Depend On Al-Quran For Excellence

Bandar Seri Begawan - His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam in a Titah last night underscored the importance of the al-Quran in finding excellence and success. The monarch delivered the titah at the National Nuzul al-Quran Celebration held at the Plenary Hall, International Conference Centre. Also present were His Royal Highness Prince Hj AlMuhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince, HRH Prince Abdul Malik and HRH Prince Abdul Mateen.
The most important source of knowledge for Muslims is the al-Quran His Majesty said. Those who use the al-Quran as a reference will attain excellence, success and safety. A map towards the path to excellence, success and safety is important and that map is contained in the al-Quran. "No diversions exist in the al-Quran It is the light that will shine all paths. The Arabs during the period of ignorance were an uncivilized race. "However, after embracing Islam, their way of living changed and enabled them to build a glorious civilization. There is no doubt that was stimulated by the al-Quran," His Majesty said. His Majesty noted that with this in mind, al-Quran is the right foundation to achieve excellence. The holy book's role is to guide our faith by reminding us to worship only Allah Almighty especially in our acts of devotion towards Him as well as in other activities. "Muslims cannot achieve excellence if they leave their religious duties behind since excellence wholly comes from Allah the Almighty," said His Majesty. Worshipping Allah the Almighty means being obedient in every aspect of life besides praying and upholding all the dos and don'ts by the family, the country and also by us. Main importance of religious duties is to find Allah the Almighty's blessings and god willing - all the doors to these blessings will be opened. The Monarch pointed out that this is our hope in finding excellence, not only in our current lives but also the afterlife. The most important perspective is not to close it with the worldly development since in Islam; true success is measured by the excellence for the afterlife too. This can be seen with the al-Quran approach through its verses on excellence and success. "What is meant by a glorious success is none other than to receive the greater blessings or rewards from Allah the Almighty," His Majesty added. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

Chapter 32: Surah Sajadah - Sheikh Meshari Rashid Efasy

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
32:1 Alif Lam Mim.
32:2 The revelation of the Book, there is no doubt in it, is from the Lord of the worlds.
32:3 Or do they say: He has forged it? Nay! it is the truth from your Lord that you may warn a people to whom no warner has come before you, that they may follow the right direction.
32:4 Allah is He Who created the heavens and the earth and what is between them in six periods, and He mounted the throne (of authority); you have not besides Him any guardian or any intercessor, will you not then mind?
32:5 He regulates the affair from the heaven to the earth; then shall it ascend to Him in a day the measure of which is a thousand years of what you count.
32:6 This is the Knower of the unseen and the seen, the Mighty the Merciful,
32:7 Who made good everything that He has created, and He began the creation of man from dust.
32:8 Then He made his progeny of an extract, of water held in light estimation.
32:9 Then He made him complete and breathed into him of His spirit, and made for you the ears and the eyes and the hearts; little is it that you give thanks.
32:10 And they say: What! when we have become lost in the earth, shall we then certainly be in a new creation? Nay! they are disbelievers in the meeting of their Lord.
32:11 Say: The angel of death who is given charge of you shall cause you to die, then to your Lord you shall be brought back.
32:12 And could you but see when the guilty shall hang down their heads before their Lord: Our Lord! we have seen and we have heard, therefore send us back, we will do good; surely (now) we are certain.
32:13 And if We had pleased We would certainly have given to every soul its guidance, but the word (which had gone forth) from Me was just: I will certainly fill hell with the jinn and men together.
32:14 So taste, because you neglected the meeting of this day of yours; surely We forsake you; and taste the abiding chastisement for what you did.
32:15 Only they believe in Our communications who, when they are reminded of them, fall down making obeisance and celebrate the praise of their Lord, and they are not proud.
32:16 Their sides draw away from (their) beds, they call upon their Lord in fear and in hope, and they spend (benevolently) out of what We have given them.
32:17 So no soul knows what is hidden for them of that which will refresh the eyes; a reward for what they did.
32:18 Is he then who is a believer like him who is a transgressor? They are not equal.
32:19 As for those who believe and do good, the gardens are their abiding-place; an entertainment for what they did.
32:20 And as for those who transgress, their abode is the fire; whenever they desire to go forth from it they shall be brought back into it, and it will be said to them: Taste the chastisement of the fire which you called a lie.
32:21 And most certainly We will make them taste of the nearer chastisement before the greater chastisement that haply they may turn.
32:22 And who is more unjust than he who is reminded of the communications of his Lord, then he turns away from them? Surely We will give punishment to the guilty.
32:23 And certainly We gave the Book to Musa, so be not in doubt concerning the receiving of it, and We made it a guide for the children of Israel.
32:24 And We made of them Imams to guide by Our command when they were patient, and they were certain of Our communications.
32:25 Surely your Lord will judge between them on the day of resurrection concerning that wherein they differ.
32:26 Does it not point out to them the right way, how many of the generations, in whose abodes they go about, did We destroy before them? Most surely there are signs in this; will they not then hear?
32:27 Do they not see that We drive the water to a land having no herbage, then We bring forth thereby seed-produce of which their cattle and they themselves eat; will they not then see?
32:28 And they say: When will this judgment take place, If you are truthful?
32:29 Say: On the day of judgment the faith of those who (now) disbelieve will not profit them, nor will they be respited.
32:30 Therefore turn away from them and wait, surely they too are waiting.

