Amal Al-Sibai Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — Abdullah Mousa, a septuagenarian, has proven that age is no obstacle when it comes to fulfilling one's goals and realizing long held dreams — in Mousa's case memorizing the Qur'an. There is indeed no such thing as “too late.” “When I was younger, unfortunately I only learned two ‘Juz' (sections) of the Qur'an and then I stopped. I became preoccupied with other distractions and then the stressors of daily life, demands of work and family obligations, and I drifted away from my dream of becoming a ‘Haafiz,'” said Mousa. However, Mousa's love for Qur'an prevailed and as the years went by memorizing the Qur'an in its entirety was still a lofty goal that he wished to achieve. Mousa passionately longed to be included among those mentioned in the Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) “Verily, Allah the Exalted has people from among mankind, and the people of the Qur'an are the People of Allah, and His Chosen Ones.” (Abu Dawood) It is common knowledge that mosques provide Qur'an lessons for boys in every city, town, and village in the Kingdom. But, Mousa was pleasantly surprised and elated when he discovered that there were Qur'an classes for adults, too, taught at a mosque not so far from his home. “The introduction of adult classes in the mosques is an excellent initiative on the part of the Charitable Society for Holy Qur'an Memorization in Jeddah, as these classes are greatly needed. “The prime focus is on memorization but teachers also train attendees in correct pronunciation and recitation of the verses while adhering to the rulings of “Tajweed.” “The adult classes give the elderly like me the opportunity to make up for what we missed in our youth, they also facilitate the learning process for middle aged working men with busy work schedules who too would like to remain connected to the Holy Book,” said Mousa. The 70-year-old grandfather was so enthusiastic and dedicated to his noble task that he joined two Qur'an education groups, each at a different mosque, in the morning and evening. On average he would memorize two to three new pages each day along with a daily revision of two sections, closely followed and prompted by his teachers at the mosques. He managed to memorize the Qur'an by heart in only two and a half years. Mousa passed his exam with a score of 91 percent and was awarded a certificate of excellence by the Charitable Society for Holy Qur'an Memorization as the eldest ‘Haafiz' in Jeddah this year. The secret tool that helped him constantly revise, stay focused, and finally achieve this honor, was that Mousa walked a distance of six kilometers each day, chanting and repeating the verses of the Qur'an that were on his revision schedule for that day. As Mousa walked, he continuously repeated the verses until he was confident that he held them properly in his mind and heart. Mousa says he is also blessed with a sharp memory, competent and compassionate teachers, and a supportive wife. After accomplishing his lifelong dream, Mousa yearns for more knowledge. He wants to remain a student of the Qur'an as he plans to study the meanings of the verses and practice “Tajweed” in order to become more proficient at recitation.
