Mangaluru, KARNATAKA:

A first-of-its-kind Post Graduate Diploma course in Applied Islamics has been launched in India offering students Islamic Knowledge integrated with knowledge of English, computer sciences and current affairs.

Yenepoya University, which runs several institutions including medical, dental, management and other degree colleges and schools, had established a Chair in Islamic Studies and Research.

The Chair is meant to enrich academic resources of the university system for a deeper reflection on critical issues and to promote thinking on all issues connected with knowledge generation and inter-disciplinary perspective.

Inaugurating the course in the sprawling university campus of Mangalore, Moulana Mahmood Madani, renowned scholar and General Secretary of Jamiat-e-Ulama-e-Hind, New Delhi, said that the course has practical relevance to life and stressed that Islam is meant for the welfare of the whole humanity.

Applied Islamics is the brainchild of internationally celebrated thinker, Islamic scholar and author of more than 15 books, Dr. Javed Jamil. His ultimate aim is to establish an International Centre for Applied Islamics.

International programs

He believes that Applied Islamics will revolutionize the ambit and scope of Islamic studies, which will have an impact on many international policies and programs.

Introducing the course Dr. Javed Jamil said that the principles of Islam can be applied to fields like Health Sciences, Social Sciences and National Sciences for the benefit of the whole world.

Speaking to Al Arabiya English Online, Dr. Jamil, who is a renowned thinker and writer and head of the Chair in Islamic Studies and Research, at the University, said: “Applied Islamics refers to ‘the study of the application of Islamic Principles in the modern fields of knowledge like law, natural sciences, health sciences, social sciences and philosophy”.

“It encompasses the analysis of the modern theories in different fields in the light of Islamic principles and the development of the alternative terminologies, definitions, methodologies, indices, programs, policies, models and paradigms consistent with Islamic teachings,” he said.

Course details

The one-year long course is open for graduates and also to Aalim and Faazil and other courses of Islamic institutions if recognized as equivalent to BA by competent authorities with a minimum percentage in Bachelors Course or equivalent of 45 percent for General and 40 percent for reserved categories.

The course structure will comprise subjects covering a wide gamut of Islamic and worldly knowledge including Modern World Order: Philosophy, Forces, Objectives and Impact, Systematic Study of Quran, Philosophy, Constitution, Islamic system, Islamic Paradigm of Health, Islamic Economics, Islamic political structure, Islamic Legal System, Islamic Social System, Islam and Natural Sciences, Empowerment of Indian Muslims, Interfaith and national and international harmony, and Epistemology and Ontology: Islamic Perspective.

Dr, Javed Jamil said that the Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Islamics is a unique program designed to develop students’ knowledge of the key areas of Islamic Studies, especially from the point of view of the application of Islamic principles in different fields.

“Students will examine the key teachings of Islam as a religion and a civilization that has come in contact with other cultures and civilizations. They will also explore other areas such as Islamic Economics, Islamic Law (Civil and Criminal), Islam and Health, Islamic Social System, women and Islam, Islamic core sources and Islamic ethics as well as major scientific contributions of Muslim scientists and thinkers,” he said.

Career prospects

With more and more people now evincing interest in pursuing higher Islamic Studies, courses like PG in Applied Islamics is a boon. According to Dr Javed Jamil, such people are in great demand in western countries as well as in the Arab world where teachers with knowledge of Islam along with the knowledge of English, Computer Sciences and some understanding of the current affairs are preferred.

With the rising popularity of Islamic finance and banking, they can join finance sectors. Traditional Madrasas will also be taking greater interest in people having knowledge of Applied Islamics.

The subject of Applied Islamics is expected to gain rapid popularity and more and more institutions will be starting courses in the subject. They may also go to higher Islamic Studies pursuing Masters and PhD programs.

There are also those looking to pursue these courses, especially part time/online course, just for the sake of knowledge without any career objectives.

http://www.english.alarabiya.net / AlArabiya News / Home> Features / by Aftab Alam Kola / August 10th, 2018