Category Archives: Community Involvement / Social Issues

Eminent Academician KM Arifuddin No More

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Hyderabad, TELANGANA :

The philanthropist transformed neglected Wakf properties into exemplary educational institutions

Hyderabad :

Khaja Mohammed Arifuddin, celebrated academician, dynamic educationist and one of the founding members of the 1969 Telangana agitation movement, popularly known as KM Arifuddin, breathed his last on Monday. He was 77.

Arifuddin is irrefutably regarded as one of the most powerful educationists in the history of Hyderabad who helped thousands of families fight darkness by illuminating their minds and homes with education, in the process pioneering ‘modern and Islamic education’, a concept that has now promoted by many institutions largely for commercial merits.

The institutions he founded continue to benefit scores of students, including those from society’s weaker sections at different educational strata.

An advocate by profession in his early career, he employed his legal acumen to prevent the misuse and illegal occupancy of Wakf properties in Hyderabad. As a young activist, Arifuddin raised slogans, protested against exploitation and encroachment of Wakf lands, and pioneered an educational movement nearly 40 years ago that continues its momentum in the form of the Madina Group of Institutions and Global Group of Institutions, where thousands of Muslim and even non-Muslim students had the privilege to access modern education in an institution built on Muslim values and Islamic teachings.

He successfully led the movement in freeing the Wakf properties from illegal occupancy in 1977, and was instrumental in transforming them into educational centres with academic and disciplinary standards unprecedented for any minority institution of the time.

By fighting for winning the case and transforming the Wakf land into an educational centre, he set a prime example on how Wakf properties can be rightly used for the benefit of the community. In his own words, social success can be achieved by “conventional reimbursement of the Waqf properties and education”.

On August 15, 1982, former Governor of Orissa Padmabhushan Mir Akbar Ali Khan laid the foundation stone of the Madina Public School. He set up Madina Public School under the aegis of Madina Education and Welfare Society (MEWS), followed by Madina Degree College for Girls in 1983. Promoting education of girls, and making them self-reliant was his dream. In 1984, Prince Muffakham Jah Bahadur inaugurated the new block of Madina Public School.

His uncompromising academic standards and meticulous discipline helped his altruistic yet relentless educational pursuits in establishing 14 educational institutions from K.G. to P.G., including Madina Public Schools, Global College of Pharmacy, Global College of Business Management, and Global College of Engineering and Technology.

These educational power houses over the years have become the pride of the community under his tenure as the Secretary of Madina Group of Institutions. Several notable leaders of national repute, including former Prime Minister of India Chandrashekhar, former President of India Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma, Farooq Abdullah, Indian’s Union Law Minister Ram Jethmalani  were among several others who visited the Madina Public School in the past and appreciated its standards of education.

His patriotic fervour reflected in the several initiatives he pioneered with nationalist sentiment. He conceptualised and granted monthly pensions for freedom fighters of Hyderabad, instituted an educational scholarship of Rs 1 lakh in the name of his deceased son K.M. Razi (IRS) Memorial scholarship for helping aspiring civil service aspirants qualifying the preliminary exams. The Madina IAS Hostel was built for this purpose.

MEWS, as part of its philanthropic initiatives, also provides pensions to widows, funds Muslim and non-Muslim welfare organisations.

In 1989, he constituted the Madina Gold Medal to recognise the talents and achievements of outstanding students at regional and state levels. The first medal was awarded to Dr Ausaf Sayeed in 1989, who is currently the Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. The tradition still continues even after more than 30 years.

He was the co-founder and Editor of Awam, an Urdu daily in the late 90s. His weekly column titled Zara Ghaur Kijiye published in Urdu newspapers in Telangana inculcated social activism among the masses by throwing light on the pressing social and economic issues.

Arifuddin, born to Mohammed Qamaruddin in August of 1944, hopped different government Urdu medium schools to complete his schooling, and post-graduated in Law from the Osmania University in 1974. He was the first Muslim graduate to be elected as the Vice President of Students Union of the Osmania University, and was one of the founding members of the Telangana Separation movement in 1969, for which he served a brief time in jail.

Even until a few weeks before his demise, he kept discussing empowering Muslims and the weaker sections with education, knowledge and by securing berths in Indian Civil Services. Arifuddin is survived by two sons K.M. Fasihuddin, K.M. Minhajuddin and daughter Maria Tabassum who must shoulder the burden of great responsibility Arifuddin left behind in his legacy, while living the life of an ascetic despite all the talents and many intellectual virtues.

Earlier, his body was kept at the Madina Public School he founded in Himayathnagar to allow the public to pay homage. In the evening, Arifuddin’s funeral prayers were offered at the Royal Mosque of Pubic Gardens where a large number of intellectuals, academicians, heads of different educational institutions, former lawmakers, civil servants, alumni of the institution and senior community members were present. He was laid to rest at the Osman Nagar graveyard. The great scholar’s departure is an irreparable loss to the Hyderabadi and the Indian education community.

source: http://www.clarionindia.com / Clarion India / Home> India> Politics / by Syed Khaled Shahbaaz, Clarion India / December 07th, 2020

Hyderabad: AIMIM corporator Shaheen Begum passes away due to illness

Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders, Women/Girls(since May26-2021), , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hyderabad, TELANGANA :

She was elected in 2020 GHMC corporator elections. Shaheen Begum was suffering from health issues and was hospitalized

Hyderabad: 

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) corporator from the Erragadda Division Shaheen Begum passed away due to a prolonged illness on Tuesday.

She was elected in 2020 in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections. Shaheen Begum was suffering from health issues and was hospitalized, said local media reports.

source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> News / by Tamreen Sultana / June 04th, 2024

Gender Studies Kerala Chapter of IOS organises Summer School Program in Kozhikode

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Kozhikode, KERALA :

It was aimed at equipping students with the Islamic knowledge to live and succeed in the globalized world.

 Participants of Summer School-2024 organized by IOS Center for Gender Studies, Kerala Chapter.

Bhopal: 

The Institute of Objective Studies, (IOS), Centre for Gender Studies, Kerala Chapter, organized a Summer School- 2024 from May 11 to 15, 2024, at its seminar hall at Kozhikode, Kerala.

The five-day camp was aimed to enhance the awareness and foresight of young participants on contemporary issues through a series of educational and cultural activities.

According to a Press Release issued by IOS imparting basic but deep knowledge to the university students pursuing professional disciplines like Graduation and Masters in business studies, science, computer science, engineering and medicine etc.

“It was also an outreach programme in that we want to introduce the IOS, to a new and larger audience, particularly the students who are future leaders in medical science, technology and business studies. These students are a very bright section of the young generation with the potentials to become leaders and decision-makers in their respective fields. It is, therefore, very necessary to acquaint them with the fundamental teachings of Islam as well as the great role that Islam played in the making of global human civilization, the release said.

Objectives of Summer School programme

The objectives of the Summer School programme were as follows:

-To equip the target students with basic and deep knowledge about Islam as faith and source of global Islamic civilization;

-To educate about the Islamic worldview and how Islamic Sciences, Quran, Hadith and Fiqh developed;

-To enable students understand and analyze the Muslim contribution to world human civilization and how Islamic intellectual renaissance is possible

– To prepare students how to cope with the challenges of modernity and westernization from an Islamic perspective.

Besides, it was aimed at equipping students with the Islamic knowledge to live and succeed in the globalized world as follower and torch-bearer of Islam.

The Summer School was inaugurated by Jamal Kochangadi, a respected senior media personality and writer. His inspiring address set the tone for a week of intense learning and personal development.

Daily Activities and Sessions

Each day of the Summer School was structured to provide a rich blend of academic sessions, cultural programs, and personal development activities.

The feedbacks were written down and discussed daily, ensuring continuous improvement and participant satisfaction.

The curriculum covered a wide range of topics, including:

– Stress Management; Communication Skills;

-Quran: Contemporary Issues and Challenges;

-Design Thinking; Mappila Songs and Aesthetic Pursuits;

-Interpersonal Skills; Sufi Aesthetics and Islam;

-Quran: Introduction to Chapters, Text, Context and Message;

-Media Democracy and Contemporary Challenges;

-Art and Literature in Islam;

-The Art of Compassion;
-Campus Life;

-Islamophobia: The Menace and the Matrix;

-Gender Discourses and Islam;

-The Value of Knowledge;

-Feminine Identity and Islam;

-History, Historiography, and Resistance & Religion in the Age of Contemporary Challenges.

Senior journalists and scholars who delivered their lectures and conducted the sessions included: C. Dawood, NP Chekutty, Nishad Rauthar, Dr. PK Poker, Baburaj Bhagwati, PT Kunhali, AK Abdul Majeed, Dr. AI Vilayatullah, Khalid Musa Nad V, Dr. Ashraf Kalpetta, Dr. Jameel Ahmad, Dr. Anas, Shihabuddin Ibn Hamza, Shifa M, Zuhair Ali etc.

Cultural Programs and Break Activities

Each day had vibrant cultural programmes that highlighted the rich cultural heritage and artistic expressions within the Islamic context. The Hazrat Ayesha Research Library provided beautifully prepared books, making the break times both enjoyable and educational.

A notable feature of the Summer School was the emphasis on personal development.

Participants were encouraged to engage in reel-making projects based on various topics, fostering creativity and practical application of the knowledge gained.

The Summer School culminated with the award and closing ceremony and celebrating the achievements and participation of the students.

The camp succeeded in its objective to provide comprehensive exposure to Islamic, social, and cultural topics, significantly contributing to the personal and intellectual growth of the students.

Feedback and Outcomes

Most students expressed full satisfaction with the camp, particularly appreciating the exposure to unfamiliar topics and the holistic approach to learning. The camp’s success underscores the importance of such initiatives in developing well-rounded, aware, and foresighted individuals.

