Awqaf Minister Praises High Standards Of Contestants In 'Awwal Al-Awael' Quran Contest

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Peninsula

Doha, Qatar: Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs H E Ghanem bin Shaheen bin Ghanem Al Ghanim has praised the outstanding standards demonstrated by contestants in the third edition of the international Quran competition 'Awwal Al-Awael', commending their mastery of the Holy Quran, quality of recitation and commitment to excellence.

The Minister made the remarks during a visit yesterday to the first-round competitions, held at the Imam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab Mosque in Doha, where he observed contestants representing 19 countries competing before an international judging panel comprising prominent scholars specialising in Quranic readings and Tajweed.

The competition brings together winners of top positions in international Quran contests, with the aim of identifying the best among the best. Only 10 contestants will advance to the final round, competing for the title of 'Awwal Al-Awael' and a top prize of QR1m.

The contestants reached the in-person stage following preliminary qualifying rounds that attracted 98 applicants from 35 countries. A total of 82 contestants representing 33 countries took part in the initial qualifiers, from which 42 advanced to the first round in Doha.

The competition tests participants not only on their memorisation of the entire Holy Quran but also on their understanding of its vocabulary, based on the book Al-Siraj fi Bayan Gharib Al-Quran. Assessment criteria include recitation, application of Tajweed rules, vocal quality and overall performance.

The first-round competitions will continue until November 14, with results scheduled to be announced on November 15. The final-stage draw will also take place on the same day, ahead of the final competitions on November 16 and 17. The closing ceremony is scheduled for November 19.

The competition has also highlighted inspiring journeys of participants who have combined Quranic memorisation with academic and professional achievements. Among them are Egyptian physician Ahmed Mohammed Ali Amer, who holds a postgraduate qualification in orthopaedic surgery and has studied the ten major Quranic readings, and Hamada Mohammed El Sayed Khattab, who holds a doctorate in Quranic readings and teaches at Al-Azhar University's Faculty of the Holy Quran.

Other contestants include Yemeni Ibrahim Ahmed Farea Qassem, who works as an imam in Qatar's Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, and Guinean Omar Ahmed Touri, who mastered the ten minor Quranic readings. Chadian contestant Mohammed Adam Mohammed is also among the participants, having achieved first place in the seven consecutive readings category at the King Abdulaziz International Quran Competition last year.

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