“KORAN BY HEART is a film about the intense competition at the world’s oldest Koran memorization contest, when the best and brightest kids from 70 countries across the Islamic world gather each year during Ramadan in Cairo, Egypt, to see who can recite the Koran with the greatest accuracy, passion and beauty. Just 10 years old, the main characters are remarkable, talented boys and girls from remote and volatile parts of the Islamic world — their future hanging in the balance amidst the controversies and divisions that engulf as their religion.  KORAN BY HEART is a coming of age story about Muslim kids in modern times.”

This had to be one of the best documentaries I have watched in a while. In all honesty, these kids put me to shame to know that they have the Quran memorized without even knowing Arabic. Their hard work and dedication is truly amazing and no where near what you seen in many kids today. May Allah bless them and reward them all for their efforts and keep them among those that will granted entry into Jannah, ameen.

Adorable and inspiring altogether. This reminds me of my student who was a Haafiz e Quran - meaning that he memorized the Holy Quran by heart and understood it by comprehending various compilations of tashreeh - interpretation. His oratory skills were spellbinding and his demeanor towards class fellows left me not only impressed but touched. Very polite, humble and bright in above-average terms. The process of memorizing the Quran in which 114 surahs, 6666 verses with very minute detail concerning zer, zabr, paish and much more, is an extremely daunting task. Muslims all over the world take pride in performing hifz.

I asked my student - Bilal - once: How does it feel to know a sacred text word for word? Was it a dreary burden? Did it change his approach towards life? He answered with a smile, “I feel like a really cool nerd with a sure spot in heaven.”

He was 9 at the time.

(via planetbumitraveler)