.
In 1954, he graduated in Islamic studies from Al-Azhar University in Cairo. On his return to Syria from Egypt, he taught Islamic culture in high schools. Later, he migrated to Saudi Arabia and, besides being a professor of Shariah and Islamic studies, Sheikh Sabooni has also served in different education faculties in the Makkah University. He has served in various capacities at the Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah and other institutions. He also delivered Islamic lectures in mosques in Jeddah for over eight years. All his lectures are recorded and 600 episodes of his interpretation of the Qur’an have been broadcast on many TV channels.
Other notable personalities awarded include Egyptian scholar Dr. Zaghloul Muhammad Al-Najjar, Makkah Haram Imam Abdurrahman Al-Sudais, renowned scholar Yousuf Al-Qaradawi, former Bosnian President Izetbegovic and the late Maulana Abul Hassan Ali Nadawi, rector of Nadwatul Ulema in Lucknow, India. Following is the complete list of the recipients in order: Mohammed Mutwali Al-Shaarawi 1418 Hijri, (1997), Abul Hassan Ali Nadawi 1419 Hijri, (1998), Sheikh Zayed ibn Sultan Al Nahyan 1420 Hijri, (1999), Dr. Yousuf Al-Qaradawi 1421 Hijri, (2000), Dr. Alija Izetbegovic 1422 Hijri, (2001), Dr. Abdullah ibn Abdul Mohsen Al-Turki 1423 Hijri, (2002), Al Azhar University 1424 Hijri, (2003), Dr. Mohammed Saeed Al-Bouti 1425 Hijri, (2004), Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais 1426 Hijri, (2005), Dr. Zaghloul Al- Najjar 1427 Hijri, (2006) and Mohammed Ali Al-Sabooni 1428 Hijri (2207).
Dr. Najjar, a prominent figure in “scientific miraculousness” in the Qur’an, was chosen Islamic Personality in 2006. On his selection, DIHQA’s Bu Melha said, the chairman of the Committee of Scientific Miraculousness and a member of the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs in Egypt, Dr. Najjar “is a prominent and outspoken Muslim scholar in the Arabic and Islamic world. He has been chosen as the Islamic Personality of 2006 for his lectures which are rich with information on scientific miracles in the Qur’an.”
The DIHQA selected the imam of the Grand Mosque as the 9th Islamic Personality of the Year in 2005. Dr. Al-Sudais has been an imam for the last 24 years. He was chosen for the covetous award for his devotion to the Holy Qur’an. “Dr. Al-Sudais reflects a bright picture of Islam and Muslims,” said DHIQA Vice Chairman Dr. Saeed Hareb, following the selection of Dr. Al-Sudais.
Another renowned Islamic scholar to receive the prestigious honor was Dr. Yousuf Al-Qaradawi. Sheikh Maktoum conferred the award on him in at the same venue in 2000. In 2001, the emirate of Dubai named former Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic as Islamic Personality. He received the award at a graceful ceremony on Dec. 5, 2001.
