King Abdulaziz International Quran Competition – Makkah, Saudi Arabia
One of the oldest and most prestigious Quran tournaments in the Muslim world, this annual competition focuses on memorization, recitation, and interpretation.
- Year: 2025 (45th edition)
- Location: Grand Mosque, Makkah
- Participation: Around 179 contestants from 128 countries, the highest number ever recorded for this competition.
- Categories: Memorization in multiple styles (including interpretation), recitation, and partial hifz categories.
- Significance: The event reflects Saudi Arabia’s leadership in promoting Quranic studies on a global scale.
Winners
- Mohammad Adam Mohamed from Chad won the top prize (first place overall) in the 45th edition of the competition.
- Nasr Abdel-Majid Abdel-Hamid Amer (Egyptian contestant and representative of the Egyptian Ministry of Awqaf) won first place in one of the competition branches.
-
Sanusi Bukhari Idrees (Nigeria) was also among the winners, finishing in one of the top positions.
32nd International Holy Quran Competition – Egypt
Egypt’s Ministry of Religious Endowments hosted one of the largest Quran contests in the Muslim world.
- Year: 2025 (32nd edition)
- Location: Masjid Misr al-Kabir (New Administrative Capital)
- Participation: More than 70 countries, with 158 finalists reaching the last stages after wide international qualifiers.
- Highlights: Named after renowned Egyptian reciter Sheikh El-Shahat Mohamed Anwar, this competition emphasizes not just memorization and recitation but also understanding of the Quran’s meanings.
Winners
First Branch – Full Quran Memorization & Tajweed:
- First Place: Ruqaya Rifaat Abdel-Bari (Egypt)
- Second Place: Mahmoud Samir Faheem Abdel-Ghany (Egypt)
- Third Place: Baraa Khalid (Lebanon)
Second Branch – For Non-Arabic Speakers
- First: Anas bin Atiq (Bangladesh)
- Second: Ahmed Karim (Tatarstan)
- Third: Othman Othman (Nigeria)
Egypt’s competition has seen unprecedented participation due to online qualifying rounds that enabled contestants worldwide to take part.
4th International Quran Recitation Competition – Jakarta, Indonesia
Indonesia continues to expand its role as a hub for Quran-related global events:
- Year: 2025 (4th edition)
- Location: Jakarta
- Participants: ~60 reciters from 38 countries, after an online pre-qualification process that drew interest from around 187 countries.
- Goal: Strengthen global Quranic recitation traditions and highlight Indonesia’s leadership in moderate Islamic culture.
Winners
Best Qari (Male Reciter)
- First Place: Imranul Karim (Indonesia)
- Second Place: Sayed Rohullah Hashimi (Afghanistan)
- Third Place: Ahmad Safi Abo Omaralhalabi (Syria)
Best Qari’ah (Female Reciter)
- First Place: Diana Abdul Jabbar (Indonesia)
- Second Place: Sabaha Pato Salik (Philippines)
- Third Place: A’tiqah Binte Suhaimi (Singapore)
International Quran Competitions – Jordan
Jordan hosted major Quran events in 2025, continuing long cultural traditions:
- 32nd International Quran Competition, held in Amman with participants from over 50 countries, especially during Ramadan.
- 20th International Quran Competition Among Women: one of the oldest women-focused Quran tournaments, attracting reciters from 40+ countries.
Winners:
- First Place: Muzaher Suwaib Bito (Philippines)
- Second Place: Ziyad Habish (Libya)
- Third Place: Mohammed Al-Ansari (India)
- Youngest Participant Award: Abdel-Qadir Musa (Ghana); recognition for the youngest competitor.
These competitions emphasize gender inclusivity and encourage women’s engagement in Quranic excellence.
International Quranic Competition (Online – Amsterdam)
Beyond physical events, international online Quran tournaments are also gaining prominence:
- Organizer: Dar El Huda Islamic Institute, Amsterdam
- Format: Participants from around the world upload recorded recitations for evaluation.
- Aim: Encourage Quran mastery and enable accessibility for competitors unable to travel.
Winners
- First Place: Inaam Ziyad Al-Turkmani (Syria)
- Second Place: Shahid Daoudi (Iran)
- Third Places (Tied)
- Safaa Ben Al Ghalam (Tunisia)
- Ayoub Oula (Morocco)
- Bushra Al Khamlishi (Morocco)
- Abdel Rahman Taoush (Algeria)
Moscow International Quran Recitation Competition
In Russia, the 23rd Moscow International Quran Competition brought together reciters from diverse countries:
- Award winners: First place to Iran; second place shared between Lebanon and Malaysia; third place to Indonesia.
This demonstrates the global reach of Quran tournaments, even beyond traditional Muslim-majority nations.