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| Pak for refurbishing madrasas' image | | But jihad won't be deleted from new curriculum | |
B L KAK
NEW DELHI, JULY 25: A highly sensational official announcement: Jihad is not being deleted from the new curriculum in Pakistan. The announcement has been made by Pakistan's Education Minister, Lt. Gen. (retd) Javed Ashraf Qazi.
India's Foreign Office has been informed that Pakistan Education Minister made it plain that jihad "is an integral part of Islamic teachings and Muslim beliefs". Lt. Gen. Qazi was quoted as proclaiming during a briefing in Islamabad on the draft of the new curricula for classes I to XII: "Jihad has many dimensions which also includes self-negation (jihad bin nafas). We will teach students the full concept of jihad".
According to the Pak Education Minister, the new curricula will be implemented in junior classes across Pakistan from the start of the academic year in 2007 and will be introduced in all classes up to grade XII by 2009. He has let it be known that the draft curricula has been sent to the provinces for recommendations and will be finalised after their proposals are considered.
Qazi has also made public that the revised Islamiyat curriculum has been divided into five topics: Al Quran Al Kareem (Quranic teachings), Imaniyat aur Ibadaat (Haqooq Allah) (Rights of God), Seerat e Tayyaba (Life of Prophet Muhammad, Akhlaq aw Adaab (etiquette) (Haqooqul Ibad) and prominent personalities of Islam. He said that Nazara Quran would start in grade-III, leading up to completion of the Quran by the end of grade-VIII. The students will also memorise 19 small suras by the end of class-VIII. The suras include Sura Ikhlas, Sura Nasar, Sura Fathihah and Sura Falaq. He added that students would also memorise with simple translation 27 Quranic supplications recited during prayers.
Qazi said that monotheism, prophethood, faith in angels and the revealed books had been included in the topic of Imaniyat aur Ibadaat (faith and worship). He said that the basic pillars of Islam – belief in one God, prayer, fasting, pilgrimage and Zakat — are also covered in this topic and added that the chapters also contained an introduction to Jihad, its importance and forms in the light of the Quran and Sunnah. He said that the topic on the life of Prophet Muhammad would also highlight battles led by him to show his exemplary leadership and tolerance towards his enemies..
Pakistani Education Miniaster has also made public that the geographical component of the curriculum aims to enhance the understanding of the physical features and human resources of the country. It will also promote an understanding of the major environmental hazards and conservation strategies for water, land, vegetation and wildlife. He has stated that a chapter has been added on “Pakistan in world affairs” in the course to familiarise students with Pakistan’s international relations and the latest developments in world affairs with particular reference to neighbouring countries, the Muslim world, major world powers and the United Nations. Qazi said that changes have been made in natural science curricula to make them relevant to modern day developments.
On the other hand, Pakistan has ought information on the curriculum and other aspects of madrasas in India's West Bengal State. The move comes at a time when Pakistan is reportedly planning reform of its religious seminaries to refurbish their image.
The information was sought by First Secretary (Political) at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, Mohammad Khalid Jamali, in a letter to West Bengal’s junior Minister for Madrasa Education, Abdus Sattar, with reference to a news item in a local daily in Kolkata that many non-Muslims were enrolled in the State’s madrassas. Jamali said in his leter: “As per the news item, there are around 12 per cent students (in the madrassas) who are from other communities, which is quite interesting. Curriculum taught in your madrassas and any other relevant details may be shared with us".
Claiming that post-9/11, the West was targetting madrassas in Pakistan as a breeding ground for extermists, Jamali said that his government was taking up major reforms in the madrassas to dispel the negative image. Interestingly, copies of the letter were made available a day after Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, gave a clean chit to the madrassas, describing them as seats of "social service and not breeding ground of terrorism". |
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