Shaba, Shaya and Shaim top Quran competition, win PhD scholarship and over MVR 100K

Three individuals placed first in this year’s National Quran Competition, securing over MVR 100,000 in cash prizes and fully-funded scholarships to study up to PhD in any field of choice and from anywhere in the world.

The winners of the 37th National Quran Competition were presented with their awards in a ceremony attended by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on Sunday morning.

The three who placed first in the competition are:

• Fathimath Shaya Zahir: Huffaz category
• Ahmed Shaim Riza: By-book category
• Aishath Shaba: Memorization category

They were presented with a presidential scholarship that offers them the opportunity to pursue studies up to PhD-level, an MVR 100,000 cash prize, a presidential plaque of honor, another MVR 75,000 cash prize and a plaque of honor by the Islamic Ministry, and an Umrah trip by the Maldives Hajj Corporation.

Meanwhile, Arabiyya School was awarded as the top institute at the competition, and also received the MVR 100,000 cash prize by the President.

1,037 individuals from 119 institutions took part in the National Quran Competition, which took place from September 18-26.

Both the presidential scholarship and the MVR 100,000 cash prizes are new prizes introduced by President Muizzu this year – following up on a pledge he made last year to make the National Quran Competition the most expensive competition held in the Maldives.