Indonesians tune in to digital Koran

By Ahmad Pathoni

JAKARTA (Reuters) - With her tiny earphones and slim digital player, Jakarta office worker Mira Indriarti looks like any other young music lover -- only she's not listening to the latest tunes, but to a recording of the Koran. Digital Koran is increasingly popular in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, where such gadgets sell especially well during the fasting month of Ramadan when religious fervor is high and reading the scripture is an essential part of the observance. Indriarti said she bought the gadget because she wanted to study the Koran to be a better Muslim. "I can listen to the recital or read the verses and the translation anywhere," she said. "It's uncomfortable if I read a Koran book on the bus and people around me may look at me in amazement." The device, the size of an iPod digital player, carries the entire text of the Koran, in Arabic with an Indonesian translation, and its audio recitation. Fans say it provides a handy alternative to the bulky printed version of the holy book. "Sales have been good this month. On average we sell 50 a day," said Arief Syaifullah, who sells digital Koran. "Indonesian Muslims are becoming more technology savvy in their religious activity," he told Reuters. Many Indonesians traveling on the haj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia carry the device because it contains prayers to be recited during the annual ritual, he added. HOLY VERSES: The Koran is in Arabic, a language most Indonesians do not understand, and to memorize the verses students must recite them repeatedly. The most popular voice in the digital Koran is that of Sheikh Abdul Rahman al-Sudais, the imam of the Grand Mosque of Mecca known for his precise and emotional recital of the holy verses. Many of the digital Koran sold in Indonesia are made by a South Korean company, which also markets the products in the Middle East, Britain and the United States. Prices of the gadgets, sold under the brand name Iqra'a, range from 900,000 rupiah ($98) to 1.9 million rupiah, which is equivalent to a month's salary for many Indonesians. For a similar price, Indonesians can buy a PDA, or personal digital assistant, or mobile phone that can be installed with Koran software, some of which can be downloaded for free on the Internet. The latest digital Koran produced by the Korean company looks like an iPod and has similar features to the popular music player, including a full color LCD screen and a video player. In addition to the Koran, translated into nine different languages, it includes the sayings of the Prophet Mohammad, prayers, prayer time and the direction toward Mecca that Muslims face to pray.- (Reuters, 21 Sep 07)

