Modern Education in Madrasas

Modern Education in Madrasas:

A Study of Madrasas in Hyderabad

Tarique A. Akhon

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of B.A. in Social Sciences

Tata Institute of Social Sciences

Hyderabad

2015

Contents

List of Tables………………………………………………………………………….. iii

Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………………… iv

Declaration and Certificate……………………………………………………………. v

Synopsis……………………………………………………………………………….. 1

1. CHAPTER 1- INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………… 2

2. CHAPTER 2 – METHODOLOGY……………………………………………………5

2.1 Sample design……………………………………………………………………... 5

2.1.1 Number and Types of Madrasas……………………………………………. 5

2.1.2 Objectives and Sampling categories……………………………………….. 6

2.1.3 Table showing the demography of the participants………………………... 6

2.2 Methods of data collection, research tools and field-work schedule…………….. 7

2.3 Methods of data analysis…………………………………………………………. 9

2.4 Ethical dimension…………………………………………………………………. 13

3. CHAPTER 2 – LITERATURE REVIEW……………………………………………. 15

3.1 Importance of education in Islam…………………………………………………. 15

3.2 History of Madrasas in India………………………………………………………. 16

3.3 Modern education in Madrasas……………………………………………………. 18

3.3.1 Inclusion of modern subjects in Madrasas………………………………… 19

3.3.2 Modernization of Madrasas……………………………………………….. 21

3.4 Language and Madrasas…………………………………………………………… 24

4. CHAPTER 4 – ANALYSIS AND

FINDINGS…………………………………………………………………………….. 28

4.1 Infrastructure of the Madrasas……………………………………………………... 28

4.2 Modern education in Madrasas…………………………………………………….. 29

4.3 Admission criteria………………………………………………………………….. 31

4.4 Lifestyles of the students…………………………………………………………… 32

4.5 Future of the Madrasa graduates…………………………………………………... 33

4.6 Misunderstandings of the people regarding the Madrasas………………………….. 34

4.7 Madrasa modernization programs………………………………………………...… 35

5. CHAPTER 5 – CONCLUSION, DISCUSSION AND

SUGGESTIONS……………………………………………………………………..…. 40

Appendix………………………………………………………………………………… 42

i. Consent form

ii. Interview Schedule / Questionnaire

References

iii

List of Tables:

1) Demographic details of the participants………………………………………………. 6

2) Derived Themes……………………………………………………………………….. 9

DECLARATION

I, Tarique Abdullah Akhon, hereby declare that this dissertation entitled ‘Modern Education in

Madrasas – A Study of Madrasas in Hyderabad’ is the outcome of my own study undertaken under the guidance of Dr. Murali Krishna, Assistant Professor of Education, School of Education, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Hyderabad. It has not previously formed the basis for the award of any degree, diploma, or certificate of this Institute or of any other institute or university. I have duly acknowledged all the sources used by me in the preparation of this dissertation.

25th of March 2015 Tarique A. Akhon

B.A. 6th Semester

Tata Institute of Social Sciences,

Hyderabad

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the dissertation entitled ‘Modern Education in Madrasas – A Study of Madrasas in

Hydearabad’ is the record of the original work done by Tarique Abdullah Akhon under my guidance and supervision. The results of the research presented in this dissertation have not previously formed the basis for the award of any degree, diploma, or certificate of this Institute or any other institute or university.

25th of March 2015 Dr. Murali Krishna Assistant Professor School of Education Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Hyderabad

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my gratitude to Dr. Murali Krishna, my research guide, for his continuous support. Without him, this research would not have been possible. I also thank other professors from the school of education of Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Hyderabad, who helped and supported me in various ways.

I thank Ms. Shambhavi Sharma for her assistance with methodology and the various discussions that we had regarding the topic of the dissertation. I thank Mr. Aditya Sinha for assistance with the formatting of the dissertation.

I would also like to thank Mr. Muhammad Owais, Mr. Imraan Farooqui, Mr. Muhammad Sa’ad, Mr.

Anas Qarni and others for helping me find the samples.

The mistakes in my dissertation, whatsoever, shall remain of my own.

SYNOPSIS

Whenever the question of inclusion of modern subjects in madrasas is raised, there are several issues such as: What is the need to include modern subjects in madrasas when their goal is to impart religious education? Why are the people so much concerned about the syllabus of madrasas when it consists of less than 5% of the Muslim population? If included, what subjects should be included? Will the students not be overburdened by studying both the modern and religious education parallel? Will the standard of modern subjects taught in these madrasas at par with those taught in secular schools? How will inclusion of modern subjects in madrasas help in the future of the madrasa graduates? These are a few questions I have tried to answer through this paper.

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Madrasas have been a very important part of the education system. (Niyazi, 2002). There are thousands of madrasas and maktabs in the country, the exact numbers yet to be known. Madrasas have played an undeniably important role in educating the lowest of the economic strata of the Muslim community, especially in India. (Alam A., 2014). However, with the rising Islamophobia, especially after 9/11, education in madrasas is being questioned, as many people like Bandyopadhy believe it to be the

“breeding grounds of terrorism”. (Niyazi, 2002). This accusation led to a push in the study among the academicians about what happens in madrasas and what actually is taught there. They, however, could not establish the above accusation to be true, but it led to a different dimension of studies regarding madrasas– modern education in madrasas. These scholars were concerned about the lack of knowledge of the madrasa students in secular subjects. Since secular subjects mean modern subjects of a time, I will be using the word ‘secular’ subjects and ‘modern’ subjects interchangeably. Though, the question of modern education in madrasas has been there since a long time now, these studies looked into the necessity of imparting modern education in madrasas. People, since the colonial period, like Sir Syed

Ahmed Khan, have been talking about giving modern education to the Muslim children through modern educational institutions as well as through including modern subjects in madrasas, but the need for the inclusion of modern subjects has been increasing after the studies conducted on madrasas after 9/11. The need for the inclusion of modern subjects in madrasas can also be connected to the increasing globalization. Globalization has led to a market which needs people who are educated in a way that is appropriate for the market, a way in which the market absorbs the people. If a child is educated otherwise, his knowledge is not much valued. This does not happen to only those who have been educated in institutions like madrasas, but also those who are self educated in the very things that these markets search. So, a person is accepted respectably in a market if 1) He/she has the knowledge needed

by the market. 2) He/she has gone through the system of education that is influenced by globalization.

Now, as for the madrasas, both these aspects are absent. Their knowledge is spiritual and religious, and the system of education in madrasas is very different from those of the secular schools, the ones that are needed by the globalised world. Because the students of madrasas are educated in religious and spiritual education, they do not find a way to be absorbed in the globalised market. So, modernization of madrasas has two important benefits for the government: 1) if they aid these madrasas in order to modernize them, they can keep the madrasas under surveillance and control. 2) They can get more human resource which can be absorbed in the market. While for the students of madrasas, their benefits are: 1) they get to have knowledge about religious as well secular subjects. 2) They have wider job opportunities. However, the negative impacts on the madrasa students would be: 1) they will be overburdened by the number of subjects they need to study. 2) The reason for which a child is admitted to a madrasas, to get spiritual/religious knowledge, might be overshadowed by the modern subjects.

Thus, the aim of my study is to examine the curriculum of modern subjects (Modern here means the subjects other than the Islamic studies like Quran and Ahadith) that would include English language, Mathematics, Sciences and other subjects. I have also looked upon the standpoint view of various scholars, Muslims and non-Muslims who talk about modern education in madrasas and modernization of madrasas. These two terms shall be further discussed below. However, some of the scholars like M. Khalili Qasmi and Shah Waliullah believe that Madrasas, since they are meant to impart religious education, should provide only religious education. While others like Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and Moulana Wahiduddin Khan argue that they should have a competent curriculum of the secular subjects as well, since, after passing out from the madrasas, the students will find it useful when they become a part of the outside world. The scholars who are against imparting secular education in the

Madrasas believe that the essence of Islamic education would not remain in the talibs (students), if the

secular education gets mixed with the religious one. They believe that if modernity creeps into the education system of the Madrasas, it would make the spiritual knowledge that is imparted worldly.

