Zakaria Al Zirek takes home the winning prize at last year's 'Munshid Al Sharjah'. Photo: NNCPR
Zakaria Al Zirek takes home the winning prize at last year's 'Munshid Al Sharjah'. Photo: NNCPR
Zakaria Al Zirek takes home the winning prize at last year's 'Munshid Al Sharjah'. Photo: NNCPR
Zakaria Al Zirek takes home the winning prize at last year's 'Munshid Al Sharjah'. Photo: NNCPR

'Munshid Al Sharjah' to kick off season 14 auditions in seven Arab countries


Liza Ayach
  • English
  • Arabic

Talent show Munshid Al Sharjah is looking for its next star as it kicks off with auditions on August 21 in seven Arab countries and online.

The competition is returning for its 14th season with the goal of finding the next nasheed star from the Muslim world.

The Islamic chanting talent contest, which is organised by Sharjah TV, an affiliate of Sharjah Broadcasting Authority, will be held at Al Majaz Amphitheatre in the emirate.

Regional fame, which often leads to successful tours and albums, will be awaiting the winner, who will be crowned Munshid Al Sharjah.

Audition locations

The online nasheed auditions will run from August 20 to September 3, with those wanting to participate asked to send a video to www.munshidsharjah.ae. In-person auditions will be held in seven Arab countries from August 21 to September 4, from 8am to 8pm at the following venues:

1. Jeddah, Saudi Arabia at Dallah Volunteer Organisation (Al Rihab District) on August 21

2. Algeria, Algeria at Dar El Quran Sheikh Ahmad Sahnun (Bir Murad Rais) on August 23

3. Muscat, Oman at Middle East College Hall (Seeb District) on August 25

4. Fes, Morocco at Commune de Fes (Majlis Al Madina) on August 27

5. Amman, Jordan at Kaloti Development Centre (Al Rabya) on August 28

6. Cairo, Egypt at Al Jazeera Higher Educational Institution on September 1

7. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates at Sharjah Radio and Television Authority on September 4

Requirements to audition for Munshid Al Sharjah

1. Nasheed: Select a nasheed with purposeful content

2. Time: Perform a nasheed or mawwal (a traditional and popular Arabic genre of vocal music that is very slow in beat and sentimental in nature) for up to three minutes

3. Dress code should be suitable

4. Age should be between 20 to 35

Who are the audition judges?

1. Mohammed Ghazali and Faisal Al Labban in Jeddah

2. Kamel Rezzoug (Winner of Munshid Al Sharjah in 2014) and Abdul Rahman Bu Hubaylah in Algeria, Algeria

3. Omar Al Beriki and Ibrahim Al Munziri in Muscat

4. Mohammed Khalafawi and Murad Steito in Fes

5. Ayman Ramadan and Abdulkader Nasser El Dine in Amman

6. Osama Allam and Mahmud Hilal in Cairo

7. Ahmad Al Mansouri and Taresh Al Hashimi in Sharjah

Who was the last season's winner?

Last season, Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, crowned Zakaria Al Zirek from Morocco as the winner of season 13 of Munshid Al Sharjah. Ahmed Samreen from Jordan came in second place and Aseel Jaber from Algeria took third.

Last year's winner Al Zirek is from Morocco
Last year's winner Al Zirek is from Morocco

Last season's vocal trainers

Last season, three vocal coaches guided the aspiring nasheed stars on their journey. They included acclaimed Iraqi musician and composer Waseem Faris, season four finalist Mustafa Hamdo from Syria and Egyptian music producer and composer Sherif Mohsen.

The three vocals trainers of 'Munshid Al Sharjah', from left, Mustafa Hamdo, Waseem Faris and Sherif Mohsen
The three vocals trainers of 'Munshid Al Sharjah', from left, Mustafa Hamdo, Waseem Faris and Sherif Mohsen

Judging panel of Season 13

Advice to all contestants was offered on stage by three arbiters, renowned Tunisian singer Lotfi Bouchnak, who is referred to as Tunisia’s Luciano Pavarotti and known for his religious chants, as well as Sufi singer Sheikh Mahmoud El Tohamy, who is behind Madrassat Al Inshad (School of Chanting) in Egypt.

The two were joined by Ahmed Bukhatir, who is from Sharjah, and is considered the UAE's chanting ambassador. Bukhatir began his chanting career in 1989 and released his first album at the age of 20, titled Entasaf Al Layl, in 2000.

The judges of last year's 'Munshid Al Sharjah' were, from left, Tunisian singer Lotfi Bouchnak, Sufi singer Sheikh Mahmoud El Tohamy and Emirati singer Ahmed Bukhatir. Photo: NNCPR
The judges of last year's 'Munshid Al Sharjah' were, from left, Tunisian singer Lotfi Bouchnak, Sufi singer Sheikh Mahmoud El Tohamy and Emirati singer Ahmed Bukhatir. Photo: NNCPR

Also, during last season, alongside Munshid Al Sharjah, the organisers put together a family-oriented Sharjah Munshid Festival outside Al Majaz Amphitheatre. Offering a wide range of activities and competitions, the festival included children’s entertainment, games, food stalls, daily shows, an outdoor cinema, and a screening of past seasons of Munshid Al Sharjah.

