Contestants

Guidelines for contestants

Guidance from the organisers on taking part in the competition with sincerity and respect, and the judges' assessment criteria.

“The most important prize is to have the word of Allah in your heart.”

Competition goals

To instil the majesty and reverence of the Holy Qur'an in people's hearts and minds;
To encourage young people to recite, memorise, understand and reflect on the message of the Holy Qur'an;
To promote the spirit of healthy competition among the Huffadh for continuous improvement;
To honour the most dedicated and distinguished among the people of the Qur'an and to inspire others to follow in their footsteps;
To revive the tradition of families dedicating members to the memorisation of the Holy Qur'an;
To connect the Muslim community with the Holy Qur'an through its recitation, memorisation, comprehension and practice.

At all times

You must constantly evaluate the sincerity of your actions, ensuring that every deed is performed solely to please Allah;
You must not participate with the objective of acquiring worldly gains;
You should participate with the aim of improving your relationship with the Qur'an, through its memorisation, reflection and practice;
Strive to make the Qur'an your life model and guide;
Whenever possible, intend to benefit the community by voluntarily offering to teach the word of Allah.

As a Hafidh

You should feel the most honoured and proud due to the gift Allah has bestowed upon you, which is having the word of Allah within your heart.

During the competition

Consider the competition as an opportunity for personal growth and continuous improvement;
You should be present in all sessions of the programme (not just your designated day or time), considering that your presence is for the purpose of participating in and observing the competition. Refrain from absenting yourself from the competition for leisure;
The potential mistake of a fellow competitor should not be a source of personal satisfaction;
You must adhere to the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) regarding clothing (including the topi and/or amamah) and appearance;
Cooperate with the organisers and adhere to the respective rules;
Be punctual in performing congregational prayers in the Masjid (mosque);
Upon hearing a good recitation, praise it by saying Ma shaa Allah. Endeavour to have a noble heart in congratulating participants who achieve podium positions;
Try to approach the judges to seek advice, as they can offer valuable motivation;
You must respect the final ranking, regardless of your position, as the true and most significant ranking will, In shaa Allah, be granted on the Day of Judgement, when the recitation of the last verse will determine your station in Jannah.

During your test

While awaiting your turn, continuously engage in the recitation of Salaat and Salam (salutations and blessings upon the Prophet);
Do not be afraid of making mistakes;
Listen to the question attentively;
Upon hearing the question, try to locate and visualise the Juz and Surah you will be reciting from;
Maintain a moderate pace during your recitation (not so slow that it tires the judges and not so fast that you neglect the rules of Tajweed);
Should you make a mistake, remain calm;
If you feel the need, drink some water between the questions to avoid a dry mouth;
When reciting a verse with Mutashabihat (similar verses in different places), recite it clearly and distinctly to avoid creating doubt for the judges, even if it is not in your favour;
If you are corrected by the judges, accept it naturally without showing arrogance;
Maintain a humble posture, regardless of your performance;
In the event that your performance does not meet your expectations, do not feel discouraged, but rather cultivate the desire and enthusiasm for future improvement.

Judging criteria

1. Categories of competition

Participants will be judged in the following categories:

In the guidelines, the letters A, B, C and D correspond to 5, 10, 20 and 30 Ajza, that is, to categories C, D, E and F of the 2027 rules.

Category A: 5 Ajza (2 questions)
Category B: 10 Ajza (2 questions)
Category C: 20 Ajza (3 questions)
Category D: Full Qur'an, 30 Ajza (3 questions)

Each question is marked out of 100%. Each participant's final score is the average of their scores across the questions in their category.

2. Recitation errors and correction procedure

Each participant will be given two opportunities to correct themselves in the event of a mistake before the judge intervenes. The procedure is as follows:

Each bell press (due to a mistake or 5+ seconds of silence) results in a deduction of 2 points.
If the mistake or pause continues after two warnings, the judge intervenes, and 3 additional points are deducted.

Breakdown

1st error or pause of 5+ seconds: bell pressed, 2 points deducted.
2nd error or continued pause: bell pressed again, 2 more points deducted (4 in total).
3rd error or continued pause: the judge intervenes, 3 more points deducted (7 in total).
If the participant corrects themselves within the two chances, only the deductions from the bell presses apply (2 or 4 points), and no judge intervention deduction is applied.

Disqualification per question

If 3 mistakes occur in one question, that entire question is voided, and the participant will receive 0% for that question.

General rules

If a participant demonstrates insecurity and weakness in their recitation, the judge may reduce the number of questions or the amount of recitation.
No points will be deducted if a contestant makes an error and immediately self-corrects without intervention from the jury. However, this may be considered in the event of a tie.

3. Tajweed rules

Minor Tajweed mistake (affects quality, subtle errors): 1 point will be deducted.
Major Tajweed mistake (alters meaning, noticeable errors): 2 points will be deducted.

4. Improper starts or stops (Waqf/Ibtida)

Improper starts or stops (without altering meaning): 0.3 points will be deducted.
Improper starts or stops (altering meaning): 0.7 points will be deducted.

5. Quality of recitation (Husn al-Ada')

1 point can be deducted at the end of the question if the participant was inconsistent in applying the rules or applied them improperly.

Closing prayer

May Allah make the Qur'an the spring of your hearts, the light of your chests, the remover of your sadness and the reliever of your worries. May Allah honour you through His Noble Book, and make you among those who recite it properly, act upon its guidance and rise in rank through it on the Day of Judgement. May Allah accept the efforts of all the participants and make it a means for you to draw nearer to Him.
Ameen.