Poin Utama
- play Live Sign upShow navigation menu.css-15ru6p1{font-size:inherit;font-weight:normal;}Navigation menuNewsShow more news sectionsAfricaAsiaUS & CanadaLatin AmericaEuropeAsia PacificMiddle EastExplainedOpinionSportVideoMoreShow more sectionsFeaturesEconomyHuman RightsClimate CrisisInvestigationsInteractivesIn PicturesScience & TechnologyPodcastsTravelplay Live Click here to searchsearchSign upNavigation menucaret-leftIsrael-Palestine conflictHow the war on Iran deepens Gaza crisisWhat is 'Greater Israel'?What people in Gaza say about the Rafah crossing closureWhat’s the fallout from Israel’s land grab?How Israel turned food into a weapon of warcaret-rightFeatures|Israel-Palestine conflictQuran echoes loudly as Palestinian reciters gather in GazaQuran memorisers in Gaza overcome devastation from war, reciting the holy book as a source of hope and strength.
- At the partially damaged al-Shafii Mosque in western Khan Younis, the buzz of Israeli drones overhead was not the only sound heard as the dawn prayer concluded.
- Two hundred and fifty-six Quran memorisers – Palestinians who have committed the entire holy book to memory – sat in the place while companions beside them listened attentively, following each word carefully to ensure the recitation remained flawless.
- Yet after nearly two years of Israel’s genocidal war on the enclave, its meaning has grown far deeper.
- Over the years, Gaza has developed a rich tradition of Quran memorisation circles that nurture spiritual values and strengthen connection with religious faith.
SNANE PAPUA – play Live Sign upShow navigation menu.css-15ru6p1{font-size:inherit;font-weight:normal;}Navigation menuNewsShow more news sectionsAfricaAsiaUS & CanadaLatin AmericaEuropeAsia PacificMiddle EastExplainedOpinionSportVideoMoreShow more sectionsFeaturesEconomyHuman RightsClimate CrisisInvestigationsInteractivesIn PicturesScience & TechnologyPodcastsTravelplay Live Click here to searchsearchSign upNavigation menucaret-leftIsrael-Palestine conflictHow the war on Iran deepens Gaza crisisWhat is 'Greater Israel'?What people in Gaza say about the Rafah crossing closureWhat’s the fallout from Israel’s land grab?How Israel turned food into a weapon of warcaret-rightFeatures|Israel-Palestine conflictQuran echoes loudly as Palestinian reciters gather in GazaQuran memorisers in Gaza overcome devastation from war, reciting the holy book as a source of hope and strength. Listen to this article | 9 minsinfoQuran memorisers spend years learning and revising the Muslim holy book [Ahmed Al-Najjar/Al Jazeera]By Ahmed Al-NajjarPublished On 16 Mar 202616 Mar 2026Click here to share on social mediashare2Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoKhan Younis, Gaza Strip – Dawn marks the beginning of another day in Ramadan.
At the partially damaged al-Shafii Mosque in western Khan Younis, the buzz of Israeli drones overhead was not the only sound heard as the dawn prayer concluded. Instead, a solemn echo filled the air – verses of the Quran recited aloud.
Two hundred and fifty-six Quran memorisers – Palestinians who have committed the entire holy book to memory – sat in the place while companions beside them listened attentively, following each word carefully to ensure the recitation remained flawless. The gathering, titled “Safwat Al-Huffaz” – “The Elite of Quran Memorisers”, has become a special collective way of observing Ramadan in Gaza.
Yet after nearly two years of Israel’s genocidal war on the enclave, its meaning has grown far deeper. Memorising the Quran is considered one of the most noble Islamic honours, one that requires years of disciplined study, repetition, and devotion.
Over the years, Gaza has developed a rich tradition of Quran memorisation circles that nurture spiritual values and strengthen connection with religious faith. The massive recitation sessions, where Quran memorisers collectively recite the entire book by heart, have become one of the most distinguished expressions of that tradition.
Despite the devastation created by Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza – which has killed more than 75,000 Palestinians – participants have insisted on holding the gathering again this year in an act of spiritual perseverance. Among those carefully reciting was 51-year-old Mohammad al-Qiranawi, a Quran memoriser whose dark glasses concealed the fact that he has been blind since childhood.
Losing his eyesight early in life never prevented him from memorising the Quran.
