Visually impaired Hafiz Ayaz tops in Jaipur-based Jamea-Tul-Hidaya’s Ifta exam.
Pervez Bari | Clarion India
JAIPUR – Well-known Islamic scholars from India and abroad strongly emphasised the need to include modern education viz. mathematics, science, computers and technical education et al. in the madrassa curriculum. This came during their address here at the graduation ceremony of the prestigious Islamic seminary Jamea-Tul-Hidaya (Hidaya University) on Sunday.
The Jamea-Tul-Hidaya’s convocation ceremony was presided over by Maulana Fazl-ur-Rahim Mujaddidi, general secretary of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, (AIMPLB). Dr. Al-Sheikh Ibrahim bin Nasir Al-Sawafi from Sultanate of Oman was the chief guest while Mufti Barkatullah Abdul Qadir Qasmi from England was the guest of honour on the occasion.
Other luminaries in attendance were Prof. Mohsin Usmani Nadvi from New Delhi, Maulana Ataur Rahman from Assam, Dr. Mujahid Salim, Noor Elahi Shamsi, Farooq Abbas Khatri, and Abdul Hafeez Master (all from Jaipur) and Amjad Osman Khan.
In his presidential address, Maulana Mujaddidi, who is also Rector of Jamea-Tul-Hidaya, said: “We have to connect the educational system and curriculum of our madaris (Islamic schools) with economics because no knowledge can be effective unless it is connected with it. Great scientists, economists and mathematicians were born when our educational institutions were connected with economics. However, when we abandoned it, we started lagging behind in the progress of the world in comparison to other communities”. He appealed to the officials managing madaris all over the country to understand the requirements of the present era and pay attention to the intellectual and educational training of students while equipping them with religious and contemporary education before sending them on to the field of action in society.
Maulana Mujaddidi recalled that the education system and curriculum of Jamea-Tul-Hidaya is a dream of his great grandfather Hazrat Maulana Hidayat Ali Mujaddidi who had visualised it. Jamea-Tul-Hidaya is a revolutionary step in the field of Islamic education initiated by well known scholar Maulana Mohammed Abdur Rahim Mujaddidi. This great idea was introduced by Maulana Mohammed Hidayat Ali Mujaddidi more than 75 years ago, and Hazrat Maulana Mohammed Abdur Rahim Mujaddidi gave it a practical shape. “He planted that sapling and then nurtured it with his sweat, tears and blood,” the institution’s rector said.
In his speech, chief guest Dr. Al-Sawafi urged the madaris managements to take up steps for students to learn and master Arabic as well as other languages. He said that any knowledge that is beneficial to humanity should be learned. Expressing his happiness on his visit to Jamea-Tul-Hidaya, he said that it has a curriculum that includes religious, contemporary and technical education.
Students should study with perseverance and dedication. He stressed that other madaris should also adopt this curriculum which is very much needed. Turning his attention towards the students, he urged them to work for the propagation of Islam and welfare of Muslims.
Mufti Barkatullah Qasmi, Professor of Hadith and Fiqh in Ebrahim College of London and an expert in Islamic banking, hailed the noticeable characteristics of Jamea-Tul-Hidaya curriculum. He said the education he had gained after toiling for 30 years was now available in only 12-13 years.
He said institutions like Jamea-Tul-Hidaya should be opened in every district of India to bridge the gap between ancient and modern education.
Prof. Mohsin Usmani Nadvi and Dr. Mujahid Salim also spoke on the occasion. While Maulana Fazl-ur-Rahim Mujaddidi administrated oath of commitment to the students who graduated as Muftis and Aalims from Jamea-Tul-Hidaya in this academic year.
Meanwhile, Maulana Hafiz Mohammad Ayaz of Delhi, a visually impaired student, was the cynosure of all eyes at the graduation ceremony as he notched up top first position in the examination of one-year online Ifta course conducted by the Department of Ifta in Jamea-Tul-Hidaya. Besides a certificate he was presented Rs 25,000 as prize money along with a laptop. Maulana Eid Mohammad and Mohammad Ashraf Ali, both from Jaipur, bagged second and third position respectively. They were presented certificates along with mobile phone sets.
Annual ‘Nishan-e-Hidayat’
Award to three ex-students
Meanwhile, Jamea-Tul-Hidaya’s three ex-students viz. Late Maulana Jameel Rahimi, Maulana Fazlur Rahim and Mufti Mohammad Adil Khan Rahimi Tonki were honoured with “Nishan-e-Hidayat” Awards for their exceptional performances in their respective fields. Instituted this year, the award will be given every year to three ex-students of Jamea for their notable services in their areas of activities.
In order to achieve its great goals, the Jamea-Tul-Hidaya has included religious studies, Qur’an and Hadith, Islamic jurisprudence, biography and history, Arabic, Urdu language and literature as well as modern sciences, geography, mathematics, English, and Hindi in its curriculum. The subjects of modern rducation have been included in such a way that religious studies are not affected and the students who graduate from here are self-sufficient in life. For this, technical education has been properly managed.
Some courses approved by the Central government are also offered to the students while they are in the Jamea, so that when a student graduates he will have a certificate of the government courses along with the credentials of the Jamea-Tul-Hidaya.
Accreditation to Universities
in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s universities, namely Jamia Islamia (Madinah Munawwara) and Jamia Malik Saud (Riyadh), have approved the credentials of Jamea-Tul-Hidaya. Some graduates of Jamea are already enrolled in these universities.
Hundreds of Jamea-Tul-Hidaya graduates have received higher education in religious studies in other universities of the country and abroad. There are a large number of students who enrolled themselves in universities and studied modern sciences and many of them are now faculty members in Indian universities.
Meanwhile, three Jamea-Tul-Hidaya students, Mohammad Kamil, Mohammad Sufiyan and Mohammad Saadan, delivered speeches in Arabic, Urdu and English respectively to exhibit their talent in public speaking.
At the outset of the convocation ceremony, Qari Inam-ul-Huq of Surat rendered Surah Al-Rahman from the Holy Qur’an in a very impressive and imitable style which was appreciated by one and all. Later, Maulana Fazl-ur-Rahim Mujaddidi presented mementos while Dr. Mohammad Shoaib honoured all the distinguished guests.
The function was compeered with aplomb by Maulana Habib-ur-Rahim Nadvi and Maulana Mohammad Abrar Khan Nadvi. Mohammad Yameen and Mohammad Adil rendered Tararna of Jamea-Tul-Hidaya on the occasion.