Reciters hoping to be crowned the world’s finest can now apply directly to Dubai’s flagship Quran competition, which has thrown open its 29th edition with an expanded international reach and a prize pool topping AED 12 million.
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced the new round of the Dubai International Holy Quran Award through a post on X. “Seeking Allah’s grace and guidance, we launch today the new edition of Dubai International Holy Quran Award,” he wrote, framing the competition as a search for exceptional voices to be celebrated during the coming Ramadan.
The edition carries the Hijri-Gregorian designation 1448H–2027 and builds on a strategic direction introduced last year under the banner “In Search of the Most Beautiful Quran Recitation in the World.” Organizers have added several changes intended to widen who can take part and how winners are chosen.
One of the more prominent shifts, as reported by Emirates 24|7, is a public voting component. Contestants who advance to the later rounds will be flown to Dubai during Ramadan to lead Taraweeh prayers at major mosques around the emirate, after which members of the public will cast votes to decide who holds the title of the world’s most beautiful recitation. The competition has also dropped its reliance on nomination alone; applicants may now submit their own entries directly, in addition to being put forward by their home countries or by accredited Islamic centers.
The financial stakes are substantial. According to Emirates 24|7, the recipient of the Global Quranic Personality Award receives US$1 million, second-place finishers in the competition categories take US$100,000, and third-place winners collect US$50,000. Applications run from July 7 through August 15, 2026, through the award’s official website, with the closing ceremony scheduled for the second week of Ramadan.
In his announcement, Sheikh Mohammed placed the initiative within a longer tradition. “God’s word is light, guidance and mercy. We have been celebrating its memorizers for 29 years and will continue to do so, God willing, praying to Allah to accept our good deeds and yours,” he said. He had earlier written that the aim was to honor the chosen reciters, pray behind them and recognize them during “the upcoming blessed month of Ramadan, God willing.”
Ahmed Darwish Al Muhairi, Director-General of the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department in Dubai and Chairman of the award’s Board of Trustees, said the launch demonstrates the emirate’s ongoing role in serving the Quran and honoring those who memorize and recite it, describing the latest changes as an extension of the development plan set out during the previous edition.
Since it began in 1997, the award has drawn 7,826 participants from 123 countries and distributed more than AED 67 million in prize money, while recognizing 24 individuals and three institutions through its Global Quranic Personality honor.
