Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative in the Al Dhafra Region, the General Authority of Islamic Affairs, Endowments & Zakat, in collaboration with the Court of the Ruler’s Representative in the Al Dhafra Region, has honoured the winners of the Al Dhafra Memoriser and Reciter Quran Competition 2025, at Mohamed bin Zayed University for Humanities - Al Dhafra Branch.
The event was attended by His Excellency Abdul Rahman Saeed Al Shamsi, Acting Executive Director of the Religious Competencies and Sharia Discourse Sector, His Excellency Saud Mohammed Al Rashidi, Acting Executive Director of the Mosques and Holy Quran Education Sector, and His Excellency Saeed Salem Al Mazrouei, Executive Director of the Citizens Affairs Sector at the Court of the Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region, along with several officials, families of the awardees, and a large audience.
His Excellency Dr Omar Habtour Al Derei, Chairman of the General Authority of Islamic Affairs, Endowments & Zakat, commended the dedication of the UAE and its wise leadership to the education of the Holy Qur’an and the substantial support provided by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, for national initiatives that promote the Holy Qur’an, disseminating its noble values, and fostering a spirit of competition in its memorisation and recitation through the organisation of numerous competitions across the UAE, positioning it as a global centre for the service of the Holy Qur’an.
Additionally, Dr Al Derei expressed his appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative in the Al Dhafra Region, for his backing of the competition and his continued support for the Authority’s initiatives and programmes. He also praised the winners and their families, highlighting that it represents a source of pride for them because of the deep significance it holds. He encouraged them to maintain virtuous human principles and to embody the ethics of the Holy Qur’an in their dealings and duties towards themselves, their families, their community, and their country.
The ceremony featured several segments, including a documentary showcasing the history of Al Dhafra Region, a recap of the competition’s progress since it began, and the presentation of exceptional demonstrations of Quran recitations voiced by winners and national skilled individuals associated with the Authority’s Quran memorisation centres and platforms.
At the end of the ceremony, the top winners in the award categories, totalling around 39 recipients, were honoured and presented with prizes and certificates of achievement and appreciation.
The Al Dhafra Memoriser and Reciter Quran Competition is one of the cultural competitions featured in the events of the annual Al Dhafra Festival. Participation applications for the competition can be submitted via the official channels of the Authority and are available to citizens and residents of Al Dhafra Region. The 2025 session featured more than 333 participants across various categories, with around 90 competitors succeeding in the sections designated for citizen mothers, People of Determination, and students from accredited memorisation centres, along with the recitation and tajweed categories, showcasing the high level of Quran memorisation in Al Dhafra Region.
