Potočka Mosque: The youngest hafiza recites mukabela, prayer is performed with the chirping of birds

Osman Čelebi's Mosque, popularly known as Potočka, was built in the second half of the 15th century and is among the oldest mosques in Zenica and Bosnia and Herzegovina. This mosque is modest in size, with an authentic appearance, writes the Patria news agency.

- Osman Čelebi's Mosque seems to have grown into this environment. In large mosques, we often feel a distance, we are physically far from each other. In small mosques, we are all closer, in this congregation almost everyone knows everyone, every whisper is heard, and together with the chirping of birds we perform the prayer - Imam hfz. Fahir ef. Arnaut tells us.

Mukabela is the daily recitation of the Qur'an, a tradition thousands of years old, especially practiced during Ramadan.

- The Qur'an is peace and a cure for the soul. We recite one juz every day, each juz consists of 20 pages, so during Ramadan we recite the entire Qur'an - says ef. Arnaut.

In this mosque, mukabela has been traditionally recited every day after the afternoon prayer for 20 years.

- Previously, it was recited by elderly and educated women, the famous hanuma Hedija Karić is associated with the history of this mosque. This year we have a special honor, and it is recited by 7 hafizas - stated Imam hfz. Fahir ef. Arnaut.

After the afternoon prayer, only women remain in the mosque, after which seven hafizas begin to recite the Qur'an with their melodious voices.

- This year we submitted a request to the Medžlis for the first women's hafiza Mukabela. Last year I recited in Sarajevo, now we managed to organize it in Zenica. There are seven of us, often not all of us come, so we divide the juz among ourselves - stated Salema Begović-Pašalić, one of the hafizas.

Mukabela is also recited by one of the youngest hafizas in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

- It is nice to see the mosque full, and to recite the Qur'an while others listen to you. Ramadan is a special month and I enjoy every moment. This year, on February 4th, I became a hafiza - says twelve-year-old Fatima Skopljak.