Sara Alhalak, a Damascene girl who overcames adversity with determination to compete for most beautiful Quran recitation

DUBAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 27th Feb, 2026) From the town of Al-Ghazlaniyah in the countryside of Damascus - where determination rises like the scent of jasmine despite harsh circumstances - Sara Abdul Karim Alhalak began a journey of challenge and perseverance to prove to herself and to the world that through the Holy Quran, she could win life’s greatest challenges, no matter how difficult they may be.

That determination has produced a voice with a captivating resonance that elevates the level of competition in the 28th edition of the Dubai International Holy Quran Award. Despite the hardships her country has endured, Sara has succeeded through unwavering resolve in reaching the finals, where she now competes for the title of the most beautiful Quran recitation for 2026.

Sara, 16 years old and a tenth-grade student from the Syrian Arab Republic, represents an exceptional model of perseverance and determination. She has achieved remarkable accomplishments despite difficult circumstances, completing memorization of the entire Holy Quran and earning a comprehensive evaluation certificate with Manazel Al-Abrar graded Very Good. She also obtained certification in the classical text Tuhfat Al-Atfal.

Her excellence extended beyond the Quran to the Prophetic tradition, where she earned memorization and evaluation certificates in Al-Shama’il Al-Muhammadiyah and 120 hadiths from Riyad Al-Salihin, graded Excellent.

In the sciences of Tajweed and maqamat, Sara completed the full study of a Tajweed textbook, passed the preparatory course for Al-Munir fi Ilm Al-Tajweed, and obtained certification in maqamat and rhythm from Al-Raqeem Center.

In Quran competitions, she achieved third place in the Qiyam Center Competition and earned a full Quran evaluation certificate with Alif Lam Meem academy.

Sara’s journey with the Holy Quran began at an early age, as she regularly attended the mosque. However, the true turning point came through a friend who guided her to a beloved teacher who, after Allah’s grace, became the catalyst for her journey. Her greatest supporters were her parents, who had long hoped to memorize the Quran themselves, and their sincere attachment to that dream was fulfilled through their daughter - the fruit of their prayers.

Sara became the inspiration that ignited her entire family’s journey with the Quran. After she completed memorization, her mother began her own journey and memorized nearly seven parts, while her sisters and father also joined this blessed path of memorization and recitation. Sara says this supportive family environment deepened her love for the Quran, strengthened her memorization, and created a sense that its blessings filled their home.

Sara’s journey was not easy. She faced extraordinary challenges imposed by the difficult conditions in Syria. Yet, through faith, patience, and determination, she continued without stopping, with the Quran serving as her source of strength in overcoming hardship.

Through continued training and dedication, and by attending courses in advanced recitation and maqamat, she developed refined performance and more stable, beautiful recitation.

She aspires to achieve outstanding accomplishments both locally and internationally. Academically, she aims to graduate at the top of the Syrian Arab Republic in the national secondary examination and pursue studies in Informatics Engineering with a specialization in Artificial Intelligence.

In the Quranic field, she plans to obtain a certified ijazah with an authenticated chain of narration and record a complete Quran recitation in her voice as a source of spiritual reward.

Although she does not currently maintain a presence on social media, Sara plans to launch meaningful content in the near future, including a podcast titled Life with the Quran, and series such as When I Read the Quran and With a Verse.

She believes social media is a double-edged tool - it can be beneficial for listening to educational content and recitations, but it can also become a distraction if not used wisely.

Regarding her participation in the Dubai International Holy Quran Award, Sara considers it a great honor and a valuable opportunity to contribute to spreading and honoring the Book of Allah. She expresses gratitude and pride simply for being among contestants from around the world, each carrying their culture and language, yet united by love for the Quran and the spirit of faith. This diversity, she says, creates a profound sense of Muslim unity and reminds us that the Quran is a light that unites hearts before it unites tongues.

Sara stated: “The message I wish to convey through my participation in the Dubai International Holy Quran Award is that the Quran is a life to be lived — not merely memorization or competition. It is a path to tranquility and a compass that guides the heart amid the noise of the world.”

She added: “My participation in the Award represents an important milestone in my journey with the Book of Allah. It motivates me toward greater mastery, revision, and responsibility in representing the Quran in the most honorable way, while also teaching me that the Quran is a message of life, resilience, and continuity.”

The Dubai International Holy Quran Award announced a new developmental vision as part of its 28th edition (1447H – 2026), aiming to be more distinguished and far-reaching in impact, reaffirming Dubai’s leading position in serving the Book of Allah and strengthening its role as a global center celebrating Quranic talents from around the world. The new edition introduces qualitative additions that enhance the Award’s 28-year journey, attract more talents worldwide, and increase the total prize value to more than AED 12 million.