4 May 2024: New Delhi recently hosted a two-day International Seminar-cum-Workshop focusing on the integration of religious and mainstream education in Indian madrasas. Organized by the Centre for Research on Madrasa Education at Jamia Hamdard (JH) in collaboration with the Everest Educational and Welfare Society, the event convened experts, scholars, and delegates from various madrasas across India and abroad.
Led by Dr. Waris Mateen Mazhari, Assistant Professor of Islamic Studies and Director of the Centre for Research on Madrasa Education at JH, the workshop initiated discussions on the feasibility of integrating religious and contemporary education within madrasas. Participants, representing diverse madrasas and schools of thought, emphasized the importance of providing students with a comprehensive understanding of both religious sciences and worldly knowledge.
Key suggestions included broadening the madrasa syllabus to attract non-Muslim students, particularly in the early years, while focusing on specialized religious studies as students progress. Participants also advocated for the inclusion of essential subjects like mathematics, English, and Hindi to enhance communication skills and proposed offering online courses and skills training programs to improve employability for madrasa graduates.
Distinguished attendees included Maulana Tahir Madani from Jamiatul Falah, Prof. Obaidullah Fahad from Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), and Maulana Naushad Noori from Darul Uloom Waqf, Deoband, among others. In his concluding remarks, Maulana Mohammed Fazlurrahim Mujaddidi, general secretary of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board and Rector of Jamea-Tul-Hidaya, Jaipur, emphasized the importance of maintaining economic relevance alongside educational endeavors.
The workshop concluded with a commitment to disseminate its findings to major madrasas across different theological perspectives, reflecting a collaborative effort towards enhancing educational practices within the madrasa system.