The Holy Quran

By Um Musaab

The Holy Quran is the word of Allah addressed to us and we should therefore treat it with due respect. One of the prime conditions for handing the Quran has been said in the book itself: "A book well regarded which none shall touch but those who are clean" (Quran 56:78-9) This means that in order to touch the Quran one needs to be in a state of ritual purity (tahara) to be obtained through wudu or ghusl, as the case maybe. When taking up the Quran for study, recitation and reflection it must be done withthe intention to seek Allah's pleasure.Although worldly gain may be found in the revelation from Allah, as may be derived from practices in religion and Islam the true servant of Allah is concerned with the world to come and considers his actions here and now as preparation for the life to come.In Hadith reported by Ubaida Al-Maliki, the Prophet Mohammed said "O ye who believe in the Quran, do not make it a pillow, but correctly recite day and night and popularize its recitation.[Hadith: Bahiqi]Pronounce its words correctly and whatever is said in the Quran you should think over to take guidance from it so that you may become successful and never think of gaining worldly benefits through it but recite it to secure God's pleasure.There are a number of points in this advice from the narrator, Prophet Mohammed, which we need to consider:* Recite it day and night: This implies a regularity of Quranic recitation which should be a continuous preoccupation.* Popularize it: This implies one should firstly observe the instruction to recite regularly then secondly invite and give encouragement to others.* Pronounce its words correctly.* Think over it: This implies the need to understand what one recites.* Recite, reflect, seek guidance and act upon it for the sake of Allah alone.How to recite the Quran?Allah the Most High says:And recite the Quran in a slow pleasant tone" Al-Muzzammil4. Therefore, read the Quran slowly for this will help you understand and ponder over the Quran. It is preferred that one reads the Quran slowly, beautifying one's voice along with fulfilling the rules of reciting the Quran and not hastening in one's recitation of its Chapters and Verses.The reciter should invoke Allah by what he wills after he finishes reading the Quran. Also seek an approach to Allah by reciting it for indeed it is the righteous act that causes the acceptance of one's supplication.The Quran is either for, or against you:The reciters of the Quran are divided into two categories:* First: The one who recites the Quran and it becomes a proof for him on the day of Judgment. This is for he who acts by the orders of the Quran and stays away from that which the Quran forbids. He who makes permissible that which the Quran makes permissible and makes forbidden that which the Quran forbids.* Second: The one who recites the Quran but it becomes a proof against him on the day of Judgment.This refers to the one that neither does any act by the orders of the Quran, nor does he refrain from what it forbids. - (KT, 23 Sep 07)

