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
A recent workshop for children’s writers and authors, organized by the Institute of Study and Research Delhi (ISRD), highlighted the urgent need for quality Islamic literature for children and called for initiatives to train the youth and new generation in this endeavour.
Held at the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind headquarters here, the workshop was attended by over 50 research scholars and individuals interested in children’s literature, affiliated with institutions such as Jamia Millia Islamia, Jawaharlal Nehru University, National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT), and the Education Department of the Delhi Government, with nearly half of the participants being women, some of whom have been working in the field of children’s literature for several decades. ISRD, which conducted the workshop, has been actively promoting Islamic thought and encouraging writing and authorship through various programmes for the last more than five years.
Speaking on the occasion, AIMPLB spokesperson and editor of the monthly Urdu magazine Afkar-e-Milli Dr Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, critically reviewed children’s Islamic literature under the title “Reimagining Children’s Islamic Literature: A Critical Analysis for Modern Needs.” He emphasized that today, the primary goal of acquiring knowledge and education has become mainly about obtaining good jobs and accumulating wealth, which fosters a materialistic approach and attitudes among children. He stressed that education should focus on developing children into good human beings, ethical individuals, and righteous Muslims.
ISRD secretary Asif Iqbal presented a survey conducted among 254 children in the area to understand their reading habits. Through a PowerPoint presentation, he highlighted key findings, noting that children demonstrate a keen interest in reading books and still place high value on printed materials. Both parents and teachers should adopt a positive and proactive role in fostering children’s reading habits. He pointed out that children tend to read more in Hindi and English compared to Urdu, indicating a need for special attention in this area, likely due to education in English schools.
While it is true that screen time on mobile devices reduces children’s reading time, authors and publishers should consider how to capture children’s attention through mobile platforms to make their content accessible.
The survey revealed that children enjoy reading adventure stories, Islamic history, and fiction, with a particular interest in Islamic heroes in the current context. Parents provide children with books, and they often receive books as gifts. Notably, children are also purchasing books with their pocket money, which is commendable and should be encouraged further. There remains a significant preference for reading printed books compared to e-books and audiobooks.
However, the question persists: to what extent are we meeting the needs of children in the community? While it is a fact that children engage with online games, social media, and various internet content, they also recognize that books play an essential role in their lives, and they express a desire to read. They prefer simple and accessible language along with colourful, graphic books available at affordable prices. Authors and publishers should focus on these aspects.
In his presidential address, renowned Islamic scholar and author of more than 100 books, Dr Muhammad Raziul-Islam Nadvi, Secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, emphasized that children’s authors should keep three key principles in mind: (1) While writing stories, consider the tastes and psychology of children, subtly incorporating Islamic values, teachings, and culture into their works; (2) present credible material, particularly regarding Islam, and avoid incorrect or misleading information; (3) use very simple and accessible language.
Dr Raziul-Islam Nadvi noted that during the initial period of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, its members produced quality religious literature for children, but there has been a decline in this area over time. However, he affirmed that renewed attention is now being given to this vital aspect.
Renowned children’s author Mohammad Siraj Azeem, founder secretary of All India Adab-e-Atfal Society Delhi, delivered a lecture titled “Exploring Pluralistic Society and Its Impact on Children Amid Increasing Extremism.” He highlighted several factors contributing to extremist tendencies in children: 1) the destruction of the joint family system, 2) parents’ indifferent relationships and callous connections with their children, 3) uncontrolled technological advancements and excessive use of electronic gadgets, including mobile devices by children, and 4) various pressures from parents, the environment, or technology. Addressing the question of how tendencies towards violence arise in children, he urged parents to connect well with their children, give them ample attention, and focus on their all-round training and nurturing, as parents serve as crucial role models for their children, thus they should demonstrate the best conduct and behaviour.
The workshop commenced with welcoming remarks from Mr Saleemullah Khan, Delhi state president of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind. Following this, experts delivered insightful lectures on various aspects of children’s literature.
Maulana Inaamullah Falahi, associated with the JIH Markazi Taleemi Board, spoke on “The Need and Importance of Children’s Literature in the Light of Islamic Values.” Dr Shadab Musa, JIH Assistant Secretary, presented on ‘Understanding Stages of Cognitive and Intellectual Development in Children’.
Dr Faizan Shahid discussed “The Effects of Short Stories on the Psychological, Social, and Moral Growth of Children .”
The workshop consisted of three sessions, moderated by Noor-ul-Islam Rahmani, Naim Raza, and Muhammad Maaz. All participants were awarded certificates.
source: http://www.indiatomorrow.net / India Tomorrow / Home> Education / by admin india tomorrow / October 23rd, 2024
A recent study, coinciding with the hearing of the AMU minority status case in the Supreme Court, has revealed that the majority of students in Muslim minority institutions hail from the majority Hindu community.
