The preliminary qualifiers for the second season of the "State of Recitation" program officially began with strong participation from Qur'an memorizers and contestants representing governorates across Egypt. The large turnout reflects the growing interest in the competition and its role in discovering distinguished talents in Qur'an recitation.

Ahmed Fayek, the program's General Supervisor, stated that the first day of the qualifiers attracted significant participation, noting that the number of applicants reached approximately 25,000 contestants. He added that the oral examinations are being held in 10 governorates and will continue until July 13, with participants from various age groups.

Sharqia Tops the Number of Applicants

Ahmed Fayek pointed out that Sharqia Governorate recorded the highest number of participants, with a noticeable lead over the other governorates, reflecting the widespread interest in the program since the launch of the qualifiers.

Central Qualifiers Begin in Cairo

The Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) announced the start of the centralized preliminary oral qualifiers for the second season of "State of Recitation." The qualifiers are being held at Sayyida Nafisa Mosque in Cairo Governorate from July 5 to July 13, 2026, with the participation of qualified contestants from Cairo, Fayoum, and Beni Suef governorates. The initiative is part of the ministry's efforts to discover and nurture outstanding talents in Qur'an recitation.

The ministry also announced that it had published the names of contestants who met the eligibility requirements for the oral examinations, emphasizing that participation is limited to those who satisfy the announced criteria. Any contestant found not to meet the requirements at any stage of the competition will be disqualified.

Competition Eligibility Requirements

The Ministry of Endowments stated that one of the main conditions is that applicants must not be officially accredited Qur'an reciters by the Egyptian Radio and Television Union or accredited Surah reciters recognized by the ministry. Applicants must also not have participated in the final rounds of the program's first season, ensuring opportunities for new talents in Qur'an recitation.

The ministry further explained that contestants are received daily starting at 9:00 a.m., according to the announced schedule for each governorate, to ensure the smooth organization of the examinations and equal opportunities for all participants.

Required Documents

The ministry specified the following documents that must be submitted when attending the oral examinations:

• A copy of the National ID card, along with the original for verification.
• A recent 4×6 cm personal photograph.
• For contestants in the youth category, a copy of the birth certificate.
• A copy of the National ID card of the parent or legal guardian for youth contestants.

Supporting Qur'anic Talent

The Ministry of Endowments affirmed that the "State of Recitation" program is part of its strategy to support Qur'an memorizers and discover distinguished recitation talents across all governorates. The initiative aims to prepare a new generation of Qur'an reciters through scientific and systematic methods while reinforcing Egypt's leading role in serving the Holy Qur'an and promoting its sciences.