Latest news with #SheikhHamdan
Khaleej Times
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Meet UAE kids who recite call to prayer in mosques during summer break
While summer holidays are typically associated with fun and leisure, several Emirati children have chosen to dedicate part of their break to learning and performing the adhan (call to prayer) in mosques across the country, reflecting a deep-seated passion and spiritual connection. Khaleej Times spoke to a group of children who raised the adhan (call to prayer) as part of the 'Mu'adhin Al-Farij' programme. The name 'Mu'adhin Al-Farij' literally means "the neighbourhood's caller to prayer of the neighbourhood". It aims to instil Islamic values in the next generation and foster children's connection to mosques. Among the standout participants is nine-year-old Rashid Khalid Alketbi, a student at King's School in Dubai, whose love for the adhan started early. At just eight years old, he approached the imam at his local mosque and asked if he could perform the adhan himself. The imam agreed, and from that day, reciting the adhan became part of Rashid's daily routine. Passion for adhan "When I heard the imam making the adhan, I asked my mother if I could try. She agreed, and then I went to the imam and asked him. He let me call the Asr adhan, and I felt a sense of calm (like never before)," Alketbi said. Rashid's passion only grew. With his soothing voice and a deep sense of dedication, he eventually joined the Mu'adhin Al-Farij programme. He also had the honour of performing the adhan in front of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum at Nad Al Sheba Palace. A gifted poet as well, Rashid won first place in a Dubai-wide poetry contest among 1,000 students. His mother, who actively supports his pursuits — from Quran to public speaking to sports — says his enthusiasm for the adhan comes entirely from within. He now trains at Hattrick Football Academy, where Emirati children can bond together in a culturally rooted environment. He hopes to become an official mu'adhin in the mosques of the Emirates one day. He also encourages other children to try it too, saying it brings tranquility and great spiritual reward. Following in his father's footsteps Another young mu'adhin shared his story of how he got started. Inspired by his religious father, Nahyan Abdulla Alfalasi gave his first adhan at home when he was around eight or nine years old. Speaking to Khaleej Times, the 10-year-old said, "The first time I gave the adhan was at home. I used to listen to different mu'adhins and learn from them." He began imitating various mu'adhins and eventually developed his own style, influenced by his favourite reciter, Hamad Al Daghrir, who performs the adhan Makkah's Grand Mosque. "I love his voice. I try to imitate him, but I use my style too," he said. When asked if he feels nervous before making the adhan, he said, "My parents raised me well and instilled confidence in me. What I love most is that my voice is soft and the adhan is accurate." Alfalasi, a student at the Scientific Research School in Dubai, regularly visits a mosque in Al Khawaneej, where his father prays and where he takes Quran and adhan lessons, "I used to go two or three times a week to learn," he said. One of his proudest moments came when he performed the adhan at Zabeel Palace in front of the Dubai Ruler and Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan. "I met Sheikh Mohammed first, then Sheikh Hamdan. After I finished the adhan, Sheikh Mohammed told me: 'Your adhan is number one'." He recalled a lighthearted moment during a trip to City Walk with his friends, where they asked him to call the adhan in one of the mosques there. "It was a beautiful feeling," he said. Nahyan has memorised three parts of the Quran and spends his summer balancing Quranic studies with swimming and football. His advice to other kids? "Learn the adhan now, so that one day you can become mu'adhins like me." His mother encouraged him to participate in the programme so that her children would grow up with a strong religious and cultural foundation. "The programme is amazing. It builds character and instils values," she said. She also enrolled her younger son, Tahnoon, who is nine years old. "The goal isn't to win — it's for children to learn, call the adhan at the mosque, and lead prayer in the future," she added. 'Moment of joy' Although the programme is based in Dubai, that didn't stop cousins Tamim and Hassan, from Khor Fakkan, from joining. Tamim Mahmoud Ali, 12, and Hassan Humaid Aldarmaki, 11, joined the programme despite the long travel to Dubai. They trained under Sheikh Younis, the imam of Al Warqaa Mosque. Their commitment paid off — they were selected for advanced training at Al Maktoum Centre due to their talent and dedication. They also performed the adhan at various mosques in Dubai and Khor Fakkan. Tamim, who once battled nerves, said calling the adhan at Umm Al Sheif majlis was a turning point: 'All my nervousness disappeared in that moment of joy.' Hassan, once a quiet imitator of other mu'adhins, now calls the adhan with confidence. He has memorised nine juz' of the Quran, while Tamim has memorised eleven. Both boys also attend classes in Islamic jurisprudence and Hadith and take part in sports, especially football. When asked about their feelings while making the adhan, both described a sense of awe and a deep spiritual connection. They hope to become official mu'adhins in the future and encourage other children to try it for themselves, calling it a spiritually uplifting experience.
