Charter School in Ohio Mandates Koran Memorization

The Islamic Center of Masonry operates a charter school that requires its students to memorize the Koran, and the mosque is planning to expand significantly.

According to a report from WCPO-TV, the coverage includes interviews with a student and his mother, who co-founded the Ohio Learning Center, alongside the imam from the nearby mosque.

Adam Jindani shared his experience with the memorization process, stating, “I didn’t want to do it at all.” However, he acknowledged, “It’s an easy thing to memorize. The most difficult thing is actually retaining what you have memorized.” He mentioned it took him roughly three years to memorize the entire 600 pages.

Imam Fawzan Hansbai added, “It takes years. For some, decades.” Adam’s mother, Anila Jindani, explained that she established the school because there were no suitable options in the area for teaching her son the Quran. She began her memorization journey in their trailer in downtown Mason.

The school offers classes from kindergarten through second grade and is categorized as a non-public charter school, affiliated with the Ohio Department of Education.

According to the school’s website, “The best among you are those who study the Quran and teach it.”

Additionally, the school’s organizers are fundraising to build a $12 million community center that will feature a mosque, a place of worship, and classrooms.

“It was a big dream,” Anila reflected, “And when I look at those students and those teachers, it feels like a dream come true.”

This season, the school has around 38 students enrolled.

A recent post from the Learning Center’s social media reads, “Save yourself before it’s too late,” along with a Quranic verse encouraging good speech or silence.

While a video of WCPO’s visit to the Islamic Center is not permitted for general sharing, it can still be accessed from the broadcasting station’s YouTube channel.