The IOS Centre for Gender Studies, Kerala Chapter’s Summer School 2024 was a resounding success, providing invaluable insights and experiences to its participants. By integrating academic rigour with cultural enrichment and personal development, the camp significantly contributed to the participants’ growth and understanding of contemporary issues within an Islamic framework.

source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> News> India / by Parvez Bari / July 05th, 2024

Unravelling Kerala’s Islamic history

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders, Museums, Libraries (wef. April 16th, 2022), , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

KERALA :

The Cheraman Islamic Heritage Museum is now home to the largest digital repository of Islamic history in Kerala.

TNIE speaks to researchers of the team to find out more about the project

Kochi :

About 10 years ago, a clutch of scholars embarked on an ambitious project to unravel the Islamic way of life by documenting and digitising its storied legacy. This work is now complete and available for public viewing at the Islamic Heritage Museum set up on the premises of Cheraman Juma Masjid at Kodungallur.

The project was not confined to unravelling just the centuries-spanning history, but also the lifestyles, literature, cuisine, art and culture. The archive is a treasure trove and contains information on customs, religious rituals, astronomy and navigation, mathematical findings and computation.

To facilitate this, over one lakh documents — texts, sounds, videos and photographs — were analysed by a team spearheaded by the Muziris Heritage Project.

While the data gathered came from all corners of the state, the epicentre was indeed the Kodungallur masjid. Established in 629 CE, it is the earliest mosque in Kerala.

Beyond the colonial lens

Though the contributions of Muslims or Mappila, as they are known in Kerala, are widely recorded, much of it is through a colonial lens. “Of late, historians have been at work to break this norm, shift the practice of tracing history from a land-based approach to encompass our rich maritime heritage. Today, trade documents are also taken into account,” says H M Ilias, an MG University professor and an instrumental member of the team.

As equally important are community lives and the history they tell us, points out P A Muhammad Saeed, another team member. “Documents were collected from families, masjids and madrassas, and private collections of individuals. They provided crucial findings which helped broaden the idea of Islam’s origin in Kerala,” he explains.

The vast collection, which is recorded in four languages — Arabic, Arabi-Malayalam, Malayalam and Persian, also contains the history of migration, the nuances of Sufism and insights into the medical practices of Muslim communities in Kerala.

The origin of Islam

The best place to start tracing the origin of Islam in Kerala was likely within the pages of the first history book in the state — Tuhfat Ul Mujahideen written by Zainuddin Makhdoom II of Ponnani in the 16th century.

“In its two volumes, it talks about the history of Kerala and why Muslims should fight the colonial powers (that it is their religious obligation to do). But beyond this text, we didn’t have much to go by. So during this project, we turned to question that grapples all — the origin of Islam. And Cheraman masjid, the first mosque in India became an intial focus point,” recalls Saeed.

According to the lore associated with the mosque, Cheraman Perumal, a Chera king, on seeing the moon split into two (lunar eclipse), wanted to glean its meaning and possible ramifications. His court and scholars couldn’t offer an answer that convinced him. On learning that there were traders from Arabia in his city, the king summoned them and listened to their ideas.

“Maybe he was found their answers more convincing. For he soon sailed to Mecca to meet the Prophet. That’s what the lore says. What actually transpired could be something different. All kings require a dogma. After the waning of Buddhism, Perumal too was reportedly searching for one. It likely led him to the Arabian shores,” Saeed says.

Perumal converted to Islam on his visit here. But the timeline of this incident remains obscured in history. “For some, it is in the 7th century, and for others, 8th century and 12th century,” says Ilias.

Also, there are two versions to this story, he points out. “One that says Perumal did indeed meet the Prophet. And another one which says otherwise. However, it is said that he died while returning to Kodungallur and was buried at a port in Oman. There are several stories of Perumal entrenched within Omani communities. However, to get epigraphic evidence of this, we need to study archaeological findings there as well,” says Ilias.

According to experts, it is his companions on this journey who, on returning to Kodungallur, propagated the religion in what is today Kerala.

Duffmuttu

Buddhist link

According to Saeed, the Cheraman masjid could also have been a gift to the community’s need for a place of worship. “It very well could have been an abandoned Buddhist temple,” he says, citing the lack of Muslim population around the mosque to back the theory.

Tracing the timeline of Perumal’s travels and the place where he died, he says, the mosque may have come into existence in the 8th century. It underwent major reconstruction after the 15th-century flood that destroyed Muziris port. But confirmations require much more larger research, which includes foreign shores.

However, soon, the project turned big as they began tracing the spread of the religion and the community’s life through centuries. Using lores, folk songs, letters and texts, trade documents and more, they stitched together the larger Islamic history of Kerala.

Rare findings

The digital archive is a repository of rare findings — from the first Quran translated from Arabic to Arabi-Malayalam and the details of Duffmuttu, an art form that some believe to be prevalent even before the time of the Prophet. Originating in Medina, it soon found its way to Malabar and is most prevalent in Kozhikode.

