Young Emirati voices raise the call to prayer and lead worshipers in Dubai mosques

The Executive of Scholars and Teachers Affairs at the Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities in Dubai, Abdullah Abu Bakr Basalah, confirmed that the number of participants in the “Farij Muezzin” Challenge initiative launched by the Department at the beginning of this year reached 180 students across the Emirate of Dubai, of whom 20 students won and were given the opportunity to raise the call to prayer in the emirate’s mosques.

He explained that the initiative targeted the emirate’s students to participate with their voices in the call to prayer, with the aim of instilling a love for the call to prayer in the hearts of young people, qualifying them to perform this ritual in neighborhood mosques during the holy month of Ramadan, and raising them on correct religious values, in line with the department’s efforts to enhance religious awareness among members of society, especially young people.

Basalaa said that the “Al Freej Imam Elite” initiative is concerned with qualifying a group of students to lead the prayer and call to prayer in the mosques of the Emirate of Dubai, and about 80 students participated in it, including 40 muezzins and 40 imams. They were trained in the jurisprudence of prayer, the jurisprudence of the call to prayer, and good recitation, and the students perform rituals in the emirate’s mosques during the month of Ramadan this year. He added that these initiatives have a great impact, especially in the month of Ramadan, in terms of motivating students to adhere to mosques, and encouraging them to learn their religion, the Qur’an, and the pillars and duties of prayer.

He pointed out that such initiatives support the goals of the “Year of the Family,” through their proximity to society and the strengthening of Islamic and national identity among students.

For his part, the participant in the “Imam Al-Freej” initiative, Mansour Faisal Al-Mansouri (17 years old), who is among the elite chosen from the participants, said that the initiative contributed to teaching him how to perform worship correctly, and he was able to memorize 10 parts of the Qur’an during his participation. He explained that this is his second participation in the initiative, and also the second for him to be selected among the elite Imam of Al-Faraj.

He expressed his happiness at leading the worshipers in Tarawih prayers during the month of Ramadan at the Sheikha Hind Bint Maktoum Bin Juma Al Maktoum Mosque in Dubai, pointing out that leading is not an easy matter, but rather a great responsibility. He stressed that his parents were his biggest supporters, pointing out that his ambition is to master memorization and recite the Qur’an better, and to become an imam of a mosque in the future. As for the winner of second place in the “Muezzin Al Freej” challenge, Khalifa Al Madhani (11 years old), he expressed his happiness with the achievement, praising the efforts of “Dubai Islamic” in strengthening the relationship between young people and mosques.

He pointed out that this is his second participation in “The Muezzin of Al-Farij,” and he is also participating this year in “Imam of Al-Farij.”

He said that the encouragement of the imam of the neighborhood mosque prompted him to participate, pointing out that he memorizes six parts of the Holy Qur’an, and the initiatives have contributed to strengthening this memorization, and he dreams of raising the call to prayer at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.

It is noteworthy that “Dubai Islamic” launched the “Imam Al-Faraj” initiative in 2024 under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, and Chairman of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Dubai, with the aim of qualifying young people to lead worshipers, in a step that reflects efforts to enhance Islamic and cultural values ​​in society, after the success witnessed by the “Al-Faraj Muezzin” initiative in its first season.