In the wake of the recently announced admissions for MA in Islamic Studies and for Diploma in the Arabic language at Al-Mawrid, an introduction of the institute is being reproduced here for the benefit of the readers. (Editor)
HISTORY
Al-Mawrid Institute of Islamic Sciences strives to introduce a new chapter in Islamic education and research. Its basic objective is to produce scholars and doctors of Islam who have the ability to revive the intellectual process initiated by illustrious Muslim scholars of the past. The fundamental tenet of this intellectual process is that the interpretation of Islam from its original sources should be an ongoing process because the element of human error can never be eliminated. This process should continue so that through reflection and criticism, inferences and interpretations become more and more refined and scholars of various eras can make their own contribution in this journey for the quest of truth. Like flowing water, the torrent of human intellectual advancement can only remain pure if it is allowed to flow. It will stagnate if not allowed to take its natural course. No view or interpretation is sacred if it cannot stand up to criticism. It should not have any value merely because a certain great scholar or imam presented it. Great scholars are not immune from error; therefore, it is arguments and reasoning based only on the original sources of Islam that should be the basis for accepting or rejecting a point of view.
Today, unfortunately, this approach so widespread in the early period of Islam, has become alien to Muslim scholars. The gushing fountains of intellectual thought have given way to pools of intellectual stagnation. Curtailment of this intellectual process has not only alienated creative minds from religious scholarship, but has also given rise to the menace of sectarianism. Muslim intelligentsia all over the globe cannot become deeply attached to their religion and, therefore, become morally revived until competent Muslim scholars are produced who have the ability to break the shackles of this intellectual stagnation and who have been groomed in a manner that they can face the challenge of the modern era.
Realizing this void present in Muslim scholarship, many distinguished scholars of the sub-continent like Shibli, Farahi, Iqbal, Azad, Islahi and Mawdudi tried to establish institutes of Islamic education in the past century to institutionalize this intellectual process. Unfortunately, owing to various reasons, such institutes were either not able to survive or were forced to abandon their revolutionary approach. Al-Mawrid Institute of Islamic Sciences is yet another effort to revive that revolutionary approach. Javed Ahamd Ghamidi (b:1951), a pupil of the famous exegete of the Qur’an from the subcontinent, Amin Ahsan Islahi (d:1997), set about grooming some young individuals over two decades ago in order to build the basic team that could institutionalize this intellectual process. In 1983, an institute by the name of Al-Mawrid (literally: a place to quench one’s thirst) was set up by him and by some committed individuals who lent support to the institute in every way they could. As a result of many years of hard work, a small team of scholars has emerged who have been educated on the above mentioned lines. After being trained on job, they were able to form the faculty of the institute in 1997 when the institute took its present shape as formal postgraduate classes on Islamic Studies were initiated. In 2001, the institute was formally affiliated to the MA Jinnah University, Karachi.
Ever since its inception, the institute has been run by a Board of Governors. The Board consists of a group of devoted businessmen and professionals who are fully committed to the development of the institute. All affairs of the Board are conducted in a democratic way: elections for the Chairman and Secretary General are held after every three years.
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MASTER’S PROGRAMME
The institute offers a two-year programme of Master’s in Islamic Studies for students who have a Bachelor’s degree in any subject and have done their one-year Diploma in Arabic language (64 semester credit hours (sch)) offered by the institute or have equivalent qualifications. The courses are covered in six semesters of four months each.
Details are as follows:
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Major Courses (32 sch) · Sources of Islam |
Minor Courses (4.8 sch) · Introduction to Islam |
Half-Minor Courses (2.4 sch)
· Sīrah Studies
· Ancient History of Arabia
SUBSIDIARY PROGRAMMES
Besides the Master’s Programme, the institute offers the following courses as well:
i. Arabic Diploma Course (1 year)
This intensive course which spans 64 semester credit hours in a period of one year aims to teach the Arabic language to the students through the direct method. After completing this course, the students are able to:
1. Directly understand Arabic text unmarked with vowel sounds
2. Write in Arabic
3. Have a basic knowledge of the syntax and morphology of Arabic
ii. Short Courses
For people who want to know the basics of their religion, the institute offers various short courses in the evening. Among them are:
· Qur’ānic Studies (3 months: 4 days a week)
· Hadīth Studies (3 months: 4 days a week)
· Sīrah Studies (3 months: 3 days a week)
· Introduction to Islam (3 months: 4 days a week)
· Elementary Spoken Arabic (3 months: 4 days a week)
· Advanced Spoken Arabic (3 months: 4 days a week)
· Early Muslim History (3 months: 3 days a week)
iii. Distance Learning Courses
Efforts are underway to facilitate distance learning from the institute. An ‘Understanding the Qur’ān’ – e-mail course’ is in the offing. It consists of the following modules:
| 1.
Revelation of the Qur’ān |
4. Structure of the Qtur’ān |
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2. History of the Qur’ān |
5. Language of the Qur’ān |
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3. Theme of the Qur’ān |
6. Interpreting the Qur’ān |
iv. Instruction for Children
A weekly class for the religious instruction of children aged 8-15 is regularly held at the institute. The idea is to infuse the real spirit of Islam in these nation builders of tomorrow.
