The blue Turkish evil eye may be the first image that comes to mind when you think of popular jewellery charms, but there is another motif that often adorns Islamic jewellery. The Ayatul Kursi, which is the 255th verse of the second surah (chapter) of the Quran, speaks about God’s incomparability, and is invoked for protection against evil.
The words of the Quran transcend cultural differences, they connect and unify Muslims
Its 10 lines are often memorised by Muslims, some of whom recite the prayer before setting off on a journey, in the morning and before sleeping. The verse is also frequently inscribed on gold and silver jewellery, and worn as talismans by those who believe in its protective qualities.
Protective talisman
“Wearing the Ayatul Kursi and other verses of the Quran as amulets as a means of protection has been [popular] since the early days of Islam,” explains Rabia Karim, founder of Imaan Lifestyle, an e-commerce platform that sells Islamic jewellery including cuffs and round pendants engraved with the Ayatul Kursi prayer. “For many, it is also a way of expressing their identity and attachment to their religion.”
Traditionally worn by elder generations, Ayatul Kursi jewellery is finding renewed significance among younger Muslims, who are attracted to the protective and sentimental qualities it holds. “It is one of my staple jewellery items, and I rarely leave the house without it,” says British-Moroccan Sara Chouki, 28, who only takes off her pendant with this prayer when going to sleep and, out of respect, before entering a bathroom. “It acts as a constant day-to-day reminder of my purpose [in this world]; it reminds me why I am here.”
Chouki’s attachment to her gold Ayatul Kursi pendant has familial roots; it was originally given to her mother when she gave birth to Chouki’s younger sister 18 years ago. “My mum gave it to me when I moved to Dubai as it gave her ease of mind to know I am keeping both a part of her and God close to my heart while I am miles away,” says Chouki.
Ayatul Kursi designs
There are Ayatul Kursi pendants and charms galore at traditional souqs and souvenir shops in the Middle East – some are inscribed on dainty gold pendants or more masculine metal tags, and others are printed on papers rolled up scroll-style and encased within sterling silver, like a message in a bottle.
Contemporary jewellery brands have also reappropriated the popular prayer: US-based jewellery brands such as Nominal and Zudo, for instance, sell Ayatul Kursi jewellery on their websites, targeting millennial Muslims in the West.
Jewellery for men
As an everlasting symbol of spirituality, Ayatul Kursi icons are far from gender-specific – they are popular among men, too. “I have worn my Ayatul Kursi necklace for as long as I can remember,” says Palestinian-American fashion designer Zaid Farouki, 29, from Dubai. “In Jordan and Palestine when a child – regardless of gender – is born, they are gifted gold evil eyes, Ayatul Kursi charms and coins to congratulate the parents on the child’s arrival.”
These gifts, he explains, are both symbolic and valuable, as the gold is often seen as an investment for the child to keep. The necklace that Farouki wears daily was given to him on the day of his birth, and this in itself, he says, makes it meaningful. “The idea that it was bestowed upon me by a caring person on the day I was born is enough for me to fall in love with it,” Farouki says.
While Farouki believes that the Quranic verse has protective qualities, he also recognises that jewellery pieces inscribed with the prayer may be more treasured for their symbolic appeal than any actual “magic” properties that protect wearers from harm. “God knows everything from the past and future, so what’s meant to be is meant to be – but we as humans have the urge to hold on to things,” he says.
One with faith
Perhaps it's this tangibility – giving a solid surface to the realm of the unseen – that makes Islamic jewellery so covetable. And at a time when the Muslim community, or ummah, is so diverse and scattered, many young Muslims are refashioning their Islamic identities with the usage of timeless, borderless imagery.
“The words of the Quran are eternal and transcend cultural differences, they connect and unify Muslims, regardless of their differences,” says Karim.
