Dubai Holy Koran Contest
Thursday, Farook invited me to iftar, which meant he picked me up at 5:30 pm even though iftar wasn't until 6:45. Farook believes it is very dangerous to continue the fast for even one minute past the first sound of the azan, so he didn't want to be late.
Actually, even being on time to an iftar can be a big disappointment at many of the Dubai iftars: they try to put out just enough food for the expected crowd (which is difficult to predict); as a result, diners who arrive early and fill their plates have often exhausted the iftar buffet long before the iftar actually begins. The early diners, having filled their plates (several plates per person) must sit until the azan sounds without eating or drinking, but by being prepared, they can start on their dates and water at the very first sound of the azan. And, by being early, they ensure that they get some of the whole roast goat, which is usually the first thing that runs out.
I suggested the Al Nasr Ramadan tent, a tent where, if I can't convince a friend to join me, I'm usually the only one at the iftar. It's Anglo-Egyptian, meaning taboulli and fatoush salads, followed by chicken and mushrooms, grilled fish with tomato sauce, and mutton biriani, followed by custard and umm Ali, so an Arabic start, mixed Arab-English entrées, and mixed Arabic-English desserts. They put out enough for about six people, so Farook and I had more than we could eat, and no competition.
About five years ago, the Al Nasr Ramadan tent was about $5.50, but it's gone up to $10.75. A nearby iftar was about $6 five years ago (when I'd alternate between it and Al Nasr) but the other iftar has gone up to $20, so I stick with Al Nasr. Hotel iftars used to cost about $8 five years ago, and I'd go to several during Ramadan, but most hotels charge $50 or more now, which is out of my price range.
Farook tried to bargain them down by saying, 'There are better iftars with whole roasted goat for only $8, so why you charge $10.75?' Of course, there aren't really any such iftars any more (though there were many such just a few years ago), but Farook has to try.
After we'd finished eating, Farook waddled off to pray. When he got back, he asked the (Indian) waiter for a shisha. 'We no have shisha, sir. I sorry.' I, however, could see a large pile of hookahs in a corner, and they didn't look at all dusty, rusty, and abandoned. A young Egyptian wandered past, and Farook recognised a fellow Arab and ordered a shisha, which lasted until the evening call to prayer when Farook had to go pray. After the evening prayer, 1/30th of the Holy Koran is read every night during Ramadan, but Farook skipped that reading and took me to the Dubai International Holy Koran Contest.
Every Ramadan, Dubai has a Holy Koran Contest for Citizens, one for permanent residents, and one for the winners of national contests who come to Dubai from all over the world.
At 9:30 pm, the first contestant, who was from Lebanon, picked a slip of paper with three verses (called ayas) from the Holy Koran out of a jar next to a person called the Secretariat, who is a UAE Citizen. The contestant then handed the slip of paper to one of the five judges, one each from Pakistan, Morocco, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. The judge then recited the first verse. Recitation of the Holy Koran must follow some very complex rules which I don't understand, but it's not at all like normal speech. The contestant must then repeat the recitation of that verse and then continue reciting the following verses of that chapter (called a surah) for about ten minutes until the judge says to stop. I think the contestant made one mistake, because the judge rang a bell and the audience said (in Arabic) 'Go back,' to encourage the contestant to go back to a verse he recalled perfectly and re-start. Farook said he didn't get a very good score because he had a pronounced lisp of all his sibilants.
Then on to the next two verses, and then on to the next three contestants, one each from Lebanon, Guinea-Bissau, and the Philippines. Some of the contestants got stuck, and the judge would help them out. Some got lots of bells.
At 11:30, we got a break where they passed out boxed snacks and cups of water. A little after midnight, we started with the last three contestants, one each from Thailand, Barbados, and Sierra Leone. The poor candidate from Barbados couldn't pronounce one Arabic word correctly. Even after the judge spoke the word, when the contestant tried to repeat it, the bell rang. Eventually, he had to skip that verse and try to proceed from the next verse.
For the contest, all the contestants were dressed in their Friday best (Friday being the Islamic equivalent of what Sunday is in Christendom).
Finally, about 2 a.m., all seven contestants had completed their recitations. One of the judges gave a speech thanking the contestants, and 20 members of the audience were selected at random to receive prizes. Since I wasn't one of the 20, and since everything was in Arabic, I have no idea what the prizes were.