According to the report, 52.7 per cent of students in the Muslim-run institutions are Hindus and only 42.1 per cent of students are Muslims.
These startling revelations have been made in two reports: “A Survey of Muslim-Affiliated Private Institutions of Higher Education in India” and “Two Decades after Sachar: A Socio-Economic Survey of Indian Muslims”.
These reports have been prepared by the Delhi-based think tank Centre for Study and Research (CSR) in collaboration with NOUS Network.
The reports were released by Jamaat-e-Islami Hind President Syed Sadatullah Husaini along with other dignitaries at the India International Centre here two days ago.
CRS is a not-for-profit organisation and aims at knowledge production in domains pertaining to all sciences impacting human civilisation. The CSR survey marks the first attempt of its kind to map the higher education institutes managed by the Muslim minority community across India. The data provides a reference point to track the growth in Muslim institutes over the coming years.
The findings of the report are quite significant to blast the stereotype view held by a section of the majority community having proximity to BJP and other groups who believe that only Muslim students study in the Muslim-run education institutes. This indicates that Muslim institutes not only serve the Muslim community which is educationally very backward but also the Hindu community students. To be exact, while these institutions have the title of minority-run institutions, they perform the role of national and secular institutions that offer education to all communities irrespective of their faith and culture. So, the role of Muslim institutions in spreading education to all communities is second to none.
The report says that Muslim minority manages 23 of India’s 1,113 universities where Hindu students account for 52.7% against 42.1 percent of Muslim students.
Similarly, across the 1,155 colleges managed by Muslim minorities, non-Muslims form the majority, with Hindus constituting 55.1% of enrolled students, followed by 42.1% Muslims and 2.8% belonging to other minority groups.
JIH chief hails reports prepared on Muslim-run institutions
Addressing the audience, JIH chief praised the survey that highlighted the contributions of Muslim-run institutions in not only providing education to Muslims but also to non-Muslims.
He commended their efforts in providing educational opportunities to vulnerable groups, communities, and female students.
With reference to the ongoing legal battle for Aligarh Muslim University’s minority status, Mr. Husaini emphasized the importance of minorities’ right to establish and manage their own educational institutions.
The JIH supremo described the two survey reports as “vital documents” offering valuable insights for government officials, policymakers, scholars, educators, community leaders, and researchers seeking to understand the educational landscape for Muslims in India.
Praising the data’s potential, the JIH President emphasized how it can improve education quality, uplift the Muslim community, and guide policy making towards equal educational opportunities for all.
“These findings, exploring diverse aspects of Muslim education, offer a roadmap for actionable initiatives,” he said.
CSR director Dr. Rizwan highlights Muslim institutions’ role in education
CSR Director Dr. Mohammad Rizwan highlighted the collaborative effort behind the study on Muslim-run institutions. He said, “Prepared with the help of NOUS Network led by CEO Ali Javed, the report examines higher educational institutions managed by Muslim societies and trusts, including those founded by Muslims and currently overseen by government agencies.”
Dr Rizwan, in his address, presented an analysis of student enrolment patterns, gender representation, and the socio-economic background of Muslim students.
In a conversation with this scribe, Dr. Rizwan emphasized the key takeaways from the report. He stressed the importance of understanding the dynamics of Muslim-run institutions for informed policymaking.
The report’s findings, he noted, highlight the unique needs of the Muslim minority in higher education and advocate for targeted interventions.
Speaking about the Indian Muslim community’s educational landscape, Dr. Rizwan reiterated the crucial role of institutions run by the Muslim minority and their significance in not only serving the community’s needs but also those of other communities. He stated that these institutions ultimately contribute to the nation’s educational advancement by uplifting a broader population.
CSR Director hailed the study as a groundbreaking first, highlighting that no previous research has investigated the number of higher education institutions affiliated with Muslim minority groups.
Dr. Rizwan explained the study’s unique methodology, highlighting its use of data from AISHE, AICTE, NCMEI, and NAAC reports to meticulously identify and compile a comprehensive list of Muslim-affiliated higher education institutions in India, ensuring a thorough analysis of the educational landscape.
Highlighting key findings of Muslim institutions survey
A striking finding from “A Survey of Muslim-Affiliated Private Institutions of Higher Education in India,” reveals that despite constituting 73.4% of all minority groups, Muslims manage only 16.6% of colleges run by minority communities. Conversely, other minority groups, representing 26.6% of the population, manage the remaining 83.4% of these colleges.
The survey found that in 1947, at the time of independence, there were only 22 Muslim higher education institutes. In over seven decades, this number has grown to just 1,178, which includes 23 universities and 1,155 colleges. Critics have pointed out that the Muslim community, which comprises over 14% of India’s population, did not undertake concerted efforts to establish educational institutes over this long period.
