A 12-year-old boy from Gabon named Mahdi has captured the hearts of audiences at the 44th King Abdulaziz International Qur’an Competition in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Mahdi, who embraced Islam just two years ago, is currently the only Muslim in his family. His journey to this prestigious competition highlights his remarkable dedication and the support of his mentor, Zakaria, an imam at a local mosque.
Mahdi first approached Zakaria, accompanied by his younger brother, to express his desire to embrace Islam. Zakaria was initially surprised by Mahdi’s request, given his young age. “At first, I thought he was joking,” Zakaria admitted.
However, Mahdi’s determination left a profound impact on Zakaria, who then guided him through the Shahada, the Islamic declaration of faith. Zakaria began teaching Mahdi the Arabic alphabet, eventually helping him progress to memorizing short Qur’anic surahs (chapters). Over time, Mahdi memorized a quarter of the Qur’an.
“I noticed how quickly he memorized and understood the Qur’an,” Zakaria said, noting that Mahdi was able to memorize a page a day within just a week of his conversion.
In addition to his Qur’anic studies, Mahdi has also memorized various Islamic texts, demonstrating his extraordinary ability to learn.
“He is truly a unique young man, unlike any I have ever seen,” Zakaria remarked, praising Mahdi’s exceptional dedication and the significant progress he has made in his spiritual journey.
Mahdi’s participation in the prestigious Qur’an competition, just two years after converting to Islam, serves as a testament to his unwavering commitment and the profound impact of his faith.
His inspiring story has resonated with the global Muslim community, who eagerly follow his journey and wish him continued success.
I am an experienced writer, analyst, and author. My exposure in English journalism spans more than 28 years. In the past, I have been working with daily The Muslim (Lahore Bureau), daily Business Recorder (Lahore/Islamabad Bureaus), Daily Times, Islamabad, daily The Nation (Lahore and Karachi). With daily The Nation, I have served as Resident Editor, Karachi. Since 2009, I have been working as a Freelance Writer/Editor for American organizations.
