Decades ago, getting Islamic education required a huge sacrifice, especially for those who want to memorise the Holy Qur’an. One had to go as far as Borno State in the Northeast. Not any more.
Six-year-old Salim Abdulkareem from Zaria memorised over 77,000 words from the holy book in one year.
Little Abdulkareem, who started Qur’anic school in May, last year at Prof. Ango Abdullahi International School, Zaria, completed and memorised it before last May. He told The Nation that his ambition is to become a medical doctor.
Abdulkareem said: “I want to become a medical doctor and my ultimate goal is to contribute to national growth and development of my dear country. If my dream is actualised, I want to assist people by treating those who come to me with sicknesses.
“I will be happy, if my dream comes true. However, I believe with dedication, commitment and encouragement from my parents and my teachers, I am sure of becoming a doctor,” he said.
On his challenges, Salim said his major one was the routine of waking up in the night for Qur’anic recitation and memorisation.
It will sound so strange to somebody who knows the formalities, intrigues and difficulties in memorising the holy Qur’an, because it takes some people many years to complete it.
Mallam Hamza Jibril, the Administrative Officer of the boarding section of Prof. Ango Abdullahi International School, explained some of the methodologies adopted by the school.
He said: “Salim was brought to this school by his parent in May 2016. His father, Prof. Abdulkareem S. Ahmed, is a lecturer at Chemical Engineering Department of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.
“When Salim was admitted into this school, he did not know the Qur’anic alphabet not to talk of how to recite the Holy Qur’an. We, therefore, had to coach him from the scratch.
“His father gave the school authority all rights over the child, sometimes, the father doesn’t allow Salim to go home for holidays. He would insist that the pupil be allowed to be engaged in some lessons.
“This is what made him exceptional among his colleagues. Salim had completed his memorisation last April and just as I have told you, he was brought to this school in May, last year. In view of this, he had completed memorisation of the holy Qur’an in less than one year.
“Despite that he had finished the memorisation by last April, we realised that his memorisation required some touches or corrections, and to God be the glory, we have succeeded in making all the necessary corrections,” he said.
Jibril added that Salim’s classmates have also completed the school, but they were still being supervised and corrected where necessary, so that they will be able to complete their memorisation before the stipulate two years.
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