Dear Ali: I've heard the Quran is considered a mathematical wonder. Why is that? SE, Dubai
Dear SE: These are some facts about the Quran: the words "Al-Hayat" (life) and "Al-Maout" (death) are mentioned 145 times each; the words "devil" and "angel" are each mentioned 88 times; the words "Al-Rajl" (man) and "Al-Mara'a" (woman) are each mentioned 24 times. Just as there are 12 months in a year, the word "Al-Shahr" (month) is mentioned 12 times. Similarly, the word "Al-Yahom" (day) is mentioned 365 times.
Some might consider these coincidences or logical uses, but Muslims believe that there's something deeper at work and the mathematical formulas hidden within the Quran represent the key answers to the nature of God. Remember that Muslims believe that the Quran is the last message of God, told to the Prophet Mohammed, and completes the Torah, the Zabur and the Bible.
The really interesting proof of the mathematics of the holy book, however, is known as the Quran Code. An Egyptian chemist discovered in 1968 a connection between the first verse of the Quran and its structure. You might have heard this phrase on airplanes when the prayer is played or read it in my columns: "Bismallah Al Rahman Al Rahim", which means: "In the name of God, the most gracious and most merciful." In Arabic, this phrase contains 19 characters. The first part "Bis" is a form of Ism, which means name; the word appears in the Quran 19 times. There are 2,698 occurrences of the word "Allah"; 2,698 is divisible by 19 exactly 142 times. "Al Rahman" occurs in three multiples of 19 or 57 times, "Al Rahmin" six times 19 or 114 times. Pretty cool, eh?
But it doesn't stop there. The first chapter revealed to Prophet Mohammed was Chapter 96. Now, 96 is not divisible by 19, but there are 19 verses in the chapter. And the first five verses ever revealed contain 76 letters, or 19 times four. The whole chapter has 304 letters, or 19 times 16.
So you see why I believe that the Quran is unique in the history of literature? Every element of the Quran is composed with some mathematical purpose. But despite all of this, you'll never find a Muslim worship or believe in these numbers, because in Islam it's frowned upon to believe in any thing but Allah. These numbers and discoveries are seen to prove that the Quran is not written by a human and is the word of God.
Dear Ali: We know so little about Saudi Arabia in the West. What can you tell us about it? I know it's the home of Mecca; perhaps that's a good place to start. RP, London
Dear RP: Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the region and shares borders with every Gulf country. It features diverse landscapes, from mountains and the Empty Quarter to seas, islands and oases. The Kingdom's population is around 30 million and Saudis live everywhere from suburbs and cities to villages and towns. In general, the more access a place has to the sea, the more modern it is. You will see ports, airports and shopping malls in these cities.
There's a wide variance from the very rich to very poor. The poor live in ways that seem untouched by time. There are areas that go back thousands and thousands of years with artefacts that could fill up five Guggenheims. The east coast has beaches and locals like to stay in nearby chalets.
You're right to start with Mecca, as it's home to the Kaaba, but Medina is also home to a holy mosque, that of the Prophet Mohammed. These cities are some of the most-visited in the world, as Muslims flock to see the birthplace of Islam. Jeddah is a beautiful city with a view of the Red Sea.
Ali Al Saloom is a cultural adviser and public speaker from the UAE. Follow @AskAli on Twitter, and visit www.ask-ali.com to ask him a question and to find his guidebooks to the UAE, priced at Dh50.
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
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Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
WE%20NO%20LONGER%20PREFER%20MOUNTAINS
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West Indies v England ODI series:
West Indies squad: Jason Holder (c), Fabian Allen, Devendra Bishoo, Darren Bravo, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Evin Lewis, Ashley Nurse, Keemo Paul, Nicholas Pooran, Rovman Powell, Kemar Roach, Oshane Thomas.
Fixtures:
1st ODI - February 20, Bridgetown
2nd ODI - February 22, Bridgetown
3rd ODI - February 25, St George's
4th ODI - February 27, St George's
5th ODI - March 2, Gros Islet
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
SPECS
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Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
McLaren GT specs
Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed
Power: 620bhp
Torque: 630Nm
Price: Dh875,000
On sale: now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
The biog
Age: 19
Profession: medical student at UAE university
Favourite book: The Ocean at The End of The Lane by Neil Gaiman
Role model: Parents, followed by Fazza (Shiekh Hamdan bin Mohammed)
Favourite poet: Edger Allen Poe
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
THREE
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The Bio
Name: Lynn Davison
Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi
Children: She has one son, Casey, 28
Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite Author: CJ Sansom
Favourite holiday destination: Bali
Favourite food: A Sunday roast
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
Credit Score explained
What is a credit score?
In the UAE your credit score is a number generated by the Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB), which represents your credit worthiness – in other words, your risk of defaulting on any debt repayments. In this country, the number is between 300 and 900. A low score indicates a higher risk of default, while a high score indicates you are a lower risk.
Why is it important?
Financial institutions will use it to decide whether or not you are a credit risk. Those with better scores may also receive preferential interest rates or terms on products such as loans, credit cards and mortgages.
How is it calculated?
The AECB collects information on your payment behaviour from banks as well as utilitiy and telecoms providers.
How can I improve my score?
By paying your bills on time and not missing any repayments, particularly your loan, credit card and mortgage payments. It is also wise to limit the number of credit card and loan applications you make and to reduce your outstanding balances.
How do I know if my score is low or high?
By checking it. Visit one of AECB’s Customer Happiness Centres with an original and valid Emirates ID, passport copy and valid email address. Liv. customers can also access the score directly from the banking app.
How much does it cost?
A credit report costs Dh100 while a report with the score included costs Dh150. Those only wanting the credit score pay Dh60. VAT is payable on top.
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
World ranking (at month’s end)
Jan - 257
Feb - 198
Mar - 159
Apr - 161
May - 159
Jun – 162
Currently: 88
Year-end rank since turning pro
2016 - 279
2015 - 185
2014 - 143
2013 - 63
2012 - 384
2011 - 883
Champions League Last 16
Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) v Bayern Munich (GER)
Sporting Lisbon (POR) v Manchester City (ENG)
Benfica (POR) v Ajax (NED)
Chelsea (ENG) v Lille (FRA)
Atletico Madrid (ESP) v Manchester United (ENG)
Villarreal (ESP) v Juventus (ITA)
Inter Milan (ITA) v Liverpool (ENG)
Paris Saint-Germain v Real Madrid (ESP)
Juliet, Naked
Dir: Jesse Peretz
Starring: Chris O'Dowd, Rose Byrne, Ethan Hawke
Two stars
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia