By Pervez Bari,TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: There is no need of awareness towards education as Muslim Ummah in India is now well aware of its educational responsibilities and is eager to adorn itself with quality education. Now the time has come to create infra-structure facilities and to pool in resources to fulfill their educational dreams and aspirations.
The Muslim students have to inculcate scientific temperament while pursuing their studies and acquire religious Islamic knowledge to strike a perfect balance between materialism and spiritualism. The responsibility of Muslims in the educational field is two-fold. First their minds should be laced with latest modern scientific knowledge and secondly not to use it only for themselves and their families but for the benefit of the entire humanity irrespective of caste, creed, gender or religion, as enunciated by the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah, the teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
MP Maulana Mohammad Asrar-ul-Haque Qasmi, addressing MECAPS annual function in Bhopal
The above views were expressed by Maulana Mohammad Asrar-ul-Haque Qasmi, sitting Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) and president All India Taalimi-wa-Milli Foundation, in the annual function of Muslim Education and Career Promotion Society, (MECAPS), held here on Sunday in Ravindra Bhawan. He was chief guest of the function while it was presided over by well-known architect of the city S.M. Husain of Shelter. Other dignitaries on the dais included Dr. Iftekhuddin Khan, vice president MECAPS, Prof. Zaki-ur-Rahman, Prof. Hasan Masood and Bhopal Shahar Qazi Abdul Lateef Khan Qasmi
Maulana Asrar was overwhelmed by the huge turnout of people to attend an educational programme of MECAPS. He lauded MECAPS in unequivocal terms in a spirited manner for its efforts in educating the new generation of Muslims and laying stress on quality education and excellence in higher studies.
He said education is like a lighthouse with which every strata of society should be benefitted and one should not despair despite, whatsoever, unfavourable conditions may prevail. Allah has created this world with many complexities and hidden secrets which can only be unravelled by acquiring knowledge as stated in the Holy Qur’an, the Maulana pointed out.
The august audience at the MECAPS annual function in Bhopal
Stressing on the education of women, Maulana Qasmi opined that if the women-folk are deprived of proper education then the development of Muslim Ummah would be a difficult task. He said a mother’s lap and home should be the first centres of education of children. He recalled that Allah had send His last messenger the Prophet of Islam Muhammad (PBUH) on earth to extricate mankind from the quagmire of illiteracy as it had totally gone astray. The rule of the jungle was prevalent then in human society and it was known as the era of “Jahiliyat” (Illiteracy). As such Prophet Muhammad was adorned with the “Moajazzah” (miracle) of “Ilm” (education) to enlighten the world with it and make mankind to lead a life as human beings and not as animals which are devoid of basic human instincts, the Maulana revealed.
He said that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had in his lifetime established a network of educational centres in Madinah Munawwara in nine mosques where arrangements were made for imparting education to both men and women.
He stressed the need to have educational cadres in society at all levels to overlook the needs of education of Muslim community putting it on top of the priority list. He spiritedly said: “Ghareebi Ka Asar Jism Par Padta Hai, Magar Jahalat Ka Dil-o-Dimagh Dono Par Jo Insan Ke Kirdar Banane Mein Aham role Ada Karte Hain” (poverty affects human body while illiteracy affects mind and heart both which play essential role in character building).
Maulana pointed out that in Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) time wherever new villages came up people first built mosque, then Maktab (primary school) and lastly dwellings for themselves. He said the Muslim NGOs should built a strong network amongst themselves with four points in mind i.e. (i) Information sharing, (ii) Coordination, (iii) Cooperation and (iv) Initiative to broaden their base and to have effective bearing of their efforts in uplifting the Muslim Ummah affected by poverty, illiteracy, depression, despondency etc.
He said: “We can strengthen the new generation by arming them with jewels of education and information and thereby they can play a stellar role in the development of Muslim Ummah and the country”. “The vacuum of leadership in all fields including politics will also be bridged through education to fulfill the community’s aspirations”, Maulana remarked
Prior to his speech Er. Sohail Mohammad Khan gave a brief account of Maulana Asrar-ul-Haque’s activities and achievements in the field of education while throwing light over his towering personality. He said that the Maulana is a an eminent Islamic scholar and a noted Urdu journalist who writes column for many newspapers and magazines and is also a good speaker recognized at the national level. He is a sitting member of the Lok Sabha, from Kishanganj in Bihar.
Er. Sohail informed that the Maulana Asrar-ul-Haque founded the All India Taalimi-wa-Milli Foundation to create awareness towards education among Muslim masses and has established 163 Madaris and Maktabs across the country. He established a separate girls High School with hostel and all the modern facilities in Kishanganj.