In this paper, I have organized my under different chapters that include methodology, review of literature, analysis and findings, conclusion, discussions and suggestions for future researches. Review of literature includes the review of parts of a book entitled ‘Madrasa Education in Modern India’ by

Saral Jhingran and articles that are published in various journals like Economic and Political Weekly,

Jstore and Anveshi. After that I have analysed the data using the method of thematic analysis in which I extracted various themes from the data that were most relevant for the dissertation. In the conclusion and discussion part, I have discussed summarised the various arguments that are discussed in the other chapters and have formed my own argument about the various issues like inclusion of modern subjects on madrasas and modernization of madrasas. After that, I have put suggestions for future researchers who would research on a topic similar to mine or related to it.

CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY

2.1 Sample design:

I could have taken teachers, students and administrators of Madrasas and Moulana Azad National Urdu

University (MANUU), but I chose the teachers and administrators because the research question that I wanted to understand was, “Modern Education in Madrasas” and I believe that teachers and administrators could answer to those better than the students because I did not have any scope for experiences of pedagogy in my research. There was a lot of scope for the research, like curriculum of religious education in the madrasas, pedagogy, interviewing parents of different students, interviewing politicians about their idea of policies regarding madrasas. I had to narrow it down to understanding only modern education in madrasas because I believe that it is very important to understand how the students of madrasas are different from the students of secular schools, and how they are differently received in the society and the market. I also wanted to understand the level of modern subjects the students of madrasas are exposed to.

2.1.1 Number and Types of madrasas:

The sampling method that I chose was purposive sampling as well as snow ball sampling. While looking for samples, there were various madrasas located across Hyderabad, but I chose the madrasas that were closer and their types (in terms of size). I chose two of the biggest madrasas of Hyderabad namely Jamia

Islamia Darul uloom, know formerly as Darul uloom Hyderabad and Jamia Nizamia. After these two madrasas I went to various small madrasas. The total number of madrasas that I went to was 5, where the number of participants was 6. All the madrasas that I went to, except Jamia Nizamia, which followed

Barelvi school, were of the Deobandi school, for these reasons: 1) As far as inclusion of modern subjects are concerned, the differences in these schools are not largely visible, though the differences arise when

religious subjects are concerned. 2) It was easier to get an appointment with these madrasas as I was doing snowball sampling and apparently it was difficult for the Deobandi madrasas to fix a meeting with the people of other madrasas of other schools like Barelvi madrasas.

2.1.2 Objectives and Sampling categories

There were three categories of samples that I took 1) Teachers 2) Administrators cum teachers and 3) university professors. In the madrasas the participants were teacher and administrators cum teachers while in MANUU the participants were university professors. All the participants were madrasa graduates. The reason I took teachers was to see the teaching of modern subjects on ground and how qualified those teachers were. While from the teachers cum administrators, I wanted to know that as administrators what changes they want to get into the system because working as teachers also, they knew the ground realities too. University professors from MANUU were taken because they had seen the life inside a madrasa as well as the modern education system; therefore they had experience of both.

They had lots of suggestions regarding modern subjects in the madrasas which is discussed in this paper.

2.1.3 Table showing the demographic details of the participants

The table below is a representation of the demographic details of the participants.

Serial No. Name of the institution Age Designation

Participant 1 Madrasa Islamia Isha’at 28 Teacher (Mathematics)

ul Qur’an

Participant 2 Madrasa Isha’at ul 25 Teacher (English)

Uloom

Participant 3 Jamia Islamia Darul 41 Administrator cum

Uloom teacher (Mathematics

and English)

Participant 4 D.D. Falah Madrasa 44 Administrator cum

teacher (English)

Participant 5 Madrasa Jamia Nizamia 57 Administrator cum

teacher (Math)

Participant 6 Madrasa Jamia Nizamia 38 Teacher (English)

Participant 7 Moulana Azad National 53 Associate Professor

Urdu University (Islamic Studies)

Participant 8 Moulana Azad National 27 Associate Professor

Urdu University (Arabic)

Participant 9 Moulana Azad National 33 Associate Professor

Urdu University (Islamic Studies)

Participant 10 Moulana Azad Professor (Urdu)

National Urdu

University

2.2 Methods of data collection, research tools and field-work schedule

The research tool that I used was a questionnaire in the madrasas, but the participants were not very comfortable in interacting in English, therefore, I asked the questions from the questionnaire and wrote them down myself translating what they spoke in Urdu. The tool is conventionally not a questionnaire because in a questionnaire, the participant is given the questionnaire, given time to fill it and also a blank paper, if required to write down his further ideas on the topic. The tool is also conventionally not an

interview because in an interview there are mainly open ended questions and the questions are conventionally not given to the participants. The tool that I used was a mix of both questionnaire and non-structured interview, because after filling the questionnaire, there were interactions also, which discussed about the topic. The second tool that I used was being a non-participant observer. While being a non-participant observer, I used to sit in the classroom where modern subjects were taught to see how they are taught and interactive the class was. Though my study was not related to pedagogy, but I had to do this because I needed to know the level of English the teachers and the students know.

The tool however changed when I went to Moulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) for three reasons: 1) the questionnaire that I had prepared had a limited scope and the professors of the university, all of them graduates of madrasas, had ideas overflowing. 2) The professors there preferred unstructured interview instead to writing. However, the participants there were given choice of either filling the questionnaire or interview. 2 of the 4 participants preferred to be interviewed while the other two preferred to fill the questionnaire while discussing things that were not there in the questionnaire.

The interviews were recorded and transcribed while those with the questionnaire were not recorded.

Whatever they spoke besides the questionnaire were written down as field notes.

The time taken for the field work was: 1 day in each madrasa, which took me 5 days to cover 5 madrasas. Each day in a madrasa, after I spent time with in the participants, I acted as a non-participant observer. Besides observing the classes, I also spent time in observing what else they did, how the students spent their day. While in MANUU I went only for a day because I did not have observe and I just had to interact with the participants. The participants of the madrasas were Aalims, Fazils or Kamils, all graduated from madrasas. All the participants were teachers, and 2 of them were teachers as well as administrators. The participants of MANUU were all graduates from madrasas, but after madrasas, they

had gone to other universities for further studies and all of them were working as university professors.

All the participants were men, age ranging from 20 to 50.

2.3 Methods of data analysis

For data analysis, I used the method of thematic analysis. There were different themes that I had taken out. Those data that I had collected was analyzed and interpreted. A table was made like this to take out the main themes that could be derived from the participants.

Questions Themes derived

1. Where is the Most of the Madrasas have committees to design curriculum

curriculum for modern while some are affiliated to state board and in some cases,

subjects designed? madrasas desigm themselves.

2. How important do you Most of the madrasas interviewees said they find it very

think is the inclusion of important to include modern subjects in the Madrasas while

modern subjects at some of them said its important, but no one denied the

the primary level? importance.

3. What are the criteria Almost all the madrasas have both written as well as oral exams.

for promoting

students to the next

level in case of the

modern subjects/

4. What importance are Most of the madrasas give lesser importance to modern subjects

modern subjects given while some of them give equal importance. But none of the

as compared to madrasas give more importance and it is quite logical because

religious subjects in the goal of the madrasas is religious education.

the curriculum and

why

5. What is the process if Almost all the madrasas recruit teachers on the basis of

recruitment of interviews.

teachers for these

modern subjects?

6. What is the sect that is

being followed in this

madrasa?

