Rohingya Girls Memorize the Qur’an in Cox’s Bazar Camp: The
Light of Faith Defies the Darkness of Exile

In the
heart of Camp 17 in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh—where more than 1.2 million
refugees live across 33 camps—a long line of Rohingya girls stands in white
headscarves, their dark garments breaking the monotony of the endless rows of
tents.

This
formation is more than a visual scene; it marks the graduation of the first 25
girls who have memorized the Holy Qur’an during the blessed month of Ramadan.
Their achievement is not merely the memorization of verses, but an act of
preserving their identity from fading away—a thread of light illuminating the
long nights of forced exile.

The “Aisha School”: A Story of Resilience

Umm
Al-Mu’minin Aisha School is not just a modest educational facility; it is a
story of perseverance that began in November 2020 with a small dream and
sincere intentions.

Roshi
Dullah, one of the school’s founders who hails from the village of Andan in
Myanmar’s Arakan State, recounts how the school began with one male teacher,
two female teachers, and 60 students. Today, it has expanded to host 160 girls
competing to memorize the Qur’an, culminating in the graduation of the first 25
memorizers, all under the age of eighteen.

Despite
this progress, Roshi highlights the significant challenges facing the school:

“We need
proper classrooms, educational materials, copies of the Qur’an, and financial
support for teachers’ salaries. Our goal is to welcome more girls and improve
the quality of education.”

Despite
limited resources, the school follows a learning method that combines sabaq
(new lessons) with manzil (revision at home). The students persist through the
scorching summer heat and the heavy monsoon rains, proving that losing their
homeland has not diminished their faith.

“We lost
our homes, but we did not lose our faith,” Roshi says. “These young memorizers
send a message to the world that the dignity of the Rohingya lives on through
preserving the Book of God.”

The Light of the Qur’an Amid Camp Hardships

At the
graduation ceremony, one student sits with quiet dignity while her classmates
gather around her, each holding a certificate of achievement—a document of
defiance against all odds, proving that knowledge recognizes no boundaries of
tents nor is it shaken by the hardships of exile.

Sadaqa Bibi: An Icon of Hope

From the
depths of the camps emerges Sadaqa Bibi, 15, who has completed memorizing the
Qur’an and earned the title of Hafiza, amid the sound of rain and the bustle of
camp life. With a smile of contentment, she says:

“I used
to wake up early to review the Qur’an… God chose me to carry His Book in my
heart. That is greater than all the treasures of this world.”

Sadaqa
was not alone in achieving this milestone. Her father, teacher Hussein Ahmed,
sees in his daughter a light that brightens their narrow tent, believing that
educating girls is an act of resistance against despair and the bitterness of
displacement.

Sadaqa
concludes with a message to her peers:

“Do not
let displacement chain your spirits. The Qur’an is a light that breaks the bars
of the camp and opens the horizons of the sky before you.”

Human Will Defeats the Darkness of Exile

The
success of these girls in memorizing the Holy Qur’an amid the hardships of camp
life is not merely a passing event. It stands as a declaration of the triumph
of human determination over darkness—and a powerful message that faith and
education can create miracles even in the most difficult circumstances.

Source:
Arakan News Agency

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