Dubai international Quran competition begins

DIHQA cultural programme concludes; lecturer warns against impossible wishes

By Ahmed Shaaban/senior Reporter

Published: Fri 26 Jun 2015, 1:18 AM

Last updated: Wed 8 Jul 2015, 3:16 PM

Dr Shaikh Saeed bin Misfer Al Qahtani delivering a lecture at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday. — Supplied photo

Dubai - Six contestants from different parts of the world were selected for the final stage of International Quran competition, which began at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday. The competition comes under the Dubai International Holy Quran Award (DIHQA).

The competitors from Indonesia, Sudan, Oman, Cote Divoire, Tajikistan, and Burkina Faso were temporarily put up in Flora Hotel for their final session to be held late in the night at the Dubai Chamber stage on Wednesday.

Separately, seven memorisers were selected from over 80 final contestants for their final performance on Thursday night, which will also be held at the Chamber. They are from Saudi Arabia, Cameroon, Mauritius, Jordan, Uzbekistan, Central Africa, and Barbados.

Meanwhile, the DIHQA cultural programme came to a conclusion on Tuesday night with two more moving lectures after the Taraweeh prayers. The first was open to the public while the second was for women only.

Popular Saudi scholar Dr Shaikh Saeed bin Misfer Al Qahtani gave a lecture on “impossible wishes” at Dubai Chamber while Prof Dr Ahmed Abdul Aziz from Egypt, talked about earthquakes and volcanoes at the Women Renaissance Society.

Dr Qahtani warned that ‘impossible wishes’ are the merchandise of the losers and brokers who waste their potential, sources, time, wealth, health, opportunities and whole life, and fall into despair and feel sorry about their misfortune.

“They bizarrely wish to win and be successful in life and the Hereafter though.”

Almighty Allah warns people against four main useless wishes, he added.“The first in Verse 24/89: ‘Ah! Would that I had sent forth (good deeds) for my (Future) Life!’ Man only discovers that life is but little drops of the Hereafter huge ocean upon death.”

It is impossible for any human, no matter how genius he is, to know the reason behind his creation unless guided by the messengers sent by Almighty Allah, he underlined.

“It is the right time now to take the chance and be prepared with good deeds for that critical moment, with no restrictions to enjoy worldly pleasures as due.”

Elaborating the second wish, which may never come true, Dr Qahtani said Almighty Allah described the state of sinners on the Doomsday in verse 28/25: ‘Oh, woe to me! I wish I had not taken that one as a friend.’

“Beware bad friends whose ‘contagious’ corrupt ideologies or behavior may mislead you. Also, take heed fanatic extremists and terrorists who have distorted the tolerant image of Islam.”

The final impossible wish has been stipulated in verse 66/33 on disbelievers:

“The Day their faces will be turned about in the Fire, they will say, How we wish we had obeyed Allah and obeyed the Messenger. We still have the chance to change our destiny and be truly submissive to God’s will and teachings, and we shall never feel sorry.”

ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com