Tag Archives: lifestyle
96kg date branch is Liwa’s winner
96kg date branch is Liwa’s winner Silvia Radan / 21 July 2013 A palm branch of dates weighing 96 kilograms has taken one of the top prizes at the Liwa Dates Festival — landing its owner with a lucrative prize. The branch won the “Biggest Adj” (branch) competition at the festival on Friday night. “They were ‘shahal’ dates from Liwa, which are usually very heavy,” festival director Obaid Khalfan Al Mazrouei told Khaleej Times. The winner was Rashed Faraj Salem Al Mansouri, who was awarded Dh50,000 for his fruitful production. Second place in the “Biggest Adj” competition and Dh40,000 were taken by Moza Mohammed Afsan Al Mazrouei, while the third place went to Mansour Ali Salman Mohammed Al Mansouri, along with Dh30,000. As with all other competition categories, the top 15 contestants are awarded here, too. The remaining top 12 prizes ranged from Dh25,000 to Dh2,000. On Friday, the second day of the festival, the winners of the Dabbas dates category were also announced. Musbeh Saeed Al Murar from the village of Latair (Liwa) had the best quality Dabbas, winning Dh125,000, followed by Fatima Mohammed Saeed Salem Al Murar from Liwa’s Al Nabtiya village who was awarded Dh100,000 and Hameed Jaber Sultan Battal Al Murar from Al Dhowaiher in Liwa, who won Dh75,000. The fourth to 15th place winners received prizes from Dh40,000 to Dh5,000, respectively. For the first time this year, the festival’s organisers have put together a supportive Dabbas dates competition for first time participants. The first Dh70,000 winner in this category was Saleh Abdullah Hatha Al Murar from Al Nabtiya (Liwa), the second prize of Dh40,000 was taken by Ateeq Khalfan Mohammed Jarash Al Murar also from Al Nabtiya and the third Dh30,000 award went to Fakhira Thamer Khalfan Al Murar from Al Sheya in Liwa. “Altogether, we had over 400 people taking part in these three competitions, not just from Liwa, but elsewhere in the UAE,” said Al Mazrouei. The winners of Hounaizi and Abu Maan dates competitions will be announced today. Although the festival is closed to the public during the daytime, since it falls during Ramadan this year, on Saturday morning Shaikh Tahnoon bin Saeed bin Tahnoon bin Mohammed Al Nahyan visited the festival and he was most impressed with the heritage area of the festival grounds. “We have allocated ample space to heritage displays and shows, having life-size replicas of ancient Emirati houses showcased and traditional household objects usually found in such houses,” explained al Mazrouei. From 8pm to 1am, the opening hours of the festival, there are performances of traditional Emirati folk groups, as well as storytelling. The festival will continue until July 25. — silvia@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Fire sweeps Sharjah tower
Fire sweeps Sharjah tower Afkar Abdullah / 21 July 2013 In yet another residential Sharjah blaze, a fire has partially gutted a 30-storey building leaving about 30 residents homeless and damaging nearby cars. The fire, which tore through the whole block in Al Hudah Tower started around 8.45am and took firefighters about an hour to get it under control, Sharjah Civil Defence Director-General Brigadier Abdullah Saeed Al Suwaidi said. “Firefighters arrived at the scene in less than five minutes and went about evacuating the residents through the building…(before) efforts were made to put out the blaze and control it from spreading to other blocks.” The fire started on the third floor and spread up to the 30th floor, leaving a long trail of damage up one side of the building. Five cars parked outside were also partly burnt by the flying debris caused by the blaze. Thankfully there were no fatalities or injuries reported, Al Suwaidi said. The blaze is the first big residential fire to be reported in the emirate this summer, with the emirate notorious for big residential fires such as those that gutted Al Baker Tower, which displaced 125 families last January. afkarali@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
His journey with Quran started at nursery
His journey with Quran started at nursery (Ahmed Shaaban) / 20 July 2013 “There is kind of a special friendship between me and the Holy Quran.” These words best describe the intimate relationship between the holy book and the 21-year old Qatari contestant Anas Hashim Al Mashhadani who is participating in the 17th session of the Dubai International Holy Quran. Talking to Khaleej Times, the engineering student said he had always been proud of sticking to the Holy Quran since his early childhood. “I started my journey with the Holy Quran when I was at nursery school, and I memorised five parts of the Quran when I was nine.” The Holy Quran was a gift from the Almighty Allah that had positively affected Mashhadani’s life, behaviour and ethics, he said. “He who memorises the Holy Quran is supported and blessed by Allah in life and the Hereafter… The Quran has sharpened my memory and enhanced my academic performance.” 5 contestants disqualified DUBAI — Five contestants have been disqualified from the Dubai International Holy Quran Award for showing poor performance in the initial stages. According to a senior official, the participants found ineligible in initial tests for the 17th session of the award were from Fiji, Belgium, Mauritius, Grenada and Macedonia. Head of the Award Organising Committee Ibrahim Bu Melha said three other contestants from Singapore, New Zealand and Gabon have apologized for not being able to participate in the award this year. Thirty-two of the 82 contestants participating sat their final tests on Thursday night at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “Eighty-two contestants out of 90 contacted for participation this year will sit for final tests; and that is the highest participation ever in the award history.” Adding, he said eight other participants are to be examined on July 20. Khalid Al Marzugi, member of the public relations unit, said the award, known worldwide, has become the mother of all Quran contests. “The prizes specified for all participants are the highest and hence encouraged many contestants for participation.” ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com Mashhadani then joined a Quran Study Centre where he memorised the Furqan Quran in full at the age of 13, when he was in Grade 8. Elaborating, he said he used to memorise one-and-a-half to two pages of the Quran everyday, apart from daily regular review of one part. “My family, particularly my brothers and sisters, have always been backing and encouraging me to memorise the Quran, and test my memory, offering me a lift to the Holy Quran Centre which is far away from home.” Mashhadani said he had eight brothers and sisters. “I feel we are blessed that my elder brother fully memorised the Quran as well.” Showing good performance, he participated in five local Quran contestants, mainly the Sheikh Jassim and Sheikh Ghanim Al Thani contests. “I have also participated in international Quran contests and represented Qatar in Egypt twice, as well as Jordan, Libya, Iran, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and now in the Dubai International Holy Quran Award.” As is the case every year, a contest is held to pick the top memoriser to represent the country. This year, Mashhadani was selected for the Dubai Award while others were sent to other international competitions. “I wish to come first in this award, best represent my country, and be a competent scholar in the future.” Giving advice to his fellow Qataris, Mashhadani urged them to stick to the Quran. “It is an honour to memorise the Quran… and mediate for his family and friends in the Dooms Day.” ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