7. How much are the Almost all the madrasas said that they were open but while

students of the saying they clarified that modernization does not mean

madrasa open to westernization. So, in terms of dress, eating habits etc, they do

modernization? not copy the west, but they derive the best benefits out of the

technologies.

8. What are the driving Most of the madrasas said that they admit their children

factors that make because the child has a religious family and they want their

people admit their children to learn about Islam. However, one of the madrasas

children in Madrasas? said that economic stress also leads for admission in Madrasas

as everything is free of cost.

9. What do you think of a Most of the interviewees said that they do not mind their

madrasa students learning all the modern subjects, but the result would

modernization be that it will prove a burden upon the child. They will neither

program where all the be good at modern education, nor at religious education.

subjects will be taught

as in a state/central

board school also,

besides the religious

subjects?

10. Name the subjects Almost all the Madrasas taught English, Math and Urdu. One of

that are taught the Madrasas also taught Telugu. Another Madrasa taught

besides the religious science and social science also till 7th standard

subjects?

11. How does the Almost all the interviewees said that it is because they interpret

difference between the Holy Quran and Hadeeth differently and hence there is no

the sects reflect in the difference in the basic structure, but later differences come

curricula? when those are interpreted.

12. On what social and Almost all the madrasas said that they have children from all the

economic basis do you backgrounds. They do not have any particular basis to enroll

enroll students in your students to their madrasas.

Madrasas?

13. What kind of “To serve deen” was the most given answer, and when asked

employment does a how, they told that the madrasa pass-outs become imams of

madrasa pass-out various masjids, become teachers at madrasas and schools

seek? What are the where urdu is taught and translators. Some of the pass-outs,

chances of economic they said, join bigger universities like JNU, Jamia, AMU, MANUU.

mobility of these One of the interviewees also talked about the students

students? becoming journalists in Urdu newspapers and channels.

14. What is the teacher The average was 1:25, which is very good ratio.

pupil ratio in a class?

15. Are there any Almost all the interviewees said that for the children with

provisions for children learning difficulties, they provide them extra classes. They also

with learning said that as they memorize the Holy Quran, by its blessings, the

difficulty? If yes, child improves a lot.

please spicify.

16. What are the The interviewees here said that since the children are kept

challenges that you together, they study together and stay together, an

face in educating the environment is formed where they do not discriminate against

children from varied each other and hence there is no such difficulty in education

backgrounds? them even when they are from varied backgrounds. But they

said that when children from different lingual backgrounds

come, they find it difficult for initial few months after which they

all learn urdu and that is how the problem is solved.

17. What are the Almost all the interviewees said that it depends on the teacher.

challenges involved in If the teachers are good, they do not face any problems. Some of

imparting modern the them said that since they have a poor base for modern

education? education, and also lesser importance is given, students are

sometimes needed to be pushed to learn these.

18. How do you honor Some reward them with money (scholarships) , while most of

students with them reward them with books.

excellence and create

supportive

environment for other

children, especially

with regards to

modern subjects?

19. What are the sources Almost all the interviewees said that education is very central to

of motivation for Islam. It has very much importance in the Holy Quran and the

students to Ahadeeth, so they tell the students the centrality of education in

understand the value reference to it. They also motivate students by telling them

of education? stories of the past great scholars.

As it can be seen, each question had a potential theme, but only those themes were taken (read in chapter

4) that were more important and relevant. While writing down the sub-topics of the themes, both the

data, from the madrasas as well as MANUU and my observations were examined and the final themes were written. However, the themes in the above table were made out from the data collected in madrasas. In MANUU, I had an unstructured interview schedule that was recorded and written. Themes were derived from those findings. And finally, the most important themes were taken out from the above table as well as from the data collected in MANUU.

2.4 Ethical Dimension

Prior to the research, I shared the ideas of my research with the participants which included showing them the questionnaire, telling them about my research and making them understand the reason they were being taken up as participants. I had a consent form that was signed by them and me in which they had agreed for participation in the research. The consent form also said that their identities would be kept confidential and whatever however they participate, will be used only for academic purposes.

CHAPTER 3: REVIEW OF LITERATURE

3.1 Importance of education in Islam

Islam has put a great importance on knowledge and education. When the first verse was believed to be revealed to Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), it started with, “Iqra” meaning, “Read” (Quran

96:1), which continues and says, “Read, in the name of your Lord who created. Created man from a clot of congealed blood. Read, and your Lord is the most generous- Who taught by the pen, taught man that which he knew not” (Quran 96:1-5). There are several other places in the Quran where “ilm” meaning

“knowledge” is discussed. A verse of the chapter 4 reads, “Allah reveals to you the book and the wisdom, and teaches you that which you knew not.” (Quran 4:113). In the chapter 20th, the Prophet

(PBUH) is addressed to, “And (O Prophet) say: my Lord Enhance my knowledge” (Quran 20:114). In chapter 29, it is written, “And these examples we put forward for mankind, but none will understand them except those who have knowledge” (Quran, 29:43).

There are numerous Hadeeth (sayings of the Prophet, PBUH) which also talks about the importance of knowledge. Uthman, a companion of the Prophet (PBUH) narrates that the Prophet

(PBUH) said, “The best among you as he who learns the Quran and teaches it” (Bukhari, Hadeeth no.

79). In another Hadeeth, Jabir narrates that the Prophet (PBUH) said, “Knowledge is of two types: 1.

Knowledge that penetrates into the heart; this knowledge is beneficial. 2. Knowledge, that is merely on the tongue; this will be the evidence of Allah against the son of Adam” (Targhib, 103:1) From the above

Hadeeth it is understood that not only acquiring knowledge is necessary in Islam, but also to follow it is very important, which is widely missing in the contemporary educational system. Another Hadeeth says, where Abu Sayed Khudri narrates that the Prophet (PBUH) said, “A believer’s thirst for knowledge is never quenched. He continues to hear and learn until he enters Paradise” (Tirmidhi, Hadeeth no. 2686)

Furthermore, the Prophet (PBUH) says, as narrated by Abu Umamah, “He who goes to the masjid, not desiring anything other than learning or teaching something good, his reward is like that of a pilgrimage to the Hajj who performs a complete Hajj” (Tabrani, Majmauz-Zawaid 1:329). While in another

Hadeeth, as reported by Ibne Abbas, the Prophet (PBUH) said, “Teach people, and be lenient and do not be stern with them” (Musnad Ahmed, 1:374)

From the above verses of the Quran and the Hadeeth (sayings of the Prophet, PBUH), the importance of gaining knowledge and teaching them to others is seen. This was a path breaking advent for the Arab world and later to the Muslims. It was this importance that was given in Islam to knowledge that led to the spread of knowledge and education. The point to be noted here is that not only religious knowledge is deemed important in Islam but also worldly knowledge. The Muslims of the medieval era used to gain knowledge from various parts of the world and developed many polymaths like Ibn Sireen,

Ibn Arabi, Al Gibran, Ibn Kathir etc. The Muslim world learnt from Greek philosophy and logic,

Mathematics from India. The Muslim scholars of those times are said to be more open-minded than they are now. (Masood, 2009)

3.2 History of Madrasas in India

The madrasas in India is said to have its roots during the sultanate period. During that period, there used to be more maktabs than madrasas. A maktab is a place of teaching the basics of Islam to the children part-time and Madrasas are those where students learn full-time, more like schools and universities. The main languages in which the students in these madrasas were taught were Arabic and Persian. Besides these two languages and Islamic subjects, various secular subjects like etymology, conjugation, scholastics, Greek logic, medicine, mathematics, engineering and astronomy were also taught. (Ahmed,

1985) All these subjects were not a part of a single madrasa, but different madrasas taught different

subjects from the above given fields. The madrasas used to have their own syllabi and each differed from the other, though not largely. There were also students who used to go to individual scholars of different eminence to learn various subjects. These students used to be from mainly elite backgrounds.

