RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Youth mosque leaders from seven countries are set to take part in the International Quran Recitation Competition (MTQ), scheduled at Jakarta’s Istiqlal Mosque from May 23–25, 2026.

“God willing, from May 23 to 25 we will hold an international MTQ involving several countries. So far, youth mosque delegations from seven nations and 26 Indonesian provinces have registered,” President of the World Mosque Youth, Said Aldi Al Idrus, said after meeting Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar in Jakarta on Friday, May 8.

The program will feature Quran recitation competitions, collective prayers, and special supplications for the safety of Hajj pilgrims ahead of their journey to Arafah. Said noted that the three-day Quran recitation ahead of the Hajj season will become an annual tradition at Southeast Asia’s largest mosque.

Minister Nasaruddin welcomed the initiative, emphasizing that Istiqlal Mosque is open to activities that strengthen unity and serve the wider community. “As long as the purpose is good, this mosque belongs to God, not to us; it is a great house for humanity,” he said.

Beyond MTQ, the World Mosque Youth has also been active in disaster-hit areas, cleaning nearly 64 mosques and prayer halls in Aceh and Sumatra over the past six months, often reaching up to 30 sites in a single day.

In the coming weeks, the organization will send 50 Quran teachers from East Java -- 25 to southern Thailand and 25 to Cambodia. Minister Nasaruddin expressed support for these efforts, highlighting the importance of strengthening Quranic education and developing higher institutions dedicated to Quranic studies in Indonesia.

“I fully support the deployment of Quran teachers so communities can learn to recite and memorize more quickly. There are many creative ways to enrich Quranic learning,” he added. (Diffa Sephiawardhani/EY)