DUBAI: For the first time in its 27-year history, the Dubai Quran Award is open to female participants. This major change was announced for the 2025 edition, marking a new chapter in one of the most respected Quran competitions in the world. The event has traditionally welcomed only male contestants since its launch in 1997.
The move supports Dubai’s wider goal of giving equal chances to all, and is part of the city’s commitment to support education, culture, and gender balance. The organising committee said the inclusion of girls is meant to give talented young women a platform to show their Quran recitation skills to a global audience.
To maintain cultural values, the competition will now have separate categories for boys and girls. Female participants will be judged by a panel that includes both male and female scholars. Girls across the UAE have welcomed the change with great joy, and many have already begun training with local centres in tajweed and recitation.
The Dubai Quran Award is held every year during Ramadan. It brings together young Muslims from over 100 countries to compete in memorisation and proper pronunciation of the Quran. Winners receive prizes, scholarships, and recognition across the Muslim world.
Young girls like 16-year-old Aisha Al-Mansoori say the change has given them hope. “I’ve been memorising since I was eight. Now I finally get to compete,” she said. Religious leaders have also praised the move, calling it a step that honours the Quran’s message for all.
Organisers hope this change inspires other events around the world to open their doors to more participants and help preserve Islamic tradition in a more inclusive way.
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