A few medicinal texts — Ashtanga Hridayam (in Arabi-Malayalam) and other ayurvedic texts and documents of Unani are also part of the archive. “Those days, medicinal texts — which included the method of treatment, preparation, precaution and ingredients — were documented in lyrical format,” Ilias says.

The team also found the first travelogue by a Muslim woman. “It was written in the 1920s by a woman who visited Mecca. She talks about her travel and mentions the time both in the Malayalam and Islamic calendars,” Ilias says.

The team included researcher A T Yusuf Ali and the Centre for Development of Imaging Technology, which aided in the digitisation part.

“In earlier times, Kerala was not known for using paper. But those who travelled for trade and Islamic traders who arrived here all carried information on paper. Some of it even resembles thick animal skin. These too are part of the collection,” says Yusuf, who helped collect and digitise the work.

Yusuf, along with the C-Dit team, also spoke to a person who was deported from Malabar to the Andaman Islands. “He was more than 100 years old. Maybe 115. In those days, the British punishment system included deportation to various colonies, including Australia and Southeast Asia,” he says.

Much of the documents were found from Edathola house, Thanoor and Ponanni mosques, houses of Nellikuthu Muhammadali Musaliyar, Abdu Rahiman Musaliyar, Kondotti K T Rahman Thangal and T M Suhara.

The research which started at a narrow point in history has now grown into something big. The Islamic Heritage Museum is one of the largest digital repositories of Islamic way of life in Kerala. “Now, available for researchers and scholars all over the world,” Ilias adds, “it widens the scope of history as we know it.”

Architecture

To study Islamic architecture, the team recorded the history and images of various mosques across Kerala. “There are many mosques which use a mix of Arabic, Persian and Kerala architecture,” informs the team.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Kochi / by Krishna PS / July 11th, 2024

Historian Syed Ubaid Exposes Efforts to Rewrite India’s History: ‘A Dangerous Drive to Erase 1000-years long Muslim Influence’

Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Community Involvement / Social Issues, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , ,

NEW DELHI :

New Delhi:

In a programme at the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) headquarters on the theme of “Rewriting History: Fact or Fiction,” historian and author Syed Ubaidur Rahman raised alarm over ongoing efforts to “rewrite” India’s historical narrative—efforts, he asserts, led by right-wing ideologies seeking to diminish the legacy of Muslim rule in India.

Syed Ubaid whose latest book ‘Peaceful Expansion of Islam in India’ was published earlier this year, began by asking, “What is history? And more importantly, what is its role in shaping the future? It is alarming that in this era, when Muslims have little interest in history, some forces are working tirelessly to distort the historical truth.”

He pointed out that the rise of the right wing elements had led to a systematic campaign to dilute nearly a thousand years of Muslim rule in India. “Their basic objective is clear: to erase the history of Muslim influence, whether in architecture, education, science, or culture—from India’s curriculum,” Ubaid emphasized, saying that this was part of a broader strategy to make the history of the Muslim community “invisible.”

Syed Ubaid stated, “Muslims have impacted all aspects of life in India. There was a period of almost 1000 years of Muslim rule during which architecture, education, science, language, food, and every aspect of life were influenced. Today, these very aspects are under attack by these elements. They not only want to rewrite political history but also wish to rewrite all these aspects.”

Weekly Ijtema || Rewriting History: Fact or Fiction || Syed Ubaidur Rahman / source: youtube / jamaat-i-islami hind

Raising a question about why they want to rewrite Indian history, Ubaid referenced Audrey Truschke, a respected historian of South Asian history at Rutgers University, USA who had critiqued the right-wing narrative. Truschke explained that Hindutva ideologues aim to claim Hindus as the only indigenous group in India, excluding Muslims and other minorities. “In their history, India’s past is framed as a glorious Hindu golden age followed by an era of Muslim oppression,” Truschke writes, “This narrative distorts the complex and multi-layered history of India.”

Syed Ubaid emphasized that political and religious identities are often conflated.

Syed Ubaid explains, “Audrey has written that there was no difference between the Muslim rulers and Hindu rulers in terms of religion, neither side attacked the other because of religion. Historian Khaleeq Ahmad Nizami has clearly written in his book that Muslim rulers had no religious or political intent or religious connotation behind their actions.”

Syed Ubaid remarked, “Earlier, the narrative was that Aurangzeb was hateful and tyrannical. But over time, they started painting all Muslim rulers with the same brush, whether it was Akbar, Alauddin Khilji, or any other Muslim ruler, they began targeting them all.”

Highlighting the growing tendency to remove crucial elements of history from school textbooks, Syed Ubaid said, ‘The revision of textbooks is not new. This has been a long-standing agenda of theirs.”

He lamented the sweeping changes that have been made to the school syllabus, stating, “About 30% of school syllabi have been altered. Specifically, content related to the Mughals, political science textbooks, secular ideas, Gandhiji and his assassination, the Delhi Sultanate, all of these aspects have been significantly altered or reduced.”

