The 21st edition of the Dubai International Holy Quran Award (DIHQA) held with rich culture programmes at different venues at Dubai. 13 years old Bangladeshi boy Mohammad Tariqul Islam wins the top prestigious Dh250,000 prize out of 103 countries. Official figures show that 90 out of 103 initial participants have sat the final tests of the global competition. Thirteen of these could not clear the qualifying tests and were disqualified.
Shaikh Ahmad Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, honoured Tariqul Islam and other winners of the annual competition at a glittering ceremony at the Dubai Cultural and Scientific Association auditorium in Al Mamzar.
The ceremony also saw the honouring of the Islamic Personality of the Year, which this year was awarded to King Salman of Saudi Arabia.
Tariqul Islam performed on the ninth night of the annual Quran competition, leaving the packed auditorium at the Dubai Chambers awestruck with his powerful renditions from the passages of Quran.
Having topped several national competitions in Bangladesh, the Dhaka boy justified his tag as this year’s favourite, leaving behind 89 other contestants.
American contestant Huzaifah Siddiqui, who bagged the second prize was the third American in a row to secure the second prize at DIHQA. The third place was held jointly by Modou Jobe from Gambia, Abdul Aziz Al Obaidan from Saudi Arabia and Tunisian Rachid Allani.
