Youngsters prove their mettle by praying and winning

Are you still in school and do you perform your Fajr prayers regularly and the daily five prayers? A mosque in Maabela asked this question and gave the opportunity to the youngsters to prove themselves.

The Musab bin Omar Mosque in Maabela has been recognising dedicated children who have been showing their commitment by regularly performing their prayers at the mosque.

Ahmad bin Salem al Fori, Imam of Musab bin Omar Mosque came up with the idea to encourage people to return back to mosques to pray after the Covid 19 lockdown.

The lockdown did bring changes in habits.

“We started first with the students at this mosque. We sent a google link to all the community members to participate in the sixty day competition. The competition began in November 2022. The registration was for two weeks but the competition was for 60 days,”

Each day gains a point but the individual has to complete all the five prayers to gain a point each day. If one were to miss even one out of the daily prayer, the could lose that day’s point. Twenty seven children came forward to take up the challenge.

“Most of the students secured 80 per cent and some of them less than 50 per cent. After the duration of the competition the participants were divided into four groups level one — 85 to 100, level two 75 to 85, level three — 55 to 75 and level four was less than 55. We decided to buy bicycles because children love cycles and wanted to give something unusual that also promotes health,” he pointed out.

Out of 27, seventeen children won cycles.

Omani and expatriate youngsters in the community participated in the initiative.

“When their friends ask them where they got the cycle from they can proudly say it is from their Masjid. He can go to school on his cycle if it is nearby, to the market and most importantly come to the masjid. Interestingly what I have noticed is that they were coming to the mosque even before the call of Adaan and even after the completion of the competition they are coming,” he said.

When Adil Humaid al Jamaei tweeted Tehran event the post immediately began to get the likes and they shared the story and within hours netizens liked and shared. With more than 135k and counting, many commented on how they wanted to conduct this competition in their community mosques.

On January 16 the students received their cycles. Shaikh Zahir bin Abdullah al Abry, member of the State Council was the guest of honour. The children who could not win cycles have received cash award.

“What was encouraging was people who were not regular to mosque also began to come daily because they were accompanying their children. When the participants received their gifts both the parents were there to see their children’s success. The mothers now want the competition to continue because they have witnessed the benefits,” noted the Imam.

The community and the private sector came together to organise the gifts for the children.