Three Crowned National Quran Competition Champions

Ismail Izuaan Ibrahim, Aayan Ahmed Inan and Aishath Zeek Riyaz have secured the top honors at the 38th National Quran Recitation Competition, with President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu presenting the awards to the first-place winners.

President Dr. Muizzu and First Lady Sajidha Mohamed attended the closing ceremony of the competition held at the Islamic Centre’s conference hall on Thursday.

Ismail Izuaan Ibrahim placed first in the Hafiz category, Aishath Zeek Riyaz won the memorised recitation category, while Ayan Ahmed Inan secured first place in the unmemorised, or recitation from the book, category.

The first-place winners received the Presidential Plaque of Honour, a cash prize of MVR 100,000 from the President and a Presidential scholarship to pursue studies up to doctoral level in their chosen field and country.

They also received a combined cash prize of MVR 75,000 from the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and Endowments, with contributions from the National Centre for the Holy Quran and the Religious Waqf Fund. The winners were additionally presented with trophies and commemorative certificates, while the Maldives Hajj Corporation Limited sponsored an Umrah pilgrimage for the top performers.

The First Lady presented awards to the second- and third-place winners in the three competition categories.

The 38th edition introduced several major reforms to the national competition. Unlike previous years, when participants were required to represent institutions, this year’s competition was opened to any individual wishing to participate, with applicants able to enter directly through the audition round.

The administrative process was also fully digitalised, while newly introduced regulatory amendments allowed international adjudicators to serve on the two judging panels overseeing the three categories during the semi-final and final rounds.

A total of 138 participants competed in the final stage of this year’s competition.

The competition has also been elevated under the current administration as a major national platform for Quranic education, with the event now receiving direct funding from the State budget and offering the country’s highest monetary prizes for a Quran competition.

The government has also introduced other initiatives aimed at expanding Quranic education and Islamic learning across the Maldives, including doubling the allowance provided to Huffaz and expanding the role of the National Centre for the Holy Quran to increase Quran teaching opportunities across the atolls.

The National Quran Recitation Competition is an annual national-level event that provides Maldivians with a platform to demonstrate their Quran memorisation and recitation skills, while promoting Quranic education and religious learning throughout the country.