The Virtues of Reciting the Quran

1. It is mentioned in a Hadîth that when anyone of you wishes to converse with his Creator, he should recite the Quran. In other words, reciting the Quran is like conversing with Allah Ta'âlâ. The wealthiest people are those who carry the Quran. That is, those in whose hearts Allah Ta'âlâ has placed the Quran. This means that there is no one wealthier than the person who reads the Quran and thereafter practices upon it. Through the barakah of practising upon it, Allah Ta'âlâ grants the person internal wealth and external prosperity. Hasan Basri rahmatullâhi 'alayh relates that there was a person who used to constantly come to 'Umar radiyallâhu 'anhu for his worldly needs. So 'Umar radiyallâhu 'anhu ordered this person to go and read the book of Allah (i.e. the Quran). This person went away and 'Umar radiyallâhu 'anhu did not see him again. Later, when he met him, 'Umar radiyallâhu 'anhu began complaining to him. (i.e. he complained to him saying: "I was searching for you, where did you disappear?" When a person frequently visits someone and then he suddenly stops visiting him, the latter becomes worried as to where he has disappeared or what is his condition) This person replied: "I have found in the book of Allah that which has made me self sufficient and independent of 'Umar." In other words, I have found such a verse in the Quran through which my eyes have turned away from the creation and I have begun to place my complete trust in Allah Ta'âlâ. I used to come to you for my worldly needs, now what is the need for me to come. When mentioning the verse which he had found, the person was most probably referring to the following verse and other verses which contain a similar subject matter:"Your sustenance is in the sky, and that which you have been promised (also comes from the sky)."In other words, your sustenance and all your other needs have been provided for from Our court, so what is the need to turn to others?2. It is mentioned in a Hadîth that the most virtuous form of 'ibâdah is the recitation of the Quran. That is, after all the fard acts, the recitation of the Quran is the most virtuous of all the nafl acts.3. It is mentioned in a Hadîth that you should honour those who have memorized the Quran. The person who honours them has in fact honoured Me. And it is obvious that it is wâjib to honour Him.4. It is mentioned in a Hadîth that the best among you is the one who learns the Quran and teaches it.5. It is mentioned in a Hadîth that on the day of judgement, the parents of the person who learns the Quran and practices on its injunctions shall be made to wear a crown, the light of which will be brighter than the sun which illuminates your homes in this world. In other words, the light of that crown will be brighter than the light of the sun through which it illuminates your homes in this world.If the person's parents will be accorded such a high status, what do you think the status of that person will be who practices on the laws and injunctions of the Quran?6. It is mentioned in a Hadîth that the person who recites the Quran and thereafter thinks to himself that someone else has been granted a bounty greater than this bounty (the bounty of being able to recite the Quran), then without doubt he has despised something that Allah Ta'âlâ has elevated, and elevated something that Allah Ta'âlâ regards as despicable and insignificant. It is not befitting of a person who knows the Quran to speak in harsh terms with one who addresses him harshly and disrespectfully. Nor should he speak ignorantly with one who addresses him ignorantly. Instead, he should forgive him and overlook his faults out of honour and respect for the Quran.In other words, it is necessary for the 'ulamâ and those learned in the Quran to regard the knowledge of the Quran as the greatest and the most virtuous. If they attach more importance to any worldly thing other than the knowledge of the Quran, then they have in fact despised something that Allah Ta'âlâ has elevated. And if you despise something that the ruler has elevated, it is regarded as a major crime. It is also necessary on those learned in the Quran to abstain from conversing with people in an ignorant and disrespectful manner because the honour and respect of the Quran demands this from them. If anyone behaves ignorantly with them, they should forgive him.7. It is mentioned in a Hadîth that Rasûlullâh sallallâhu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "The Quran is more beloved to Allah Ta'âlâ than the heavens, the earth and whatever is in between them." In other words, the status of the Quran is higher than the entire creation, and Allah Ta'âlâ loves the Quran the most.8. It is mentioned in a Hadîth that the person who teaches a single verse to anyone becomes his master. It is not befitting for the student to abstain from helping his master at the time of need. Nor should he give preference to anyone other than his teacher if the other person is not higher in status than his teacher. If the student commits any of these acts, he has in fact broken one of the circles of Islam. In other words, by his doing this, he has put into Islam a great evil and abstained from fulfilling a great order of the Sharî'ah. The consequences of this is that there is a fear that he will be punished in this