What the children from the summer Qur’an courses learn or about the little Salih with the big heart

The summer Qur’an courses in our country are a topical subject among the Muslim community during the summer season of the year. Topical for the children, for the parents who send them, for the imams and the teachers in the mosques, who prepare various lessons and activities for the children…

The interest and the emotions among all of the abovementioned usually increase when the regional competitions in Basic Knowledge in Islam take place, when the best ones from every region are awarded. After that – usually in September, is the “culmination” - The National Competition in Basic Knowledge in Islam. A long awaited event for everyone.

Those who performed best during the regional competitions have the opportunity to be together and to measure their religious knowledge at it… Competing in age categories, different levels, ranking, final results of the competition, awarding ceremony…

Within the next 2 or 3 weeks the euphoria among the young Muslims, parents and teachers is usually gone. The children begin the new school year in their schools, their focus somehow naturally shifts in other direction and as if everything begins again as before… Until the next summer.

Two months after the held in September 2017 National Competition in Basic Knowledge in Islam we will take you to the village of Dzhihanova mahala (less known with its official name Vsemirtsi).

Exactly Dzhihanova mahala in Velingrad region is the home place of one of the “heroes” from September 12, 2017 in Momchilgrad, when the final of the national competition took place. Then Salih Dzhihan, representative of Regional Mufti’s Office – Pazardzhik, was ranked at first place in First level for the category for children from 6 to 10 years old. He received cash and other prizes. Unlike many other children who would buy with the won money some high-tech and up-to-date among the children gadget, for example, the little Salih asked his parents who were about to travel to neighboring Turkey in September, to take the money that he won from the competition and to buy from there something for the local mosque.

Salih Dzhihan

In this way the mosque in the village of Dzhihanova mahala today is decorated with a painting, a personal gift for the small Muslim temple from one little benefactor, or as we have called him in the title – from “the little Salih with the big heart”.

This history from the small village in Velingrad region shows that in the Summer Qur’an courses in Bulgaria children do not accumulate only theoretical religious knowledge. The training in the mosque during the summer season obviously makes much more than that. It helps the children to develop in themselves the virtues which Islam teaches them. Or at least an example for this is the story of the little Salih Dzhihan with the big heart from Dzhihanova mahala – winner at the National Competition in Basic Knowledge in Islam 2017.

Author: L. Chausheva