Doha honours 1st winner in holy quran competition

Abdul Baset Abdel-Fattah Wurash , 12 years, (Morocco), came first and won the first prize of Qrs. 100,000 , in the final World Holy Quran Recitation competition of 2011 and which was held at the "Katara" cultural village in Doha. The competition was held on Friday, 26 of Ramadan 1432 AH, under the auspices of HE the Minister of Awqaf (Endowments) and Islamic Affairs Dr. Ghaith bin Mubarak Al Kuwari and in cooperation with Al Jazeera Children's Channel (JCC). While Amjad Yahya Nasser , 12 years, (Yemen) came second and won Qrs.75,000 followed by Nuralchhama Takya bint Nuri Najmy,12 years (Malaysia) and won the third prize and got Qrs.50,000. A colorful and cheerful festival was held on the occasion lat night at the stage of Katara cultural village under the patronage of HE Dr. Ghaith bin Mubarak Al Kuwari with a number of scholars , religious sheikhs and preachers from a number of arab and islamic countries and the United States also attending. Some 2425 children from 46 islamic countries took part in the aforesaid competition, which uses, for the first time, a multilingual Quran website and which aims at reviving the spirit of competition among children in holy quran reciting and introducing the brilliant ones and honouring them for their creative abilities. Abdul Baset Abdel-Fattah Rush (Morocco) , Nuralchhama Takya bint Nuri Najmy (Malaysia) and Amjad Yahya Nasser (Yemen) went through final tests and were chosen from 63 finalists. A recitation contest award will be accorded to non-Arabic speakers while the best Quran teachers will be awarded "For The Teacher", a price dedicated to encourage the Holey Quran teachers all over the world. In press statements to reporters following the festival ,HE the Minister of Awqaf (Endowments) and Islamic Affairs Dr. Ghaith bin Mubarak Al Kuwari expressed pride of the ministry for the success of such a competition and said the ministry''s partnership with Al Jazeera Children''s Channel (JCC) has yielded such a good harvest which embodied in such a competition . "Such a compeition will continue to be a constant and continuing cooperation between the ministry of Awqaf and such a widespread media organ which addresses the youth and young children of the islamic nation"", HE Dr. Ghaith bin Mubarak Al Kuwari told reporters . HE the minister further said, ''''The ministry is always seeking for such a partnership with the Qatari society through its ministries and official , civil or community corporations and authorites to raise high the banner of islam and embody arabism as an identity and an approach.'''' For his part, the JCC''s general manager mahmoud bunab said the aforesaid competition has turned to be a unique world event that brings together muslim children in Doha regardless of their origins, nationalities, or languages for recitation and memorization of the holy Quran. Bunab conveyed gratitude and deep thanks to HH sheikha moza bint nasser , the chairperson of the board of directors of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) for her support and encouragement to those talented children to further develop their abilities. The final festival was aired live on the JCC and its website , Qatar News Agency (QNA) and Radio Qatar as well as transmitting it on the Network of the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU) and the Asian Union, and other networks and websites.