Qatar Honors Top Winners at Sheikh Jassim Holy Quran Contest

The Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs held a special ceremony on Tuesday to honor the top male winners of the 30th Sheikh Jassim bin Muhammad bin Thani Noble Quran Competition. The event took place at the Sheraton Doha Hotel and celebrated the winners in three main categories: citizens, elite memorizers, and general memorizers. These were all part of the full Holy Quran memorization branch, which is known as one of the most respected categories of the competition.

The ceremony was attended by many respected guests. Among them was HE Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs Ghanem bin Shaheen Al Ghanem. The audience also included several scholars, Quran reciters, preachers, and officials from different educational and religious institutions. International guests were also present, including the Chairman of the Moscow International Holy Quran Competition and the Grand Muftis of Slovenia and Croatia. Their presence showed the importance and global recognition of this competition.

Malallah Abdulrahman Al Jaber, the chairperson of the organizing committee, spoke proudly about the competition’s long history. He explained that this Quran competition has become one of the most important platforms in the Islamic world. It has achieved this status because of strong support from Qatar’s leadership and the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs. He shared that the competition began in 1993 and has grown into one of the oldest and most diverse Quran competitions, offering many branches and valuable prizes.

Al Jaber said the competition was launched to honor the legacy of Sheikh Jassim bin Muhammad bin Thani, the founder of the state, who always worked to spread knowledge and encourage Quran learning. Every year, the competition attracts hundreds of participants, both citizens and residents. It includes full Quran memorization as well as partial memorization branches. This year saw a strong turnout from both male and female participants.

He also revealed that more than 2,450 people applied for this year’s edition, including around 800 citizens. Several updates were introduced to improve the competition, such as separating male and female judging committees and establishing independent centers for female contestants. The rewards for skilled participants who did not reach the top five positions were also increased. Another important addition was the Rattel branch, launched in the 29th edition, which targets high school students to help strengthen moral and religious values.

Al Jaber added that the competition continues to expand globally. This year, Qatar supported Quran competitions in Russia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. This reflects Qatar’s commitment to promoting the Holy Quran and supporting cultural and religious cooperation worldwide.

During the ceremony, a special visual presentation showed the competition’s journey over three decades. It highlighted how the event has grown into a major platform for teaching Quran memorization and how it has helped develop many skilled memorizers, imams, and preachers across Qatar.

The presentation also highlighted the electronic release of the encyclopedia of Quranic readings by Sheikh Dr. Ahmed Aissa El Masarawi. This project honors his long service as a judge and his influence on raising the competition’s standards.

The ceremony included recognition of the judges, committee members, and media institutions that helped support the competition. Finally, the top winners were announced. In the citizens' category, Abdulaziz Abdullah Ali Al Hamri won first place with a prize of 100,000 Qatari riyals. The elite category was topped by Hamza Al Habashi from the United States. In the general category, Nasser Nahed Deeb from the United States also took first place.

The final stage of the competition was held at Imam Muhammad ibn Abdulwahhab Mosque, where 15 finalists performed before the Supreme Judging Committee. Their recitations were evaluated based on memorization, tajwid, and performance. The event concluded with honoring all winners and recognizing their dedication to the Holy Quran.