Sheikh Mohammed honours winners of Most Beautiful Quran Recitation for 2026
- Last updated: March 4, 2026 | 15:33 ..
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, honoured the winners of the Most Beautiful Quran Recitation for 2026 that forms part of the 28th edition of the Dubai International Holy Quran Award.
Sheikh Mohammed honoured the winners during a reception for the Award’s finalists held at Majlis Umm Suqeim on Teusday evening, where he praised their excellence in recitation and their commitment to the Holy Quran. He also praised the outstanding standard demonstrated by participants in this year’s Award.
"Today, we recognised an exceptional group among the people of the Quran. In this Holy Month, we celebrate the Holy Quran and the talents who carry its message as ambassadors of peace, love, goodness and tolerance. Supporting the people of the Quran is a tribute to knowledge and virtue, and serving the Quran will always remain one of the greatest honours we uphold.”
The reception was attended by Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group; Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Olympic Committee; Sheikh Majid Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum; and Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
During the meeting, which was marked by an atmosphere of devotion, humility, and tranquillity, attendees listened to beautiful recitations by the contestants who reached the final stage in both the male and female categories.
The male category included Abdullah Faisal Al Buti from Kuwait, Karrar Layth Saad from Iraq, and Omar Aly Awad from Egypt.
The female category included Aisyah AR Rumy from Indonesia, Jana Ehab Ramadan from Egypt, and Sara Abdul Karim Alhalak from Syria.
Sheikh Mohammed presented the first-place winner of the Most Beautiful Quran Recitation for 2026 in the male category, Karrar Layth Saad from Iraq, with a prize of $1 million, and the first-place winner in the female category, Jana Ehab Ramadan from Egypt, with a prize of $1 million.
His Highness also honoured the finalists from both categories. Omar Aly Awad from Egypt won second place, while Abdullah Faisal Al Buti from Kuwait secured third place. In the female category, Aisyah AR Rumy from Indonesia won second place, and Sara Abdul Karim Alhalak from Syria won third place.
The first-place winners in both categories were chosen through public voting from among the six finalists who advanced to the final stage of the 28th Dubai International Holy Quran Award.
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, said, "The Award, under the directives and vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, reflects Dubai’s commitment to consolidating its position as a leading global centre in serving the Quran and its sciences.”
He noted that the development vision introduced in the current edition of the Award, along with its qualitative enhancements, has contributed to expanding international participation and motivating new generations to pursue learning the Holy Quran with mastery and distinction. This, he added, reinforces the Award’s mission of preparing ambassadors of peace, tolerance, and love among the people of the Quran worldwide.
He further emphasised that the record participation confirms that the Dubai International Holy Quran Award embodies Dubai’s international efforts to inspire youth and strengthen their connection to the Holy Quran, encouraging them to uphold its values and teachings, and motivating them to compete in memorisation and recitation. The Award also honours scholars and institutions that have rendered outstanding services to the Holy Quran and its sciences.
Al Muhairi congratulated the winners and praised their excellence in mastering recitation and performance, wishing them continued success in their journey with the Holy Quran and expressing hope that they will serve as role models and sources of inspiration for their peers across the world.
The Dubai International Holy Quran Award had previously announced the selection of the late Sheikh Mahmoud Khalil Al-Husary, Sheikh of the Egyptian Qurra and former Chairman of the Mushaf Review Committee, as the Global Quranic Personality, with a US$1 million prize. The selection came in recognition of his historic stature as a leading Imam of reciters and in appreciation of a lifetime devoted to serving the Holy Quran. He was the first to record the recited Quran in an authenticated audio format worldwide, preserving the principles of proper recitation with exceptional precision and mastery. His voice became a reference for generations and a guiding example for those striving for excellence in Quran recitation.
The 28th Dubai International Holy Quran Award witnessed intense global competition following the launch of its new development vision, which expanded international participation. The Award received 5,618 applications from 105 countries, with 30 percent of submissions in the female category. Applications included participants from Arab and Islamic countries, as well as Muslim communities in the United States, Canada, Russia, and countries across various continents.
WAM