world and in the hereafter.9. It is mentioned in a Hadîth that Rasûlullâh sallallâhu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "The person who does not respect the elderly, does not show mercy to the young and does not fulfil the rights of the 'âlim is not from my 'ummah."The person who recites the Quran and teaches it is also included in this Hadîth. The meaning of this Hadîth is that the person who has any of these qualities is out of the jamâ'ah of Rasûlullâh sallallâhu 'alayhi wa sallam and his 'Imân is very weak. It is therefore necessary to respect the old, be merciful towards the young, and to honour, respect and serve the 'ulamâ.10. It is mentioned in a Hadîth that the person who reads the Quran, understands its meanings and commentary, and yet does not practice on it, has made his abode in hell. In other words it is a major sin to read the Quran and not to practice on it. However, ignorant people should not rejoice under the assumption that they have not studied the Quran so if they do not practice on it there is no harm. This is because an ignorant person will receive a double punishment: one for not seeking knowledge, and the other for not practising.11. It is mentioned in a Hadîth that Rasûlullâh sallallâhu 'alayhi wa sallam was told: "A certain person recites the Quran the entire night but in the morning he goes around stealing." Rasûlullâh sallallâhu 'alayhi wa sallam replied: "Very soon, his recitation of the Quran will stop him from stealing." That is, through the barakah of this recitation, he will abandon this habit of stealing.12. 'Alî radiyallâhu 'anhu narrates that Rasûlullâh sallallâhu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "The person who reads the Quran, memorizes it, considers its halâl to be halâl and its harâm as harâm - Allah Ta'âlâ will enter him into jannah and accept his intercession on behalf of ten persons from his family who were originally condemned to hell and upon whom hell had become wâjib.13. It is mentioned in a Hadith that the person who listens to a single letter of the Quran while he is in a state of wudû, 10 rewards will be written in his favour, 10 sins will be wiped out, and his status will be elevated by 10. The person who recites a single letter of the Quran while he is sitting down and offering his salât, 50 rewards will be written in his favour, 50 sins will be wiped out, and his status will be elevated by 50. The person who recites a single letter of the Quran while standing shall have 100 rewards written in his favour, 100 sins wiped out, and his status elevated by 100. Allah Ta'âlâ will write one du'â in favour of the person who recites the Quran and completes it. This du'â will be accepted immediately or after some time.14. It is mentioned in a Hadîth that the person who recites the Quran, praises Allah Ta'âlâ, sends salutations to Rasûlullâh sallallâhu 'alayhi wa sallam and asks forgiveness from Allah Ta'âlâ has in fact asked for success from its appropriate place. In other words, he followed the appropriate method of making a du'â whereby it is hoped that it would be readily accepted. In this context, praising Allah Ta'âlâ means that one should say "Alhamdulillâh" or words that have a similar meaning. To make du'â in this way after having recited the Quran has a special effect in the acceptance of du'âs as is apparent from this Hadith.15. It is mentioned in a Hadîth that you should teach Sûrah al-Wâqi'ah to your womenfolk because it is the sûrah of wealth. In other words, by reciting this sûrah, one becomes wealthy and all the necessary expenses can be paid easily. Apart from this, one is endowed with internal "wealth" as well. As mentioned in another Hadîth that the person who recites Sûrah al-Wâqi'ah every night will never experience any shortage in his sustenance. Since women are weak-hearted, they become extremely distressed at the slightest hardship. It is for this reason that they have been specifically mentioned. On the whole, this sûrah is beneficial to all those seeking wealth; whether they be male or female.16. The best reciter of the Quran is that person whom when he is heard, you get the impression that he is fearing Allah Ta'âlâ. This means, that he reads with attention and concentration similar to that of a frightened person speaking in the presence of a king or ruler, ever on-guard that he does not say or do anything out of place.The best way of reciting the Quran is for the person to make wudu', sit in the direction of the qiblah with humility, and begin his recitation thinking that he is conversing with Allah Ta'âlâ. If he understands the meaning of the words, he should ponder over the meanings. Wherever the words of mercy are mentioned, he should ask for Allah's mercy. Wherever His punishment is mentioned, he should ask for refuge in Allah from His punishment. On completing his recitation, he should praise Allah Ta'âlâ, send salutations to Rasûlullâh sallallâhu 'alayhi wa sallam, ask for forgiveness, ask for any of his other needs, and then send salutations to Rasûlullâh sallallâhu 'alayhi wa sallam at the end. While reciting the Quran, as far as is possible, do not allow other thoughts to enter the mind. If you happen to think of something, do not worry about it, it will disappear on its own. When reciting the Quran, try and wear clean clothes. - (Sunni Forum)