Highlighting significant changes to the history curriculum, especially in Class 7, where children are first introduced to historical narratives, Syed Ubaid pointed out that the achievements of Mughal kings, such as Humayun, Shah Jahan, Akbar, Jahangir, and Aurangzeb, which had previously been presented in a two-page chart in the history textbook Our Past Too, were removed. Ubaid also mentioned the removal of a chapter on Akbar’s plural politics, which had once depicted the Mughal emperor in a positive light.

Syed Ubaid said, “the Mughals, who had ruled India for almost 350 years, from 1526 to 1857, have been a primary target in these revisions.” He criticized the effort to dilute the significance of the Mughals in textbooks, asserting that while the Mughal rule weakened toward the end, regional rulers such as the Marathas, Rohillas, Tipu Sultan, and Hyder Ali continued to govern with the Mughal imperial mandates.

Refuting the claim that the Mughals were given disproportionate importance in history textbooks while regional kingdoms were underrepresented, Syed Ubaid pointed out that the Vijayanagara Empire in South India and the Kakatiya dynasty from the 15th and 16th centuries were well-documented in textbooks.

However, he observed that regional Muslim kingdoms, such as the Bahmani Empire in the Deccan and the Gujarat Sultanate, both of which played significant roles during the same period, received much less attention in the current syllabus. Despite their rich heritage, these Muslim kingdoms are scarcely mentioned.

Ubaid emphasized that these changes are not confined to schoolbooks but extend to university curricula as well.

Syed Ubaid said, “even at the Aligarh Muslim University, once renowned for its medieval history department, professors are struggling as much of the material has been cut. Senior historian from the AMU, Prof.Irfan Habib has also noted that the entire Delhi Sultanate is now covered in just one sub-unit in unit one at the graduation level.

Citing Prof. Irfan Habib, he noted, “In the revised syllabus, Khilji, Tughlaq, and the invasion of Taimur are now condensed into a single unit. Unit 2 omits significant figures and events, such as Akbar, and instead focuses on figures like Hemu, Vikramaditya, Rana Pratap, Rani Durgavati, and Chand Bibi. Mughals like Jahangir and Shah Jahan have been removed.” Ubaid’s concerns about the erasure of Muslim contributions to India’s history went beyond textbooks.

He criticized the ongoing attempts to rename cities founded during the Muslim rule, such as Faizabad, Aurangabad, Ahmedabad, and Ahmednagar.

Warning that these efforts to distort historical narratives are part of a broader trend, where online platforms will increasingly present biased versions of history, he said, “In the future, when you search for history on platforms like Google or Amazon, you will find only materials based on misrepresentations and backing their narratives.”

Ubaid concluded his speech with a call to action: “We must not allow the erasure of history to continue. We need to encourage our children to read books rooted in historical accuracy, to understand our past, and to defend the truth. We should foster an interest in history and make an effort to include such books in our personal libraries. Just as Muslims teach foundational religious texts to their children, we must ensure historical books are part of their education.”

Beginning his speech, Syed Ubaid outlined four key phases of Muslim history in India: the early arrival of Islam through traders especially in causal India, the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate, the rise of regional sultanates, and the powerful legacy of the Mughal Empire.

source: http://www.indiatomorrow.net / India Tomorrow / Home> Education / by Anwarulhaq Baig / December 03rd, 2024

Former Jamaat-e-Islami Hind President Maulana Sirajul Hasan Passes Away At 88

Community Involvement / Social Issues, Karnataka (under research project), Leaders, , , , , , , , , ,

Raichur, KARNATAKA / INDIA :

The former President of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) and former Vice President of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), Maulana Mohammed Sirajul Hasan passed away Thursday evening at his hometown in Raichur, Karnataka. He was 88 years of age.

Maulana Sirajul Hasan died of a cardiac arrest at his residence after being discharged recently from a hospital where he was admitted to.

Born in 1933, Sirajul Hasan was a lifelong Jamaat member. He served JIH as Zonal Chief of Karnataka for 28 years, before being deputed as Secretary of Jamaat in Delhi in 1984. He was the All India Ameer of JIH from 1984 until 2003. He also played an active role in the All India Mulsim Personal Law Board, All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat (AIMMM) and the Babri Masjid Coordination Committee.

Describing him as a towering personality of the Muslim Ummah and the Islamic Movement the current Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Syed Sadatullah Hussaini said, “We shall always cherish his contribution towards serving Islam and the Muslim community. His death is a tremendous loss to the ‘Millat’ and the Islamic Movement. He was both a visionary and a caring leader.”

Talking about his personal relationship with the former JIH chief, Syed Hussaini said, “Maulana Sirajul Hasan played an important role in grooming and training me. He prepared thousands of youth like me for the Islamic Movement. I pray that Allah accepts the yeoman service of Maulana Sirajul Hasan, pardons him, grants him Paradise and gives patience to his family members for bearing this loss.”

source: http://www.thecognate.com / The Cognate / Home> News / by The Cognate News Desk / April 20th, 2020

Muslim charities aid needy in India amid COVID-19

Community Involvement / Social Issues, COVID 19 - Community of Soldiers, , , , , , , ,

INDIA :

Charity groups have been trying to ensure that poor do not go to bed hungry amid nationwide lockdown.

