According to the Muslimsaroundtheworld website, students of the renowned Quran teacher Sheikh Mahmoud Aslani gathered in the city of Tetovo, northwestern North Macedonia to honor his memory.

The event was held under the supervision of the Mufti of Tetovo, Sheikh Hafiz Selver Efendi Xhemili, and was attended by over 100 male and female students out of the 202 individuals taught by Sheikh Aslani.

The Islamic Community of Tetovo announced that this gathering of Huffaz (memorizers of the Quran) would become an annual tradition, bringing together students of the Quran school and maintaining the bond between generations and their teacher.

During the event, the establishment of a Quran memorization institute was also announced, signifying the expansion and continuity of projects dedicated to serving the Book of God across different generations.

Sheikh Mahmud Efendi Aslani (1932–2021), a native of Tetovo, dedicated nearly half a century—from 1967 until the end of his life—to teaching Quran memorization at the city's Painted Mosque (Šarena Džamija). Approximately 200 students graduated under his direct tutelage, while thousands of others learned to recite the Quran.

In 2012, the Jeddah-based World Organization for Quran Memorization honored him with the title of "World's Best Teacher" in the field of Quran memorization, recognizing him as one of the most prominent figures in Quranic education in the Balkans.

At the gathering in Tetovo, Sheikh Hafiz Selver Efendi Xhemili emphasized that memorizing the Holy Quran is not the ultimate goal; rather, it marks the beginning of a responsibility, the impact of which must be reflected in the memorizer’s conduct, sense of justice, and moral character.

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He likened this group of Huffaz to a tree with over 200 branches and described Sheikh Aslani’s efforts in teaching the Holy Quran as an act of enduring charity.

The Mufti also recalled the challenges of teaching the Quran in the 1980s—when instruction took place behind closed doors—emphasizing that those conditions played a pivotal role in shaping the character of these generations of memorizers and fostering their patience and discipline.

The gathering featured a documentary titled "Memories of Mullah Mahmoud," which recounted the experiences of 202 male and female memorizers who had completed their Quranic memorization under Sheikh Aslani’s tutelage. Attendees also recited Surah Fatiha in memory of the late Sheikh and the memorizers who had passed away, honoring their contributions to serving and teaching the Book of God.

The program opened with welcoming remarks from Faizullah Effendi Siddiqi, Director of the Religious and Educational Affairs Department of the Islamic Community. Subsequently, the memorizers shared their personal recollections of the years spent learning under the late Sheikh.

At the conclusion of the session, Abdulbaqi Effendi Qasemi, Director of the Quran Memorization Institute at the Colored Mosque, announced the establishment of a new, formal institute under the supervision of the Tetovo Islamic Community. This institute aims to provide a continuous, structured program for reviewing and consolidating memorization, as well as teaching modern Quranic memorization techniques to new generations under the guidance of experts.

The institute also seeks to elevate standards of Tajweed and the art of Quranic recitation, while solidifying the status of Quran memorization in the Polog region and ensuring the continuity of this Quranic tradition from one generation to the next.

The event concluded with religious hymns and a recitation of the Holy Quran, underscoring the importance of Quran memorizers and their roles within mosques, schools, universities, and the broader community, alongside a reaffirmed commitment to teaching the Book of God in an organized manner with a clear vision for the future.

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