(Jhingran, 2010)

However, during the Mughal period there were certain changes that happened in the way a madrasa worked and also the curricula. It was during the time of Aurangzeb that Nizamuddin developed a curriculum meant for all the madrasas in his kingdom. (Jhingran, 2010). Madrasas at those times were built in three ways. 1) Established by private scholars, that would run by charity and alms, which would also often get funded by the rulers. 2) Established by collective efforts of the locality and subsisted on the charity provided by the residents. 3) Established by the nobles and the rulers. They used to be the biggest with better curriculum with better teachers. (Alam A. , 2014). However, this was the period when the number of Madrasas thrived in India. Madrasas during this time helped people in getting administrative jobs because the madrasa graduates used to have a better understanding of the Shariah which was followed in most parts of the country. (Ahmed, 1985). One thing we have to understand here is that during the medieval times, there was no such division as “secular” or “modern” educational institutions and religious institutions. The religious institutions used to impart the knowledge to the students of their respective religions, along with secular education of those times. This division was clarified by the Europeans during the time of renaissance which the British brought to India. (Asad,

1993)

This system of madrasas came down until around the revolt of 1857. When the British strengthened, the strength of the Christian Missionaries also increased and they began criticizing the religions already present in India, mainly Hinduism and Islam. But the colonial government soon realized that supporting them was back lashing the Empire, so they started distancing themselves.

(Jhingran, 2010) However, along with that, the British, after the revolt of 1857, tried to draw a more visible line between religious education and secular education. The British had started sowing the seed of hatred amongst Muslims and the Hindus through history books that were distorted, in a way fit to create a rift between the Hindus and the Muslims. They tried making the Hindus realize that they had been ruled with atrocities by the past Muslim rulers and the Muslims were made to realize that they had no longer powers and hence they need to keep themselves (Muslims) united. However, this made the

Muslims learn the important fundamentals of Islam, so that the Islamic education amongst the Muslims does not fade and also that western culture does not harm the Muslim culture. They did this by establishing more and more Madrasas. These were the conditions when Moulana Qasim Nanatwi and

Moulana Rasheed Ahmed Gangohi established Darul-uloom Deoband in 1866, which is now the largest

Madrasa of the Indian subcontinent. This was followed by a series of Madrasa constructions till now.

3.3 Modern Education in Madrasas

The reason I have made two separate sections for modernization of madrasas and modern education in madrasas is because these two things are different from each other. Modernization of madrasas has become more of a political issue while inclusion of modern subjects in madrasas simply pertain to the modification of madrasa syllabus, inclusion of modern subjects and bring changes that seem necessary so that they adopt to the changing times. Both the entities might have many things that might seem overlapping and hence it is difficult for a clear distinctive line to be drawn. However, it can be said that modernization of madrasas means changing the infrastructure, syllabus and pedagogy by state funding and hence state being a major stake holder. It gives state the right to interfere in the issues of madrasas.

While, in inclusion of modern subjects in madrasas, it is the madrasas themselves that realize the need for a change in the syllabus and inclusion of modern subjects, as much as they deem necessary, without the interference of state.

3.3.1 Inclusion of modern subjects in madrasas.

Modern education has always been a part of the madrasa nisaab (curriculum) since the medieval times.

Islamic civilization, unlike the Christian civilization, had always promoted research and growth of knowledge in all spheres of education. In the middle ages in Europe, science was being constantly repressed by the church, but that was not the case with Islamic civilization. Indeed, the Muslim civilization had renowned polymaths, who were also well-versed in Islamic education like Ibn Ishaq al-

Kindi, Ibn al-Haytham, Al-Zahrawi, Al-Khwarzimi, Ibn-Sina (Avicenna), Thabit Ibn Qurra etc. These people used to be polymath, well-versed in secular education in the fields of Science, Mathematics,

Astronomy, Psychology, Philosophy, Medicine, Sociology etc along with a great deal of knowledge regarding religion and the state used to encourage them for researches. There were famous universities like Al-Azhar university in Cairo, the University of Sina, etc. (Masood, 2009). Even during the time of medieval India, more than 50 percent of the madrasa nisab (syllabus) had modern subjects apart from the religious subjects. They were taught Quran, jurisprudence, Hadeeth, interpretations of the Quran and

Hadeeth, while for modern subjects, they were taught astronomy, math, geography, sciences, philosophy etc. These people used to have knowledge about the modern education as well as Islamic education. The madrasas of those times had a direct functional relationship with the society of its own times and the idea that religion comes under one’s personal sphere was alien to them. The graduates from madrasas of those times used to get employment better than their counterparts now because whatever what taught was the level of education (modern) prevalent at those times. However, the fact cannot be denied that these people also got employment in the departments of religious affairs, but they also got employed in administrative fields and other administrative jobs like that of accountants, doctors etc.

The idea changed when the British came to India, and when the idea of distinction between religious education and secular education was brought. The schools that the British government

constructed had no religious education being imparted. The idea was to exclude religious education from the general sphere of education. (Alam A. , 2014). This led to the madrasas providing solely religious education, and even if secular subjects were taught, they were mostly obsolete, like Greek logic and medieval philosophy. Darul-uloom Deoband, one of the largest madrasas of the Indian subcontinent was established with the idea that the British way of education, if taken by Muslims, will take them away from Islamic education. This was also one of the reasons for not including the contemporary secular subjects in the madrasas like Deoband and the ones that followed. (Ibid.). Since then, there has been no significant change in the curriculum of modern subjects of madrasas. The things that are being taught besides the religious education has no use in modern times except English, Mathematics, Urdu and in some madrasas, the regional language. There is a huge scope for the madrasas to include contemporary modern subjects by scrapping the subjects that have no relevance now, either islamically, or the present times. The curriculum followed in Madrasas besides religious also include, besides Mathematics,

English and Urdu are Natural Sciences (in some) at the primary level, till the secondary level. After that it also includes geography (Jographia), Philosophy (Manteeq), History (Tareekh), Social Sciences (in some), Arabic Grammar, syntax, Arabic literature, logic, Balaghat (Elocution), Metaphysics and calligraphy.

However, in present times, there have been various changes in a fraction of madrasas and they have started including modern subjects in their madrasas like basic Science, Computer Science and

Social Studies. There are also madrasas, some also government funded, which tend to teach all the subjects that are taught in a modern school parallel to the religious subjects. But, there are many scholars like Mufti Taqi Usmani from many madrasas, who believe that inclusion of all the modern subjects in the madrasas, as taught in a modern school, will be very hard to implement. They believe that the students will have a great burden in studying both the spheres of education. They will neither be able to

master the Islamic education, nor modern education and hence it will not be useful for the students to have both spheres. And moreover, they believe that madrasas are meant to be for imparting religious education, therefore it does not have the responsibility to impart modern education. These scholars, however, believe that English and basic Mathematics should be taught, because of the importance these subjects carry in the present times. (Qasmi, 2005) Another set of scholars like Dr. Waris Mazhari, believe that inclusion of modern subjects is important, but only the basics of modern subjects should be taught, as much so, that the students of madrasas have a knowledge of the modern subjects and are not fully unaware of science and other modern subjects. They argue that they should have a competent curriculum of the secular subjects as well, since after passing out from the madrasas, they will find it useful to be a part of the outside world. (Zaman, 1999). There is another set of scholars who believe that all the modern subjects should be included as it is in the modern schools at least till 10th, after which there would be a choice for the students to go for either Islamic education or modern education for their further studies. (Haque, 2013). Scholars like Qasmi believes that madrasas should not be teaching specializations like engineering, medical sciences etc, but should teach English, economics, Political

Science and Law, because these are subjects of humanities and therefore it would be 1) easier for them to absorb and 2) it will help the madrasa graduates to remove misconceptions regarding Islam. He believes it to be impossible for the madrasas to produce a talented graduate who is also a doctor or an engineer or a scientist. (Qasmi, 2005)

3.3.2 Modernization of Madrasas

Many scholars like Muhammad Khalili Qasmi and Arshad Alam believe that the issue to modernize madrasas sped up after the rise of Islamophobia, mainly after 9/11. It has been happening politically not only in India, but all over the world. Qasmi writes, “Now the events, 9/11 and aftermaths, in USA,

Afghanistan, Pakistan and Kashmir have added fuel to the fire in recent days. Many world rulers

including the USA President GW Bush have stressed the need to modernize the madrasa curriculum.