In the function more than 75 Muslim students were awarded for their meritorious academic performance. Achievers in various spheres were also honoured on the occasion.
Ar. Husain, an ardent activist of heritage, speaking on the occasion gave a talk on the importance of heritage and respect of water. He displayed some utensils of gone by era for conservation of water and using it judiciously. He said that next world war if fought would be on the issue of water. He stressed on holistic approach in saving the environment. Bhopal Shahar Qazi Maulana Abdul Lateef Khan Qasmi also spoke on the occasion.
Sagheer Baidaar, secretary MECAPS, presented the secretary’s report. He said that MECAPS started disbursing merit-cum-means scholarships from 1996 when it disbursed Rs. 10,000/- only amongst 10 Muslim students. At present in 2009, in the 15th year of scholarship distribution, now it is being given to 325 students and the total amount being disbursed is Rs. 8 lakh which is expected to touch Rs. 11 lakh mark. The students of XI & XII are given a scholarship of Rs. 400/- per month while the students of IX & X receive Rs. 300/-per month.
Baidaar said that MECAPS, which was established in 1985 to inculcate competitive spirit amongst Muslim students, receives no grants from any quarters be it Waqf Board, Madhya Pradesh Government or Central Government for running its activities. The funds for MECAPS are generated from the Muslim community which donates generously, he specifically pointed out
Syed Masood Ali proposed a vote of thanks. At the outset Hafiz Abdul Wadood Khan recited verses from the Holy Qur’an while Farhan Khan conducted the proceedings.
Amidst thunderous applause Aftab Parvez studying in Std. XI of local Jawahar Lal Nehru School and Shaiqa Ansar studying in Std. IX of St. Mary School were presented “MECAPS student of the year-2009” title awards at the Senior and Junior level respectively by Maulana Asrar-ul-Haque. Besides the title Aftab received Rs. 3000/- in cash and Mufti Mohammad Ismail memorial gold medal. While Shaiqa received Iqbal Jaffery memorial silver medal and Rs. 2500/- in cash.
The rest of the Senior-level students in the merit list received Rs. 3000/- each in cash and a certificate while the rest of the Junior-level winners in the merit list got Rs. 2500/- each in cash and a certificate.
The highlights of this year’s title examinations results were that for the first time boys were ahead of girls in the merit list. The number of boys was six in the merit list of 10 students at the Senior-level. At the Junior-level list the number of boys was seven out of 11.
Dr. Faiqua Sultan, a teacher in the local St. Joseph’s Convent, was felicitated with Commendation award on the occasion by MECAPS. She had been recently honoured with President of India Award for Best Teacher for her innovative teaching techniques. Sohail Akhtar, a social activist, was also felicitated on the occasion for his honorary and untiring services towards MECAPS. Ms Sidra Sabir was awarded for her excellence in water sports.
Meanwhile, Maulana Asrar-ul-Haque was accorded tumultuous welcome at the Bhopal railway station when he arrived by Bhopal Express this morning. “Maulana Asrar-ul-Haque Zindabad” slogans rented the air raised by people mostly from Bihar who went to welcome him.
In all sixteen medals were presented to students for their excellent Board examination results of Std. XII and Std. X. There were eight gold medals and eight silver medals. The Muslim students who got admission in engineering, medical and higher education were also honoured on the occasion.
The MECAPS Gold Medal recipients were: 1. Aftab Parvez (Mufti Mohd. Ismail Khan Memorial Gold Medal); 2. Hiba Khanam & 3. Shireen Khan (Both received Syed Zafar Husain Memorial Gold Medal); 4. Imran Tai (Iqbal Husain Khan Memorial Gold Medal); 5. Syed Taiyeb Badar (Maulana Inam-ur-Rehman Khan Memorial Gold Medal); 6. Kashif Nawaz (Sahabzada Baber Ahmed Khan Gold Medal) 7. Ms Shabista Parveen (Dr. Hamid Husain Memorial Gold Medal) 8. Ms. Daniya Farooqui (Ishtiyaq Arif Memorial Gold Medal)
The MECAPS Silver Medal recipients were: 1. Shaiqa Ansar (Iqbal Jafri Memorial Silver Medal); 2. Ms. Hiba Khanam, 3. Ms. Qudsia Siddiqui, 4. Ms. Uzma Hashmi, 5. (i) Ms. Shireen Khan, 5. (ii) Ms. Ada Khan & 6. Ms. Nihan Khan (to all six students Mulla Sajjad Husain Silver Medal); 7. Ms. Nihan Khan (Janab Rehman Patel Memorial Silver Medal). ([email protected])