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“I call on all Ukrainian Muslims to pay a great attention to memorizing and reciting the Noble Qur’an,” said Woleef.
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KIEV,
April 20, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – In the first religious event of
its kind in the former Soviet republic, a Ukrainian Muslim student
memorized the Noble Qur’an, the first case after long decades of
persecution against the Muslim minority in the country under the
Communist rule.
After
a year and a half of hard work, Suliman Woleef, a student in the
Radwan center for the memorization of Qur’an, a center affiliated to
the Federation of Social Organizations (Arraid) -- the largest Islamic
group in the country -- memorized the Noble Book, a first in Ukraine
since independence, the federation’s Web site said Tuesday, April
19.
“This
event is a remarkable point in the history of the Ukrainian Muslims,
who have been intent on regaining their religious identity and
heritage after years of persecution under the Communist rule,” said
Arraid chairman, Farouq Ashour.
Radwan
center, the only place for the memorization of Qur’an, is a boarding
school in Ukraine where some 20 students, aged 14-19, are studying the
Islamic tenets and seera (biography of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
During
their three-year study, students also study subjects of the regular
secondary grade, in preparation for joining university after ending
their course in the center.
Muslim
Achievement
Apparently
short of words, Woleef said he was unable to express his feelings
after succeeding in memorizing the Noble Book.
“When
I was young, I used to get surprised when I heard from fellow Muslims
that they memorized the Noble Qur’an and wondered how I could
memorize the Noble Book,” he said.
To
keep his memorization of the Noble Qur’an, Woleef said he is used to
continually repeating his memorization day in and day out.
“I
call on all Ukrainian Muslims to pay a great attention to memorizing
and reciting the Noble Qur’an, seeking Allah’s help to meet this
end.”
Seren
Arefof, a teacher in the Radwan center, expressed delight over
Woleef's great achievement.
“Woleef's
memorization of the Noble Qur’an represents a turning point in the
history of the center, giving us strength for Ukrainian Muslims to
make more achievements,” he said.
There
are two million Muslims in Ukraine, making up 4% of the overall
48-million population.
