Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
The winners of the second edition of the Eminence Ahmed El-Tayeb Mosque Quran Competition were honoured at a ceremony hosted by Abu Dhabi’s Abrahamic Family House, hosted in collaboration with the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments, and Zakat, on Thursday.
Around 150 contestants from across the UAE, including children and adults, competed in memorisation and recitation of the Holy Quran.
Fifty men and women were honoured across five categories: Full Quran, 20 juz', 10 juz', 5 juz', and 1 juz'.
Notable attendees at the ceremony included Professor Mohammed Al-Mahrasawy, Chairman of Al-Azhar Academy for Training and Former President of Al-Azhar University; Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders; and Sheikh Talib Al Shahi, Executive Director of Islamic Affairs Sector – General Authority for Islamic Affairs and Endowments, and Zakat.
Speaking to Aletihad on the sidelines of the event, Al Shehhi said: “We are here to celebrate the second edition of the Eminence Ahmed El-Tayeb Mosque Quran Competition. This annual event takes place at the mosque over 14 days, with around 150 participants from across the UAE. They compete not only based on the beauty of their voices and the correct recitation of the Quran, but also on their understanding of the Quran, which is incredibly important — actually, more important than anything else.”
“This is a community event, open to the UAE community. We started it last year, and expanded it this year to include participants from all seven Emirates,” he added.
Al Shehhi noted that the skills and dedication of competitors reflect the core values, including mercy, love, and acceptance, which are intrinsic to Islam, and strongly align with the vision and mission of the Abrahamic Family House.
“In the future, we hope to expand it even further. It is a great honour to be here welcoming the winners, who succeed not just through this competition, but also through their knowledge of the Holy Quran.”
In the first category, the whole Quran category for males, 18-year-old Omar Jalal Abbas won the first prize.
“By the grace of God Almighty, I won first place in the category of memorising the entire Quran after hard work, diligence, and the grace of God. The task was difficult and required perseverance, but the goal of the competition was to memorise the Book of God and fix it in our hearts,” Abbas told Aletihad.
“I extend my thanks to President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, may God protect him, the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments, and all those in charge of this blessed award," Abbas said.
Fatima Muradd Al-Balushi, who won second place in the third category of 10 Juz’ for females, said: "This distinguished award is an honour for me, and I pray that God places it in the balance of their good deeds. I also thank Eminence Ahmed El-Tayeb Mosque and the other centres that support the Book of God. On these blessed nights, we are grateful to God Almighty for this honour."
The competition, held from January 20 to February 5, was open to participants across the UAE, celebrating their devotion to the Holy Quran through exceptional memorisation skills.
The event reflects the Abrahamic Family House's commitment to nurturing dialogue, understanding, and peaceful coexistence.
