From 6 to 8 November, Moscow hosted the XXII Moscow International Quran Recitation Competition, one of the largest cultural and religious events in the Muslim world, organised by the Religious Board of Muslims of the Russian Federation in partnership with the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs of the State of Qatar. The best reciters of the Quran from more than 30 countries competed in the knowledge and skill of reciting the Holy Scripture of Muslims.



On 8 November 2024, the closing ceremony of the XXII Moscow International Quran Recitation Competition took place in the concert hall of the Cosmos Hotel. The event gathered participants, judges and guests of honour, ambassadors and diplomats of the countries of the Islamic world, representatives of Russian government authorities, cultural figures, guests and residents of the capital. The ceremony was hosted by Ildar Galeyev, Deputy Chairman of the DUM of the Russian Federation, Head of the International Department, and professional compere Amir Ahmadishin.

The event opened with a heartfelt recitation of ayats of the Holy Quran performed by Sheikh Abdurrashid Ali Sufi, a well-known reciter respected in the Muslim world. The spiritual leader of the Muslims of Russia, President of the contest Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin addressed the participants of the event, giving his greeting in the format of a video message.

After that, Mufti Rushan Abbyasov, Deputy Chairman of the DUM of the Russian Federation, Chairman of the Organising Committee of the competition, Mr Ahmed Nasser Al Thani, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Qatar to the Russian Federation, and the Director of the Department of Preaching and Religious Guidance of the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs of Qatar made welcoming speeches from the stage, Head of the Organising Committee of the Qatar International Quran Recitation Contest named after Jasim bin Muhammad bin Thani, Sheikh Malullah Abdulrahman Al Jaber, the guest of honour of the contest.

Mufti Rushan Abbyasov welcomed all the participants and guests of the ceremony and stressed that holding this important and large-scale event is a great honour for Russia, and thanks to the partnership with the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs of the State of Qatar, this year's competition has become even more intense. Rushan Hazrat also noted the importance of the spiritual performance ‘Treasures of the Quran’, which reveals the depth of the ayats of the Holy Scripture, and invited everyone to the upcoming interactive exhibition ‘The World of the Quran’, which will open on 9 November in the Moscow Cathedral Mosque. In conclusion, he thanked Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin for the creation of the Moscow International Quran Recitation Competition more than 20 years ago and presented thanks to the Qatari partners - Mr Ahmed Nasser Al Thani and Sheikh Malullah Al Jaber - for their invaluable support.

The Qatari Ambassador to the Russian Federation, Mr Ahmed Nasser Al Thani, speaking from the stage, noted the significance of the Russian-Qatari partnership in the cultural and spiritual spheres. According to him, the support of such initiatives as the Quran recitation competition reflects the warm and strong relations between the leaders of both countries - Russian President Vladimir Putin and Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. He expressed his wishes for success and further cooperation in the religious and cultural sphere, thanking the organisers for their work.
Sheikh Malullah Abdulrahman Al Jaber welcomed the guests and participants on behalf of Ghanim bin Shaheen Al Ghanim, Minister of Awqaf and Religious Affairs of the State of Qatar, expressing gratitude for the active participation in the events held within the framework of the competition. He noted that it was a great honour for the Qatari side to work together with the Religious Board of Muslims of Russia on a project that turned the Moscow International Quran Recitation Competition into a full-fledged Quran Prize, complementing it with cultural and educational events such as an interactive exhibition, an international conference and a week of Muslim cinema.

Sheikh Al-Jaber emphasised that uniting efforts within the framework of the competition contributes to strengthening the culture of the Quran and attracting young people to its values, which is one of the most important tasks of the modern Muslim community. He expressed readiness for further cooperation with the DUM of the Russian Federation in educational and enlightenment spheres, emphasising that the Ministry of Awqaf of Qatar will continue to support international initiatives aimed at spreading Quranic wisdom.

Then the audience was presented a unique spiritual-theatrical performance ‘Treasures of the Quran’, the author of the script of which was Renat Abyanov, Head of the Department of Culture of the DUM of the Russian Federation, Honoured Worker of Culture of the Republic of Tatarstan. The performance allowed people to immerse themselves in Koranic stories through the language of theatre art, revealed key moments in the lives of prophets, conveying their resilience and wisdom, as well as reflecting the trials and prophecies relevant to all generations. The image of a wise elder from the Persian Gulf, played by Ramil Sabitov, told the younger generation about the path of the righteous, their faith and spiritual fortitude in the face of difficulties. The choreographic accompaniment created by Ilshat Shabaev brought dynamics and visual saturation. The audience highly appreciated the performance for its deep and expressive revelation of Koranic meanings, combining the wisdom of the ancient scripture and modern artistic forms.

The closing ceremony also included the traditional raffle of vouchers to Hajj and Umrah from the official tour operator of the DUM of the Russian Federation ‘Muslim Tour’, which became a pleasant surprise for the winners of the competition and participants of the event.

The event ended with the awarding of the participants and announcement of the winners of the competition. The best of the best was Hafiz Suhaib Muhammad Muhammad Abdulkarim Jibriel from Libya, who took first place; Quran expert Abdulaziz Abdullah Al Hamri, representing the State of Qatar, was awarded second place; third place went to Hafiz Aziz Yahya Saeed Sultan from Yemen. The audience prize went to Palestinian reciter Wassim Jadallah Salim Abed Samira. These outstanding reciters demonstrated exceptional knowledge and skill in reciting the Quran, captivating the judges with their accuracy, deep understanding of Tajweed and penetrating performance.

The solemn conclusion of the XXII Moscow International Quran Recitation Competition left unforgettable impressions in people's hearts, reminding them of the significance of Quranic wisdom and spiritual values that unite Muslims all over the world.