The story of an institution that started as an idea years ago by a group of young people dreaming of a bright future for their community in the face of pivotal circumstances their country was going through. Today, it has become a giant institution benefiting thousands of students seeking knowledge in the paths of faith, and hundreds of imams, sheikhs, and scholars in villages, rural areas, and cities. What is the story of the "Kasima" Islamic institution in Ethiopia?

One of its founders and general manager, Adam Mohammed, says: "We were a group of ambitious Ethiopian Islamic youth seeking fundamental solutions to what had become of traditional educational centers, Quranic schools, and religious educational institutions in our country." He explained that it is well-known that Ethiopia was home to the greatest Islamic scholars who hold an unforgettable place of pride in Muslim history. The credit for spreading Islam and educating the Muslim community goes to the rural scholars.

In an interview with "Al-Mujtama," he added: "The religious educational institutions known as "Harima" (traditional Islamic schools and centers for memorizing the Quran and Islamic sciences in the countryside) were the centers of these bright stars - scholars and sheikhs - who still serve, and thus their footprints are considerable and passed down from generation to generation."

"Harima" for Teaching the Quran and Its Sciences

"Harima" are traditional educational centers and corners for memorizing the Quran and teaching Islamic jurisprudence. These centers form an essential part of the history of Islamic education in the region, tracing their foundation back to the time of the noble Companions who migrated to Abyssinia twice, making them the first teachers. After them, the Jabartis carried the banner of preaching, utilizing trade as a means to spread knowledge and religion. They taught people and supported princes in their endeavors. The region of Wollo in the Amhara region of northern Ethiopia is considered the main center of these institutions, earning the nickname "Al-Azhar of Abyssinia." From there, "Harima" spread to various areas, according to the founder of the "Kasima" Islamic institution.

Mohammed explained: "We were always overcome by the feeling that these pearls and shining stars of our scholars were fading and hindered by various challenges due to a series of wars, high living costs, and other issues that stood in the way of their educational mission in correctly building generations. Therefore, our sheikhs and their corners, which have been working for centuries, faced a serious challenge that required the establishment of an organizational body. Thus, the "Kasima" Islamic institution was founded more than 5 years ago."

Main Projects of "Kasima"

Mohammed touched on the main activities and projects of his institution, saying: "The vision of the founding group was to make "Harima" the preferred knowledge centers that perform their role correctly in transferring Islamic knowledge from generation to generation." He added that the experience of rebuilding and reestablishing traditional educational centers known as "Harima" has achieved a lot through projects such as drilling clean water wells, installing solar energy systems, and establishing libraries with electronic books to bridge the gap in religious books in those educational centers. Additionally, various endowment projects have been launched, used in local services, and serving as a stable source of income for these centers.

He explained that the institution supports and oversees about 50 educational centers in various parts of the country, with over 14,000 students and more than 100 scholars and sheikhs. He added that documentaries have been prepared for several centers and sheikhs and their work, aiming for display and preservation as heritage, alongside organizing visits and developing educational curricula.

Despite its launch in 2020, it is considered today one of the largest active and distinguished religious educational institutions participating in Islamic issues, from education and training to social support. It focuses primarily on solving the problems of traditional educational centers known as "Harima" in rural areas, enabling scholars, sheikhs, and students in these centers to perform their roles better and in an organized manner through developmental projects led by a board of directors comprising a group of young people and scholars.

Ramadan Programs

Regarding the program and projects of the "Kasima" institution during the blessed month of Ramadan, Mohammed confirmed that the institution, as it does annually, has prepared social support for sheikhs and students of knowledge through the Iftar project throughout the month for each center. He said: "This year, the institution has raised the bar of ambition, planning to provide Iftar for 150 educational centers, targeting the Iftar of about 37,500 students, to expand the scope of support and reach the largest possible number of religious students."