Doha, Qatar: Two Qatari contestants are competing in the qualifying rounds of the third edition of the international “Awwal Al-Awael” Quran Competition, which brings together elite Quran memorisers from around the world.
The competition, the international branch of the Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed bin Thani Quran Competition organised by the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, is witnessing broad international participation, with 82 contestants representing 33 countries taking part in the online qualifying stage.
Qatar is represented by Abdullah Hamad Salem Bu Shreida and Abdulaziz Abdullah Al Hamri, who are competing alongside some of the world’s leading Quran memorisers and previous first-place winners at major international Quran competitions.
The qualifying rounds are being conducted online through video conferencing from the competition’s headquarters at the Ministry’s Tower and will continue until Thursday, July 30.
The Qatari participation reflects the country’s continued presence in international Quranic competitions and highlights the quality of national Quranic programmes that have contributed to developing a generation of accomplished Quran memorisers capable of competing at the highest international levels.
The “Awwal Al-Awael” competition holds a distinctive position among international Quran competitions because participation is restricted to contestants who have won first place in recognised international or semi-international Quran competitions, as well as those who secured first place in the full Quran memorisation category of the Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed bin Thani Quran Competition during the three years preceding the competition.
As a result, the current edition has brought together the “best of the best” among Quran memorisers and reciters, many of whom have already achieved top positions at leading Quranic events worldwide.
This exceptional level of participation is expected to make the competition particularly demanding, while winning the “Awwal Al-Awael” title represents one of the highest achievements available to Quran memorisers on the international stage.
The qualifying stage is being overseen by two specialised judging panels. Each panel comprises a chairman, a judge and a representative of the competition’s organising committee, ensuring accuracy and transparency in assessing the contestants.
The first panel is chaired by Sheikh Hamada Juma Mohammed Hassan, who holds an authorisation in the ten minor Quranic readings, while the second is chaired by Sheikh Mohammed Nizar Marwan Marish, who holds an authorisation in the ten major Quranic readings.
Together with the other members, the two panels are responsible for evaluating contestants according to the competition’s approved scientific standards.
The panels will select the top 40 contestants to advance to the second stage, which will be held in person in Qatar at Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Mosque in November 2026. The stage will be open to the public and judged by an international panel comprising leading scholars specialising in Quranic readings and Tajweed from across the Islamic world.
The international judging panel will then select the top 10 contestants to qualify for the final stage, where they will compete publicly before the international jury for the prestigious “Awwal Al-Awael” title.
The winner will receive a QR1m prize, described as the highest-value prize in the history of international Quran competitions.
