Q1. My child’s birthday is approaching shortly. How does this influence the level that I pick?
The child’s age on October 10th (the registration deadline) is to be used to assign the criteria for levels.
Q2. Can I register my child for a higher level than the criteria listed on the website?
Yes. If you choose to register your child for a higher level than they qualify for then this is acceptable, but you understand that they will be competing with children who will be older than them.
Q3. Can I register my child for a lower level than the criteria listed on the website specified?
No. You may not enter for a lower level than the age limit specified for that level as this will put your child at an unfair advantage compared to other children in the level. If the date of birth is not consistent with the level selected, then the child will automatically be moved up to the appropriate level corresponding to their age.
Q4. Will I be notified if I am selected for Round 2?
Yes, the top 5 finalists will be notified after the first round for Round 2.
Q5. Can the same speech or topic be selected for round 2 as was used in round 1?
No. Finalists must select a different topic for round 2. Please look into the Speech Topics section to get list of topics for each level.
Q6. Is this a physical event or a remote event?
This will be an in-person event. Location is Pearls Academy, 23521 Overland Dr, Suite 165, Sterling, VA.
Q7. Are the scoring criteria identical for round 1 and round 2?
For level 1, round 1 and round 2 scoring criteria is same. For level 2 and level 3, there is one additional criterion in round 2. Scoring criteria are detailed on the website under Scoring Criteria section.
Q8. How long should each speech be?
Level 1: 3 minutes (180 seconds) maximum
Level 2: 4 minutes (240 seconds) maximum
Level 3: 6 minutes (360 seconds) maximum
Additional time after the allocated time will negatively impact the score. If a speech exceeds 30 seconds after the allocated time, a final bell will ring, indicating a hard stop. 4 points will be deducted for any speech that exceeds by 1 minute above the allocated time and additional 4 points will continue to deduct for every additional minute.
30 seconds over = warning bell
60 seconds over = minus 4 points
120 seconds over = minus 8 points
Q9. Can I pick a different topic to the ones listed on your website?
No, you must pick only from the titles listed on the website. An objective of the speech competition is for participants to research and develop Islamic concepts and the titles have been selected with this in mind.
Q10. Is it permitted to read my speech from a script?
In principle, it is allowed to read your speech from a written script. However, this will negatively impact your score under the scoring category “presentation, delivery and voice”. For more information please see the scoring criteria.