File photo

New Delhi :

Muslim charities and other voluntary organizations are helping the poor in India during a nationwide lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of the novel coronavirus.

As of Thursday, the death toll from the coronavirus had reached 423 and the number of positive cases 12,456, according to data compiled by the U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

As the Indian government extended the lockdown until early May, the poor and migrant workers who survive on daily wages do not even have enough money to support basic household expenses.

With no work during the last three weeks in the first phase of the shutdown, they have suffered the most sitting idle at home.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that implementation of the lockdown would be strictly guaranteed in the coming days to ensure that the virus does not spread to new areas. It means more difficult days for the deprived sections of society.

Laborers and migrant workers were left without food and shelter when Modi suddenly declared a 21-day nationwide lockdown last month. The lockdown was set to end on April 14 but has been extended until May 3.

Helping those in need

But soup kitchens and charity groups came to their rescue. Apart from various organizations in India, Muslim charity groups and individuals in their personal capacity have been trying to ensure these people do not go to bed hungry.

The Humanitarian Relief Society is involved in relief operations during the lockdown in various districts in the southern state of Karnataka.

Its general secretary, Mohammed Makakada, said they have distributed $200,000 worth of food items to the poor.

“We give food kits to the poor. A single kit contains food items worth around $16 (1,200 rupees). These were given to poor people and migrant workers from other states,” Makakada told Anadolu Agency.

“We plan to continue our relief work until May 3. We are also working with Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, [a Muslim organization], and they are assisting the poor and other migrant workers regardless of their religion,” he added.

The Amoomat Society, another charity based in Hyderabad city in the southern state of Telangana, has been distributing cooked food to around 200 people daily.

Most of them are migrant workers from different states in India who got stuck in Hyderabad due to the sudden lockdown, said the group’s general secretary Khalida Parveen.

“We are giving them ready-to-eat food as they are very poor and don’t have anything to eat. We will continue to offer this food to them, as it will be impossible for them to survive without help,” Parveen told Anadolu Agency.

“Earlier, we faced some problems because of police restrictions. But now they have permitted us to distribute food,” she added.

Students Islamic Organization of India is also helping the needy during these difficult times.

“Being a student organization, initially, we worked to provide food and temporary accommodation to students as the lockdown was sudden and several students were stranded in their rented rooms or hostels and needed support. Later, we decided to help migrant laborers. We continued our work to provide succor to them. We are carrying out relief work in different cities,” said the organization’s general secretary Syed Azharuddin.

Azharuddin said their organization has been providing cooked food as well as rations or food supplies to laborers besides helping them obtain rations being provided by the government.

“We helped around 100,000 laborers, most of them from the states of Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. We are working in 24 states with 1,000 helpline centers and around 10,000 volunteers,” he told Anadolu Agency.

“Till now, we have reached out to about 50,000 families with ration kits, as many state governments announced they would provide help to the workers but delayed in issuing the rice and wheat to the poor,” he added.

Free meal at bread bank

The Roti (Bread) Bank of Bhopal in the central state of Madhya Pradesh to fight hunger is also working diligently to provide food to the needy at this time. The NGO was founded in 2018 by Muslim philanthropist Mohammad Yasir to provide free food to the poor.

Following the lockdown, 500-700 people are having their meals daily at the center.

Yasir said his work increased almost three-fold after the lockdown as so many people have been rendered jobless and depend on the NGO for their meals.

He explained how some people have come forward to help the needy.

“We tell people that while cooking food at their homes, they should prepare some extra food and donate it to us. They give us the food and we give that food to the people visiting us,” Yasir said.

Anyone in need can come and have a meal there.

source: http://www.aa.com.tr / Anadolu Ajansi / Home> Asia Pacific …latest on coronavirus outbreak / by Shuriah Niazi / April 16th, 2020

How 100-Year-Old ‘Osman Sagar’ Becomes A ‘Water Resource’ To Hyderabad?

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Hyderabad, TELANGANA :

Osman sagar lake or Gandipet, commissioned by Mahbub Ali Khan after the 1908 flood and completed by Osman Ali Khan, has been serving the water needs of Hyderabad for over a century.

A true Hyderabadi is one who has tasted the water of Gandipet. And once that happens, even heaven cannot entice one to leave Hyderabad. Such is the magic of Gandipet, a crucial lifeline of the city that is turning 100 this year. The city of Hyderabad got Gandipet in 1920, the reservoir then being constructed with the dual purpose of controlling floods and supplying drinking water to the citizens.

The idea of the Gandipet, it is said, stemmed after the havoc caused by the 1908 flood in Hyderabad. The aftermath of the flood forced Mahbub Ali Khan, the sixth Nizam, to think about the possibility of a repeat of such a grisly situation. Around 12 floods had already hit the city before the 1908 floods, each leaving behind its own trail of death and destruction. The 1908 floods alone claimed around 15,000 lives apart from rendering over one lakh people homeless.

