Closing ceremony of 1st “World Prize 114”/Honoring 2 ever-lasting figures,14 winners

News International Prize 114 Festivals and Competitions

Tuesday, 10 August 2021

The closing ceremony of the first “World Prize 114” was held, honoring of two ever-lasting figures and the appreciation of 14 winners in the sections of “Quranic institutes and centers” and “Quranic preachers and activists”.

The closing ceremony of the first “World Prize 114” was held on Monday, August 9, 2021 in the conference hall of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly in Qom, in full compliance with health protocols due to Covid-19.

At the beginning of the ceremony, the video message of the Secretary-General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly was broadcast.

Unique reception of the World Prize 114

In his message on the Quranic activities after the Islamic Revolution of Iran, Ayatollah Ramazani said, “During the 42 years after the Islamic Revolution of Iran, great measures have been taken about the Quran. In the scientific and academic fields, valuable activities have been done in establishing disciplines related to the Tafsir and sciences of the Quran and research institutes. Researchers have done extensive research on various Quranic topics, and have presented them to the scientific and international community. However, despite the measures taken, not a drop of the boundless ocean of the Quran has been depicted yet. The Quran is an infinite manifestation of God Almighty and must be addressed from time to time with newer details. There are also magnificent activities and works of art related to the Quran in the world.”

“This valuable initiative, with its unparalleled reception, and the 500 magnificent works that were participated in from around the world, and judged by strong judges, could be a blessed start,” he said regarding the first World Prize 114.

“It is important that the followers of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) all over the world become more acquainted with the Quran, and have a connection with this divine book. Because the Quran is a book of salvation for the human world, and if man wants to be liberated, he must use this book as a source,” added the professor of higher levels of the Islamic seminary of Qom.

More than 500 works submitted to 1st “World Prize 114”

Referring to the objectives for launching “World Prize 114”, Hojat al-Islam Dr. Mohammad Javad Zarean, Deputy for International Affairs of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly, said, “In addition to the international Quranic activities carried out by various institutions, the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly decided to have a special program for the Shiite communities and to promote the Quranic status of the Shiites. Therefore, “World Prize 114” was planned in this regard.”

“At the “World Prize 114”, Shiites around the world were asked to submit their works, so that the selected works would be honored after judging. With the least public announcement, and in less than four months, more than 500 works were submitted to the Prize Secretariat, many of which were valuable works. Out of 500 submitted works, about 200 works in the first judging, and 14 works in the final judging, were selected as the best works,” he continued.

Features of the World Prize 114

Explaining the works submitted to the first “World Prize 114”, Hossein Asadi, the chairman of the jury board of the competition, stated “More than 500 works were submitted to the Secretariat, which was unexpected. Most of the competition activities were during Ramadan and this amount of reception was very good. The submitted works were evaluated in three stages with the presence of judges of world Quranic figures, and 22 works made it to the final stage, of which 14 works were selected and will be honored in the current session.”

“The attractiveness of the competition disciplines is in a new way and in the field of propagation-promotion, clips, motion graphics, radio productions, photo-text, etc. Propagation activities, Minbar and religious lectures, Quranic circles, holding Quranic home meetings, reciting Quranic Juz’s, Islamic teaching classes, and Tafsir were also part of the competition. Many users have the potential to generate content in cyberspace but they should be encouraged. During the first “World Prize 114” we saw that there are many talents among the followers of the AhlulBayt (a.s.),” he added.

At the end of his speech, Asadi expressed his hope that with the establishment of the “Quranic Growth and Excellence Club 114”, such promotional and encouraging measures will continue.

The formation of the Islamic Republic of Iran was based on the Quran

In the closing ceremony of the “World Prize 114”, Dr. Mostafavi, the Head of the Quran Committee of the International Cultural Policy Council of the Office of the Supreme Leader said, ““The Pahlavi regime wanted the Quran to remain abandoned. While the Islamic Republic of Iran was formed based on Quranic values. The officials of the Islamic Republic, the laws, as well as the structures are all based on Quranic values. The Islamic Republic of Iran makes every effort to implement the Quran in the field of knowledge and behavior of individuals and society. Introducing the Quran and deepening the Quranic knowledge through educational and artistic programs of the media and magazines, as well as the transmission of Quranic knowledge and getting acquaintance with this divine book is on the agenda of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

“Today, we see that Quranic courses are included in various fields from elementary school to the end of seminary and university education. There are Quranic teachers and glorious books about the teachings of the Quran. Also, Quranic dissertations and researches in our seminaries and universities are very honorable,” Dr. Mostafavi emphasized.

