2026 King AbdulAziz Quran Competition opens with more participants, hefty prize and women inclusive
Makkah, Saudi Arabia: The 46th edition of the King Abdulaziz International Competition for the Memorisation, Recitation and Interpretation of the Holy Qur’an has opened in Makkah on Thursday, attracting a record 334 contestants from 133 countries.
This year’s edition marks a significant milestone as it records the highest participation due to the creation of a female division of a competition that began more than four decades ago.
The women’s session will be held at the Hilton Convention Hotel in Makkah, while the men’s final rounds and closing ceremony will take place at the Grand Mosque.
Held under the patronage of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Custodian of the two Holy Mosques and organised by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, the competition will run for the next two weeks from August 6 to 19.
According to the organisers, the competition seeks to encourage young Muslims to engage with the Holy Qur’an through memorisation, recitation, understanding and reflection.
It also aims to promote excellence in Qur’anic studies, strengthen participants’ attachment to the Holy Qur’an and highlight Saudi Arabia’s longstanding commitment to serving the Qur’an and supporting its memorisers.
Organisers said the new arrangement reflects the competition’s continued growth, increasing international participation and greater recognition of women’s contributions to Qur’anic scholarship and memorisation.
Contestants will compete in five categories: memorisation of the entire Holy Qur’an according to the seven authenticated readings; memorisation of the entire Qur’an with interpretation of its vocabulary; memorisation of the entire Qur’an; memorisation of 15 juz’ (parts); and memorisation of five consecutive juz’.
The total prize fund has been increased to SR10.26 million (US$2.74 million), making it the largest in the competition’s history.
The Ministry said all organisational, technical and logistical arrangements had been completed, with participants accommodated near the Grand Mosque and competition venues fully prepared.
Delegations and their companions will also participate in cultural programmes and visits to historical and Islamic landmarks in Makkah and Madinah. The activities are intended to enrich participants’ experience while showcasing the Kingdom’s stewardship of Islam’s two holiest mosques.
At the 45th edition of the competition last year, Chad’s Mohammad Adam Mohamed won the top prize of US$133,151. Saudi Arabia’s Anas bin Majid Abdulla Al-Hazmi placed second, receiving US$119,836, while Nigeria’s Sanusi Bukhari Idrees finished third and received US$106,520.
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