The final round of the 41st International Quran Competition concluded on the evening of January 31 at the Quds Hall of the shrine. The competition saw 59 reciters and memorizers from 29 countries competing since January 26.
In the women’s recitation category, Ghazaleh Soheilizadeh from Iran, Aisha Mohammed Abdulmutallab from Nigeria, and Houra Haidar Hamzi from Lebanon secured the top three positions. In the women’s memorization category, Fatemeh Deliri from Iran, Motahhareh Labibeh from Bangladesh, and Afnan Rashad Ali Yaqoub from Yemen were awarded the top three spots.
In the men’s recitation category, Seyyed Mohammad Hosseinipour from Iran, Mohammad Hossein Mohammed from Egypt, and Ahmed Razak Aldelfi from Iraq achieved the highest ranks. In the men’s memorization category, Mohammad Khakpour from Iran, Morteza Hossein Ali Akkash from Libya, and Ahmed Mohammed Saleh Ibrahim Issa from Egypt were recognized. In the men’s recitation of Tartil, Mojtaba Ghodbigi from Iran, Haidar Ali Adnan Mohammed from Iraq, and Qasem Mohammed Hamdan from Lebanon were honored.
During the closing ceremony, Seyyed Abbas Salehi, Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, emphasized the importance of continuing this prestigious competition in Mashhad. He highlighted Imam Reza shrine as a significant base for Quranic knowledge in the Islamic Revolution, stating that the shrine and the city of Mashhad have historically been connected to Quranic scholarship, especially in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
The ceremony, attended by Ayat. Alamolhoda, Friday prayer Imam of Mashhad, Ayat. Marvi, the Custodian of Astan Quds Razavi, Seyyed Abbas Salehi, and other officials, featured Quran recitations, a special prayer for Imam Reza, performances by the national Imam Reza Tawasheeh group, and the unveiling of a Quranic manuscript attributed to Imam Reza.