Public voting has officially begun for the 28th edition of the Dubai International Holy Quran Award, inviting audiences worldwide to help select the most beautiful Quran recitation for 2026 as the prestigious competition enters its final stage during Ramadan.
Following two rigorous qualifying rounds, judges shortlisted six finalists from thousands of global applicants. The finalists include Omar Aly Awad of Egypt, Abdulla AlButi of Kuwait and Karrar Layth Saad of Iraq in the male category, alongside Aisyah AR Rumy of Indonesia, Sarah Alhalak of Syria and Jana Ehab Ramadan of Egypt competing in the female category. Public voting is now open through the official platform quran.gov.ae.
Held under the patronage of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, the award aims to celebrate the spiritual and cultural significance of Quran recitation while inspiring younger generations to uphold its values. In a Ramadan message, Sheikh Mohammed emphasised the importance of spreading messages of kindness, mercy and compassion through the Holy Quran.
Ahmed Darwish Al Muhairi, Director-General of the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department in Dubai, said this year’s edition reflects a renewed vision designed to strengthen the award’s global impact. Key updates include increased prize values, the introduction of a dedicated female category and the addition of public voting to engage audiences worldwide.
The competition attracted 5,618 applicants from 105 countries, with women accounting for 30 percent of entries. After preliminary assessments based on Tajweed rules and performance quality, 525 reciters advanced to live video evaluations before the final six were selected.
Winners will be announced at the closing ceremony on March 2 in Dubai, where each top male and female reciter will receive a $1 million prize, reinforcing the award’s status as one of the world’s most prominent Quran recitation competitions.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
