Seven Memorizers Disqualified from Dubai International Holy Quran Award
This was stated by Dr Mohammed Abdulrahim Sultan Al Ulama, member of the award organizing committee, head of the studies and researches unit, who also chairs the competitions unit, KTimes reported.
“Only competent memorizers are qualified for final examinations and hence they need to clear the initial tests to take the stage and appear in public; otherwise, they are disqualified and sent home.”
The seven contestants disqualified are from Ukraine, Turkey, Macedonia, Finland, Senegal, Bosnia and Belgium, he told Khaleej Times. “And they are aged between 9 and 21 years.”
Some of the competitors nominated prove to be below the set level, and do not memorize the Quran in full, he added. “However, we give them several chances.”
Dr Sultan Al Ulama said it is strange to see some countries claiming that they have 100,000 full Quran memorizers, but their representative fails to clear the initial qualifying tests. “Up to seven participants have been disqualified this year, and therefore the total number of contestants in the 19th edition of the award has become 76.”
Elaborating, he said the competition unit plays a significant role in organizing contests in the 11-category award which spans international competitions and other local contests held on a regular basis all year long.
“These include the ‘Shaikha Hind Bint Maktoum Quran Award’ for boys and girls, the ‘Most Beautiful Recitation’, the ‘National Memoriser’, and the ‘Inmate Contest’.”
“We first send more than 150 invitations to the Awqaf or Islamic Affairs ministries, centers or entities around the world to send their nominations,” Dr Sultan Al Ulama said.
The competition unit has developed the conditions and techniques of arbitrations over the last 18 years in collaboration with other international Quran awards and as per the practice, let alone the remarks and inputs of arbitrators, he said.
“Though the young memorizers might be in awe of the big audience, cameras, live broadcasting, and the stage, we comfort them and make things easier and more familiar to them.”
Each and every mistake in memorization or recitation, even if small, is electronically recorded by the five-member arbitration committee, Sultan Al Ulama said. “However, the higher position is given to the best performance, beautiful voice, and tight memorization,” he said.
If two contestants or more have the same score, they share the same position whereas the lower rank is cancelled, he said. “None of the positions are decided until the end of the competition.”
Sultan Al Ulama said it was amazing when one of the contestants could not understand or reply when asked about his name in Arabic, but he smoothly answered when questioned on any verse in the holy Quran. “He has perfectly memorized the number of the verses and can even recite the verses from end to beginning.”