11th Session of Dubai Qur’an Contest Begins

DUBAI, 21 September 2007 — The 11th session of the Dubai International Holy Qur’an Award started on Wednesday. The contest, which has become a milestone in international Holy Qur’an contests worldwide, saw four contestants show off their prowess in memorizing the holy book. The contestants are younger than 21 years and come from a diverse list of countries. This year 85 contestants are taking part in the event and have been officially nominated by either their respective countries or by Islamic centers to which they are associated. The event is being held at the Chamber of Commerce where large crowds turn up to encourage the participants. The award is beamed live on many TV channels and is considered one of the most popular Ramadan events. The award hands out millions of dirhams worth in prize money with the first place winner getting Dhs250,000. The second place winner bags Dhs200,000 while the third winner is awarded Dhs150,0000. The fourth position winner gets Dhs65,000. Winners are chosen by a judging panel consisting of outstanding Islamic scholars from various parts of the Islamic world who are specialized in readings and who have participated as judges in Qur’anic contests locally and internationally.The total marks for memorization and recitation in each branch is one hundred marks, out of which 70 percent of the marks are given for memorization, 25 percent for recitation and 5 percent for tonal quality. If a contestant makes a mistake in memorization, a ring of bell alerts him and each alert results in the deduction of half a mark.

In this Book, the Holy Prophet's life, the history of the Arabs and the events which occurred during the period of the revelation of the Quran have no

In this Book, the Holy Prophet's life, the history of the Arabs and the events which occurred during the period of the revelation of the Quran have not been mingled with the Divine Verses, as is the case with the Bible. The Quran is the pure word of God. Not one word therein is not divine. Not a single word has been deleted from its text. The Book has been handed down to our age in its complete and original form since the time of Prophet Muhammad. From the time the Book began to be revealed, the Holy Prophet had dictated its text to the scribes. Whenever some Divine Message was revealed, the Holy Prophet would call a scribe and dictate its words to him. The written text was then read out to the Holy Prophet, who, having satisfied himself that the scribe has committed no error of recording, would put the manuscript in safe custody. The Holy Prophet used to instruct the scribe about the sequence in which a revealed message was to be placed in a particular Surah (chapter). In this manner, the Holy Prophet continued to arrange the text of the Quran in systematic order till the end of the chain of revelations. Again, it was ordained from the beginning of Islam that a recitation of the Holy Quran must be an integral part of worship. Hence the illustrious Companions would commit the Divine verses to memory as soon as they were revealed. Many of them learned the whole text and a far larger number had memorized different portions of it. Method of preservations of the Quran during the Prophet's time: Besides, those of the Companions (pbut) who were literate used to keep a written record of several portions of the Holy Qur'an. In this manner, the text of the Holy Qur'an had been preserved in four different ways during the lifetime of the Holy Prophet (PBUH): The Holy Prophet (PBUH) had the whole text of the Divine Messages from the beginning to the end committed to writing by the scribes of revelations. Many of the Companions learned the whole text of the Qur'an, every syllable of it, by heart. All the illustrious Companions, without an exception, had memorized at least some portions of the Holy Qur'an, for the simple reason that it was obligatory for them to recite it during worship. An estimate of the number of the illustrious Companions may be obtained from the fact that one hundred and forty thousands Companions had participated in the Last Pilgrimage performed by the Holy Prophet (PBUH). A considerable number of the literate Companions kept a private record of the text of the Qur'an and satisfied themselves as to the purity of their record by reading it out to the Holy Prophet (PBUH). Method of preservations of the Quran after the demise of the Prophet: It is an incontrovertible historical truth that the text of the Holy Qur'an extant today is, syllable for syllable, exactly the same as the Holy Prophet (PBUH) had offered to the world as the Word of God. After the demise of the Holy Prophet, the first Caliph Hadhrat Abu Bakr (PBUH) assembled all the Huffaz and the written records of the Holy Qur'an and with their help had the whole text written in Book form. In the time of Hadhrat 'Uthman (PBUH) copies of this original version were made and officially dispatched to the Capitals of the Islamic World. Two Of these copies exist in the world today, one in Istanbul and the other in Tashkent. Whosoever is so inclined may compare any printed text of the Holy Qur'an with those two copies, he shall find no variation. And how can one expect any discrepancy, when there have existed several million Huffaz in every generation since the time of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and in our own time? Should anyone alter a syllable of the original text of the Qur'an, these Huffaz would at once expose the mistake. In the last century, an Institute of Munich University in Germany collected FORTY-TWO THOUSAND copies of the Holy Qur'an including manuscripts and printed texts produced in each period in the various parts of the Islamic World. Research work was carried out on these texts for half a century, at the end of which the researchers concluded that apart from copying mistakes, there was no discrepancy in the text of these forty-two thousand copies, even though they belonged to the period between the 1st Century Hijra to 14th Century Hijra and had been procured from all parts of the world. This Institute, alas! perished in the bombing attacks on Germany during World War II, but the findings of its research project survived. Another point that must be kept in view is that the word in which the Qur'an was revealed is a living language in our own time. It is still current as the mother tongue of about a hundred million people from Iraq to Morocco. In the non-Arab world too, hundreds of thousands of people study and teach this language. The grammar of the Arabic language, its lexicon, its phonetic system and its phraseology, have remained intact for fourteen hundred years. A modern Arabic-speaking person can comprehend the Holy Qur'an with as much proficiency as did the Arabs of fourteen centuries ago. This, then, is an important attribute of Muhammad (PBUH), which is shared by no other Prophet or Leader of Religion. The Book which God revealed to Him for the guidance of mankind is today's in its original language without the slightest alteration in its vocabulary.