Zawya
2 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Dubai launches world's first icon classification for Human–machine collaboration in research and publications
Dubai-United Arab Emirates: Dubai has launched the world's first icon-based classification system to represent the level of human–machine collaboration in the process of producing research, publications, and public-facing content. Developed by the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), the Human–Machine Collaboration (HMC) Icons offer a new global standard for transparency, clearly indicating the extent to which humans and AI worked together throughout the creation process. The classification is free to use, copyrighted for consistency, and openly available for researchers, publishers, and content creators worldwide. His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of DFF, said: 'Distinguishing between human and AI-generated content has become a major challenge. That is why we have launched a new framework to define the level of collaboration between humans and machines across all forms of content. 'We invite researchers, writers, publishers, designers, and content creators around the world to adopt this new global classification system,' His Highness added. Unlike existing tools that focus on outputs or authorship, the HMC Icons focus on the process behind the work, from ideation and data analysis to writing, translation, and design. The system applies to academic papers, reports, visual content, and educational materials. The classification system features f ive core icons representing the degree of human–machine collaboration (from All Human to All Machine), as well as nine functional icons indicating which specific parts of the process a machine has contributed to. They are: ideation, literature review, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation, writing, translation, visuals, and design. By using these icons, institutions and individuals can demonstrate responsible AI use, reinforce human leadership in research production, and foster greater trust in an era increasingly shaped by machine learning tools. The system was developed in response to a question raised in the 2024 edition of Dubai Future Foundation's Global 50 report: 'What if we had a Turing Declaration for human intelligence?' The HMC Icons present Dubai's answer: a practical framework that sets a new benchmark for research integrity and content transparency.
National Post
2 days ago
- Science
- National Post
Dubai Launches World's First Icon Classification for Human–Machine Collaboration in Research and Publications
Article content Classification system sets new standard for transparency in the age of AI-assisted knowledge creation Article content DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Dubai has launched the world's first icon-based classification system to represent the level of human–machine collaboration in the process of producing research, publications, and public-facing content. Article content Developed by the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), the Human–Machine Collaboration (HMC) Icons offer a new global standard for transparency, clearly indicating the extent to which humans and AI worked together throughout the creation process. The classification is free to use, copyrighted for consistency, and openly available for researchers, publishers, and content creators worldwide. Article content His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Article content , Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of DFF, said: 'Distinguishing between human and AI-generated content has become a major challenge. That is why we have launched a new framework to define the level of collaboration between humans and machines across all forms of content. Article content 'We invite researchers, writers, publishers, designers, and content creators around the world to adopt this new global classification system,' His Highness added. Article content Unlike existing tools that focus on outputs or authorship, the HMC Icons focus on the process behind the work, from ideation and data analysis to writing, translation, and design. The system applies to academic papers, reports, visual content, and educational materials. Article content The classification system features f ive core icons representing the degree of human–machine collaboration (from All Human to All Machine), as well as nine functional icons indicating which specific parts of the process a machine has contributed to. They are: ideation, literature review, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation, writing, translation, visuals, and design. Article content By using these icons, institutions and individuals can demonstrate responsible AI use, reinforce human leadership in research production, and foster greater trust in an era increasingly shaped by machine learning tools. Article content The system was developed in response to a question raised in the 2024 edition of Dubai Future Foundation's Global 50 report: 'What if we had a Turing Declaration for human intelligence?' The HMC Icons present Dubai's answer: a practical framework that sets a new benchmark for research integrity and content transparency. Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content
The National
3 days ago
- Business
- The National
Sheikh Hamdan marks one year as UAE's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence
