By Abdul Hafiz Lakhani
Ahmedabad: Maulana Mehmud Madni and Gulam Vastanvi say that Muslims are happy under Modi rule, and they are becoming rich. But one thing that both these Maulanas (Clerics) are losing sight of the fact is that it is the educational spree in the Modiland which is empowering the Muslims of Gujarat, and certainly not Narendra Modi. Dear Maulanas, are you both hearing? Or, you both are simply hellbent on doing chamchagiri (sycophancy) of the person under whose guardianship thousands of Muslims were killed during the 2002 Gujarat riots.
The wind is fast changing in Gujarat after infamous 2002 Gujarat riots on education front. Muslims have focused heavily on this most ignored sphere before genocide of muslims in that fateful year.
Minority march in higher education is getting stronger in the Gujarat . The 61st convocation of the Gujarat University in fact saw maximum number so far of Muslim students excelling in their streams and winning gold medals.
This year 211 medals were given to 118 students for excelling in different areas. Out of the 118 students, 8 Muslims students were rewarded with 15 gold medals for scaling the summit in their respective streams. There is a substantial increase in the number as last year only 3 medals were given to Muslim students.
This news springs new hope among the minorities in the state as these students, who have come from humble backgrounds, have fought battles to step into the enlightened world of education. Two of such students have got medals in Sanskrit. They all believe that education is the only means by which they can excel in their personal life and can make difference.
Sheikh Tayab Khan, 23-year-old, who completed BA, has won two gold medals and 5 scholarships in Sanskrit. Sheikh hails from a small village near Devgadh Baria. He says he was attracted towards the language since his school days. At present, Khan is pursuing BEd from Godhra and lives in a small house at Savllivad.
His father is a businessman and brother is a principal at primary school. He says that he is not averse to the language as it is a beautiful and wants to become teacher in the subject. He also practices yoga and is particularly fond of Dhanurasana, Hasta Padasana and others.
Yasmin Banu, 24-year-old girl, who completed BA in Sanskrit has got a gold medal. She studied at Adivasi Arts & Commerce College, located at Santrampur. She teaches at a primary school in the area and says that she wants to become a teacher and preach the language. She also wants to do MA in Sanskrit. She hails from a humble background and her father is a fruit seller.
She says education only can free an individual from bondage and make life easy. Time is changing now and women form her community are coming forward.
Shagufta Khan, 21-year-old who did her BA in economics from St Xavier's College, Ahmedabad, has fetched four gold medals. She says that the only way to move ahead in life is through education. The discrimination against girls should stop. As girls have equal right to get educated. Her father is a retiered IAS officer.
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Khan says that the greatest gift girls can give to oneself is to become independent. Education is the only way to it, once you liberate yourself financially you can pursue life for your betterment.
Shireen Qureshi, 23-year-old, who got three medals in BSc (Botany) says that she got 70% marks in class XII and people said that I should pursue paramedical courses. But, for me science was the only the way forward and I was proven right. She wants to pursue MSC and than do research in botany. She says if woman of the house is educated it means the future generation have a safe future. And seeing the current times, education is the only way forward.
Shamima Patel Banu, 22-year-old, who got three gold medals in home science stream, could inspire many. She comes from humble background and her father, who works as a feeder in AMTS, is the one who encouraged her and said that she could continue studying till she wanted.
Even her younger sister Hazara Banu is in third year of BA (English). "It is very rare that women from our society are encouraged to venture out and study. But, my father always stood by my side and encouraged me," she says. Now, she is preparing for IAS examination.
"Muslim boys and girls diversifying into other educational fields is a good sign," added J S Bandukwala, a retired Physics professor from M S University who runs Zidni Ilma Trust, which promotes professional and technical education among poor Muslim students.
Ultimately the best we can do is to go for quality education, business, a more scientific approach and a serious attempt to make secularism operate in the country. There is no use blaming others. Except that we feel justice must be done for the tragedy of 2002.he added.
In 2002, there were 200 Muslim educational trusts in Gujarat. Now, there are more than 800."The reaction of the Muslim community has been very positive," says social scientist Achyut Yagnik. "Muslim women are also talking about more education. It's all about moving forward with education.
"He is right. Everywhere I went, Muslim men and women spoke about the importance of education.In Godhra, I met telecommunications engineer Mohammed Yusuf, 51, who spent a year in prison after being falsely implicated in bomb attacks.
He is a soft-spoken man with a flowing beard."For long, we have lived as frogs in the well. Now we need to get out, educate and inform ourselves, know what our rights are, find our place in the world and defend our rights," he says.11 years.
Even some ulema are talking about the need for girls' education, not only for its own sake but also to empower the community as a whole. “There is definitely a rising trend of Muslim students, both boys and girls, getting admitted to medical institutes in the last couple of years’’, points out Dr Jayshree Mehta, dean of the SBKS Medical Institute and Research Centre at Waghodia in Vadodara district.
For instance, some people associated with the Tablighi Jamaat are now setting up Muslim schools in different parts of Gujarat.
According to Rajkot based Faruk Abdul Gaffar Bawani who works for medical students says that there are 1350 Muslim students who have got admission in various courses of medical.He collects funds from wealthy Muslims and distributes among poor and needy Muslim medical students.
