Thousands of children met with the Quran in the Southeast

The summer Quran courses started by the Presidency of Religious Affairs attract great attention throughout Turkey.

The summer Quran courses have started on June 12 under the theme of “Let’s meet with Quran in the month of Quran” as the starting date coincided with the month of Ramadan. The courses continue with active attendance in the Southeastern Anatolia Region and will end in August 18.

More than 170 thousand children in Diyarbakir, Batman, Mardin, Siirt, Şırnak and Elazığ go to mosques and courses to learn the Quran in summer vacation.

 

Approximately 66 thousand people attend 930 summer Quran courses in Diyarbakir.

Abdullah Işık, the Acting City Mufti, said that the children learned religious knowledge as well as the Quran in the courses.

He added that the information that children learn will help in their lives as well, and stated that the doors of the mosques are wide open for the children.

Işık pointed out that the children of the refugee families who escaped from the civil war in Syria and immigrated to Turkey and other disadvantaged children attend to the courses. He said:

“Nearly 66 thousand students attend the courses held in the city of Prophets and their companions. Registrations are still open. We expect that this number will reach 70 thousand in total. The attention is enormous. Our students and their parents are sensitive in learning the Quran. We are just trying to do our best to give them what they deserve."

Noting that courses could not be opened in some of the mosques that were damaged due to terrorist attacks in the city, Işık noted that the courses could not be opened in 10 mosques as they are closed.

 

In Batman, 22 thousand students attend summer Quran courses.

The City Mufti Turgut Erhan gives candy and to the children on the courses he has visited with his accompanying staff.

Erhan said that people had shown great interest in the courses organized in the city.

Erhan pointed out that it is important to familiarize children with the mosque at an early age and said: “We deem important that children of schooling age to come to the mosques and Quran courses. With these children, our mosques are blooming. Things learned in childhood is like writings on the stone. They are chiseled in your mind.”

Erhan stated that children also learn about national, spiritual and humanistic values and the mosques had virtually turned into a garden of flowers.

Erhan said: “Our tomorrow depends on our children growing up with national and spiritual feelings. Today’s children are going to be tomorrow’s adults.”

 

35 thousand students in Mardin learn the Quran

Nearly 35 thousand students learn Quran in over a thousand courses opened in Mardin.

Children attending the courses learn about prayers with practical examples, worship, the biography of the Prophet, Islamic law and ethics.

The City Mufti İsmail Çiçek said that 3 thousand and 500 Qurans and many religious books were distributed to the children attending the courses.

Hasan Yenigün, imam of the Fuat Yağcı Mosque, stated that about 400 students are having education in the mosque.

Yenigün said: “We offer lessons about religious information besides the Quran to the students, taking their levels into account. There are 15 minutes breaks within lessons.” He added that children play games in the yard in the breaks that could contribute to their mental and physical development.”

Şeyhmus Sincar, a student, said that they both have education and fun in the summer Quran courses.

 

12 thousand 488 children attend the courses held in Siirt.

The City Mufti Faruk Arvas emphasized that religious information was also given to the students in the mosque and the Quran courses and said: “Summer Quran courses have started in our city in 107 mosques, 86 in the city center and 21 in the villages. 5 thousand and 707 students are educated in mosques and Quran courses in the city center. 12 thousand and 488 students attend the courses city-wide.”

 

Active attendance in courses in Şırnak

The children have met with Quran as the school term of 2016-2017 had ended in the city, where 76 mosques have opened after restoration. PKK have damaged 101 mosques in the city as their terrorists had used the mosques as “military bases”.

There are 19 thousand and 323 students in 523 mosques and 163 Quran courses having education throughout the city.

 

18 thousand and 724 students in Elazığ learn the Quran

18 thousand 724 students attend the summer Quran courses which are held in 786 places in Elazığ.

The City Mufti Yusuf Sarıkaya said that summer Quran courses are held with great enthusiasm with the attendance of many students.

Sarıkaya stated that attendance to the courses has increased after the month of Ramadan. He added that various activities such as picnics and conferences are arranged for the students in each course.

Sarıkaya told that they visit the children who attend the summer Quran courses and said:

"We meet the students and try to share their excitement. When we form our courses, we always divide our students into groups according to their level of education and age. Right now we have student groups ranging from 4 to 20 years old. We invite the parents to send their children to Quran courses.”