Whether manly and minimalist or gold-plated and diamond-emblazoned, jewellery inscribed with the Ayatul Kursi make for an aesthetically pleasing badges of faith, offering solace and comfort in the idea of God’s protection. Still, most wearers admit that faith transcends material objects like jewellery, which are mere tokens serving as spiritual reminders. “I believe that God protects us regardless – with, or without an Ayatul Kursi around our necks or hanging on our walls at home,” says Chouki. “His protection is all-encompassing.”
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Education reform in Abu Dhabi
The emirate’s public education system has been in a constant state of change since the New School Model was launched in 2010 by the Abu Dhabi Education Council. The NSM, which is also known as the Abu Dhabi School Model, transformed the public school curriculum by introducing bilingual education starting with students from grades one to five. Under this new curriculum, the children spend half the day learning in Arabic and half in English – being taught maths, science and English language by mostly Western educated, native English speakers. The NSM curriculum also moved away from rote learning and required teachers to develop a “child-centered learning environment” that promoted critical thinking and independent learning. The NSM expanded by one grade each year and by the 2017-2018 academic year, it will have reached the high school level. Major reforms to the high school curriculum were announced in 2015. The two-stream curriculum, which allowed pupils to elect to follow a science or humanities course of study, was eliminated. In its place was a singular curriculum in which stem -- science, technology, engineering and maths – accounted for at least 50 per cent of all subjects. In 2016, Adec announced additional changes, including the introduction of two levels of maths and physics – advanced or general – to pupils in Grade 10, and a new core subject, career guidance, for grades 10 to 12; and a digital technology and innovation course for Grade 9. Next year, the focus will be on launching a new moral education subject to teach pupils from grades 1 to 9 character and morality, civic studies, cultural studies and the individual and the community.
Jetour T1 specs
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Torque: 390Nm
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How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
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Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
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Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Zayed Sustainability Prize
MATCH INFO
Champions League last 16, first leg
Tottenham v RB Leipzig, Wednesday, midnight (UAE)
THE BIG THREE
NOVAK DJOKOVIC
19 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)
French Open: 2 (2016, 21)
US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)
Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)
Prize money: $150m
ROGER FEDERER
20 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)
French Open: 1 (2009)
US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)
Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)
Prize money: $130m
RAFAEL NADAL
20 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)
French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)
US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)
Australian Open: 1 (2009)
Prize money: $125m
SQUADS
South Africa:
JP Duminy (capt), Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock (wkt), AB de Villiers, Robbie Frylinck, Beuran Hendricks, David Miller, Mangaliso Mosehle (wkt), Dane Paterson, Aaron Phangiso, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Tabraiz Shamsi
Bangladesh
Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Imrul Kayes, Liton Das (wkt), Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim (wkt), Nasir Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Shafiul Islam, Soumya Sarkar, Taskin Ahmed
Fixtures
Oct 26: Bloemfontein
Oct 29: Potchefstroom
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Greatest of All Time
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The specs
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Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
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Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
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Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
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Get Out
Director: Jordan Peele
Stars: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford
Four stars
MATCH INFO
First Test at Barbados
West Indies won by 381 runs
Second Test at Antigua
West Indies won by 10 wickets
Third Test at St Lucia
February 9-13
The Details
Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5
The Travel Diaries of Albert Einstein The Far East, Palestine, and Spain, 1922 – 1923
Editor Ze’ev Rosenkranz
Princeton
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
Result
UAE (S. Tagliabue 90 1') 1-2 Uzbekistan (Shokhruz Norkhonov 48', 86')
BIO
Favourite holiday destination: Turkey - because the government look after animals so well there.
Favourite film: I love scary movies. I have so many favourites but The Ring stands out.
Favourite book: The Lord of the Rings. I didn’t like the movies but I loved the books.
Favourite colour: Black.
Favourite music: Hard rock. I actually also perform as a rock DJ in Dubai.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
All the Money in the World
Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Charlie Plummer, Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Williams, Christopher Plummer
Four stars
Company: Instabug
Founded: 2013
Based: Egypt, Cairo
Sector: IT
Employees: 100
Stage: Series A
Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors
Match info:
Real Betis v Sevilla, 10.45pm (UAE)
