62-year-old Bulgarian woman graduates from Quranic school in Kano

Mrs Mohammed has been in Kano for over 30 years after marrying a Hausa businessman, late Ibrahim Sambo, in Bulgaria.

The mother of two had embraced Islam about a decade ago and since then began to learn the holy book, which said is a guide to her life.

Narrating her sojourn to graduation from the Quranic school, Mrs Mohammed said she started learning from private lesson at home by a female teacher.

“I started from private lessons, considering my age. A Quranic teacher, Malama Hafsa, was coming to teach me. We started from the scratch, with transliteration until I began to learn with Arabic alphabets.

“She continued to teach me how to recite the Quran using the Arabic alphabets until I could read it myself.

“From there, we continued from verse to verse, chapter to chapter until this day when I graduated,” she narrated.

Mrs Mohammed, who graduated alongside three other students at Mamba’irrahman Islamic School in Kano on Saturday, said she found peace and tranquility since embracing Islam.

“Islam has given me peace. The glorious Quran is also my guide. As I read Quran, it also reads me. I feel peace in my mind,” she said.

Mrs Mohammed however said despite her old age, she had started memorizing the Quran.

On life in Kano, Mrs Mohammed said she enjoys living in Kano as a state where Muslims are dominant and practice Islam under a conducive atmosphere.

According to her, the timing for prayer and fasting is perfect compared to other parts of the world.

Speaking also, her daughter, Hamida Sambo, commended her mother for giving them good upbringing that gives them pride in their family and the community.

She said her mother had given them home training that made them good people in the society.

“As a European living in Kano, she allowed us to mingle with our father’s relatives and practice Islam like our late father. We pray to Allah to reward her with Jannatul Firdausi, Ameen,” she said.