Doha, October 08 (QNA) - The Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs on Wednesday inaugurated the fourth contest named "Bilal Al-Asr," inspiring the students of secondary schools from citizens to follow in the footsteps of Bilal’s call to prayer.

Launched in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE), the competition was announced during a press conference attended by HE Undersecretary of the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Dr. Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Ghanem Al-Thani, several officials from Awqaf, alongside representatives of the MoEHE.

The move is part of Awqaf's energized efforts to explore beautiful Qatari young voices and enhance them, in addition to reviving the Sunnah of the Adhan and strengthening students' predilection to remain connected with mosques.

Head of the Department of Mosque Personnel Affairs in the Mosques Administration, Ali bin Marai Al Qahtani, said the contest intends to enhance students’ talent to become the future muezzins of the nation's mosques, with this ritual being the greatest rite in Islam based on the Prophetic Sunnah.

The competition is part of Awqaf's commitment to connecting young people with mosques, shoring up the Islamic identity, and inculcating values of belonging and commitment, culminating in having a well-aware generation that wields this mission and touts it, Al Qahtani underlined.

Al Qahtani urged all Qatari secondary school students to participate in this contest via the online link: https://islam.gov.qa/blal.

He highlighted that the ministry aspires to discover phenomenal voices that decorate Qatar's mosques with pleasant and vibrant tones.

Head of the Islamic Education Department in the MoEHE's Educational Guidance Department, Nasser bin Saleh Al Merri, heaped praise on the existing cooperation between the two ministries to organize this contest, emphasizing that the initiative bolsters students' educational and faith values, instilling in them confidence and pride in their Islamic identity.

This cooperation is a role model of bilateral collaboration that fuses education with faith, offering students the opportunity to internalize their voice talent, remain profoundly tethered to mosques, and become a model in the community, Al Merri underlined.

  Registration for this competition via the aforementioned online link opens today and continues until Nov. 6, 2025. Competitors are required to upload a video clip no longer than 5 minutes, showcasing their recorded Adhan and Iqamah voices, physically without any sound effects, and mentioning their names in the video.

Competitors with the highest evaluations will advance to an in-person Adhan mastery training on Nov. 17, followed by the preliminary rounds at Imam Muhammad ibn Abdulwahhab Mosque on Nov. 19-20, and the finals at the same mosque on Nov. 24, 2025, to identify the top twenty winners.

The top ten winners will receive substantial cash prizes, starting at QAR 7,000 for first place, descending to QAR 2,000 for tenth, while winners ranked 11-20 will receive QAR 1,500, along with certificates of recognition and special commendations for distinguished participants.

In addition, Awqaf noted the support provided by MoEHE for this initiative, underscoring Qatar’s vision in nurturing youth and developing their religious and cultural talents, while highlighting the instrumental role of community partnership in building generations steadfast in their faith and identity. (QNA)