The Pakistani President, Pervez Musharraf, under heavy foreign pressure has announced a scheme of registering and modernizing madrasas. In one his early visit to US, President Bush discussed this matter with him in the White House. The Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba also joined the chorus to regulate the madrasas in his country. The Human Recourses Development ministry once again has revealed its plan to modernize madrasas in order to get them in to national mainstream.2 Not only the

HRD ministry, but also the Prime Minister himself and Home Ministry besides Gujarat Chief Minister

Modi have emphasized on modernizing the madrasas. The Vishv Hindu Prishad (VHP) and Rashtriya

Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leaders, every day come up with their suggestion of either modernizing the madrasas or closing them down throughout the country. Moreover, there are many intellectuals,

Muslims and non-Muslims, who also believe that modernization of madrasas is due.” (Qasmi, 2005 &

Alam, 2014). The emphasis on the Hindu right-wing political organsations suggest that these groups of people are looking for political interests in the issue and also that they tend to see a suspicion in what is being taught in a madrasa. Moreover, these right wing Hindu organisations believe that the goal of madrasas is to turn India into a Muslim nation, train terrorists support extremism. (Alam A. , 2008). This might be the reason for these political organisations to have been laying emphasis on modernization of madrasas so that these madrasas remain under the control of the state as well as under state surveillance.

Mr. Qamruddin of National Council for Educational Research and Training, who has been a supporter of modernization of madrasas himself says, “With the growing militancy in Kashmir as elsewhere in the country and in the South Asian region as a whole, madrasa system of education has come to the centre- stage of discussions. And this is the point from where the demand for modernization of madrasa on the

Indian soil gets strengthened… But the sad part of the present times is that the BJP Government has been targeting these madrasas as breeding ground of conservatism and obscurantism. It is further alleged

that madrasas create fundamentalist minds; they have also allegedly been places where antinational elements are being produced. I want to submit that these charges are untenable. In fact they have never been victims to anti-national sentiments” (Alam M. , 2002). This happens because whenever most of the politicians talk about the modernization of madrasas, they tend to somehow link it with extremism.

But, modernization of madrasas are also supported by some scholars also, like Nejatullah

Siddiqui, but they view it from a different perspective and they want it to happen with a process which respects the conscience of the madrasas and not by the force of state. Attacks on the madrasas, verbally, physically as well as through media would not help in modernization of madrasas.But they believe that by modernization of madrasas, the madrasas would produce students that are good not only in reliogious education but also in worldly education which would help them to serve the community and in a larger picture, the nation. These scholars tend to bring about a change in the curriculums of modern education in madrasas, infrastructure of the madrasas and pedagogy of the madrasas. But however, most of them beieve that the state should not interfere in the running of madrasas, but states should aid and support madrasas, without having an expectation that madrasas will obey the state in whatever it dictates. The irony here is that, if the state wanted the muslim children to get modern education, it should have built more and better governernment schools in muslim localities, but the state has failed in doing so.

According to the report of the Sachar Commiittee, only about 4 percent of the muslim children pursue education through madrasas. It seems difficult to understand why the government does not promote better and more secular schools in the muslim majority areas, where the madrasas thrive, if they really wanted to modernize the muslim children, who are more backward in terms of education any other section of the Indian society, including the Scheduled Castes. (Sikand, 2003)

But, however, modernization of madrasas through aids, grants and ideas from the state is very important, without the state interfering in internal matters of the madrasas for many reasons. It is very

important that the madrasa graudates do not feel alienated from the society and for that, it is important for them to know the basics of modern subjects. If these students get modern education also, it would help them in getting admission into a large number of institutions for higher education, as currently only a few of the universities like Moulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU), Jawaharlal Nehru

University (JNU), Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Jamia Hamdard, Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi

University and EFLU have provisions to give admissions to students with madrasa background.

Furthermore, modernization of madrasas would help it in getting better infrastructure, including more computers, better classrooms and better teachers. Modernization of madrasas would help the madrasa graduates to get into the educational mainstream. If we look upon it from a clerikal perspective also, madrasa modernization would help producing Ulemas who have a better understanding of the other disciplnes as well, apart from the religious knowledge.

However, the bottlenecks of modernizing madrasas seems to be various. It is not easy for the students to get modern education in full line with religious education after a point of time when the syllabi of both the streams increase so much that a student would feel burdened to study both, and there are great chances that either the students drop out, or they do not do well in both the streams. And also, there is a large chunk of the Ulemas who believe that if the goal of madrasas is to impart religious education, there is no need to include all the modern subjects taught in other secular schools. Many of the Ulemas argue that if they do not have any right to interfere in the ways of education of modern institutions, the scholars of modern institutions /outsiders also cannot interfere in madrasa education.

These Ulemas however, are in favour of teaching the madrasa students basic English, Arithmetic and

Computer, because these subjects seem inevitable in the globalized world of today. So the government should, I believe, reducuce the sense of insecurities of these Ulemas who run the madrasas and encourage them to get the madrasas into the educational mainstream by making them know how

modernization of education would help the students of madrasas and by assuring them that the state would not interfere in the autonomy of the madrasas.

3.4 Language and Madrasas

The journal Anveshi talks about mainly the development of Urdu in the Deccan area, Hyderabad being the central focus. I am using this as a part of my literature review to get the gist of Urdu and the markets pertaining to it, especially Hyderabad. The modern subjects include Urdu as one of the main subjects taught to the students.

Urdu, as a language, is also called the “lashkari zaban” (the language formed by the army) by many of the scholars which has its roots in the Indian subcontinent. It is a language developed from the amalgamation of various other languages that were used in the medieval India like Persian, Hindi,

Turkish and Arabic because the soldiers used to be from diverse backgrounds and used different languages.

Coming to Hyderabad, till the early 19th century, Persian used to be the official language under the Nizams, since way past when the Qutub Shahi rulers ruled this part of the Deccan Plateau. However,

Urdu was also a part of the education system under the Nizams while Persian being the official language. But, by the late 19th century Urdu started gaining more importance than Persian slowly so much so that by 1886, all the offices under the Nizam were ordered to work in Urdu and it also became an important medium of instruction in the institutions. (Rahman, 2014). The first ever medical school of

Hyderabad also used to have Urdu Medium education. Works on medicine and other medical book were translated in Urdu and only as much English was taught as to know the names of Medicines and diseases. English was not chosen because they wanted to educate the masses, but it was chosen because

English was not feasible. The standard of teaching is however said to be good. The students had to clear

an entrance which demanded proficiency in Urdu and Persian and familiarity in English. However, in a later stage, when English started gaining momentum in the academic section of India, eventually more and more stress was given to English. By 1878, English was made compulsory along with Persian and

Arabic. Later, by the initial 20th century, it became an English medium institution altogether, where the candidature demanded those who could read and write Urdu as well. The importance of Persian had diminished altogether. Later, in 1921, it merged with Osmania University to become Osmania Medical

College. (Kamal, 2014). By the early 20th century, the importance of English was increasing and English became the language of the upper class that used to be most likely being educated and Urdu medium education now became a part of the middle class. (Rahman, 2014). The Nizams, as history shows, have never been very staunch keepers of any language that they endorsed and that is how, when English came, the downfall of Urdu as a medium of instruction in the institutions was not battled, but was welcomed. (Kamal, 2014)

Connecting this to my research, it would be beneficial for the students who go to Madrasas in their primary levels because they have a good knowledge of Urdu and nowadays, English is also being taught. Now, since they have a blend of Urdu and English, they can give the entrance for Osmania

Medical College, after passing 12th standard through open schooling. Moreover, they have opened other institution like MANUU that can absorb these students. OU, built by the princely state, was kind of a modernizing mission, where modern subjects were taught and where Urdu plays a very central role.

