16 July | Staff Reporter | Khaleejtimes Competing against 70 kids for the title, Ibrahim surprises judges with his Arabic oratory skills and went on to win the title. Wearing a traditional Bisht and a Kandoora, eight-year-old Ibrahim Fahim Shabandri walked up to the stage on the last day of the Al Multaqa Ramadan Forum with charm and confidence. Competing against 70 kids for the title of ‘Preacher of the Nation’, the Indian boy surprised judges with his Arabic oratory skills and went on to win the title. Speaking in front of a largely Arabic-speaking audience, the young lad hailing from Bhatkal, Karnataka, showcased his grip over spoken Arabic. His father, Faheem Ahmed, believes the award provides children with greater motivation to learn the Arabic language. Ibrahim is a student of Quran memorisation at the Ibn Khaldooni. His father told Khaleej Times: “This is a very happy moment for our family. His success is the result of a lot of hard work and commitment and we are proud of his achievement.” The competition was held as part of the 13th edition of the annual Ramadan Forum, hosted by the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), under the patronage of Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation. Aimed at unearthing promising talents to support them in their endeavors to be the leaders of the future, the contest this year will include a new category featuring religious sermons in English. The jury overseeing the evaluation of contestants included Sheikh Omar Saad, Senior Preacher at the Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities, who will act as the supervisor of the jury committee; Sheikh Ahmed Abu Saud, Imam at the Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities; Bader Jumaa, a Professor of Arabic language at Omar Bin Al Khattab Model School; and Lewis Bullock, an official at Dubai Culture. A total of 12 students were selected in the run up to the finals in the areas of religious sermon and classical poetry recitation. Mohammed Al Hashemi, Head of the forum’s organising committee, said, “The competition aims at attracting promising talents in the field of religious sermon and poetry recitation. It also aims at strengthening the ability of students in the areas of public speaking, to boost their self-confidence and to help nurture their spirit of leadership. We are very pleased with the turnout so far. It motivates us to work harder in taking this competition to new heights for the upcoming editions. In the future, we will ensure that schools in the country are informed well in advance so we are able to reach out to a maximum number of gifted students.” Participation in the contest is limited to boys between the ages of six and 11 years. ------------------------

Ebrahim, 8, is UAE Preacher of the Nation

16 July | Faisal Masudi, Staff Reporter | Gulf News oung Indian impresses judges with his Arabic and presentation skills during Ramadan Forum Dubai: An eight-year-old Indian boy has won a sermon contest in Dubai — in Arabic. Young Ebrahim Shabandri's Arabic language and public speaking skills made him the top ‘Preacher of the Nation’ in the contest, according to his father Fahim. Arabic is not Ebrahim’s mother tongue – he speaks Nawayathi, a variant of Konkani spoken in India’s Karnataka state. But young Ebrahim learned Arabic – and Quran studies – at Ibn Khaldoun Private School in Sharjah, where he is now joining grade three. AdTech Ad Ebrahim did not have to practise too hard for the performance as his hobby happens to be preaching to his younger siblings and cousins. “Whenever they meet, he makes them sit around him while he preaches to them,” said Fahim, who lives in Sharjah. “He never misses religious events in Dubai. Ebrahim has a natural talent for speaking well. I thank Allah for him and pray to keep him sound. “The family is very honoured at the award.” The contest was held as part of the annual Ramadan Forum in Dubai World Trade Centre, which ended on Monday. Dozens of contestants took to the stage to demonstrate their skill — in Arabic or English — at delivering an Islamic sermon. Ebrahim’s lecture on ‘Sins of the Tongue’ urged the faithful to weigh their words carefully. Citing a saying of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). Ebrahim reminded the audience that “the Muslim is he from whose tongue and hands people are safe.” Shabandri said Ebrahim stressed that no one has the right to say hurtful words to any person. “My son said ‘the tongue is the root cause of problems between people’. We always need to be careful of what we say, and how we say it.” The father-of-four added it was the first time Ebrahim had taken part in a contest. “Winning it was doubly joyful to him as it was about Islam, which is close to his heart.” The 13th edition of the Forum was organised by the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) and held under the patronage of Shaikh Ahmad Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, chairman of the Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation.