Quran classes in Qatar for children and adults

Qatar has a large network of Quran centres (in Arabic, marakiz tahfeez) run by the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, known as Awqaf. Most sit inside or next to mosques, have separate centres for males and females, take learners from about age 5 upwards, and are open to residents as well as citizens. They teach everything from the Arabic alphabet and the Noorani Qaida (a beginner's reading primer) to tajweed (the rules of recitation) and full memorisation (hifz). For people who cannot get to a mosque, Awqaf runs an online programme called Ta'ahud on Microsoft Teams, and Fanar, Awqaf's Islamic cultural centre, runs programmes for non-Arabic speakers. This guide goes in order: decide what you want to learn, find a centre, register in person, settle into the routine, then add online, summer and competition options. It ends with private tutors, because paid tutoring in Qatar is regulated and many families do not realise it.

Before you start

• Your Qatar ID (QID) and your child's QID or passport, plus a copy of each, in case the centre keeps a record
• A clear idea of the level: complete beginner (alphabet), can read but needs tajweed, or wants to memorise
• A list of the mosques near your home, school or work, since you will be going several evenings a week
• Your free evenings: most circles meet 2 to 5 days a week, Sunday to Thursday
• A mobile number on WhatsApp or SMS, as teachers often send attendance and homework updates by phone
• A Microsoft Teams account and a quiet place with a stable connection if you want the online Ta'ahud programme
• A copy of the Quran (mushaf) and, for young beginners, a Noorani Qaida book; ask the teacher which edition before buying
• For a private tutor: the tutor's MOEHE tutor ID card details and the name of their licensed centre

Step by step

1. Decide what you want to learn

   Quran classes are not one thing. Awqaf's centres follow a curriculum of five levels, starting with alphabet lessons and the Noorani Qaida for small children, moving to reading and tajweed, and ending with memorising the whole Quran. Adults who already read Arabic may only want tajweed correction or help revising what they memorised years ago. Knowing the goal helps the centre put you or your child in the right circle (halaqa) from the first day.

2. Find the Awqaf centres near you

   Awqaf reported 162 government Quran centres across Qatar in 2021 and keeps opening more: 11 new ones in early 2024 and 14 new circles in April 2026, in areas such as Al Wakra, Al Thumama, Rawdat Al Hamama, Al Duhail, Al Wajba and Al Ghanim Al Jadeed. Centres are named after scholars or donors and are usually inside a mosque, so the easiest way to find one is to ask the imam of your local mosque after a prayer. You can also call Awqaf on 16577 and ask which centre serves your area, for which age and gender. In busy residential areas centres can have waiting lists, so it is worth checking two or three.

3. Pick the right centre for women and girls

   Boys and men study in men's centres taught by male teachers, often imams and muezzins who have memorised the Quran. Girls and women go to separate women's centres with female teachers, run by Awqaf's Women's Activity section (often called Nisa'i Al Awqaf). In 2019 Awqaf had 21 women's Quran centres with morning and evening classes, and there are also about 28 community-run (ahliya) women's centres that take part in Awqaf's competitions. Morning women's classes suit mothers whose children are at school, while evening ones suit working women. Ask whether small boys can attend with their sisters, as rules differ between centres.

4. Register in person at the centre

   Registration for the regular centres is done face to face: go to the centre during class time, usually after Asr or between Maghrib and Isha, and ask the supervisor to enrol you or your child. Take your QID and your child's QID or passport. The supervisor will usually test the level by asking the learner to read a few lines, then place them in a circle and tell you the days and times. New intakes are often busiest at the start of the school year in September and again in January, but many centres take learners whenever there is space.

   Read guide: Get your Qatar ID (residence permit) →

5. Ask about fees and what is included

   Awqaf presents its Quran centres and summer courses as a free public service, and none of the official announcements we checked mention a fee. Still, ask the supervisor directly whether anything is charged, for example for books or trips, and be wary of anyone asking for cash to 'secure a place'. Community-run centres and private institutes set their own rules, so always ask for any fee in writing. If a centre is full, ask to go on its waiting list rather than paying someone unofficial.

6. Settle into the routine

   Learners can usually choose a full schedule of five days a week or a flexible circle of two or three days. Each session is short, so steady attendance matters more than long study. Children progress fastest when a parent listens to them revise for ten minutes at home each day. Keep in touch with the teacher, and tell them early if your child is struggling, bored or being moved too fast, because circles can be changed. Centres also hold regular completion ceremonies: in early 2026 Awqaf honoured 48 learners who had finished memorising the whole Quran, and it now holds these three times a year.

