Jamiat chief Maulana Arshad Madani
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Prominent Muslim organisation Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind on Thursday asserted that it was in favour of modern education along with imparting of religious knowledge, even as it reiterated its advocacy of separate educational institutions for Muslim boys and girls.
Addressing a daylong programme for the district presidents, organisers and central members of Jamiat's Delhi unit, the organisation's chief Maulana Arshad Madani said the country needs doctors, engineers and scientists in the same way it needs scholars.
However, he said Jamiat considers religious education as mandatory.
'Our forefathers were not against contemporary sciences, although they were all scholars and experts in Islamic sciences. For the freedom of the country, they fought a long struggle against the British, and sacrificed their lives and wealth, but the fact is that they were not against English education,' Madani said.
'Our stand is that modern education is also important for us too. But at the same time, religious education is necessary because if our child becomes a doctor and engineer, he should have enough religious education to be able to recite the Shahadah at the time of his last breath,' he said.
Madani expressed concern that modern education among the Muslims in south India was more than those from the north.
'We spend lakhs of rupees on marriage and other celebrations but do not think about establishing schools and colleges,' he said.
Madani also expressed concern about alleged targeting of Muslims in so-called 'love jihad' cases.
He called for establishing separate educational institutions for Muslim boys and girls, asserting that in such an environment they can study in a 'safe and religious environment'.
Madani alleged that after independence, Muslims were excluded from the educational and economic fields under a 'decided policy of the rulers'.
Therefore, it is time for Muslims to educate their children at any cost, he added.
Talking about the Israel-Hamas conflict, Madani slammed Israel and described it as a 'tyrant and usurper'. He expressed support for the people of Palestine.