University Landscape
Among India’s 1,113 universities, 23 are categorized as Muslim minority institutions, according to the 2020-21 AISHE data. The report traces the growth of Muslim minority universities from just five at India’s independence in 1947 to the current 23. Despite the passage of 75 years, the Muslim community established only 18 additional universities. The majority (43.5%) are privately managed, and nearly 70% are located in urban areas, emphasizing the need for rural educational infrastructure.
Among the key findings, Uttar Pradesh, with the largest Muslim population in the country at around 38 million, has the highest number of Muslim universities (6), followed by Karnataka with three.
College Scenario
Among the 43,796 colleges in India, 1,155 are managed by the Muslim minority community. From 17 Muslim colleges in 1947, the number has surged to 1,155 over 75 years. In terms of growth trends, the decade from 2001-2010 saw the highest increase in number of Muslim colleges at 416, while in the most recent decade from 2011-2020, only 316 new colleges were established.
Kerala leads in terms of highest number of colleges at 211, followed by Uttar Pradesh at 209. The survey notes that 10 states – Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar and Jammu and Kashmir account for over 90% of all Muslim colleges in the country. However, the majority of these colleges (57.8%) are in rural areas. Despite comprising 73.4% of all minority groups, Muslim minorities hold a mere 16.6% share in colleges, showcasing a significant disparity.
Muslim institutions lack participation in quality assessment
The report has sparked concern about the quality of education at Muslim-affiliated higher education institutions in India, highlighting their low participation in national quality assessment frameworks.
A staggering 90.65% of Muslim colleges and 56.5% of universities lack accreditation by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), a key benchmark for educational quality.
Only 21.7% of universities and a mere 3.1% of colleges participated in the 2023 National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), with 96.4% of Muslim minority colleges entirely absent. Only 36 Muslim colleges participated in the NIRF ranking process of 2023, suggesting a potential need for further investigation and support to improve their standing.
No Muslim minority college secured a spot in the top 100 NIRF rankings, raising further questions about their overall academic standing.
Enrolment Patterns of Muslim students a cause for concern
The latest reports reveal a stark underrepresentation of Muslims in higher education, with only 4.9% enrolment as compared to other religious groups. In institutions of national importance, such as IITs, IIMs, and NITs, the representation drops to a mere 1.92%.
The report reveals that Muslim students predominantly opt for undergraduate programs (90.6%). The survey pegs the total enrolment in Muslim universities at around 98,000 students, while enrolment in Muslim colleges stands at over half a million. However, the majority of Muslim students opt for undergraduate programmes, with just about 8% pursuing Postgraduate courses and less than 1% enrolled in research programmes like MPhil and PhD.
The enrolment figures highlight the need for greater focus on higher education and research among the Muslim community.
The report also highlights gender-wise and social group-wise distribution of students, pointing out the need for increased representation of Muslims in higher education.
Female Enrolment Dominates Muslim Colleges
The survey points out that the share of female students among the Muslim student population is amazingly encouraging at over 52% in colleges and 37% in universities. In terms of social groups, about half of the enrolled Muslim students come from the general category, while around 48% are from OBCs. Representation from STs is negligible at less than 1%.
Females outnumbered males across all programme levels – undergraduate (50.9%), postgraduate (59.43%), and certificate (62.45%) in Muslim run colleges. This female majority even extends to Muslim students enrolled in colleges, with females constituting 52.82% of the total. Higher degree programmes (M.Phil. and Ph.D.) buck the trend, with male representation exceeding female.
Unlike colleges, universities witnessed a stark contrast, with males constituting 63.19% of the enrolled students. Only in the M.Phil. program did females hold a slight majority with 11 students enrolled.
Educators, policymakers see Muslim education report as roadmap for improvement
After launching the reports and briefing about them, a roundtable discussion was held, in which educators, policymakers, and stakeholders applauded the report on Muslim-managed higher education institutions as a valuable resource for addressing existing challenges.
Among those welcoming the report were JIH Markazi Taleemi Board (MTB) chairman Professor Mohammad Salim Engineer, Mr. M. Farooq (who runs various educational institutions in Maharashtra), and researcher Sadat Husain.
They described the survey report as a roadmap for improvement, offering insights and recommendations for policymakers and educators.
They also recommended enhancing access to higher education through scholarships and financial aid mechanisms exclusive for economically marginalized Muslim youths; creating special drives to encourage NAAC accreditation and NIRF participation among Muslim institutes; establishing dedicated cells to promote research publications from Muslim institutes; and exploring public-private partnerships and Resource Centres to elevate standards of existing Muslim colleges.
JIH Markazi Taleemi Board Director Syed Tanveer Ahmed stressed the importance of data collection and research for effective action.