7. Study online with Ta'ahud if you cannot attend

   Ta'ahud is Awqaf's remote Quran programme, run on Microsoft Teams by the Quran and Its Sciences section. In 2026 it had about 18,000 male and female learners aged 6 and over, including working adults and older people. Tracks cover alphabet lessons, memorisation with revision, revision only, and recitation correction, with male teachers for men and female teachers for women. New intakes are announced on Awqaf's website and social media, and registration windows can be short, so follow the Ministry's accounts and register as soon as a round opens.

8. Non-Arabic speakers: start at Fanar

   If you do not read Arabic yet, the Sheikh Abdulla Bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Center (Fanar), next to Souq Waqif, is the friendliest starting point. It is part of Awqaf and runs Arabic language courses and programmes for communities living in Qatar, including a summer forum for children of expatriate families with sessions on correcting and improving Quran reading. Many adults learn Arabic letters there first and then join a mosque circle. Fanar's classes for new Muslims are explained in our converting-to-Islam guide, and Arabic courses in our learn-Arabic guide.

   Read guide: Learning Arabic in Doha: courses, costs and where to start →

9. Use the summer and Ramadan programmes

   In the summer holidays Awqaf runs morning Quran centres for children. In 2026 they ran in 12 mosques from 8am to 11am, Sunday to Thursday, with an 'Abjad' track for ages 5 to 9 (letters, reading and short surahs, plus prayer and wudu) and an 'Al Maher' track for children who are memorising or revising. In 2025 registration for the summer boys' sessions was open for only a few days in mid-July, so watch for the announcement in late June and July. In Ramadan there are extra recitation programmes, including women-only ones held after Taraweeh. These are a good, structured alternative to summer camps.

   Read guide: Summer camps in Qatar: choosing, booking and costs →

10. Consider competitions once your child is ready

    Competitions give children a goal and are taken seriously in Qatar. Each year Awqaf and the Ministry of Education run a School Quran Memorisation Competition for pupils in public, private and international schools, with online registration on awqaf.gov.qa (for the 2026 round, from 25 January to 5 February). Adults can enter the Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed bin Thani Quran Competition, whose full-Quran branch is open to residents as well as citizens, men and women, with registration usually in October. It also has a branch for new Muslims. Your child's teacher can tell you which level to aim for.

11. Check a private Quran tutor is licensed

    Some families prefer a home tutor for timing or one-to-one attention. Qatar's educational services law says paid lessons must be given through an educational services centre licensed by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MOEHE), by a teacher that centre employs, and since January 2026 licensed tutors carry an MOEHE tutor ID card. A person on a family visa or working for another employer who teaches privately for cash may also be breaking residence rules. Ask to see the tutor's card and the centre's name, pay the centre and get an invoice. Our licensed-private-tutors guide explains how to check.

    Read guide: Private tutoring in Qatar: hiring a licensed tutor (or becoming one) →

12. Choose online academies with care

    Many international websites offer one-to-one Quran lessons over video, often with teachers abroad. They can be convenient, but they are not supervised by any Qatari authority, so check reviews, the teacher's qualifications (for example an ijazah, a certificate of recitation through a chain of teachers) and the refund policy before paying. For children, sit nearby during lessons and use the platform's own tools rather than private messaging. If you mainly want structure and accountability, Awqaf's Ta'ahud programme is a strong free local alternative.

What it costs

Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.

Common mistakes

• Waiting for an online sign-up page for the mosque centres: they register people in person, during class times
• Missing short registration windows for summer centres and Ta'ahud, which can open and close within a week
• Starting a child on memorisation before they can read the letters fluently, which leads to frustration
• Paying a 'Quran teacher' in cash who has no MOEHE tutor card and no licensed centre behind them
• Leaving children alone with an unknown home tutor or in private chats with an online teacher
• Expecting the centre to do all the work: short daily revision at home is what keeps memorisation
• Choosing the centre nearest your office instead of near home, then missing classes in traffic

Questions people ask

Official sources

• Marhaba: Awqaf launches 14 new Quran study circles, timings and 16577 (April 2026) ↗
• Al Sharq (Arabic): 18,000 learners study the Quran remotely in Ta'ahud (March 2026) ↗
• Al Sharq (Arabic): demand for Awqaf Quran centres, ages, levels and timings (Nov 2022) ↗
• The Peninsula: Awqaf summer Quranic centres for children (July 2026) ↗
• Gulf Times: Awqaf's 162 Quran centres and plans for women's centres ↗
• Al Raya (Arabic): Bin Zaid centre summer forum for non-Arabic-speaking children (Aug 2026) ↗

Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.

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