Finally, Farook dropped me off at my home, quite exhausted.
Actually, even being on time to an iftar can be a big disappointment at many of the Dubai iftars: they try to put out just enough food for the expected crowd (which is difficult to predict); as a result, diners who arrive early and fill their plates have often exhausted the iftar buffet long before the iftar actually begins. The early diners, having filled their plates (several plates per person) must sit until the azan sounds without eating or drinking, but by being prepared, they can start on their dates and water at the very first sound of the azan. And, by being early, they ensure that they get some of the whole roast goat, which is usually the first thing that runs out.
I suggested the Al Nasr Ramadan tent, a tent where, if I can't convince a friend to join me, I'm usually the only one at the iftar. It's Anglo-Egyptian, meaning taboulli and fatoush salads, followed by chicken and mushrooms, grilled fish with tomato sauce, and mutton biriani, followed by custard and umm Ali, so an Arabic start, mixed Arab-English entrées, and mixed Arabic-English desserts. They put out enough for about six people, so Farook and I had more than we could eat, and no competition.
About five years ago, the Al Nasr Ramadan tent was about $5.50, but it's gone up to $10.75. A nearby iftar was about $6 five years ago (when I'd alternate between it and Al Nasr) but the other iftar has gone up to $20, so I stick with Al Nasr. Hotel iftars used to cost about $8 five years ago, and I'd go to several during Ramadan, but most hotels charge $50 or more now, which is out of my price range.
Farook tried to bargain them down by saying, 'There are better iftars with whole roasted goat for only $8, so why you charge $10.75?' Of course, there aren't really any such iftars any more (though there were many such just a few years ago), but Farook has to try.
After we'd finished eating, Farook waddled off to pray. When he got back, he asked the (Indian) waiter for a shisha. 'We no have shisha, sir. I sorry.' I, however, could see a large pile of hookahs in a corner, and they didn't look at all dusty, rusty, and abandoned. A young Egyptian wandered past, and Farook recognised a fellow Arab and ordered a shisha, which lasted until the evening call to prayer when Farook had to go pray. After the evening prayer, 1/30th of the Holy Koran is read every night during Ramadan, but Farook skipped that reading and took me to the Dubai International Holy Koran Contest.
Every Ramadan, Dubai has a Holy Koran Contest for Citizens, one for permanent residents, and one for the winners of national contests who come to Dubai from all over the world.
At 9:30 pm, the first contestant, who was from Lebanon, picked a slip of paper with three verses (called ayas) from the Holy Koran out of a jar next to a person called the Secretariat, who is a UAE Citizen. The contestant then handed the slip of paper to one of the five judges, one each from Pakistan, Morocco, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. The judge then recited the first verse. Recitation of the Holy Koran must follow some very complex rules which I don't understand, but it's not at all like normal speech. The contestant must then repeat the recitation of that verse and then continue reciting the following verses of that chapter (called a surah) for about ten minutes until the judge says to stop. I think the contestant made one mistake, because the judge rang a bell and the audience said (in Arabic) 'Go back,' to encourage the contestant to go back to a verse he recalled perfectly and re-start. Farook said he didn't get a very good score because he had a pronounced lisp of all his sibilants.
Then on to the next two verses, and then on to the next three contestants, one each from Lebanon, Guinea-Bissau, and the Philippines. Some of the contestants got stuck, and the judge would help them out. Some got lots of bells.
At 11:30, we got a break where they passed out boxed snacks and cups of water. A little after midnight, we started with the last three contestants, one each from Thailand, Barbados, and Sierra Leone. The poor candidate from Barbados couldn't pronounce one Arabic word correctly. Even after the judge spoke the word, when the contestant tried to repeat it, the bell rang. Eventually, he had to skip that verse and try to proceed from the next verse.
For the contest, all the contestants were dressed in their Friday best (Friday being the Islamic equivalent of what Sunday is in Christendom).
Finally, about 2 a.m., all seven contestants had completed their recitations. One of the judges gave a speech thanking the contestants, and 20 members of the audience were selected at random to receive prizes. Since I wasn't one of the 20, and since everything was in Arabic, I have no idea what the prizes were.
Finally, Farook dropped me off at my home, quite exhausted.
posted by Dubai@Random at 2:55 pm
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