Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

The Imam Shāṭibī International Qur'an Competition ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains what we collect, how we use and share it, and the choices you have when you use our website (imamshatibi.org), our registration and competition portal, and related services (collectively, the "Services"). Many of our participants are children, and we take particular care with their information.

2. Information We Collect

We collect the information you provide when you create an account, register a competitor, take part in the competition, or contact us. This may include:

• Account Information: Name, email address, a password (stored only in protected, scrambled form), and your relationship to the competitor, such as parent, guardian or teacher.
• Competitor Information: Full name, date of birth, gender, city, state or province and country, residency status where eligibility depends on it, and the categories entered.
• Family & Teacher Information: Names, email addresses and phone numbers of parents or guardians, teachers and a second contact.
• Identity Documents: A government-issued photo ID (such as a passport, state ID, driver's license or birth certificate) and a passport-style photo, used to verify identity and eligibility.
• Agreements: The agreements accepted at registration, with the date, time and the name typed as a signature.
• Competition Records: Bookings, attendance, scores, judges' notes, results, awards and certificates.
• Recordings and Media: Recordings of virtual rounds, videos submitted for a round (such as Best Voice), and photos and video taken at events.
• Payments: When you pay the registration fee or donate through PayPal, we receive the payment confirmation, your name, email address and the amount. We never see or store your card or bank details.
• Messages: What you send us through our forms, by email or by text, including volunteer applications.
• Technical Data: IP address, browser type, basic usage data collected automatically, and the cookies needed to keep you signed in.

3. How We Use Your Information

• To create and manage accounts and competition registrations.
• To verify identity, age and eligibility, including the automated document checks described below.
• To run the competition: scheduling, virtual rounds, judging, results and certificates.
• To uphold the Competition Integrity Policy, including reviewing recordings of virtual sessions.
• To send emails and text messages about registrations, schedules, results and logistics.
• To publish results and winner announcements, and to share the competition through livestreams and official media.
• To present awards and coordinate Umrah travel for eligible winners.
• To process the registration fee and donations, and to keep financial records.
• To review volunteer applications and answer questions.
• To maintain the security and integrity of our Services and prevent fraud.
• To comply with legal and regulatory obligations.

4. Automated Document Checks

We use automated systems to help confirm that uploaded IDs and photos are valid. If a file does not pass, you may be asked to upload another. These systems may also compare details on an ID, such as the name and date of birth, with the registration.

A person reviews every registration and makes every decision about it. Any service provider that supports these checks acts on our behalf and may use this information only to provide its service to us.

5. Recordings, Livestreams and Publicity

Virtual rounds take place over video call (Zoom) and are recorded, so that judging is fair and any concern can be reviewed under the Competition Integrity Policy. Preliminary and Final sessions may be livestreamed and archived on our YouTube channel and social media, and our events are photographed and filmed.

We may publish the names, cities and photos of finalists and winners. Each certificate carries a code, and anyone who has the code can view the name and round the certificate was issued for, to confirm that it is genuine.

6. Text Messaging (SMS)

If you explicitly opt in, we may send you informational SMS messages related to the Imam Shāṭibī Qur'an Competition, including registration updates, schedules, reminders, venue details, and event logistics.

Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply.

You may opt out at any time by replying STOP. For assistance, reply HELP. After opting out, you will no longer receive SMS messages unless you opt back in.

Phone numbers collected for SMS communication are used solely for competition-related messaging and are not shared with third parties for marketing or promotional purposes.

We do not sell, rent, or share phone numbers with third parties for their own marketing purposes.

7. How We Share Information

We do not sell or rent personal information. We share it only in the following limited circumstances:

• With judges, staff and volunteers who need it to run the competition, who are expected to keep it confidential.
• With the contacts listed on a registration, such as a parent, guardian or teacher, who receive updates about the competitors they are listed for.
• Publicly, as described in Recordings, Livestreams and Publicity.
• With service providers that operate our Services on our behalf, including providers of hosting, data storage, document checks, payments, email, text messaging, video calls and livestreaming. They may use the information only to provide their services to us.
• With authorized travel providers for Umrah arrangements.
• When required by law or legal process, or to protect the safety of participants, the integrity of the competition, or our rights.

8. Data Retention

We keep registration records, results and certificates as the competition's lasting record, and because eligibility depends on past participation and past winners. We keep identity documents, recordings and messages for as long as they are needed for the purposes in this policy, including integrity reviews and our legal, tax and accounting obligations.

9. Data Security

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your information, including encrypted connections, access limited to authorized staff according to their role, and a record of changes made to registrations. However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure.

10. Children's Privacy

Participants under 18 must be registered by a parent or legal guardian, who provides consent for the collection and use of the child's information solely for competition participation. We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13. If we learn that we have, we will delete it or obtain a parent's consent.

11. International Participants

Our Services are operated in the United States. If you register from another country, your information is transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States, where data protection laws may differ from those in your country. By using our Services, you consent to this transfer.

12. Cookies and Browser Storage

We use cookies that are necessary to sign you in and keep your session secure. Our website also stores small preferences in your browser, such as light or dark mode and your registration checklist. We do not use advertising cookies.

13. Your Rights and Choices

You may request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal information, or the information of a child you registered, by contacting us using the details below. We may keep information we need for the competition's results, eligibility rules, or legal obligations. You can stop text messages at any time by replying STOP.

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Updates will be posted on this page with a revised date.

15. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, contact us at contact@imamshatibi.org .