Guwahati :

Al-Ameen Welfare Society, an NGO, today announced to take up more initiatives under its project to educate the younger generation about the rich history and heritage of Muslims living in Assam.

The project has come at a time when indigenous Muslims in the state are facing an identity crisis because of unabated influx of immigrant Muslims from Bangladesh.

As part of the comprehensive project, a book on the history and society of Assamese Muslims was released at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra here today. Renowned educationist Mohd Taher is the brain behind the project.

Former president of Asam Sahitya Sabha, Birendra Nath Dutta, while releasing the book, said Al-Ameen’s project is very exciting and would highlight how indigenous Muslims have contributed to the assimilation of the greater Assamese society.

Mohd Taher said the project would research and record its findings in the following five volumes, the history and heritage of Muslims of Assam, ethno-cultural study of Muslims in Assam, a study of the old historical mosques, mazars, dargahs, Wakf properties, study of Assamese Islamic literature and geographical distribution of Muslims of Assam and their socio-economic status.

Taufiqur Rahman Borborah, secretary general of Al-Ameen, said though Muslims living in the state for years maintained their religious identity, they assimilated themselves fully with the greater Assamese society in all other aspects and became an important constituent of Assamese culture and heritage. “We felt that the rich cultural heritage and contributions of the Muslims must be recorded for posterity and have thus taken up the project. It is sad that many of the younger generation are not aware of such a rich heritage. We hope that the project would be able to enlighten the future generation of Assamese Muslims about their glorious past,” Borborah said.

Borborah, who was also the principal of Assam Medical College and Hospital in Dibrugarh, said the book on Assamese Muslim history and heritage would be translated into English and published in an e-book format to let the world know about the rich background of Assamese Muslims.

Syed Tanwir Alam, assistant professor of microbiology at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital, who was present during today’s book release function, said Al-Ameen’s project would help the younger and future generation of Assamese Muslims to know their roots. Alam said the history, heritage and contributions of Muslims to the larger Assamese society should be studied, probed and recorded.

source: http://www.telegraphindia.com / The Telegraph, Calcutta / Front Page> North East > Story / by Our Correspondent , Guwahati – November 10th / Monday – November 11th, 2013