FROM%20THE%20ASHES
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Khalid%20Fahad%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Shaima%20Al%20Tayeb%2C%20Wafa%20Muhamad%2C%20Hamss%20Bandar%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Settlers

Director: Louis Theroux

Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz

Rating: 5/5

It Was Just an Accident

Director: Jafar Panahi

Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr

Rating: 4/5

The biog

Job: Fitness entrepreneur, body-builder and trainer

Favourite superhero: Batman

Favourite quote: We must become the change we want to see, by Mahatma Gandhi.

Favourite car: Lamborghini

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20S24%20ULTRA
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Champions parade (UAE timings)

7pm Gates open

8pm Deansgate stage showing starts

9pm Parade starts at Manchester Cathedral

9.45pm Parade ends at Peter Street

10pm City players on stage

11pm event ends

GOLF’S RAHMBO

- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)

MATCH INFO

Everton 2 (Tosun 9', Doucoure 93')

Rotherham United 1 (Olosunde 56')

Man of the Match Olosunde  (Rotherham)

Tips to keep your car cool
  • Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
  • Park in shaded or covered areas
  • Add tint to windows
  • Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
  • Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
  • Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
SERIE A FIXTURES

Saturday

AC Milan v Sampdoria (2.30pm kick-off UAE)

Atalanta v Udinese (5pm)

Benevento v Parma (5pm)

Cagliari v Hellas Verona (5pm)

Genoa v Fiorentina (5pm)

Lazio v Spezia (5pm)

Napoli v Crotone (5pm)

Sassuolo v Roma (5pm)

Torino v Juventus (8pm)

Bologna v Inter Milan (10.45pm)

The Cairo Statement

 1: Commit to countering all types of terrorism and extremism in all their manifestations

2: Denounce violence and the rhetoric of hatred

3: Adhere to the full compliance with the Riyadh accord of 2014 and the subsequent meeting and executive procedures approved in 2014 by the GCC  

4: Comply with all recommendations of the Summit between the US and Muslim countries held in May 2017 in Saudi Arabia.

5: Refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of countries and of supporting rogue entities.

6: Carry out the responsibility of all the countries with the international community to counter all manifestations of extremism and terrorism that threaten international peace and security

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League, last 16, first leg

Liverpool v Bayern Munich, midnight (Wednesday), BeIN Sports

WE%20NO%20LONGER%20PREFER%20MOUNTAINS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Inas%20Halabi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENijmeh%20Hamdan%2C%20Kamal%20Kayouf%2C%20Sheikh%20Najib%20Alou%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe

Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010

Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille

Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm

Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year

Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”

Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners

TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013 

Business Insights
  • Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
  • The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
  • US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
Champion%20v%20Champion%20(PFL%20v%20Bellator)
%3Cp%3EHeavyweight%3A%20Renan%20Ferreira%20v%20Ryan%20Bader%20%3Cbr%3EMiddleweight%3A%20Impa%20Kasanganay%20v%20Johnny%20Eblen%3Cbr%3EFeatherweight%3A%20Jesus%20Pinedo%20v%20Patricio%20Pitbull%3Cbr%3ECatchweight%3A%20Ray%20Cooper%20III%20v%20Jason%20Jackson%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EShowcase%20Bouts%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EHeavyweight%3A%20Bruno%20Cappelozza%20(former%20PFL%20World%20champ)%20v%20Vadim%20Nemkov%20(former%20Bellator%20champ)%3Cbr%3ELight%20Heavyweight%3A%20Thiago%20Santos%20(PFL%20title%20contender)%20v%20Yoel%20Romero%20(Bellator%20title%20contender)%3Cbr%3ELightweight%3A%20Clay%20Collard%20(PFL%20title%20contender)%20v%20AJ%20McKee%20(former%20Bellator%20champ)%3Cbr%3EFeatherweight%3A%20Gabriel%20Braga%20(PFL%20title%20contender)%20v%20Aaron%20Pico%20(Bellator%20title%20contender)%3Cbr%3ELightweight%3A%20Biaggio%20Ali%20Walsh%20(pro%20debut)%20v%20Emmanuel%20Palacios%20(pro%20debut)%3Cbr%3EWomen%E2%80%99s%20Lightweight%3A%20Claressa%20Shields%20v%20Kelsey%20DeSantis%3Cbr%3EFeatherweight%3A%20Abdullah%20Al%20Qahtani%20v%20Edukondal%20Rao%3Cbr%3EAmateur%20Flyweight%3A%20Malik%20Basahel%20v%20Vinicius%20Pereira%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
FA Cup fifth round draw

Sheffield Wednesday v Manchester City
Reading/Cardiff City v Sheffield United
Chelsea v Shrewsbury Town/Liverpool
West Bromwich Albion v Newcastle United/Oxford United
Leicester City v Coventry City/Birmingham City
Northampton Town/Derby County v Manchester United
Southampton/Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City
Portsmouth v Arsenal 

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Brief scores:

Toss: India, opted to field

Australia 158-4 (17 ov)

Maxwell 46, Lynn 37; Kuldeep 2-24

India 169-7 (17 ov)

Dhawan 76, Karthik 30; Zampa 2-22

Result: Australia won by 4 runs by D/L method

Key recommendations
  • Fewer criminals put behind bars and more to serve sentences in the community, with short sentences scrapped and many inmates released earlier.
  • Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
  • Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
  • More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.
LEAGUE CUP QUARTER-FINAL DRAW

Stoke City v Tottenham

Brentford v Newcastle United

Arsenal v Manchester City

Everton v Manchester United

All ties are to be played the week commencing December 21.

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Updated: August 10, 2022, 12:35 PM`