2006-08-16 Memorizing the Way to Heaven, Verse by Verse
{{#vardefine:keylist|}}{{#vardefine:Date|2006-08-16}}{{#vardefine:keylist|{{#var:keylist}}\Date}}{{#vardefine:Date.disp|2006-08-16}}{{#vardefine:Date.disp|[[{{#var:Date}}]]}}{{#vardefine:Topics|\Islam\childhood indoctrination\anti-science\anti-education}}{{#vardefine:keylist|{{#var:keylist}}\Topics}}{{#vardefine:Topics.disp|\Islam\childhood indoctrination\anti-science\anti-education}}{{#vardefine:URL|http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/16/nyregion/16koran.html}}{{#vardefine:keylist%7C{{#var:keylist}}\URL}}{{#vardefine:URL.disp%7Chttp://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/16/nyregion/16koran.html}}{{#vardefine:Title%7CMemorizing the Way to Heaven, Verse by Verse}}{{#vardefine:keylist|{{#var:keylist}}\Title}}{{#vardefine:Title.disp|Memorizing the Way to Heaven, Verse by Verse}}{{#vardefine:Text|“The children, ages 7 to 14, are full-time students, in class 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, even in the summer. But they are not studying math, science or English. Instead, they are memorizing all 6,200 verses in the Koran, a task that usually takes two to three years. .. The students who finish memorizing the Koran earn the title hafiz, an exalted accomplishment in the Muslim world that is relatively rare in the United States. A hafiz plays an important role during Ramadan, when the entire Koran must be recited over 30 days to mosque members. But becoming a hafiz is also believed to bring rewards in the hereafter, guaranteeing the person entrance to heaven, along with 10 other people of his choosing, provided he does not forget the verses and continues to practice Islam. .. “It’s almost like a bank account for the afterlife,” said Zawar Ahmed, 11, who recently became a hafiz through the Muslim Center and brought in sweets for his classmates to celebrate.” If nothing else, this takes these kids out of classes where they might accidentally gain a real education, and working to get them positions of importance where their ignorance will be the most damaging; this "school", this entire practice, is anti-science and anti-education.}}{{#vardefine:keylist|{{#var:keylist}}\Text}}{{#vardefine:Text.disp|“The children, ages 7 to 14, are full-time students, in class 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, even in the summer. But they are not studying math, science or English. Instead, they are memorizing all 6,200 verses in the Koran, a task that usually takes two to three years. .. The students who finish memorizing the Koran earn the title hafiz, an exalted accomplishment in the Muslim world that is relatively rare in the United States. A hafiz plays an important role during Ramadan, when the entire Koran must be recited over 30 days to mosque members. But becoming a hafiz is also believed to bring rewards in the hereafter, guaranteeing the person entrance to heaven, along with 10 other people of his choosing, provided he does not forget the verses and continues to practice Islam. .. “It’s almost like a bank account for the afterlife,” said Zawar Ahmed, 11, who recently became a hafiz through the Muslim Center and brought in sweets for his classmates to celebrate.” If nothing else, this takes these kids out of classes where they might accidentally gain a real education, and working to get them positions of importance where their ignorance will be the most damaging; this "school", this entire practice, is anti-science and anti-education.}} {{#xploop:{{#var:Topics}}||}} {{#xploop:{{#var:keylist}}|\n* $s$: \o#var:$s$.disp\c}}