MANUU however was made for the development of democracy, socialism, secularism and swaraj by the Indian state. OU spreads scientific language in Urdu that can play a very great role in admitting the pass-outs from the madrasas. MANUU, however, focuses more on the spreading of the usage of URDU as per the needs of the market. Here also the students from the madrasas can be absorbed. (Moid, 2014)

The students of Madrasas are also made to learn English for various reasons. There are some reasons that Sajida Sultana tries 2) Importance given to English by the market and the economy. 3) More employment opportunities. 4) Respond to the misconceptions and questions related to Islam. 5)

Demystifying Religion. 6) Skills with knowledge of religion. 6) Demand for religious scholars who are good at English, especially in the middle-east. 7) To spread the religion. She has also tried to find out some methods of pedagogy used in the Madrasas where she found out that some of the madrasas taught

English by drawing parallels between English and Arabic grammar. She saw that in the English class, it was compulsory for the students to communicate in English. Students were asked to make presentation and also were given translation works. Finally she talks about the online course of Darul-uloom

Deoband which is given totally in English, mainly designed for the foreign nationals. (Sultana, 2014)

CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS

For data analysis, I used the method of thematic analysis. There were different themes that I had taken out. I analyzed and interpreted the data that I had collected through the different themes that I had formulated. I have written subtopics for every theme that I found from the data that I had collected. In the raw data there were many things that were not relevant to the study but could have been taken as themes, but I excluded them. A total of 19 themes were formed, within which I chose 7 relevant themes.

Many of the 19 themes were also merged together in the 7 themes that I formulated. Then, I categorized those under seven subheadings. The themes I finally formulated are: 1) Infrastructure of the madrasas, 2) modern education in madrasas, 3) admission backgrounds, 4) lifestyles of the students, 5) future of the madrasa graduates, 6) misunderstandings of the people regarding the madrasas and 7) madrasa modernization programs. I have tried to elaborate each of the themes using the data that I collected.

4.1 Infrastructures of the madrasas

The two bigger madrasas I went to were equivalent to universities, so the infrastructure was like that of a modern university. They had several buildings which consisted of an administrative block and rest of them had classrooms. The madrasas, however, did not have departments of various subjects, however, but was based on grades. These madrasas consisted of a primary school, a secondary school and a final school, all in different buildings. The madrasas had a Masjid within the campus and a ground for playing. However, the smaller madrasas had just one building, with several rooms for administrative purposes and the rest were classrooms. All the madrasas had free boarding facilities for those students who were unable to pay and those who could pay, they had a minimal fee. There were no benches like what is found in a conventional modern classroom. The students as well as the teachers sat on the ground. There were blackboards in most of the madrasas for explaining purposes. The uniform for the

students were white kurta-pyjamas. The teachers who teach these modern subjects are recruited based on interviews and different madrasas have different criteria based on qualifications for the selection of teachers to these madrasas.

4.2 Modern education in Madrasas

All the madrasas that I went to, had the modern subjects which were: English, Mathematics and Urdu.

One of the bigger madrasas also offered all the subjects that are taught in a modern school along with the religious subjects till 7th standard It was only still 7th standard because they said that after 7th standard, the course of modern subjects gets burdensome for the students and the students are not able to focus on the religious education that they receive. One of the madrasas was recognized by the government and till 12th, the State board curriculum is followed along with the Islamic education that the students got and many students gave 12th examination from the State Board. After that the madrasa was affiliated to Osmania University mainly for the languages like Arabic, Persian and Urdu. They spoke about the teaching styles and said that the modern education in schools do not give practical education.

They focus on rote learning and writing without application. He said that their madrasa have more interaction, as related to the modern subjects. So, therefore, they just do not mug up for the time and forget, but remember it throughout their lives. But they saw modern education as a way of attainment and distribution of certificates.

Other madrasas had either the curriculum designed either by a management committee or the

Madrasa itself. Most of the participants said they find it very important to include modern subjects in the

Madrasas while some of them said it is equally important as religious education, but no one denied the importance. Though they gave importance to modern education in madrasas, most of the madrasas give lesser importance to modern subjects while some of them give equal importance. But none of the

madrasas give more importance and it is quite logical because the goal of the madrasas is religious education. Most of the interviewees said that they do not mind their students learning all the modern subjects, but the result would be that it will prove a burden upon the child. They will neither be good at modern education, nor at religious education. The reason they gave importance to selective subjects like mathematics and English was because they believe that the outside world of now has become such that without knowing basics of these subjects, it was hard for them to accommodate in the outside world.

One more important thing is that they quite clearly differentiate between modernization and westernization. So, in terms of dress, eating habits etc, they do not copy the west, but they derive the best benefits out of the technologies. They are not open to westernization but open to modernization. To go with the change of time, without hampering their morals is modernization and he gave me the example of the usage of phones, computers, car and other technologies. Most of the madrasas, which did not have computers, told me that they had plans to buy computers soon, so that their students are made used-to the technology also. The average teacher to student ratio was 1:25, which, I think, is a very good ratio. The madrasas, since they are full time boarding institutions, pay more attention to students who have learning difficulties. They say that they have experienced that students who are weak, after they start memorizing the Quran, their minds improve.

The participants from MANUU told me that it is very important to include modern subjects, all of the ones that are taught in modern schools, to be included in the curriculum of the madrasas at least till 10th. After that, they said that the students should be given a choice as to whether they want to continue with the madrasa course or they wanted to pursue modern education in various different fields like humanities, science, commerce etc. It was a common consensus that the infrastructure of madrasas should be changes, as in, they should have more computers. They also believed that the curriculum of madrasas should be changed, as there are many subjects that are not religious, but has been in their

curriculum for hundreds of years, like Greek logic, medieval philosophy, ancient geometry and also that all the madrasas should have a common syllabus at least till 10th standard The change in the syllabus, however, was believed should change the originality of Islamic curriculum. It was seen that they wanted madrasa graduates to be also doctors and engineers and social scientist like it happens in other parts of the world. One person gave me the example of the Imams of Egypt, who are well-versed in worldly issues as well as they are engineers other professionals.

4.3 Admission criteria

It has been widely believed that the people of the lower income class group tend to send their children to madrasas more because of the nature of madrasas being free and students there getting free education as well as free staying and food. Contrary to this, all the participants except one told me that the reason that they admit their children because the child has a religious family and they want their children to learn about Islam. However, one of the madrasas said that economic stress also leads for admission in

Madrasas as everything is free of cost. The madrasas have children from all the backgrounds and they do not have any particular basis to enroll students to their madrasas. But it was seen that the poor students are preferred to be having studied in madrasa rather than a state-run school because of the quality of education that the state-run schools give. One more interesting thing that cropped up was that a participant told me that the parents of these students also believed that if he/she studied in a madrasa, he/she would serve the parents better when they grow old and this was also one of the reasons students were enrolled in madrasas. They had seen many children who got modern education; they do not treat their parents well when they grow old. This reason was the most interesting but less occurring as compared to the other reasons for admission in madrasas.

