Doha, Qatar: The organising committee of the Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed bin Thani Qur’an Competition at the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs has announced the registration of 2,848 male and female contestants for the Junior category (Baraim) in 2026 edition, marking the 31st edition of the prestigious competition.
The strong turnout reflects the growing enthusiasm among citizens and residents for memorizing the Holy Qur’an and nurturing a new generation closely connected to its teachings.
According to the committee, participants represent 45 nationalities from across Qatari society, underscoring the country’s cultural diversity and highlighting the competition’s role as a unifying platform that promotes Qur’anic values among all segments of the community.
The Junior category is designed to encourage young boys and girls—both citizens and residents—to begin memorizing the Qur’an at an early age. Participants compete by memorizing one of the last five ajza’ (parts) of the Holy Qur’an.
Age requirements stipulate that Qatari participants must not exceed 12 years old, while resident participants must be no older than 8 years.
Registration figures reveal strong family engagement in supporting children’s participation. Among male contestants, 369 are Qatari citizens and 1,091 are residents. Female participation includes 384 Qatari citizens and 1,004 residents. These numbers reflect widespread parental commitment to strengthening their children’s connection to the Qur’an from a young age.
The organizing committee confirmed that the boys’ examinations will commence on Thursday, February 19, at the Imam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab Mosque, starting after Asr prayer during the evening session.
Girls’ examinations will begin on Saturday, February 21, after Isha prayer at the headquarters of the Da’wah and Religious Guidance Department – Women’s Section in Al Waab.
The committee emphasized that the female examination panels consist of qualified judges who have mastered the memorization of the Holy Qur’an, ensuring the highest standards of accuracy and objectivity. The male judging committees are chaired by experienced young Qatari judges who have continued their adjudication roles in recent years, supporting the competition’s mission of serving the Qur’an and developing national expertise in Qur’anic evaluation.
