The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance is rewarding every contestant in the 46th King Abdulaziz International Competition for the Memorization, Recitation, and Interpretation of the Holy Qur'an with SR 5,000 each, in a record edition held at the Grand Mosque (Al-Masjid al-Haram) in Makkah from 23 Safar to 6 Rabi' Al-Awwal 1448 AH, corresponding roughly to 6–19 August 2026.
The total set aside for these participant rewards exceeds SR 1,500,000, covering all eligible contestants. The overall prize pool for this year's edition stands at SR 10,260,000 — the highest since the competition was launched, and a major jump from earlier levels of around SR 4 million. The number of winners has also been raised to 50, compared with 12 in previous years.
This edition brings together 334 male and female contestants representing 133 countries. Participants compete across five categories: memorizing the entire Qur'an memorizing the entire Qur'an with interpretation of vocabulary; memorizing the entire Qur'an; memorizing 15 consecutive parts (ajza'); and memorizing 5 consecutive parts.
A women's segment has been formally added for the 46th edition for the first time, with separate judging committees for boys and girls operating during the final rounds inside the Grand Mosque. The competition is organized and supervised by the General Secretariat of Qur'an Competitions under the ministry, with participation and prize disbursement handled directly through the ministry's official channels.
The expanded prizes and wider participation underline the growing scale of one of the world's leading Qur'an competitions, welcoming reciters and huffaz from across the globe to Makkah and offering meaningful recognition for their achievements.
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