4.4 Lifestyles of the students

All the children have to wear a white kurta-pyjama, while going to classes which is a very simple ethnic dress of the Indian subcontinent. The reason given for why they wear this was: 1) It is a shar’ee dress, meaning the recommended dress code for Muslims, that is simple and baggy. That does not reveal body parts because it is not tight like jeans. 2) It promotes a sense of equality among the students as all are wearing the same kind of dress. 3) It promotes simplicity and the students of all strata of society can afford it. The reason they wear white kurta-pyjama during classes was that white dress like likened by

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The students, while I was observing as a non-participant observer, seemed more disciplined, in the sense that they raised hands if they had questions, did not interrupt while another student was talking or while the teacher was teaching. In the smaller madrasas, the students clean up the classrooms, cook food for themselves, wash their own clothes and do shopping for the madrasas, the list for which a teacher would give them. This, I believe, leads to an all-round development of the students, where they are taught how to live. The teachers and students eat on the same ground (they did not use table and chairs), when asked for the reason, I was told that it promotes confidence in the students and gives them a sense of equality. The students do the cleaning and cooking on a rotation basis. While in the class, the teacher and the students sit on the floor. The students sit around the teacher making a circle. They have classes from 9AM to 5 PM, with a break between 12 noon to 2 pm, in which they have their lunch and sleep in the classroom only (they do not have benches in the classroom, but sit with a short table which is removed to make space for sleeping). He told me that the madrasa was mainly spiritually focused. This nap, between the classes, after lunch, I believe, is very important because it rejuvenates student’s capacity of absorb what is being taught in the class. They study together and stay together, an environment is formed where they do not discriminate against each

other and hence there is no such difficulty in education them even when they are from varied backgrounds.

4.5 Future of the madrasa graduates

“To serve deen” was the most given answer when the participants were asked about the future of the madrasa graduates, and when asked how, they told that the madrasa graduates become imams of various

Masjid, become teachers at madrasas and schools where Urdu is taught and translators. Some of the graduates, they said, join bigger universities like JNU, Jamia, AMU, MANUU etc. One of the interviewees also talked about the students becoming journalists in Urdu newspapers and channels. An interviewee from MANUU told me that the subjects that are taught besides the religious ones, are not useful to the society like Greek logic, medieval philosophy etc and therefore they feel isolated from the society. Hence, if the students are taught the modern subjects at least till 10th, it would be way too beneficial for them and also the society. Universities like MANUU, JNU, AMU, etc. should include more subjects that can be studied by the madrasa graduates as they are already doing their best to absorb these students from all over the country. Another suggestion that came up was to give a course to the madrasa graduates who bridge the gap between them and the outside world. There are lots of challenges that a madrasa graduate faces from the society to cope-up with.

A person I met in MANUU, who was a madrasa graduate, believed that authority should not exist with any outsider (govt. or any outside committee), but with madrasa itself. They should have autonomy. He then said that out of the total Muslim population in India, only 5% of them go to madrasas and the numbers are way too lesser than those students who go to modern schools. He said that when he compares madrasa students to mainstream students he feels that madrasas produce good citizens; they follow the law better than the other students, they are more hard- working and they also

behave with their teachers better than the other students. They work very hard to come at par in the university with the other students and many of them finally defeat their competitors for many exams like

JRF, MANAF. Many students who came from madrasas have cleared IAS exams also. He said that madrasas feel more answerable to the society because they are run by the money of the people, therefore the quality of these madrasas are better than government funded madrasas.

Then when I asked about absorption of these students in universities, he said that there are many universities in North India like JNU, AMU, DU, JMI, Jamia Hamdard etc. that have courses designed especially for them. Most of these universities, he said, also have a bridge program through which these students are brought at par with the other students. Though it might not equalize them as the students from regular schools, but these programs definitely help them. MANUU is also one of them, he said.

4.6 Misunderstandings of the people regarding the madrasas

Almost all the madrasas that I went to, the people said things that made it seem that they were getting vulnerable and that the society outside looks at them either to be unpatriotic or suspicious. There was one madrasa that totally denied to provide me with any information and said, ““Why is everyone so much concerned about madrasas? Why don’t you go to other educational research institutions? We are here to teach Islam to the students and nothing else is taught. So please go somewhere else and conduct your research.” I tried to explain him that I am just a student of B.A. and this work, even if published, will not hold the name of his institution if he does not want, but he refused. So I had to go.” There was another madrasa, in which the participant told me that they celebrate Independence Day and republic day as if they had to prove their patriotism. Then he talked about how India was his own country. He told me about the freedom fighters that were Muslims, many of whom, he said, are not taught in the schools. He told me that the first freedom fighter to fight against the British was a Muslim, Tipu Sultan.

He then told me about the scholars of Darul-uloom Deoband, the biggest madrasa of India, issued a

fatwa of Jihad against the British, and how thousands of Muslim scholars from all over the country were executed. Basically, he was trying to say he was no less a patriot than people of any other religion or other modern institutions and that their students are also taught to be patriotic.

Moreover, madrasas had an Indian flag in every office, which I don’t think is necessarily found in modern schools. In one of other madrasas that I went, the management committee was reluctant to give answers and they asked me many question like the reason for doing this dissertation and whether it would be published and wanted to know if I represent the government in any way. When I answered all the questions, they finally agreed to the research. Rest, all the madrasas told me one way or the other that they are “true” Indians or that they do not preach and support terrorism. One of them said, “Islam is a religion of peace, Muslims should live with peace. We do not support terrorism and so does not the madrasas. We let our students sing the national anthem during assembly”

These reactions were quite disturbing. One thing I realize was that the madrasas might be under continuous surveillance of the state, peeping and seeing what the students are taught, whether they harbor terrorism among the students, but failed to find anything until now.

4.7 Madrasa modernization programs

By modernization of madrasas, it is meant that the madrasa will receive aid from the state and/or it has to include all the subjects, besides the religious ones, that are taught in modern schools. There were mixed reactions from the various participants of various madrasas. Some of them believed that modernization of madrasa is important at least till 8th class, so that the students have an all-round knowledge of Islam as well as the basics of secular education. This, they said, will help the students to further choose whether they want to continue in Islamic education or opt for secular education from other schools. After that, even if a child opted for Islamic education, he/she would have a basic

knowledge of the secular subjects. While some others said that it is yet again another attempt of the state to interfere in the madrasa education system, which they did not like. They said it will disrupt the already existing curriculum and also that the state suggests it because they do not trust the madrasas and look upon it with suspicion. However, another set of people said that modernization is important but the students will have too much burden for learning Islamic education along with secular education, and hence they did not support it.

As for MANUU, all the interviewees suggested that modernization of madrasas is very important. The first person that I met had done a great deal of research on modernization of madrasas.

He said that, in 2004, Jamia Hamdard, Delhi asked him to see that those madrasa graduates who go to modern universities later on, what changes occur in their idea about reforming madrasas. The findings said that 90% of the students who had come to JNU, JMI, DU and Jamia Hamdard wanted changes in the madrasa system of education, modern subjects should be included in madrasas and that madrasas should give more social education in order to merge them better with the society. He also suggested that at least till 8th or 10th standard, the madrasa students should be taught modern subjects that are taught otherwise in normal schools. Then a choice should be given to the child to whichever field he wants to study. There should be a general curriculum followed in all madrasas till 8th at least. When I asked whether there will be differences due to sects, he said that basics are same for all the sects. After basics they can themselves choose. Without this, he believed that it is difficult to cope up with the requirements and challenges. The administrators of madrasas might say that it is not possible to give both the education, but he said that there are many subjects that are taught that are neither relevant to Islam, nor a part of the modern education system. This includes Greek logic, medieval philosophies etc. He also said that in the medieval period, 90% of the madrasa syllabus used to be modern (pertaining to those times)

and only 10% consisted of purely Islamic education. We should have a system like that in the modern day madrasas also.

