مَرْكَز ابْن عُثَيْمِين
About the Center
Raising a generation with the Qur'an
The Ibn Uthaymeen Center for Quranic Memorization and Islamic Studies is a family-led school in The Gambia devoted to teaching children the Book of Allah.
Our Vision
Hearts illuminated by the Qur'an, a nation guided by its light
We envision a future where the Qur'an is not only memorised by Gambian children but understood, loved and lived. A future where young huffadh are found in every neighbourhood, leading prayers, teaching others and bringing honour to their families and their country.
“Indeed, it is We who sent down the Reminder, and indeed, We will be its guardian.”
- 01
A generation of Gambian children who carry the complete Qur'an in their hearts, recite it with excellence and live by its guidance.
- 02
Homes across The Gambia where the Qur'an is recited daily, where parents and children learn together, and where Islamic manners shape family life.
- 03
Graduates who become imams, teachers, scholars and upright professionals, serving their communities with knowledge, humility and integrity.
- 04
A center recognised throughout West Africa as a trusted model of authentic, caring and excellent Qur'anic education.
Our Mission
To teach the Book of Allah with excellence, sincerity and care
Our mission is to provide authentic, structured and affordable Qur'anic and Islamic education to the children of The Gambia, raising young Muslims who memorise the Qur'an, understand their religion and embody its noble character.
Memorisation with mastery
To guide every student through a clear, structured Hifz programme that balances new memorisation with strong, regular revision so that what is learned is never lost.
Recitation with Tajweed
To teach the Qur'an exactly as it was revealed, with correct articulation and the rules of Tajweed, through close one-to-one listening and correction.
Understanding, not only words
To build Arabic literacy and teach the meanings of what students memorise, along with sound belief (aqeedah), practical fiqh and the Seerah of the Prophet ﷺ.
Character before knowledge
To nurture adab: honesty, respect for parents and elders, kindness, cleanliness and good speech, so that knowledge is carried with beautiful character.
Access for every child
To keep the doors open to children from all backgrounds, supported by sponsors and donors, so that no child is turned away from the Qur'an because of poverty.
Partnership with families
To work hand in hand with parents through regular feedback, parents' evenings and practical guidance for revision at home.
Why Start Young
Why Muslims should begin learning the Qur'an in childhood
The Qur'an is the speech of Allah and the greatest gift a parent can pass on to a child. Learning it from a young age is a tradition as old as Islam itself: the Companions and the scholars after them taught their children the Qur'an before anything else, because a heart that is filled with the Qur'an early is shaped by it for a lifetime.
The early years are when a child's memory is strongest, their heart most open and their habits most easily formed. A daily connection with the Qur'an in childhood becomes a lifelong companion, giving children identity, confidence and a moral compass in a challenging world.
“When a person dies, his deeds end except for three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child who prays for him.”
01
The young mind is ready
Childhood is the season of memory. What a child memorises is engraved deeply and stays for life, which is why scholars of the past began teaching the Qur'an as soon as children could speak.
02
The fitrah is protected
The Prophet ﷺ taught that every child is born upon the fitrah, the natural disposition towards Allah. Filling the heart with the Qur'an early protects and strengthens that pure nature.
03
A compass for life
Children who grow up with the Qur'an have a guide for every stage of life: in their salah, their choices, their friendships and their trials.
04
A reward that continues
A righteous child who learns and lives the Qur'an is a source of continuous reward for their parents, even after their parents have passed on.
Meet the Founder
Ustadh Mahamadou Tunkara
Ustadh Mahamadou Tunkara founded the Ibn Uthaymeen Center in Sanyang with a simple conviction: every Gambian child deserves the chance to carry the Qur'an in their heart. Having devoted his own life to learning and teaching the Book of Allah, he opened the center in 2017 alongside his wife, Ustadha Fatoumata, to give local children a structured, caring place to memorise the Qur'an and learn their religion.
Each new school year he personally welcomes and registers every student, getting to know the children and their families by name. He leads the Hifz and Tajweed programmes, listens to students' daily recitation and teaches aqeedah, fiqh and the Seerah with patience and warmth. By the grace of Allah, the center has since celebrated several graduating classes of young huffadh.
2017
Founded
Hifz
& Tajweed
Sanyang
The Gambia
Our Teachers
Led by a family devoted to the Qur'an
Founder & Head Teacher
Ustadh Mahamadou Tunkara
Ustadh Mahamadou leads the Hifz and Tajweed programmes, guiding boys through memorisation and revision while teaching aqeedah, fiqh and the Seerah with clarity and patience.
Co-Founder & Head of Girls' Studies
Ustadha Fatoumata Tunkara
Ustadha Fatoumata leads the girls' circles, nurturing young girls in recitation, memorisation and Islamic manners, and supports mothers with guidance for learning at home.
New Student Registration
Welcoming new students to the center
Watch families arrive to register their children for a new term of Qur'an memorisation and Islamic studies. Every new student begins a journey with the Book of Allah, and we would love your child to join them.
Register Your Child“Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim.”
Be part of this blessed work
Enrol a child, sponsor a student, or reach out to learn how you can help the center grow.