Dubai, 29th July 2013 (WAM) -- H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, this evening honoured the 10 winners of the 17th edition of the Dubai International Holy Quran Award (DIHQA).
Adel bin Mahmoud Ghulam Al Khair from Saudi Arabia won the first place. UAE's Zayed Omar Ali Al Jabri won the seventh slot. Sheikh Maktoum also honoured other 90 contestants from Arab and Islamic countries and communities across the world, the organising committee, judgesand departments and organisations sponsoring the Award in the presence of Mohammed Ahmed Al Mur, Speaker of the Federal National Council, scholars, dignitaries, senior officials and diplomats. Addressing the blessing night, Ibrahim Bu Melha, Chairman of the DIHQA?s organising committee, said the UAE leadership and people were extremely happy to host those young Quran memorisers. He paid gratitude for President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (patron of the Award) and Rulers of Emirates, for their unstinted support for the contest. He noted that the UAE's celebrations of the Zayed Humanitarian Day and 9th death anniversary of the founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyanadded a special momentum and spiritual aura to this year's edition. Bu Melha announced that an international competition for first winners of the previous cycles would be held next year. He also congratulated of Dr. Zakir Naik, winner of the Islamic Personalityof the Year, and spoke passionately of his attractive, logical, cognitive moderate style of Islamic call (Dawa), especially among non-Muslims. For his part, the prominent Indian scholar expressed his pride for being selected Islamic Personality of the Year and thanked Sheikh Mohammed for his patronage of the Award.Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2013.
