A graduation ceremony was held in the southeastern Turkish city of Cizre, in Şırnak Province, for 335 male and female students who completed memorizing the Holy Quran through courses organized by the Directorate of Religious Affairs between 2023 and 2026.
The ceremony took place at the “100th Year” Indoor Sports Hall in the presence of local and religious officials, where Quran memorizers who completed their studies at the Al-Jazari boarding Quran memorization institutes affiliated with the Cizre Mufti’s Office were honored.
During the event, graduation certificates and gifts were distributed to the students in the presence of Şırnak Governor Birol Ekici, Director General of Educational Services at the Turkish Presidency of Religious Affairs Saide Akbulut, Cizre District Governor Ahmet Vezir Baycar, along with several officials and religious figures.
In her speech, Akbulut emphasized that the journey of memorizing the Holy Quran requires patience, effort, and sacrifice, expressing her happiness at participating in what she described as “a source of pride for Şırnak and Türkiye.”
For his part, Governor Birol Ekici stressed the importance of raising a generation that combines Islamic sciences with modern knowledge, calling on the male and female Quran memorizers to continue their educational journey and actively contribute to society and public life.
Meanwhile, Cizre District Governor Ahmet Vezir Baycar highlighted the city’s historical status as a center of knowledge and scholarship, recalling the legacy of prominent scholars such as Mulla Ahmad Al-Jazari and Ismail Al-Jazari, and affirming that Cizre continues to graduate generations committed to knowledge and spiritual values.
Cizre Mufti Süleyman Baran also expressed pride in graduating this number of Quran memorizers, stating that the sounds of takbir and Quran recitation symbolize unity and الخير (goodness) in the region.
The ceremony concluded with Quran recitations, supplications, and religious hymns before certificates and gifts were presented to the participating students.