Yusuf Samet Bilkil

Yusuf Samet Bilkil was born in 1989 in Çayeli, Rize. His educational journey began at an early age by memorizing the Qur'an (Hifz), and continued with in-depth studies in Arabic, tafsir (Qur’anic exegesis), and Islamic sciences. During his youth, he began formal training in ‘ilm al-qirā’āt (the science of Qur’anic recitation) under the guidance of the renowned scholar Ali Şahin. At the same time, he also studied music and theory with master instructors, forming a unique specialization that bridged both disciplines. He earned top placements in Istanbul and nationwide Qur'an recitation and memorization competitions organized by the Turkish Presidency of Religious Affairs. He pursued his Arabic and qirā’āt studies in Damascus for two years. In 2011, he received his ‘Ashara–Taqrīb–Tayyiba ijazah (certification), and began teaching Qur’anic recitation the same year. He continues this role at the Dârü’l-Kurrâ Foundation, where he also served as president for a term. He represented Türkiye in international Qur’an memorization competitions held in Mecca (2007), Algeria (2010), and Libya (2013), earning various accolades. He graduated from the Department of Persian Language and Literature at Istanbul University and completed his master’s degree in tafsir at the university’s Faculty of Theology. Since 2010, he has taught Religious Culture and Moral Knowledge (DKAB) in various schools and served as an educational advisor in several associations and foundations. Since its founding, he has been working as a Hifz instructor at the Palet Turkish Music Primary School. In 2024, he founded the Mürebbi Educational Association through which he developed original projects in areas such as Qur'an memorization, concept-based Qur’anic education, family-oriented Qur’anic instruction, and educational camp programs. Among these, the New Generation Hifz Project stands out with its comprehensive model that integrates the classical meşk method and melodic memorization tradition with modern pedagogical approaches. Since 2018, he has been serving as a Hafız vocalist with the Istanbul State Turkish Music Research and Practice Ensemble under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. He is married and the father of three children.