Under the generous patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, wife of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Dubai International Holy Quran Award — affiliated with the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department in Dubai — has announced the launch of the 26th edition of the Sheikha Hind Bint Maktoum Holy Quran Competition for the year 2025.

This competition is considered one of the most prominent local Quranic contests organized annually by the Award, and it enjoys wide participation from citizens and residents of various nationalities across the UAE, making it one of the largest Quranic forums in the country.

The preliminary qualifiers for the competition will begin in October, while registration will remain open until the end of September through the official website of the Award: shq.quran.gov.ae, either individually or through nominations by accredited Quranic institutions.

His Excellency Ahmed Darwish Al Muhairi, Director General of the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department in Dubai and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai International Holy Quran Award, expressed his deep gratitude for the generous patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum for the competition. He emphasized that this gracious support reflects Dubai’s vision in supporting Quran memorizers and empowering Quranic role models, in alignment with the leadership’s approach to reinforcing Islamic identity.

His Excellency also noted that the competition serves as a pioneering Quranic beacon that contributes to strengthening the UAE’s standing in serving the Holy Quran and producing distinguished memorizers. He pointed out that the competition carries educational and societal dimensions that enhance the younger generation's connection with the Quran and its noble values.

Ibrahim Jassim Al Mansouri, Acting Director of the Dubai International Holy Quran Award, affirmed that the competition continues to move forward in achieving its noble goals. He stated that the continued support of Her Highness Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum Al Maktoum for the competition reflects the wise leadership’s vision to instill authentic Islamic values and to enhance the UAE’s role as a beacon for spreading the Holy Quran and caring for its memorizers.

The competition aims to instill love for the Holy Quran in hearts, encourage its memorization and proper recitation among members of society, and honor outstanding Quranic talents. It also seeks to prepare qualified memorizers capable of representing the UAE in international forums, thereby reflecting the country’s civilizational image in serving the Quran and its people.

The competition offers participation across seven diverse categories, including memorization of the entire Holy Quran, Juz’ Amma, and three, five, ten, and twenty parts, taking into account the different age groups for both males and females. Participants must be UAE citizens or residents and must not have previously qualified in the same category in the finals.

The preliminary rounds will be held remotely via video conferencing, and the top performers in each category will be nominated for the final stage, which will be conducted in person at the Award’s headquarters. The male finals will be held from November 15 to 20, while the female finals will take place from November 22 to 27, in front of specialized judging panels.

This competition continues to play a vital role in supporting Quranic initiatives, in line with the Award’s strategy aimed at building a conscious and faithful society, and strengthening both religious and national identity — reflecting Dubai’s commitment to leadership in caring for the memorizers of the Holy Book of Allah Almighty.