By Nikhat Fatima, TwoCircles.net
Patna: A National Research and Teaching Centre for Sufism and comparative religion is soon going to start in Mitan Ghat, Patna, capital city of Bihar state.
This Sufi center is going to be the first of its kind in India offering courses on Sufism, comparative studies on different religions like Christianity, Judaism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism, Islam and Sanathan dharma.
The need for this khanqah and extensive research on Sufism rose, as explained by Dr. Syed Shameem Munami Sajjada Nashin, Khanqah Munamiya, Mitan ghat, to foster harmony in India – the land of diverse cultures, languages, religions and beliefs. Today the boundaries of tolerance and acceptance are shrinking rapidly and the need of the hour is to bridge these gaps and help people stay united and in peace.
Sufism does just that. It draws people close to the divine being and to each other creating a feeling of oneness.
When the idea of the Research centre was proposed to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Bihar NItish Kumar he liked it and approved the idea sanctioning the necessary amount to build the center.
The Khanqah which is a place for spiritual retreat and gatherings houses an extensive library with books and manuscripts in Urdu, Persian and Arabic.
Students from different backgrounds and geographical locations are welcome to pursue any of the courses offered here for graduation and post graduation. There is a dormitory and a guest house to accommodate their stay.
There will be teachers to guide them, give them tutorials and help them conduct their research studies.
Once the students finish their course they can pursue Sufism as a way of life, take up jobs as administrators of the vast wakf properties many of which have sufi shrines attached to them, become sufi guides and so on.
The centre is all set to be inaugurated soon by CM Nitish Kumar.
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