“This report offers valuable insights,” he said, highlighting the need for “affirmative actions” based on data, not just “perceptions.” He urged the community and its NGOs to study the report and suggest concrete steps based on its findings.
Mr. Ahmed expressed the view that a well-informed minority can effectively play a role of majority in a democracy, underscoring the importance of trust in research and data to foster genuine awareness. He urged the Muslim community to actively engage in data collection, citing the commendable efforts of CSR in this regard.
According to Mr. Ahmed, community organizations should closely examine reports generated from surveys and provide valuable inputs on potential actions for both the community and its NGOs. He highlighted the need for strategic efforts in the political domain to advocate for affirmative action, emphasizing that the Muslim community often lacks interest, practice, and seriousness in collecting data.
The data collected, according to Mr. Ahmed, serves as a guide for implementing affirmative actions in the education sector for the Muslim community. He suggested that if the number of universities is insufficient, the government should formulate policies to facilitate the establishment of universities by Muslim NGOs and institutions. Additionally, Mr. Ahmed addressed some threats to the Muslim minority in the education sector, pointing to the misinterpretation of Article 30, particularly in reference to the AMU case.
The MTB director suggested that the two reports be discussed widely across the country at all levels – local, state, and national. He believes distributing the report to stakeholders and government agencies will generate broader discussion and potential impacts.
He also called upon social organizations to actively work towards altering the overall attitude of the Muslim community towards education.
CSR coordinator Syed Ahmed Muzakkir, who coordinated the event, presented a concise summary of the reports verbally.
source: http://www.indiatomorrow.net / India Tomorrow / Home> Education / by Anwarulhaq Baig / February 07th, 2024
A top Islamic scholar – Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani – was elected fifth president of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), with Jamaat-e-Islami Hind president Syed Sadatullah Husaini and Gulbarga-based Maulana Khusro Hussaini as vice-presidents.
Maulana Khalid Saifullah replaced Maulana Rabey Hasani Nadawi who passed away in April this year.
Maulana Fadl al-Rahim Mujaddidi has been elected as the General Secretary. He will be supported by secretaries – Maulana Umrain Mahfouz Rahmani, Maulana Syed Bilal Hussaini Sahib, Maulana Yasin Ali Usmani Sahib, and Maulana Ahmed Faisal Rahmani.
The board elections took place in the town of Mhow near Indore during the board’s executive committee meeting on June 3 and 4.
Maulana Khalid Saifullah was elected unanimously. There are 251 members of the board, including 51 executive members.
Welfare Party of India (WPI) president Dr. Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas has been elected as the spokesperson and Kamal Farooqui, a practicing chartered accountant and former chairman of Delhi Minorities Commission, has been elected as deputy spokesperson.
Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani was elected through consensus. A proposal was mooted by Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Sufyan Qasmi Sahib of Darul Uloom, Deoband, and subsequently supported by Maulana Shahid Hosni and Maulana Syed Mahmood Madani. All members unanimously voted for Moulana Rahmani.
After Wali Rahmani’s death, Moulana Khalid Rahmani was appointed as the interim general secretary of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board. He is also a member of the Legal Council of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board and serves as the general secretary of the Islamic Fiqh Academy in New Delhi.
He regularly contributes as a columnist for the Friday edition of Munsif and holds the position of editor for the Islamic juristic quarterly journal – Behs-o-Nazar – which was originally founded by Mujahidul Islam Qasmi.
Born in 1956 in Darbhanga district in Bihar, he has a rich educational background in Islamic studies and is renowned for his insightful teachings on various aspects of Sharia law. He began his education at home and then spent two years at Madrasa Qasimul Uloom Hussainia. He pursued further studies at Jamia Rahmani in Munger, where he earned his degree.
He was enrolled in the Dawra-e-Hadith program at Darul Uloom Deoband where he focused on the study of Hadith within the Dars-e-Nizami curriculum. He successfully completed his studies and graduated from Darul Uloom Deoband in the year 1395 AH (according to the Islamic calendar) or 1975 as per Gregorian calendar. Later, he specialized in Islamic law and jurisprudence at Amarat-e-Sharia in Patna.
He has been a student of Anzar Shah Kashmiri, Mahmud Hasan Gangohi, and Muhammad Salim Qasmi, and also benefited from the guidance of his uncle Mujahidul Islam Qasmi.
Established in 1973, AIMPLB serves as an authoritative body responsible for interpreting and implementing Muslim personal law in India. It comprises distinguished scholars, jurists, and community leaders who work collectively to uphold and protect the rights of Muslims in matters pertaining to marriage, divorce, inheritance, and other aspects of personal and family law.
source: http://www.indiatomorrow.net / India Tomorrow / Home> Breaking News / by admin india tomorrow / June 06th, 2023