The story of compiling the book “Al-Mukhtasar Al-Mufid Fi Tafsit al-Quran al-Majid”

Ayatollah Mohammad Saeed Al-No’mani the chairman of the Islamic Thought Association stated in the final part of the ceremony, “The book “Al-Mukhtasar Al-Mufid Fi Tafsir Al-Quran Al-Majid” is a memento of our teacher, the Grand Ayatollah Sayed Mohammad Baqer Sadr, who suggested writing this Tafsir to the late Ayatollah Taskhiri.”

“Before the victory of the Islamic Revolution, Tafsir of 10 Juz’s of the Holy Quran were written. But after the Revolution, due to Ayatollah Taskhiri’s occupation, completing the other Juz’s of Quran postponed,” he added.

“At last, the late Ayatollah Taskhiri and I came concluded that we should perform “I’tekaf”, that is, put aside other works in order to complete this specialized and useful Tafsir, and finally it happened,” said the Iraqi scholar.

The final part of the closing ceremony of the first “World Prize 114” was honoring of two ver-lasting figures. In this ceremony, 14 selected persons and works were appreciated in the category of the Quranic institutes and centers, as well as Quranic preachers and activists, and these winners were awarded plaques, statues and prizes. The representative of the Yemeni Islamic Resistance was also praised as an “honorary guest”.

The full list of winners and honorees of the first “World Prize 114” is as follows:

“Ever-Lasing Figures” of the first “World Prize 114”

The late Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Taskhiri from Iran, and Ayatollah Mohammad Saeed Al-No’mani from Iraq, for their valuable book “Al-Mukhtasar Al-Mufid Fi Tafsir Al-Quran Al-Majid”.

Top Quranic institutes and centers (legal entities)

Winner: “Dar Al-Sayeda Ruqayyah (a.s.) for the Holy Quran” from Saudi Arabia

Second prize winner: “Sabil al-Quran Institute” from India

Third prize winner: “Al-Nun Quranic Institute” from Yemen

Fourth prize winner: “Tratil Al-Fajr Institute” from Saudi Arabia

Worthy of appreciation: “Assembly of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) for Iraq” from Iraq

Worthy of appreciation: “Lisbon AhlulBayt (a.s.) Center” from Portugal

Worthy of appreciation: “Jami’at Nasim” from Albania

Top Quranic preachers and activists

Winner: Sheikh “Abrar Hossein Galgati” from Pakistan

Worthy of appreciation: Ms. “Fatemeh Raad” from the United States of America

Worthy of appreciation: Dr. “Ali Abu al-Khair” from Egypt

Worthy of appreciation: Ms. “Umm Farwah Naqvi” from England

Worthy of appreciation: Ms. “Mun Nizar Ahmad Ibrahim” from Iraq

Worthy of appreciation: Sheikh “Salim Akbar” from Canada

Worthy of appreciation: Ms. “Masoumeh Jaamir Akayev” from the Republic of Azerbaijan

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The ceremony was broadcast live in Arabic on the Al-Thaqalin satellite network, the Instagram page of the “AhlulBayt Virtual Majales”, the “Hiya’t Online” website, and the Abarat website.

It should be mentioned that more than 130 participants from more than 40 countries, by submitting more than 500 works to the secretariat of the first “World Prize 114”, participated in the fields of production, distribution, and propagation-promotion activities of the festival.

After submitting the works in the secretariat of the competition, the first stage of judging and selection of works was done and among the works and reports received from all over the world, more than 20 works and activities entered the final stage of judging. The final stage of judging was done by judges from four countries and today the winners of this competition were announced.

AhlulBayt (a_s_) World Assembly Quran World Prize 114