Their books were included in the syllabus of the Department of Islamic Studies and were taught in AMU’s BA and MA classes.
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI — The managing committee of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) has decided to remove books of renowned Islamic scholars Maulana Abul Ala Maududi and Syed Qutub from the syllabus. Their books were included in the syllabus of the Department of Islamic Studies and were taught in AMU’s BA and MA classes.
According to India Today, the decision has been taken in response to a letter written by Hindutva activist and academician Madhu Kishwar, along with some other Hindutva academicians, to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“This decision has been taken in response to a recent letter that was written by social activist and academician Madhu Kishwar, along with some other academicians, to PM Modi, in which the books of these authors were demanded not to be taught to the students. The academicians had not just named the AMU, but also the Jamia Millia Islamia and Hamdard Universities, claiming that all these universities had books written by Pakistani authors in their curriculum,” India Today quotes a senior AMU staff as saying.
Abul Ala Maududi, whose Islamic literature is keenly read throughout Islamic and Muslim world, was active in politics in British-India. He founded Jamaat-e-Islami Hind in India and after migration to Pakistan he founded Jamaat-e-Islami in Pakistan. His books are recognised as authentic source of Islamic knowledge.
Syed Qutub, an author, Islamic scholar and revolutionary, was a leading member of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood during 1950s and 1960s. He has numerous book to his credit on Islam and contemporary issues.
India Today also quotes Professor Muhammad Ismail, head of AMU’s Islamic Studies Department, who said that the “board has decided to remove all books written by Pakistani authors from all curriculums, even though these books do not promote anything controversial and have been on the curriculum of AMU for a long time.”
