Preliminary Oral Qualifiers Begin in Alexandria

Egypt's Ministry of Endowments has announced the start of the central preliminary oral qualifiers for the second season of the Dawlat Al-Tilawah (State of Quranic Recitation) competition.

The qualifiers will be held at Sidi Abu Al-Abbas Al-Mursi Mosque from July 19 to July 22, 2026, for contestants representing the governorates of Alexandria, Matrouh, and Kafr El-Sheikh.

Eligible Participants

The ministry published the names of contestants eligible to attend the preliminary oral examinations while emphasizing that applicants must not be:

Excluded Categories

• Approved Quran reciters affiliated with the Egyptian Radio and Television Union.
• Official Surah reciters employed by the Ministry of Endowments.
• Contestants who reached the final stage of the first season of Dawlat Al-Tilawah.

The ministry also confirmed that any participant found not to meet the competition requirements will be disqualified at any stage of the contest.

Registration Schedule

Contestants will be received daily starting at 9:00 AM, according to the previously announced examination schedule.

Required Documents

Participants must bring the following documents:

General Requirements

• A copy of the National ID card, along with the original for verification.
• One recent passport-sized photograph (4×6 cm).

Junior Category

For youth contestants, the following are also required:

• A copy of the birth certificate.
• A copy of the parent or guardian's National ID card.

Major Developments in Season Two

Osama Raslan, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Endowments, highlighted the key features of the competition's second season, noting that the ministry has already begun the preliminary rounds amid significant public interest.

He stated that the first season achieved remarkable success, generating nearly 5 billion views across social media platforms, making it one of the most-watched religious programs in Egypt, the Arab world, and the Middle East.

Expanded Competition Format

According to the ministry, the second season includes several major enhancements:

New Improvements

• Expected participation to more than double compared to Season One.
• Expansion of qualifying venues to 10 governorates.
• Extension of the qualifying period to five days.
• Enhanced technical and organizational preparations to accommodate the increased number of participants.

Supporting Outstanding Quran Reciters

The Ministry of Endowments affirmed that these developments aim to discover talented Quran reciters, support memorizers of the Holy Quran, and reinforce Egypt's historic leadership in Quranic recitation while preparing a new generation of distinguished reciters to represent the country's renowned recitation tradition internationally.

When will the preliminary oral qualifiers begin?

The qualifiers will take place from July 19 to July 22, 2026.

Where will the qualifiers be held?

They will be held at Sidi Abu Al-Abbas Al-Mursi Mosque in Alexandria.

Which governorates are participating in this round?

Contestants from Alexandria, Matrouh, and Kafr El-Sheikh will participate.

What documents are required?

Participants must provide a copy of their National ID, the original ID for verification, and a recent passport-sized photo. Junior contestants must also submit a birth certificate and a copy of their guardian's ID.

What are the major changes in Season Two?

The competition has expanded to 10 governorates, increased the number of qualifying days, and expects more than double the number of participants compared to the first season.