[Abdul Hafiz Lakhaniis a senior Journalist based at Ahmedabad, Gujarat. He is associated with IndianMuslimObserver.com as Bureau Chief (Gujarat). He can be reached at lakhani63@yahoo.com or on his cell 09228746770]
Ahmedabad: Maulana Mehmud Madni and Gulam Vastanvi say that Muslims are happy under Modi rule, and they are becoming rich. But one thing that both these Maulanas (Clerics) are losing sight of the fact is that it is the educational spree in the Modiland which is empowering the Muslims of Gujarat, and certainly not Narendra Modi. Dear Maulanas, are you both hearing? Or, you both are simply hellbent on doing chamchagiri (sycophancy) of the person under whose guardianship thousands of Muslims were killed during the 2002 Gujarat riots.
The wind is fast changing in Gujarat after infamous 2002 Gujarat riots on education front. Muslims have focused heavily on this most ignored sphere before genocide of muslims in that fateful year.
Minority march in higher education is getting stronger in the Gujarat . The 61st convocation of the Gujarat University in fact saw maximum number so far of Muslim students excelling in their streams and winning gold medals.
This year 211 medals were given to 118 students for excelling in different areas. Out of the 118 students, 8 Muslims students were rewarded with 15 gold medals for scaling the summit in their respective streams. There is a substantial increase in the number as last year only 3 medals were given to Muslim students.
This news springs new hope among the minorities in the state as these students, who have come from humble backgrounds, have fought battles to step into the enlightened world of education. Two of such students have got medals in Sanskrit. They all believe that education is the only means by which they can excel in their personal life and can make difference.
Sheikh Tayab Khan, 23-year-old, who completed BA, has won two gold medals and 5 scholarships in Sanskrit. Sheikh hails from a small village near Devgadh Baria. He says he was attracted towards the language since his school days. At present, Khan is pursuing BEd from Godhra and lives in a small house at Savllivad.
His father is a businessman and brother is a principal at primary school. He says that he is not averse to the language as it is a beautiful and wants to become teacher in the subject. He also practices yoga and is particularly fond of Dhanurasana, Hasta Padasana and others.
Yasmin Banu, 24-year-old girl, who completed BA in Sanskrit has got a gold medal. She studied at Adivasi Arts & Commerce College, located at Santrampur. She teaches at a primary school in the area and says that she wants to become a teacher and preach the language. She also wants to do MA in Sanskrit. She hails from a humble background and her father is a fruit seller.
She says education only can free an individual from bondage and make life easy. Time is changing now and women form her community are coming forward.
Shagufta Khan, 21-year-old who did her BA in economics from St Xavier's College, Ahmedabad, has fetched four gold medals. She says that the only way to move ahead in life is through education. The discrimination against girls should stop. As girls have equal right to get educated. Her father is a retiered IAS officer.
Shireen Qureshi, 23-year-old, who got three medals in BSc (Botany) says that she got 70% marks in class XII and people said that I should pursue paramedical courses. But, for me science was the only the way forward and I was proven right. She wants to pursue MSC and than do research in botany. She says if woman of the house is educated it means the future generation have a safe future. And seeing the current times, education is the only way forward.
Shamima Patel Banu, 22-year-old, who got three gold medals in home science stream, could inspire many. She comes from humble background and her father, who works as a feeder in AMTS, is the one who encouraged her and said that she could continue studying till she wanted.
Even her younger sister Hazara Banu is in third year of BA (English). "It is very rare that women from our society are encouraged to venture out and study. But, my father always stood by my side and encouraged me," she says. Now, she is preparing for IAS examination.
"Muslim boys and girls diversifying into other educational fields is a good sign," added J S Bandukwala, a retired Physics professor from M S University who runs Zidni Ilma Trust, which promotes professional and technical education among poor Muslim students.
Ultimately the best we can do is to go for quality education, business, a more scientific approach and a serious attempt to make secularism operate in the country. There is no use blaming others. Except that we feel justice must be done for the tragedy of 2002.he added.
In 2002, there were 200 Muslim educational trusts in Gujarat. Now, there are more than 800."The reaction of the Muslim community has been very positive," says social scientist Achyut Yagnik. "Muslim women are also talking about more education. It's all about moving forward with education.
"He is right. Everywhere I went, Muslim men and women spoke about the importance of education.In Godhra, I met telecommunications engineer Mohammed Yusuf, 51, who spent a year in prison after being falsely implicated in bomb attacks.
He is a soft-spoken man with a flowing beard."For long, we have lived as frogs in the well. Now we need to get out, educate and inform ourselves, know what our rights are, find our place in the world and defend our rights," he says.11 years.
Even some ulema are talking about the need for girls' education, not only for its own sake but also to empower the community as a whole. “There is definitely a rising trend of Muslim students, both boys and girls, getting admitted to medical institutes in the last couple of years’’, points out Dr Jayshree Mehta, dean of the SBKS Medical Institute and Research Centre at Waghodia in Vadodara district.
For instance, some people associated with the Tablighi Jamaat are now setting up Muslim schools in different parts of Gujarat.
According to Rajkot based Faruk Abdul Gaffar Bawani who works for medical students says that there are 1350 Muslim students who have got admission in various courses of medical.He collects funds from wealthy Muslims and distributes among poor and needy Muslim medical students.
[Abdul Hafiz Lakhaniis a senior Journalist based at Ahmedabad, Gujarat. He is associated with IndianMuslimObserver.com as Bureau Chief (Gujarat). He can be reached at lakhani63@yahoo.com or on his cell 09228746770]