Then I asked him about how they absorb the students from the madrasas in the present day and he said that how much could a few universities like MANUU absorb? We need changes in the madrasa system itself so that the students themselves come and compete against those who come from a modern education background. He said that universities like MANUU are doing their best in absorbing these students from all over the country. And he said that at after passing out from universities, the madrasa- background students have more chances to get jobs. He also said that he believes that due to madrasas, the poorest of the poor are able to read and write and get education, but it would be better if they are modernized.

Another person that I met was also a graduate from a madrasa. He said that there are various things in a madrasa that needs to be modernized; they have long books, bad prints and obsolete methods of teaching. He said that changing of the method and infrastructure of madrasas are as important to change as important it is for syllabus. He also said that madrasas should have a common syllabus till 10th that also includes all the modern subjects taught in the other schools. He said “deeni” knowledge is not only Islamic knowledge but it depends on intention. If you become a doctor or an engineer with a good intention to help people, the knowledge that you pursue will be no less than “deeni” and on the other hand if a person learns Islamic knowledge and uses that for money, it will not be “deeni” as his intentions are selfish. He also talked about giving a course to the madrasa graduate, which bridges the gap between them and the outside world. I asked him about the economic background of the madrasa students and he said that the people now are seeing madrasa as a charitable institution where the poor study and get free food and shelter. That notion needs to be changed. He also asked me why the people are so much concerned only about madrasa and not Hindu religious schools. He told that people should

stop being prejudiced, that is what makes a madrasa more vulnerable and insecure. If the outside world behaves with them normally, they will also behave normally. He again came back to talking about the curriculum of madrasas and how the originality should not be changed of the Islamic teachings due to the modern subjects. They should be taught all the subjects and later, he said, the students can focus in their own interests. The goal should be that we have aalim (an Islamic scholar) who is also a doctor or engineer etc. he said that there is revision of the modern syllabus every 5 years but the subjects of madrasa (apart from religious subjects) have not been changed since centuries.

He also talked about up-gradation of the teaching staff in the madrasa by having a very good screening process. At last he said, “people want to keep it old fashioned, it is their psyche. But haqq

(just) is haqq. You have to speak even if it goes against yourself. So you write whatever, without bias”

Another person who I met was a person who had studied in a Kerala madrasa where Islamic and modern educations were given simultaneously. Every day, they had classes from 7 to 4. Those students who go to modern schools, he said, they attend madrasa classes for 2-3 hours every day either in the morning or in the evening. Hence, it is parallel system to the modern school system. They have everything in the madrasa like a modern school, the infrastructure, the textbooks, teachers and systematic exams. Due to the influx of English medium, he said, these madrasas have to suffix or prefix and due to the time constraint, the schools owned by Muslims are starting to get Islamic teachers in the school where the child can learn Islamic education either before school or after school. I asked him if the children feel overburdened. He told me that a child who goes to a regular school also is over burdened, but he does not feel because he gets used to it. Similarly in his case, he said, he too did not feel too overburdened.

After passing 10th, the students have a choice whether to go for Islamic studies or worldly studies. This type of madrasa seemed the most appealing to me. The others whom I interviewed wanted this type of madrasas all over the country, perhaps without knowing that it already exists.

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION

As we have seen, that education, both secular and religious, has been given a great deal of importance in

Islam. However, the importance of religious education has stayed among the clerics of the Indian subcontinent, while that of secular education has faded. If the issue of modern education in madrasa is strictly looked upon through an Islamic lens, it is very important to include modern education in madrasas. In the existing literature, as well as through my research, it is seen that there is growing concern among the scholars, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, about the inclusion of modern subjects in madrasas. Many of the Ulemas like Moulana Wahiduddin Khan, Moulana Dr. Waris Mazhari etc have started to realize the need for modern education in madrasas. The scholars might differ in their approaches as to how to make it work; it is not a simple solution. The exact number of madrasas in India is still unknown and it is very important to gather information regarding the number of madrasas and the curriculum they are taught. It is now high time that the government conducts an independent study, through a committee, about the inclusion of modern subjects in madrasas and modernization of madrasas. It is important to find the opinions of the administrators of madrasa themselves to an approach for the said issue.

The independent researchers also need to look into madrasa education with an unbiased mind and keeping away all the pre-concieved notion. They need to spend time in madrasas, live with them and try to understand their lives with the lenses of the students of madrasas. The present education system needs to make the madrasa system feel not as something different, but a part of the education system with differences. Instead of making them feel vulnerable, making them feel a part is too important. Blaming the madrasas for not being “modern” is not the solution if that is a problem. By blaming the madrasas for orthodoxy, fundamentalism and anti-modernism, and looking them with suspicion, one just increases the vulnerability of the madrasas, and they move farther away from the main education system. What is

needed is to bring them in the mainstream education system, along with the differences that they already have, instead of distancing them, looking at them with a telescope and judging them while not knowing the ground realities. This is the only way best for the madrasas as well as the modern education system to understand the madrasas and to modernize them in a way that is best for them. These changes that the academicians of modern education suggest will be taken if the stakeholders of the madrasas understand that they are not for harm, not for judging, but for good.

To conclude, I argue that modern subjects should be included in the madrasas by consulting the administrators, teachers and various stake-holders of madrasas as they have more knowledge and experience about the ground realities of the madrasa education system. The government should have no interference in the curriculum of the madrasas, though the government can help by funding madrasas for infrastructure and providing students with free books. All the modern subjects, I think, should be included till 8th standard, so that the madrasa students, when they graduate, they do not feel alienated in the outside world and also that they do not have any kind of inferiority complex regarding knowledge of secular subjects.

Appendix:

i) Consent Form

(Consent Form)

To whomsoever it may concern

I am conducting this interview to understand modern education in Madrasas. This research work is as a part of our course entitled, “Understanding Education”. This interview will be recorded and used for academic purposes only. Your name shall not be revealed and confidentiality of the institution as well as the interviewee will be maintained unless taken prior permission.

Signature of Interviewee Signature of Interviewer

Date:

ii) Questionnaire for the madrasas:

Demographic Form

Name:

Age:

Gender:

Designation:

Marital status:

Name of the Madrasa / University:

1. How important do you think is the inclusion of modern subjects at the primary level in Madrasas? A) Very Important B) Important

C) Not so important

2. What importance should modern subjects is given as compared to religious subjects in the curriculum and why? A) Equal Importance ………………………………

B) More Importance……………………………. C) Less importance……………

7. How much are the students of Madrasa, who get admitted in universities, open to modernization? A) Very Open B) Open

C) Not so open D) Reserved

8. What are the driving factors that make people admit their children in Madrasas? A) Socio-economic factors B)Religious factors

C) Other Factors (Specify) …………………….

9. What do you think of a madrasa modernization program where all the subjects will be taught as in a state/central board school also, besides religious subjects? ______10. What kind of employment does a Madrasa pass-out seek? What are the chances of economic mobility of these students? ______

11. What are the challenges that you face in educating the children from varied Islamic sects? ______12. What are the challenges involved in imparting modern education to the pass-outs of the Madrasas? ______13. What is the percentage of Madrasa pass-out do you think these universities approximately absorb?

______

14. What are your institution’s plans, if any, to absorb more of madrasa pass-outs? If there are no plans, do you intend to make any plans in the near future, and what should that plan consist of?

______

15. What subjects do you offer to madrasa pass-out students? What more subjects do you think these students should be offered?

______

16. Do the chances of the madrasa pass-outs to get employment after passing from a university increase? What types of employment are they offered?

______

17. What are the sources of motivation for students to understand the value of education? ______

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