Fatime Mihrina in Regional Mufti’s Office – Kardzhali at her awarding for winning the first place in “The Mosque in My Life” 2019 contest

Fatime Mihrina is 18-year-old from the village of Ribnovo (Municipality of Garmen), Blagoevgrad region, and this year successfully completed her secondary education in Religious School – Momchilgrad. The occasion “to meet” her in this interview is the fact that Fatime is one of the finalists in the last year’s edition of the contest for drawing, essay and poem, entitled “The Mosque in My Life”, which is already traditionally held during the recent years under the auspices of Grand Mufti’s Office. In 2019 Fatime Mihrina won first place in “Essay” category of the contest for age group 14-18 years old (you can read her work below).

The Mosque in My Life

The place where one feels calm, loved and understood. The place where one releases from his problems, shares his thoughts and desires, and expects support, is called home, and the home for every believing Muslims is called “mosque”.

This is the place where every person can find peace, where he can feel understood, because Allah the Most High undoubtedly knows what is in our souls and hearts.

This is the place where one can easily share his problems, fears and desires, because this is the house of Allah (s.t.) and there we surely will find a solution and support from Him. Today, unfortunately, many of the people seek peace and happiness in the wrong places, they expect support not from the Almighty Allah, but from people, but they forget that the Creator of these people is the Almighty Allah. We see how even less people visit the house of Allah (s.t.), and when they suffer trouble, they wonder why! Because when one forgets about his Creator and is ungrateful, then he cannot expect support from Him.

Let us not be among the people who will seek happiness in the wrong places, because happiness, forgiveness and peace are in the mosque.

We say that the mosque is a home for the Muslims, but is it so indeed?! Every person loves when all his relatives are near him, when they visit him often and his home is full, full of joy and smiles. Everyone wants to have in his home happiness, peace and understanding. Well, then have we ever thought that the Almighty Allah, our Creator, also wants His home to be full. He also wants that we visit Him often… Isn’t it a pity that after He has bestowed so much blessing in His home, it remains empty. Isn’t it a pity that when we hear the adhan, which a call to this peace and happiness, that we do not respond Him?!

Of course it’s a pity! Therefore, let the mosque in our life have its place in our hears in the same way like our homes. Let us make our Creator happy with our presence, and He will make our home and family happy and blessed, inshaAllah. Let us not leave the house of Allah in darkness, but to enlighten is with our presence. And let us not forget that Allah the Most High answers the dua of the seeker!

Fatime, I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate you on your successful presentation at the last year’s edition of the contest for young talents of Grand Mufti’s Office “The Mosque in My Life”, as well as on your even greater success in life – your successful completion of upper secondary education!

Did you participate in “The Mosque in My Life” contest for the first time in 2019?

-      Yes, it was my first participation in this contest!

Do you like writing in general or writing your wonderful essay for the contest was a sporadic decision?

-      Yes, I like writing in general, especially essays… I have always preferred the essay as a form of expression, because through it one can freely share his thoughts and emotions, and the topics on which I write, are different, as long as I like them.

What is writing for you?

-    For me writing is a way through which one can release. When a person likes writing, he brings feelings, emotions, memories from experienced moments and everything this provokes him to express himself on a sheet of paper…

Usually people who are writing, also love reading. What literature do you prefer to read?

-      I cannot say that there is a specific genre that I prefer to others, because in general I like reading different books and seeing different points of view!

Do you think that the literature you read influences your desire to write and the topics on which you write?

-      Yes, of course, a person is quite influenced by the books he reads, because when we read we put ourselves in the position of the character who best describes us. That is why it is good sometimes also to be careful what books we read!

Would you tell us who are your favorite authors?

-      There are many authors, whose works I like but my favorite ones so far remain the works of Andy Andrews and Jorge Bucay.

Recently there is increasing talk that writing acts also as a therapy in human life. By expressing our own thoughts, feelings and emotions we could achieve therapeutic, healing effect, to get rid of stress…  Do you have a similar experience? What are your observations on this topic?

-      Yes, that`s right! Writing allows a person to get rid of the stress and the problems and makes him feel comfortable! And I fully agree that it acts therapeutically, because when writing, a person thinks with himself, and there is nothing better that that!

Taking into consideration that you have already successfully completed one stage of your life, namely your secondary education, would you share with us what are your plans for yourself from now on?

-      Here I would like to use the words of a highly respected teacher of mine: “It is not important where and how a person will graduate, but more important it is not to stop developing, even if it is only by reading books… Because you do not become educated when you graduate and receive a paper with some marks, and at the same time you do not understand your existence, but when you are literate and you know how to be a real person who will be useful both for yourself and for the society.” That is why my plans are not to stop my development no matter how!

Where do you see yourself after 10 or 15 years, InshaAllah?

-      Life is such that we do not know what will happen with us even tomorrow. That is why I think that one should not make such long-term plans but to leave things in the hands of his Creator… Because His plans are the best for us! Yes, I have some desires and plans, but since I do not know if they will happen in the future, I cannot say where I see myself after so much time! everything with the permission of Allah!

The edition of “The Mosque in My Life” contest 2020 has already been officially announced. Would you participate again?

-      Yes, I would participate again with a great pleasure!

I would like to thank you for your time and wish that Allah will open for you wonderful ways from now on and to work actively for the benefit of the Muslim community in our country! Because we need young, aware and talented Muslims like you!

Interviewer: L. Chausheva