bin Mohammed is marking the first anniversary of his appointment as the UAE's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence. Sheikh Hamdan, who also serves as Crown Prince of Dubai, has played a significant role in the heart of government, at home and abroad in the past 12 months. He was appointed to both key Cabinet positions on July 14 2024, before being sworn in four days later in front of President Sheikh Mohamed. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, paid tribute to his son in a video with poetic verse, featuring Sheikh Hamdan in his early years and charting his rise in government. "Today is your day Hamdan you always achieve hopes," Sheikh Mohammed says of Sheikh Hamdan, describing him as his "winning arrow". One of the highlights of Sheikh Hamdan's year in office was an official visit to India in April, during which he held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. 'It was a pleasure meeting the Prime Minister Narendra Modi today in New Delhi,' Sheikh Hamdan wrote on X at the time. 'Our conversations reaffirmed the strength of UAE–India ties which is built on trust, shaped by history and driven by a shared vision to create a future full of opportunity, innovation and lasting prosperity.' The high-profile trip to India was one of a number of overseas engagements undertaken by Sheikh Hamdan in his ministerial capacity. On the global stage In May, he travelled to Muscat to meet Sultan Haitham of Oman in support of the long-standing friendship between the Gulf neighbours. In September 2024, he took part in key discussions with Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of Uzbekistan, as part of an official visit to the country. They witnessed the signing of a number of agreements aimed at furthering partnerships between the nations at the Presidential Palace in Tashkent. Sheikh Hamdan has also sought to champion the UAE Armed Forces since taking up the role of Minister of Defence, demonstrating the deep connection between the country's leadership and soldiers in the line of duty. During the first weekend of Ramadan in March, Sheikh Hamdan sat down with National Guard troops in Hatta to enjoy iftar. 'I was delighted to join the personnel of the National Guard in Hatta for iftar,' Sheikh Hamdan wrote. 'Their dedication to safeguarding our borders, even while away from their families during the Holy Month, is truly remarkable. "We deeply appreciate all those who work diligently around the clock to ensure our country continues to be a beacon of stability and prosperity.' Sheikh Hamdan attended a ceremony in May in honour of the 49th anniversary of the unification of the UAE Armed Forces. Sheikh Hamdan said unification of the Armed Forces was a momentous national occasion on which the military can reflect on the legacy of UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The military was unified five years after the UAE was founded. Six of the seven emirates – Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah – formed the union on December 2, 1971. Ras Al Khaimah joined on February 10, 1972.
Khaleej Times
3 days ago
- Khaleej Times
Dubai's classification system for AI-assisted content: Is it mandatory?
A Human-Machine Collaboration (HMC) classification system launched by the Dubai Crown Prince on Wednesday is not mandatory, except for Dubai Government entities or those working with the Dubai Government. "They are meant to encourage honest self-assessment and transparency. Anyone involved in creating content, including researchers, writers, designers, or consultants, can choose to use them,' the Dubai Future Foundation said. Ranging from 'all human' to 'all machine', the five-point global classification system informs end users about the role of machines in the research, production, and publication of creative, scientific, academic, and intellectual content. Machines include digital technologies such as algorithms, automation tools, generative AI, and robots. The icons representing the classifications can be used on academic papers, technical and annual reports, videos, artwork, educational materials, and other multimedia content. 'They can also be used on social media, in videos, images, or any other content that involves, or could involve, AI or machine assistance,' the Dubai Future Foundation said. The icons can be placed on the cover, in footnotes, or in the disclaimer section of the content. Copyrighted by the Dubai Future Foundation, the icons are free to use and do not require permission. Announcing the system, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Defence of the UAE, said: 'Distinguishing between human creativity and artificial intelligence has become a real challenge in light of today's rapid technological advances. This calls for a new approach to recognise the growing role of intelligent machines. That's why we launched the world's first Human-Machine Collaboration Icons, a classification system that brings transparency to how research documents, publications, and content are created.' Classifications explained All Human: Content is fully produced by a human, with no machine involvement. Human-led: Human-produced content is enhanced or checked by a machine for accuracy, correction, or improvement. Machine-assisted: Humans and machines work together iteratively to produce content. Machine-led: A machine takes the lead in producing the content, with humans verifying quality and accuracy. All machine: Content is entirely generated by a machine, with no human input.
