Ajman is aiming for record numbers at prayer events led by top international Quran reciters during Ramadan, while the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry has allocated Dh20 million (US$5.4m) for celebrations during the holy month. The Ajman Ramadan festival, which is being held under the slogan "Ajman Ramadan strengthens faith", will feature three international Quran reciters who will lead the Taraweeh evening prayers at the emirate's biggest mosque, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Mosque, in Julfar.
Saeed Saif al Matroushi, the head of Ramadan activities in Ajman, said officials wanted to set an attendance record during Ramadan, with the largest congregation at night prayers throughout the month. "Our forecast is to have more than 7,000 worshippers every night and more than 10,000 worshippers in the last 10 days of Ramadan, courtesy of the emirate's arrangements to bring some of the most loved Quran reciters in the country.
"We know Quran admirers would move from as far away as Abu Dhabi to come and see these reciters as some are leading the prayers for the first time in the country." The three reciters are Dr Mohammad Ayoub, an imam at Madina Munawara, in Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Mishary Rashid al Afasy, from Kuwait, and Sheikh Farsi Abod, from Yemen. Dr Ayoub, who memorised the Quran at the age of 11, will lead the Taraweeh prayers for the first five days. He obtained his doctorate in the science of Quran interpretation from Madina Munawara University, where he is now a professor of Quran.
Sheikh Afasy will lead the prayers from the seventh to the 17th day. His Quran albums are enjoyed around the world and are played on radio stations. He also has a satellite television channel, called Al Afasy, that airs only his recitations. Sheikh Abod will then lead the prayers through to the 30th day. At only 28, he is considered one of the world's best reciters. "We chose Abod to lead the prayers in the last 10 days because he is now widely admired and many youths want to imitate his voice. Praying behind him is like praying at the Kaaba in Mecca," Mr Matroushi said.
All the prayers would be aired live on Ajman TV and Al Aafasi TV. "We will upload them on YouTube in case you missed them, so you can refer to it all the time," he said. Other Ajman Ramadan activities include The Ajman Quran Competition, in which winners who memorised the whole Quran or part of it will vie for a Dh20,000 prize. The 37-day Sharjah Ramadan festival, starting on Sept 1, will include shopping, sport and entertainment events.
"Although Sharjah Ramadan festival has already made its mark as a major social, cultural and business event in the UAE, we want to further enhance and highlight Sharjah's dynamism," said Hussein Mahmodi, the director general of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry. "We aim to double the number of visitors and shoppers from within and outside the emirate." Abdrahman Naqbi al Shamsi, the head of the Ras al Khaimah Chamber of Commerce, said Ramadan activities in the emirate would include commercial and cultural exhibitions.
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