Madrassa education needs urgent reforms

Hyderabad, which has witnessed at least four major terrorist attacks in the last 10 years or so, has become an interesting case study for the State and national intelligence agencies. In fact, some western countries too are now showing interest in analyzing Hyderabad’s history, culture and demography; and digging deep into the social, economic, political and religious issues faced by people here.
The latest incident that intrigued many was when about two dozen youth were found by the police to be “actively watching” on the internet the activities of the terrorist group in Iraq and Syria __ ISIS.
Against such a backdrop, even the functioning of madrassas has become a point of interest, despite none from Hyderabad (with a madrassa background) still found involved in militant activity anywhere in the country or outside. Yet, they remain under watch.
“No madrassa is teaching extremism or militancy. They are in fact supplementing the main education system that has failed to reach out to the entire population,” Hafiz Peer Shabbir, Member of the Legislative Council, said, while speaking of the change in the way madrassas function. They are now more in line with the requirement of time, he added.
A case in point is the 140-year-old and arguably the biggest Islamic seminary in Hyderabad, Jamia Nizamia. Ensconced in the densely populated area of Shibli Ganj near Hussaini Alam police station, this institution has 1,500 students on roll. Of these, 800 are day scholars and 700 boarders. But that’s not all. The Jamia also runs an exclusive school for girls in Shah Ali Banda where 400 students study as boarders. A large number of these students do not pay any fee for education or food. The Jamia has also extended affiliation to about 200 schools across Telangana, Karnataka and Maharashtra.
In a major departure from the traditional form of Islamic learning, the Jamia has recently established a department of languages and linked it with the main madrassa where Darse Nizami or the age-old way of education is followed. The study of English language, at this department, has been made compulsory. “If a student fails in English, he/she will not be promoted to the next class,” Mufti Khaleel Ahmed, vice-chancellor of Jamia Nizamia, said.
Introduction of English, Urdu and Arabic-English translation studies is just the beginning that is expected to be followed up soon with other subjects required to prepare a student to take on the competitive job market, authorities confirmed.
In another experiment, aimed at loosening up the straitjacket madrassa education system in Hyderabad, the newly inaugurated M S Rahmania School has decided to offer Islamic learning along with modern education. The school is a tie-up between Al-Mahad Al-Islami institution and M S Group of Schools and Colleges where English is the medium of instruction.
The medium of instruction at madrassas is Arabic.
These two experiments, though praiseworthy, do not tell the whole story of the madrassa education system, a major portion of which is still outdated. Those who control the madrassa system do not believe in keeping pace with the time. They think that the Darse Nizami system that has produced noted Islamic scholars in the past will continue to do so in spite of major changes taking place in the life of Muslims. Leading this group is Darul Uloom, Deoband, Uttar Pradesh, founded by Maulana Muhammed Qasim Nanotvi in 1866.
Some in this group also believe that if students in Islamic schools are offered modern education they would not remain associated with the preaching of the religion and instead get sucked into lucrative jobs.
The other group of seniors who believe in bringing about change, albeit slowly, is led by Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama, Lucknow.
There are also many groups of Ulamas (Islamic scholars) who are trying to create a balance between modern and traditional Islamic education. But their attempts have met with little or no success so far.
Many academics teaching Islamic sciences in government-run universities and colleges lament at the pace of slow change. “We need to prepare individuals who can take forward the word of Islam but at the same time be equipped to live a life of dignity. How can that be achieved without achieving excellence in modern education?” they ask.
The question is extremely relevant. It is the community that has to find the right answer as early as possible.