Dubai, United Arab Emirates – 21 May 2025: The Dubai International Holy Quran Award has announced the launch of its 28th edition for the year (1447 AH - 2026 AD), under a new vision titled "In search of the most beautiful Quran recitation." This initiative aims to position the award among the most distinguished globally, reaffirming Dubai's leading role in serving the Holy Quran and solidifying its status as an international hub for honoring Quran memorizers worldwide.
The new edition introduces significant enhancements to the award's 28-year legacy, most notably increasing the prize value, with the total prizes exceeding AED12 million and the first-place winner in each category (males and females) now receiving USD one million.
For the first time, the award is open to female participants through a dedicated category, bringing the total number of award categories to three: full Quran memorization for males, full Quran memorization for females, and the Islamic Personality of the Year award.
The upcoming edition will also see expanded international participation, increase financial rewards for winners, update nomination, judging, and evaluation mechanisms, and allow for direct personal nominations alongside traditional nominations from the participant's country or accredited Islamic centers, in accordance with approved conditions. This expansion aims to attract more talents from around the world and reinforce the award's global leadership.
These developments were announced during a press conference organized by the Dubai International Holy Quran Award at Creators HQ, Emirates Towers, Dubai, attended by 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, along with ……… and several media representatives.
His Excellency Ahmed Darwish Al Muhairi stated that, by the grace of Allah and the patronage and support 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 has become a prestigious global platform for honoring Quran memorizers and promoting the noble values of Islam, such as tolerance, peace, and moderation.
He added: "Since the award's inception in 1997, it has maintained its position as one of the most important Quranic awards worldwide, attracting thousands of participants from dozens of countries. It has contributed to discovering promising Quranic talents and fostering a culture of honorable competition in serving the Holy Quran through an integrated system of exceptional organization, precise judging standards, and a strategic vision focused on excellence and innovation."
He noted that the 28th edition of the Dubai International Holy Quran Award represents a qualitative leap in the award's history, featuring a renewed format and significant additions that reflect ongoing aspirations to improve and develop this blessed award. Efforts have been made to enhance the organizational and technical aspects of the award, develop judging criteria, and expand international participation to ensure a competitive environment that allows Quran memorizers to showcase their abilities in the best possible way, thereby reinforcing Dubai's position as a global beacon for spreading Islamic values and serving the Holy Quran and its people.
His Excellency Ahmed Darwish Al Muhairi added: "We are proud of the esteemed status the award has achieved today, both regionally and internationally, and we are committed to continuing its development to enhance its impact and align with Dubai's leadership ambitions. We look forward to this edition continuing the award's ongoing success in encouraging new generations to memorize the Holy Quran and contemplate its meanings."
Award Objectives The Dubai International Holy Quran Award aims to encourage male and female Quran memorizers to compete in mastering the memorization and contemplation of the Holy Quran, focusing on its preservation, recitation, and performance. It seeks to inspire youth to engage with the Quran, learn from its sciences, and adhere to its teachings. Additionally, the award serves the Book of Allah by launching religious, cultural, and social initiatives and projects that nurture new generations in Quran memorization. It also honors individuals and institutions that have made significant contributions to the Quran and its sciences.
Dubai International Holy Quran Award for Males and Females In the new edition, the award categories have been consolidated into three: full Quran memorization for males, full Quran memorization for females (newly introduced), and the Islamic Personality of the Year award.
The Dubai International Holy Quran Award for both males and females focuses on full Quran memorization with proper Tajweed and performance. It is open to participants of all nationalities, who can register personally or through nominations by accredited Quranic institutions in their respective countries.
The award has set several conditions for participation in its 28th edition for both males and females: participants must have fully memorized the Holy Quran with proficiency, adhere to the rules of Tajweed and recitation, be no older than 16 years at the time of registration (previously 25 years), and must not have reached the final stages or been honored in a previous edition of the award. Participants must also adhere to the specified testing schedule in terms of date and order.
Registration Mechanism The Dubai International Holy Quran Award has announced the registration mechanism for its new edition for both males and females. Interested participants can visit the award's website at www.quran.gov.ae, fill out the participation form with the required information, attach a copy of their passport and a personal photo, and upload a video recording of any part of the Holy Quran with suitable quality and clear audio, not exceeding three minutes in duration and without using audio effects.
Testing Mechanism and Stages The Dubai International Holy Quran Award tests for both males and females are conducted in three stages. The first stage involves an initial evaluation of the submitted video recitation based on Tajweed rules and performance quality.
In the second stage, remote tests are conducted for those who qualify, with evaluations based on memorization, Tajweed, and performance. The third stage involves hosting a group of top contestants who achieve the highest scores in the second stage for in-person tests in Dubai, culminating in the final award ceremony that honors winners.
The award has announced that it will accept submissions for both male and female categories from May 21 to July 20, 2025. The initial evaluation phase will take place from July 1 to July 31, 2025, the second phase (remote video evaluations) from September 1 to September 30, 2025, and the final evaluation phase (in-person judging and award ceremony) during the second week of Ramadan.
The judging committee for the Dubai International Holy Quran Award for both males and females consists of five members, including the chairman and vice-chairman, along with a sixth member (reserve). Judges are required to be proficient in Quran memorization, well-versed in Tajweed rules and recitation principles, and certified in at least seven or ten Quran readings if necessary. They should have prior experience in judging international competitions, with exceptions made for recognized scholars in Quranic readings. Judges must adhere to the award's judging regulations and be able to operate electronic devices.
Islamic Personality of the Year Award The third category of the Dubai International Holy Quran Award is the Islamic Personality of the Year award, an annual honor bestowed upon an individual or entity meeting the following criteria: having played a prominent role in serving Islam and Muslims, making a positive and impactful contribution to society, possessing tangible and distinguished scholarly achievements, serving as a role model with a good reputation in the Islamic world, and being alive at the time of selection if an individual.
The recipient of the Islamic Personality of the Year award is honored during the final ceremony of the Dubai International Holy Quran Award and receives a prize of USD one million.
It is noteworthy that the Dubai International Holy Quran Award has established its prestigious global status through numerous achievements over 27 editions, with a total of 2,107 contestants from 91 countries participating in its competitions. -