It seems that PM Modi’s speech on the centennial celebration of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) is bearing fruits. His valuable advice to keep ‘development over politics and nation before ideology’ seems to have struck a chord. Earlier, the premium educational institute, AMU, was constantly marred with controversies. However, the recent developments clearly hint that it is gradually moving towards civilisational roots.
Fiction becomes reality
In a surreal move, the AMU administration has taken a step in the right direction. The university has decided to distance itself from the rigid Islamic extremist ideologies and take spiritual and real life guidance from Sanatan Dharma and other religions. According to the university administration, it will include Sanatan Dharma, along with other religions, in its course curriculum from the next academic session.
This inclusive decision is a reformative step as earlier the AMU university only offered courses in Islamic studies. After this progressive decision, AMU will start a post-graduate course in comparative religion. This was reiterated by the university officials.
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AMU spokesperson M Shafey Kidwai said, “Chairperson of the Islamic Studies department has moved a proposal to start a course on comparative studies (which) will be offered from the next session. Religious texts of Sanatan Dharma and other faiths will be taught along with Islamic studies.”
Mohammad Ismail, Chairman of the department of Islamic Studies at AMU, emphasised this historic decision. He also highlighted the lessons which will be offered in the new course. He informed that the students will be taught the inclusive teachings of Vedas, Purans, Upanishads, Ramayana, Gita and other important scriptures of Sanatan Dharma. The newly added curriculum will also include teachings of Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism.
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Apart from the inclusive addition, one more decision of the university is making headlines. The AMU department of Islamic Studies has thrown the books of two controversial authors from its syllabus. The authors excluded from the syllabus are Maulana Abul Ala Maududi of Pakistan and Syed Qutb of Egypt. Earlier, 20 educationists wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding a ban on these books. According to them, the content of these books supported the Islamic State and was ruining the minds of university students.
However, this gradual but strategic shift to Sanatan roots has made the Islamists jittery. Like any other progressive step, this decision too is facing needless objections from the communal minded politicians and Maulanas. However, their usual rant has been ignored by all and the focus is to keep moving in the right direction.
This move by the University gives hope of a positive change. The shift from radical ideologies to civilisational roots is a very welcome step and should be replicated in other Islamic universities which had kept their eyes shut for progressive and inclusive teachings of Sanatan Dharma.
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