Rashid Bin Mohammed's Center for Holy Quran Memorization opens under ‘To Heavens, Rashid!’ initiative

Under the patronage of the wife of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister, Ruler of Dubai, Her Highness Sheikha Hind Bint Maktoum Bin Juma Al Maktoum; the Rashid Bin Mohammed's Center for Holy Quran Memorization was inaugurated today (Tuesday, May 3, 2016) in Umm Suqeim Model School at Al Safa 2, Dubai. This is the second campaign to be implemented  as part of the ‘To Heavens, Rashid!’ initiative by Dubai Customs’ Port Rashid Operations Center in Jebel Ali Customs Centers Management, in association with Al Bayan Newspaper, UAE. The initiative has 12 campaigns on the agenda.

Admission to the Center, which is named after the late Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (may his soul rest in peace),  is open free-of-charge to female students from Umm Suqeim Model School and other schools, as well as their mothers, and girls and ladies from the neighborhood and the community at large, with no conditions for enrolment.     

The inauguration ceremony was attended by HE Shamma Al Mazrouei, Minister of State for Youth Affairs, Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Deputy Chairman of the Dubai Police and General Security, Ibrahim Bu Melha, Dubai Ruler's Advisor for Humanitarian and Cultural Affairs, Marwan Al Sawaleh, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education, Dr. Ahmed Eid Al-Mansouri, Director, Dubai Educational District, and Noora Al Muhairi, Principal, Umm Suqeim Model School, alongside other government officials and dignitaries.

The Center will work in two shifts, with the morning shift starting from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM for female students from the school or other schools from the area and surrounding areas. Whereas, it will open its doors to mothers who desire to enroll in the Center during the evening period from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM. The Center accommodates 70 enrollees, and Umm Suqeim Model School has allocated seven school teachers specialized in the memorization of the Holy Quran whose number will be increased later, in addition to furnishing the Center with a large number of Quran copies. 

The ‘To Heavens, Rashid!’ initiative comes as part of the charitable actions undertaken in the memory of the late Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The initiative includes 12 campaigns, namely Umrah trip, the establishment of the Center for memorization of the Holy Quran in cooperation with Umm Suqeim Model School, Our charities to you in Shabaan, Ramadan Meer, Orphans' cash gifts in Eid al-Fitr, ‘Suqia’ - a two-month drive directed to a segment of workers in the Emirate of Dubai, the Hajj campaign, Eid al-Fitr clothing, Eid al-Adha clothing, and Zakat campaign, which will benefit inhabitants of remote areas across the nation.

The ‘To Heavens, Rashid!’ initiative is a call for charity in behalf of the dead with all righteous deeds and invocations not only on specific occasions, to embody the meanings of compassion and benevolence to our dead whom passed away and ascended to heaven, as it is also a true and sincere charity for the sake of Allah in word and deed.

The Initiative began with Umrah campaign in which 70 employees from Dubai Customs and Al Bayan Newspaper participated last month. It is followed by the campaign for establishing Rashid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Center for Memorization of the Holy Quran which is inaugurated today. Other campaigns within the framework of the initiative will follow.

On this occasion, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Chairman and CEO of DP World and Chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, thanked HH Sheikha Hind Bint Maktoum Bin Juma Al Maktoum for her unlimited support to Dubai Customs’ ‘To Heavens, Rashid!’ initiative. 

“Shaikh Rashid will always be remembered for his role in advancing sports in the UAE, his philanthropic work and his skills as an accomplished equestrian and businessman,” added Bin Sulayem. 

It is worth noting that Umm Suqeim Model School hosts 290 female students from grade 6 to 9. The school has obtained an “A” from DSIB at the Knowledge and Human Development Authority in Dubai. The school also won several educational awards, most recently Ideas Arabia Award for technology, the Middle East Award for technology, and Emirates Award for services. The model academic establishment also boasts excellent facilities and activities that enhance educational environment and help promote creativity among female students.