Moved by the destruction, Mahbub Ali Khan pondered on finding a permanent solution to the problem. Historian Sajjad Shahid says Mahbub Ali Khan wanted a long-term and effective solution to prevent the flooding of Musi River. He was determined to find a permanent end to the problem and started a process to find an expert familiar with the local irrigation systems to devise a plan to prevent reoccurrence of floods.

The first to come to the rescue of the Nizam were the British who offered services of their experts. “However, the Nizam refused to consider the recommendations of the British who offered the service of Sir Michel Esthesol, the then Director General of Irrigation, Government of India. He also did not consider another British engineer, TD Mackenzie, who was chief engineer of the Nizam State,” said Sajjad Shahid.

And that is when the name of M Visvesvaraya came up. Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya was born in Karnataka in 1861. He worked with the Bombay Public Works Department for 25 years after joining in 1883. He resigned in 1908 and later went around the western countries to study different irrigation systems and designs. To his credit, Visvesvaraya had constructed several irrigation projects and other structures in Mysore and other places then.

After touring western countries, he returned to India in 1909 when he was approached by the Nizam to help in improving the Hyderabad irrigation system and to prevent flooding of the city. “The Nizam wanted a local expert to find a solution to the problem. He had heard about Visvesvaraya and was keen on taking his services,” said historian Mohammed Safiullah.

After accepting the task, Visvesvaraya conducted a detailed survey of Hyderabad’s network of rivers and reservoirs. He also studied the rainfall pattern in other places in India before devoting time towards understanding the engineering aspects of the problem.

After a detailed study, Visvesvaraya proposed to create storage reservoirs above the city to control floods. He submitted the report on October 1, 1909, and the suggestion was accepted by the Nizam. Soon, work began on the construction of two reservoirs – Osman Sagar across the Musi River and the other, Himayat Sagar, constructed across Esi – the tributary of Musi River.

While Osman Sagar was completed in 1920, Himayat Sagar was finished in 1927. It cost Rs 56 lakh for Osman Sagar while Rs 46 lakh was spent for construction of the Himayat Sagar, it is said.

The work started by sixth Nizam Mahbub Ali Khan was completed under the supervision of the seventh Nizam Osman Ali Khan. “The reservoirs are based on the Kakatiya model and are 100 feet above the level of the city. The flow of water was based on the reverse gravity principal,” said Saifullah.

Water was supplied to the city through dedicated water channels laid during the Nizam era. “The Nizam had promised free food to every household. He ensured that at least water was supplied free of cost to the household and he lived up to it. At no point of time, the administration collected any tax or money for water from the common man,” said Captain Pandu Ranga Rao, a historian.

Hundreds years have passed and still water from Gandipet is supplied to a few colonies in the city. “It is cost effective as the cost of supplying the water from Osman Sagar is bit cheaper compared to drawing water from far of places and supplying it to the city,” points out Captain Ranga Rao.

‘Never in his dream might the Nizam have thought that Gandipet, the popular moniker for Osman Sagar, would become a part of the local Hyderabadi lingo.

Hyderabadi standup comedian Khairuddin Baig alias Jani says Hyderabadi lingo has plenty of one-liners or idioms with reference to Gandipet. “See, it depends on the context and situation where the term is used. For example, if a person is a foodie, people generally say ‘tera pet hain ya Gandipet’,” he says and also recalls the popular idiom, ‘Jo bhi Gandipet ka pani piya woh Hyderabadi hua’.

Several local poets and standup comedians have highlighted Gandipet, a popular picnic spot for Hyderabadis for decades, in their narrations. “The sher-o-shayari describes the mood of young boys and girls meeting at the place or a newly-married couple visiting the place. Similarly, comedians refer to the family gatherings there with baskets full of meals and tiffin boxes or men spending time trying to catch a fish from the fresh waters,” he said.

Constructed during the Nizam era, the striking aspect about these twin waterbodies of Osman Sagar and Himayath Sagar is that they are operated manually unlike most other reservoirs, which have hydraulic gates.

Gandipet, popularly known Osman Sagar, along with its twin reservoir Himayath Sagar, has been quenching Hyderabad’s thirst for the last 100 years and continues to do so without any major operational costs.

Such is the significance of Gandipet that, apart from quenching thirst, the common belief for decades among denizens has been that the water reservoir bestows health and vitality.

Constructed during the Nizam era, the striking aspect about these twin waterbodies of Osman Sagar and Himayath Sagar is that they are operated manually unlike most other reservoirs, which have hydraulic gates. All the components like gear boxes, sluice gates, bushes, and ropes have to be maintained well to avoid any glitches during operations.

All the components used at the twin reservoirs belong to the Nizam era and have been functioning without any snags all these years. It is 100 years and not a single component has been changed and they are working perfectly without any signs of wearing out or damages, says a senior official from Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB).

