In a bid to bolster access to professional education for economically disadvantaged students, Bengaluru-based Danish Education Trust (R) awarded scholarships to 624 students pursuing professional education across Karnataka with a total scholarship amount of Rs. 1,60,00,000/- for the academic year 2023-24. The Trust selected students through an online application process at www.danishtrust.in.
The scholarship recipients are pursuing various professional courses, including Engineering, MBBS, Law, Journalism, Pharmacy, BUMS, BAMS, BHMS, Veterinary Science, Agriculture, and B.Ed, and are from economically underprivileged backgrounds.
Danish Educational Trust (R) was established in March 2006 by a group of concerned citizens led by philanthropist Mrs. Husna Sheriff, with the belief that education is the seed for development and progress. Since its inception, the Trust has continued its scholarship scheme for poor and needy students pursuing higher education.
Over the years, the Trust has sponsored the education of more than 4000 students, and this year’s scholarship program is another step in empowering young minds to achieve their educational dreams.
Expressing her pride in the trust’s achievements, Mrs. Husna Sheriff emphasized the importance of empowering young minds through education. “We firmly believe in providing a platform for students to thrive academically, regardless of their socioeconomic background. By investing in their future, we are sowing the seeds for a brighter tomorrow,” she remarked.
Looking ahead, Danish Educational Trust envisions expanding its reach further, with plans to increase the scholarship amount to Rs. 1.8 crore and support over 750 students in the upcoming academic year 2024-25. Such ambitions underscore the trust’s unwavering dedication to fostering equitable access to education and nurturing the leaders of tomorrow.
source: http://www.thecognate.com / The Cognate / Home> Education / by Shaik Zakeer Hussain / March 14th, 2024
Bibi Tabassum and Suraiya Quraishi who embroidered the Quran.
Bengaluru :
This is a miracle. An awe-inspiring phenomenon took place in this city a few days back, as two sisters- Bibi Tabassum and Suraiya Quraishi- embroidered the sacred Quran onto 604 pages of plush velvet cloth.
Showing excellent craftsmanship, they used needles and threads to meticulously prepare an embroidered holy Quran. This embroidered Quran, prepared under the watchful guidance of an Alim-e-deen (religious scholar), is not only easily legible but also heavenly captivating.
Bibi Tabassum, the younger of the two sisters, holds a great fondness for doing embroidery ever since she was a child. In the beginning, she used to embroider only small verses of the Quran, but one day, an idea graced Bibi Tabassum’s mind – to intricately embroider the entire holy Quran. This took her on a laborious journey, one fueled by love and devotion.
Expressing extreme gratitude to Allah for giving them the opportunity to prepare this embroidered Quran, Bibi Tabassum says that she aspires to gift this embroidered holy Quran to a library in the holy city of Madina.
Venturing on this embroidery voyage of the Quranic verses along with her elder sister Suraiya Quraishi, Bibi Tabassum started with the first inaugural Surah of the Quran i.e. Surah Al-Fatiha, and continued diligently. The last surah- Surah An-Nas marked the culmination of their hard labour.
This embroidered holy Quran is divided into five volumes, and each volume consisting of six chapters. It went through a meticulous binding process by the skilled hands of its creators.
Initially, in the detailed process of embroidery, Bibi Tabassum used to inscribe the verses of the Quran with a pencil on the velvet cloth, followed by both the sisters intricately weaving threads along those sacred lines.
Carrying on the demands of daily life, both sisters, driven by unwavering dedication, used to finish their household chores and then engage in the embroidery work of the holy Quran.
To ensure the utmost accuracy of the embroidered work, a learned religious scholar closely scrutinized each verse upon the completion of a page. Bibi Tabassum says, ‘After completing every page of the embroidered holy Quran, we would show that to our scholar and do any correction if required.”
In the aftermath of this big achievement, family members are thoroughly elated for the two sisters. They say that the two sisters have utilized their time for a very noble endeavour. Extending heartfelt gratitude, they thank Allah for the manifestation of this lovely artwork, which stands as a testament to the beautiful blending of devotion and artistry.
source: http://www.indiatomorrow.net / India Tomorrow / Home> News> Society / by India Tomorrow (headline edited) / February 05th, 2024
By her appointment as the member of the Karnataka State Wakf Board, a new chapter has been added to the history of the state where perhaps has never been a Muslim woman appointed on a statutory body like wakf board.
By profession a journalist and social activist Sheema Mohsin (36) is based in Bangalore.
She has been with “Spradha Prapancha” an educational magazine and All Rounder News Weekly.
Congratulating her on being appointed as the first woman member of the 11-member Wakf Board, TwoCircles.net asked her if she was taken by surprise at her appointment. Her answer was a simple No as she has been in the public field for long both as journalist and social worker.
She has been working in the areas of communal harmony, development of women, health awareness and awareness among backward classes.
She has been actively involved in creating awareness among the minorities about the schemes of Central and state wakf boards through the Institute of Research and Harmony (IRH).
