UAE- Islamic Personality of the year announced

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The Dubai International Holy Quran Award late on Tuesday announced that Shaikh Mohammed Ali Bin Al Shaikh Abdurrahman Sultan-al-Ulama was the Islamic Personality of the year.

Ibrahim Bu Melha, Adviser to the Ruler of Dubai for Cultural and Humanitarian Affairs and Head of DIHQA Organising Committee, said Sultan-al-Ulama was born in 1340H/1920. "He memorised the holy Quran in full at an early age and mastered the Arabic and Sharia sciences at the hands of his father, the renowned scholar Imam Abdurrahman bin Yusuf, widely nicknamed as Sultan-al-Ulama."

All set to complete his academic study, Shaikh Mohammed moved to India, and then to at Al Azhar in Cairo. "Later, he returned to the UAE where he started teaching Arabic and Sharia sciences at the Rahmaniya School that was founded by his late father."

Following the death of his father in 1360H, Shaikh Mohammed took full responsibility of the Rahmaniya School, renovated it, and solely taught all sciences of Sharia there for over 40 years that one may truly say that almost all preachers or imams here have learnt from him or at the hands of his students, he added.

"Whereas thousands of students have learnt at his school which he renamed as the 'Sultan-al-Ulama School for Religious Sciences', hundreds of them have become prominent scholars and spread the religious knowledge and prophetic Sunnah across the globe."

Owning to his tireless effort, the School has become a leading hub for hundreds of students who flock to it every year to learn Sharia sciences, particularly as the school takes care of all their expenses, Bu Melha stated.

"Though busy teaching at the school most of the day, Sheikh Mohammed dedicated a daily session every afternoon to meet people, answer their quarries, and solve their problems."

Shaikh Mohammed kept managing the school affairs and taking care of its expenses with the help of philanthropists. "Equipped with a competent cadre of former students he assigned for teaching, the school turned into a milestone for Arabic and Sharia students."

Committed to philanthropic work, Shaikh Mohammed has outstandingly participated in up to 200 charity projects, spanning mosques, schools, colleges, hospitals, and Quran study centres. "He also took part in building and developing several roads, and assisted many indigent people."

His Majlis, still thronged with people from every nook and corner, has become a shiny minaret for religious knowledge in this country, Bu Melha disclosed. "He used to give lessons at his mosque on a regular basis and found the 'Sultan-al-Ulama College for Sharia Sciences' in Dubai; a leading academy for religious sciences, mainly Fiqh or jurisprudence and judiciary, to be opened soon."

So far, he has authored more than 70 big, medium, and small sized valuable books., he elaborated.

"Shaikh Mohammed's well-read books have been printed several times, translated in a number of languages, and distributed in so many countries. Some of his students have posted some of his books on the internet to benefit more people."

Though busy making use of his time in writing books, teaching and answering questions, he dedicates part of his time in serving the community, Bu Melha said. "He sought no worldly pleasures, but only God's pleasure."

Ahmed Shaaban Master's degree in Mass Media with 19 year experience in media and translation