By Hawa Toure, 9th Grade
There are so many untold stories in the world just waiting to be heard. One of those stories is the story of my grandfather.
El-Hadj Saad Oumar was a strong, resilient, and pious man. He endured many hardships throughout his life, but through his resilience he managed to push through, achieve his dreams, and continue his legacy by passing down knowledge to future generations.
El-Hadj Saad Oumar started as a curious child, always asking questions and learning about his Islamic faith. Then French colonists came to his town in Mali, forcing their school system upon the entire region, where every first-born male had to attend French school without their parents’ consent.
He had to undergo this challenge while still holding firmly to his faith, and despite the difficulties, he finished school two years earlier than his peers.
After school he traveled across towns and countries to sell and trade goods and fabrics.
While doing this, he read many books. And as he read, he began a secret mission to translate them into Arabic. Instead of simply following what the French taught and forced upon him, he learned from their style of teaching and used it for his own goals.
He soon started his first Quran school—a full-time Arabic school with only two hours of French each week. Through this, he elevated Arabic literature by bringing new teaching methods and translated works to his community, unlike the old ways of sitting on the floor with a wooden slate to write on.
His new school grew into a big institution, and his dreams had come true. Through his school, many young minds learned more about their faith and how to memorize the Quran. Though he faced hardship and change, he still managed to create something great that would impact people’s lives for generations.
This is the untold story of my grandfather: El-Hadj Saad Oumar Toure, a man who was steadfast in his faith and resilient through hardship. His story deserves to be known for his influence on young minds and for the big dream he made come true, a dream that is still changing people’s lives for the better.