She is the Secretary for Karnataka Chapter of Forum for Democracy and Communal Amity (FDCA), an organization formed in the post Babri Masjid demolition era by Justice Rajinder Sacchar, Swami Agniwesh and Kuldip Nayyar.
Being with FDCA she was part of fact finding committee into the riots which flared up in certain parts of Bangalore from January 19-21, 2007. Then FCDA submitted its report to the National Human Rights Commission.
Mother of three Sheema Mohsin is also the Convener of the Women’s Cell of Centre for Community Development (CCD).
She is also the Founder Secretary of Institute of Research and Harmony (IRH) and group leader of Humanitarian Relief Society (HRS).
At present among other social works, she is working with NIMHANS, a hospital in Bangalore.
She has also been actively engaged in providing awareness amongst the deprived classes and pursuing them to readmit the school dropouts, creating health awareness towards a better hygiene in the slums, conducted several free health camps for women and children.
Her mother Momina Naseer was the professor of Hindi Literature and also Principal of Al Hasnat Junior College, Bangalore. She studied literature in the college.
Not only this, she has a historical connection also. She said she is the great great grand daughter of Khumaiden Md. Ali, who was the Commander in Chief of Haider Ali.
The role of the man who appointed her as member of the state wakf board is not less. He is Mumtaz Ali Khan, Minority Welfare Minister of Karnataka.
“This is the first time in the recent government history of Karnataka that Muslim women are being given representation through their appointment on public post,” said Mumtaz Ali Khan to TCN.
The fact is that women constitute almost half of the total Muslim population in the country and also in the state. Who else will think about women’s development issue in a better way than the Muslim women themselves. They need to be given opportunities to raise topics pertaining to their problems and development, he reasons his decision to appoint Mohsin.
He further said that the person he has appointed is very dignified, reputed and hardworking social activist.
“Soon I am going to appoint not one or two but three Muslim women on the Tipu Estate Wakf Council, Shri Rangapatnam. I will also ensure that Muslim women are there on Minority Development Corporation,” points out the man.
Asked how he is going to address the conservative quarters of the community who are against this, the minister said, I will try to convince them. I told them when they raised questions on the appointment of Sheema Mohsin that I am not doing and I won’t do any thing against Islam. Whatever I am doing is sanctioned by Islam itself because Islam gives equal status to women.”
He said that the appointment has broken the stereotype, and made an initiative. It will go a long way in providing Muslim women of the state a representation and in their overall development itself.
Two.Circles.net learnt that there were some opposition of her appointment from a lobbying group named as the Waqf Protection Committee which recommended to the minority welfare minister the name of the Sajjadah Nashin of Gulbarga.
But largely it has been hailed as a historic and path-breaking decision when it comes to the representation of Muslim women, says Mohsin.In fact most of the Muslim scholars and religious organisations welcomed this historic decision.
TwoCircles.net talked to Syed Tanweer who is associated with Jammate Islami( JMI) and Muslim Muttahida Mahaz (KMMM),which is a conglomeration of JMI and Jamiatul Ulama Hind and others.
He welcomed her appointment as a “historic” and progressive and as the need of modern times.He appreciated her merit and her work in the social sector
Apparently agitated at the sheer lack of logic in opposing the representation of Muslim women, she pointed out that it doesn’t make any sense in keeping Muslim women isolated form such posts.
After all women constitute about 50% of the total Muslim population. Only women can understand the seriousness of women’s problems. In that case she questions,”who else will raise their problems and issues which concern them, if not they themselves, And that is not going to happen if they are not given proper representation.”
She said that on the issue of empowerment of Muslim women, the traditional quarters have always squirmed. There hasn’t been much work in the area. There is an urgent need to empower them on every level through the tool of empowerment like education, creating awareness among them about their rights.
What is also important that they be given representation at the higher decision making bodies, so that they should raise the problems of Muslim women at that level. This is how they will be able to influence and formulate the policy making so that the concrete decisions would be made for their welfare and development.
She said, “it should be kept in mind that if we are working for the development and empowerment of Muslim women it is actually the community itself which is being empowered and developed.”
She said that she wants to congratulate Dr. Mumtaz Ali Khan that he realized this need to work for the cause of Muslim women.
But what are the ways through which she is going to serve the interests of Muslim women.
She said that there are so much of Wakf properties which are going simply waste. They are not put to good and beneficial use.
What we can do is that they should be used to generate money. And this money can be used to uplift Muslim women.
She said that why every time we need to ask for the funds from the government when to an extent we can ourselves generate money if the Wakf properties are properly put to use.
So she wants to push the Wakf Board in this direction.
Until and unless women are empowered, how can you expect these women who are actually enslaved and helpless, to produce children who are on par with the merits of Sir Syed Ahmad khan and Moulana Azad.
It seems that her question is to all those who are against the idea of women on the key posts.
It is quite revealing here that her appointment is a part of the efforts to provide representation to women on higher posts. But actually this representation is not at all satisfactory as Sheema Mohsin will be a lone member of an 11-member Wakf Board.
Will she be able to break the stereotyped mindset It is early to say. TwoCircles.net wishes her all the best in her mission.
