Indonesia’s 31st National MTQ in Semarang to feature 2,242 participants and Quranic sign-language exhibition

Indonesia’s 31st National Musabaqah Tilawatil Qur’an will bring 2,242 participants to Semarang, Central Java, from September 11 to 20, 2026. The group includes 1,751 main participants and 491 reserves from provinces across Indonesia.

Muchlis M Hanafi, director of Islamic religious information at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, said preparations were progressing according to schedule. Central Java is preparing infrastructure and facilities as host province, while the national committee is organizing the participants, judges, supervisors, registrars and information-technology systems.

“Progress is quite good and follows the established timeline. Hopefully everything will be ready by then,” Muchlis told Republika.co.id on Friday, September 4, 2026.

The event will feature eight disciplines: Quran recitation, Quranic qira’at, Quran memorization, Quran interpretation, Fahmil Qur’an, Syarhil Qur’an, Quranic calligraphy and the Quranic scientific writing competition. The disciplines have 329, 184, 331, 130, 196, 202, 315 and 64 participants respectively.

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Progress is quite good and follows the established timeline. Hopefully everything will be ready by then.

This year’s program will also introduce an exhibition of Quran recitation and memorization in sign language. It is intended as an initial step before Quranic sign language is considered as an official national MTQ discipline. “The exhibition is only a trial. This is the first time,” Muchlis said.

The program begins with participant arrivals and registration on September 10 and 11. Judges will be inaugurated and attend orientation on September 12, before the official opening that evening. Competitions start on September 13, alongside an international seminar on the Quran and artificial intelligence, featuring speakers including representatives from Al-Azhar University and Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University.

Muchlis said the event’s success should not be measured only by its scale. He said it should help build a system for developing Quranic talent and strengthen public affection for the Quran and its values in personal, social and national life.

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The exhibition is only a trial. This is the first time.