A new-look Holy Quran published on the initiative of His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, was launched last night.
The publishing expenses have been borne by Sheikh Maktoum. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance and Industry, attended a ceremony held last night at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the launch of the totally new book with unique calligraphy surrounded by ornamental design.
Sheikh Hamdan, who is also Chairman of the Dubai Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Department, said: "It gives me a great pleasure and honours me to launch the Holy Quran, published on the initiative of my brother His Highness Sheikh Maktoum, in the presence of a group of leading scholars.
"It is by the grace of Almighty Allah that Dubai has published this new-look Quran and established the International Holy Quran Award.
"Everybody knows that the the world witnesses turbulence and suffers crises, but we believe that holding fast to the teachings of the Holy Quran is the way out. Our duty is to present to the people the Holy Quran, which guides and protects them from going astray," Sheikh Hamdan said.
Dr Eissa bin Abdullah bin Manie Al Humairi, former director of the Dubai Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, said at the launching ceremony that the advancement of peoples is gauged by how much they care for sources of culture and civilisation.
"The UAE Rulers have greatly contributed to preserve the dearest source of the Islamic civilisation through the service of the holy book," he said.
Dr Al Humairi appealed to Sheikh Maktoum to get a complex built to print copies of the new-look Quran and have the meaning of the Quran translated into several languages.
A higher committee chaired by Dr Al Humairi was tasked to supervise the the printing of the holy book, said Dr Mutee' Al Hafiz, head of the technical committee for the Sheikh Maktoum Holy Quran.
"It visited King Fahd Complex for Printing the Holy Quran in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, and other printing houses in Egypt and Syria.
"A plan was then drawn up to carry out the project. The book is written by a Syrian calligrapher and Jamal Bustan Mohammed Ridha Bilal, in conjunction with Al Bashaer House for Printing the Holy Quran in Damascus, Syria.
"The book was revised by a 12-man committee of leading scholars from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Morocco, and Mauritania, and was printed in Al Bayan Printing Press. A total of 55,000 copies have been printed and more are planned.
"The committee will appeal to Sheikh Maktoum to have the meanings of the Quran translated into other languages including Russian, English and French. This much needed initiative is designed to make the teaching of Islam and the Word of Almighty Allah as widely and easily accessible as possible to every Muslim.
"Prints of the Book will have various sizes. Copies will initially be distributed to mosques, scientific and research centres nationwide. Later, they will be distributed to other Arab and Islamic countries.
Gulf News