(Sheema Mohsin can be contacted at sheema.mohsin@gmail.com)
source: http://www.twocircles.net / TwoCircles.net / Home> Indian Muslim / by Md Ali, TwoCircles.net / September 11th, 2008
Bazm-E-Niswan, an all women’s charitable trust distributed Rs. 1 crore 51 lakhs in scholarships to 4146 female students from the economically weaker section of the community on Sunday. While 2,166 beneficiaries are PU students, 1,796 are pursuing undergraduate courses. As many as 59 are diploma students and 125 are post-graduate students.
The organisation has been distributing scholarships since its inception in 1971 and has so far given financial aid to over 67000 students to complete their higher education
The purpose behind the yearly scholarships is to encourage Muslim girls from deprived sections to pursue higher studies, Mrs Husna Ziaullah Sheriff, president, Bazm-E-Niswan said.
These girls are now successfully qualified as teachers, professors, doctors, lawyers, government officers, businesswomen, engineers, journalists, trainers, nurses, paramedics and in many other professional courses, she said.
Students applied for the scholarship online through Bazm-E-Niswan’ website. Candidates were required to fill out an online application and submit the hard copy of the application at the trust’s office. The fresh students who had secured more than 50 per cent in their previous exam were selected.
“We received 5,200 online applications this year as against 4,505 last year. The increase in applications indicates the growing need for scholarship due to the financial crisis post Covid 19,” Ms Sheriff said.
“Overall 69.7% students belong to BPL families and 30.3% belong to non BPL families,” she said.
However, the total number of applicants in Post Graduation was only 152, compared to 2,350 in Under Graduation. “This shows only 6.46% girls pursue Post graduation after completing their UG,” it was observed.
source: http://www.thecognate.com / The Cognate / Home> Education / by Shaik Zakeer Hussain / November 27th, 2022
Firdouse Khan, a prominent Muslim activist passed away at her residence on Friday morning in Bengaluru.
Firdouse was the secretary and consultant at the city-based Forward Trust, a family and marital counselling organisation. She was actively involved with Bahutva Karnataka, Communal Friendship Forum, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind and other civic organisations.
Speaking of the demise of Firdous, Bahutva Karnataka activist Adv Vinay Sreenivas told The Cognate, “She cared a lot about society and was a person like who exhibited a lot of goodness. It was her dream to live in a society which is in harmony.”
The 52-year-old previously held the post of manager at HCL. She later resigned from the post and was involved in social activities. She took part in several protests, including the anti CAA/NRC protests. The activist regularly organised legal literacy workshops.
“Firdouse was interested in building bridges across people, faiths, and like, there are different communities. She stayed in touch with everybody and was like a very spirited person. Her life was committed to support others and she did what she could do to ease somebody’s pain,” Vinay said.
“A personification of the kind of values we want in a fraternity, Firdous was a believer and she had made connections with people from other faiths. It’s just it’s a very big loss for the civil society in Bangalore because we have very few people like this.”
The deceased is survived by her husband Waseem Khan, one son and a daughter.
source: http://www.thecognate.com / The Cognate / Home> News / by Rabia Shireen / November 11th, 2022
Girls Islamic Organization (GIO), one of the foremost women’s organizations of India, elected its first National President and General Secretary. On the 30th of July 2022, Advocate Sumaiya Roshan (from Karnataka) became the first President of the National Federation of GIO, and Samar Ali (from Kerala) became the General Secretary.
In a significant development, GIO, which earlier worked at the level of state councils, was consolidated and formed into a National Federation. The new dispensation will be headed by a National President and General Secretary and will comprise a Federal Committee having representatives from all GIO states for a term of two years. The Federal Committee meeting was conducted from 29th to 31st July.
Girls Islamic Organization is the girls students organization of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind.
GIO is a non-profit organization and has been actively engaging on various issues regarding women in general and Muslim women in particular across the country since1984. The organization has a presence in almost every state in India. Over the past few years, GIO at the state level has been working on the overall development of Muslim women and will continue to do so.
At the National level, the objectives of the Federation will be to coordinate interaction and sharing of ideas between the states, and to address and give voice to the prominent issues of National concern. GIO aims to provide space for women to come together, express, and nourish themselves while preparing them to fight the challenges of society. Its scope of work will revolve around the said objectives, not limited to Muslim issues but women issues in general and issues of national importance.
Being part of the largest democracy in the world, every citizen of the country must be provided with equal opportunities to evolve themselves and attain their highest potential. Despite immense efforts and development, women in India continue to face discrimination in all possible manner.
Even after forty years since the Mandal Commission recommendations, there remains gross inequality among the opportunities provided for Other Backward Communities(OBC).
The organization focuses on enabling educational upliftment, progress in socio-political conditions, entrepreneurial advancement, and equal space for the women of marginalized communities. The organization will make conscious efforts to develop a free and open space where anyone can raise their voice and question the injustice faced by them.
source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Indian Muslim / by Muslim Media Network / August01st, 2022