Gandipet was constructed in the year 1920 followed by Himayath Sagar in 1928.

HMWSSB conducts overhauling of all components at the twin reservoirs before the onset of monsoon to avoid any glitches. Together, they have the capacity of supplying 40 million gallons per day (MGD) to the city without any cost as the water flows by gravity unlike Krishna and Godavari drinking water schemes.

But with growing population and the city expanding geographically in all areas, supply from Gandipet over the years has been depleting. Presently, only 5 MGD is being drawn from the reservoir and that too through emergency pumping from dead storage level and supplied to different areas in Mehdipatnam, Old Mallepally, Asif Nagar, Humayunnagar, Chintal Basthi and other areas.

Did you know?

  • Osman Sagar was named after Mir Osman Ali Khan Nizam VII
  • Dam was built in 1920 by Nizam VII
  • Built to protect city from flooding after Musi Floods of 1908
  • Lake is around 46 square km
  • Reservoir is around 29 square km
  • Total water level 1,790 feet
  • Has capacity of 3.9 tmc
  • Inflow and outflow from River Musi #KhabarLive

source: http://www.hydnews.net / Hyderabad News / Home / by Ahssanuddin Haseeb / March 08th, 2020

Seminar focuses on Deccan identity and cosmopolitanism

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Hyderabad, TELANGANA :

The different strands of cosmopolitanism, the hallmarks of Deccan identity, came together on Wednesday at a day-long seminar on ‘Cosmopolitan Deccan’ at the Maulana Azad National Urdu University.

Seema Alavi built and shared her research on Indian Muslim scholars who travelled the world, dodged power-centres and tried to carve a niche for themselves beyond flat identities between British empire and the Ottoman Empire.

Ms. Alavi, whose “Muslim Cosmopolitanism in the Age of Empire” triggered new ways of seeing identities, spoke about Syed Fadl, who travelled from Malabar in present day Kerala to the edge of Empire. “They tested kinship, trade, commerce, and information networks and brought together the political economies and cultures of the Indian ocean and the Mediterranean worlds while retaining their self-identity,” said Ms. Alavi, professor of history at Ashoka University.

Two practising fabric designers, Ariba Khanam and Binil Mohan, shared how Kalamkari designs, created and crafted in the Coromandel region, reflected the world.

Heritage conservation consultant Sajjad Shahid linked the evolved language of Deccani with food habits, dress and architecture. He spotlighted poets who travelled from elsewhere in the country and decided to settle down by singing peans about the land and the people in Deccan.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Telangana / by The Hindu Bureau / September 18th, 2024

WREM Organises Talent Honours Ceremony in Phalodi

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Phalodi, RAJASTHAN :

Phalodi:

The Western Rajasthan Education Movement (WREM) held a ceremony at Teliyon ka Nyati Nohra Square here Sunday to honour students who excelled academically. Students scoring over 65% in their 10th and 12th-grade exams were recognised for their achievements.

The event began with Quran recitation by Muhammad Yunus, a student at Madrasa Imdaddiya.

In his welcome speech, Salim Akhtar introduced SIO Rajasthan and elaborated on the goals of the Western Rajasthan Education Movement, initiated in 2019 to address the region’s low literacy rates. He emphasised the movement’s objectives: promoting education’s importance, raising awareness, improving literacy rates, encouraging higher education, inculcating moral values, increasing school enrolment, supporting dropouts to resume education, and guiding students towards academic excellence.

Speaking as Chief Guest, Qari Muhammad Hanif, In-charge of Shoba-e-Taleem at Madrasa Imdaddiya, commended the WREM team for their efforts in promoting education and congratulated the students for their dedication and success. “You have proven your talent and potential to achieve your dreams,” he said.

Chairing the ceremony, Mohammad Azam Khan, former Secretary of SIO Rajasthan, highlighted the role of students in shaping society. He urged students to integrate morality into their lives and fulfil their responsibilities toward their parents, emphasising the importance of being both good students and good human beings.

The guests were warmly welcomed with garlands, with Qari Asgar Ali delivering the official welcome speech. Master Allan Noor and Qari Umar Farooq also inspired the students.

The honoured students received shields and certificates, with the top three scorers in 10th and 12th grades receiving gold, silver, and bronze medals. The event was attended by prominent citizens of Phalodi, including Master Allan Noor, Amadin Khilji, Qari Umar Farooq, Qari Asgar Ali, Haji Pir Bakhsh (Retired JN), Saddam Hussain (Director of GP Tuition), Faiz Ahmed, Mubarak Ali, Qari Muhammad Shakir, and Amit Kumar, a teacher at GP Tuition. They encouraged the students to continue their pursuit of excellence.

The ceremony concluded with Israr Ahmed reciting a heartfelt poem of prayers. Saddam Hussain, Director of GP Tuition, played a significant role in organising the event. Salim Akhtar, convener of WREM, extended a vote of thanks.

source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Education> by Raheem Khan, Radiance News Bureau / December 02nd, 2024