Quran is greatest miracle of Islam

DUBAI — The Holy Quran is the greatest miracle of Islam and serves as an everlasting source of happiness in this life and hereafter. This was stated by Sheikh Mohammed Hassan, eminent Egyptian scholar, while delivering a lecture titled, ‘The Miracle of the Holy Quran’ on the fourth day of the Dubai International Holy Quran Award’s cultural programme. The lecture was held on Sunday at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry overlooking Dubai Creek. Sheikh Hassan spotlighted some of the unique aspects of the Holy Quran pointing to its great eloquence and rhetoric, legislative and scientific meanings, and hidden treasures of knowledge. Not a word or phrase in the Holy Quran can ever be replaced, changed, or deleted, he said. It serves as a guidebook for mankind. It is the Holy Quran which stipulated and ensured human rights long ago, Shaikh Hassan stressed. There are verses which reveal scientific facts. One of the Quranic verses says that the skin is the first sensor of pain in human body. This scientific fact was discovered only recently though it was mentioned in the Holy Quran more than 14 centuries ago, Shaikh Hassan said. -(KT, 18 Sep 07)

Memorising the Quran widened my curiosity

Dubai: Fifteen-year-old Bilal Khalifa is beginning to realise the immense responsibility of representing his country at this year's Dubai International Holy Quran Award. Every country has an opportunity to send contestants to the annual international award, which has 85 participants this year. The competition began yesterday and will continue till the 20th of Ramadan. The Egyptian national, who was attending the last series of Islamic lectures organised by DIHQA, said he is looking forward to the competition. Being the only child among his siblings to have memorised the whole Quran, he said his love for the Quran and continuous encouragement from his parents has motivated him to memorise and reflect on the meaning of the Quran. His religious journey started at the young age of four and he was able to master the complete recitation at the age of seven with the continuous follow-up of a number of prominent Islamic scholars. His siblings are also in the process of memorising the Quran. "Initially it was my parents wish for us to memorise the Holy Quran, especially my mother. I feel proud to fulfil their wish," said Khalifa with a smile on his face. Khalifa, a grade 11 student at a public school, said he is interested in the field of science and would want to earn a degree in engineering, as well as to serve his religion as best as he can. According to him, memorising the Quran disciplines the individual because it has moral values for the self, towards family and friends, and towards all humanity. "I was raised firstly by the lessons in the Quran, which deal with every single matter of our daily lives. Also the process of memorisation has widened my intellectual curiosity and academic excellence," he said. Organisers pleased with initial tests. In a statement released by the organisers of DIHQA, they were pleased by the results of the initial tests done for the participants. However, two of the contestants might be disqualified. The Competition unit of DIHQA appointed Dr Osman Bin Mohammad Sadeghi from Saudi Arabia as Chairman of the Evaluation Committee and Salama Kamel Juma Qenawi from Egypt as Vice-Chairman of the Committee. - (GN, 19 Sep 07)

King Fahd Holy Quran Printing Complex produces more than 206 million publications

Riyadh, 19 September 07 --Up to the end of Jumad-al-thani, 1428, Madinah-based King Fahd Holy Quran Printing Complex, established in 1405, produced more than 206 million publications. A report released by the complex said the complex had produced 136,145,533 copies of the Holy Quran, 2,520,875 cassettes, 27,597,387 copies of the translation of the Holy Quran in addition 220,000 copies of the books of Sunnah (Prophet's teachings) and the Prophet's biography as well as 5,045,000 copies of other religious books. The project of the complex was implemented on an area of 250,000 square meter. The productive capacity of the complex amounts to about ten million copies per year, but this number can be increased to 30 million copies. The complex produces translations of the meanings of the Holy Quran in 47 languages, including 24 Asian languages, 11 European languages and 12 African languages. These languages include Albanian, Indonesian, Urdu, Turkish, Somalian, Chinese, French, English, Spanish, Korean, Persian, Greek, Vietnamese, Portuguese, and Swedish. In line with the directives of the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz the pilgrims are provided with copies of the publications issued by the complex every year when they start to leave the Kingdom after performing Hajj rituals.