LIBRARY
The institute has a research library which has about eight thousand books. It receives about eighty journals of various periodicity. All source books and texts on Islam have been made available.
The Faculty
A team of committed teachers provides instruction to the students; curriculum development and course evaluation are done regularly to improve the existing syllabi. Besides imparting education, teachers are urged to become role models so that they may effectively influence the character and personality of the students.
Finances
It is basically the Board of Governors which provides funds and finances to run the institute. People who find themselves in agreement with the objectives of the institute are welcome to join hands with this team. They can contribute in the development of the institute by:
1. Introducing the institute to their circle of friends
2. Sponsoring a student
3. Contributing funds for library books
4. Sponsoring Research Projects on Qur’ānic Studies, Hadīth Studies and Bible Studies
Future Projects
The institute plans to undertake the following projects in the near future subject to the availability of funds:
1. Construction of an auditorium
2. Addition of new teaching staff
3. Provision of a Hostel
Sister Organizations
The institute draws heavy support from some sister concerns and organizations, which help the institute in creating public awareness on the issue of religious education and on spreading its basic message. They are:
1. Daru’l Ishraq
Contact Person: Dr Agha Tariq Sajjad (Director Marketing)
Email: ishraq@understanding-islam.com
Daru’l Ishraq is a centre for Islamic communications. Its aim is to communicate and disseminate the essence of Islam in the light of its primary sources. Besides publishing books and recording cassettes and CDs on various issues of Islam, it has the following three affiliates:
i. Monthly ‘Ishraq’
Contact Person: Manzur-ul-Hasan (Deputy Editor)
Email: ishraq@understanding-islam.com
Ishraq, a monthly Urdu journal, strives to enlighten the mind and invigorate the heart. It aspires to do away with the menace of sectarianism and present Islam on the basis of the Qur’ān and Sunnah only.
ii. Monthly ‘Renaissance’ (http://www.monthly-renaissance.com)
Contact Person: Shehzad Saleem (Editor)
Email: ssaleem@lhr.paknet.com.pk
The basic objective of this monthly English journal is to promote and patronize the work of scholars who have taken up the daunting task of carrying out original research within the ambit of the Qur’ān and Sunnah.
iii. WebSite ‘Understanding Islam’ (http://www.understanding-islam.com)
Contact Person: Moiz Amjad (Editor)
Email: learner@understanding-islam.com
This site is an attempt to separate the sacred from the profane in a time when human interpretations have become Divine words incarnate. It is a movement to go back to the original sources and to root out intellectual stagnation.
2. Danish Sara
Contact Person: Dr Muhammad Farooq Khan (President)
Email: drfarooqkhan@yahoo.com
Danish Sara is a socio-political think tank that was established in 1997 to try to reconstruct the moral fibre of the society and to reform its public institutions. The basic aim of this forum is to develop an atmosphere of awareness on national issues and basic human values.
3. Mus‘ab Public School (www.musab-welfare.50megs.com)
Contact Person: Muhammad Ishaq (Principal)
Email: musab@understanding-islam.com
Founded in 1994, the underlying object in the establishment of this school is that the doctors, engineers, lawyers, politicians, scholars and educationists that this institution will produce not only turn out to be highly competent in areas of their choice but also be good, diligent and honest Muslims.
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We pray that Al-Mawrid prove to be a centre of excellence to which people can turn from the far off frontiers of this Ummah to quench their thirst for knowledge and spiritual guidance. In its essence, it is a unique venture for the revival of faith and for the reformation of the Ummah. We hope that it usher in a new era of intellectual revolution in the Ummah and lay the foundations of a new world of knowledge and wisdom.
Board of Governors
1. Javed Ahmad Ghamidi: Dean of Academics, Al-Mawrid Institute of Islamic Sciences __ Founder President
2. Muhammad Rashid Farooqi: Director, Sheikh Wilayat Ahmad & Sons, Karachi ___ Chairman
3. Shakeel-ur-Rehman: Director, Snowhite Dry Cleaning Industries, Karachi. ___ Secretary General
4. Muhammad Anees Mufti: CEO, Metals & Crucibles, Lahore ___ Secretary Finance
5. Parvez Hashmy: Chairman, Product Services (pvt) Limited, Lahore
6. Altaf Mahmood Chaudhry: Director, Altaf & Company, Lahore
7. Dr Muhammad Farooq Khan: Psychiatrist, Mardan.
8. Nasir Usman Kalia: Director, K B Sarkar (pvt) Ltd, Karachi.
9. S M Saeed Allahwala: Director, Kohinoor Chemical Industries Ltd, Karachi.
10. Muhammad Nisaar: Director, Bilal Enterprises, Karachi
11. Shehzad Alam: Chief Executive, Unitech Electronics (pvt) Ltd & Faculty Member, IBA Punjab University, Lahore.
12. Mukhtar Ali: Manager Purchase, Kakasian Feeds (Pvt) Ltd, Karachi
13. Dr Muhammad Agha Tariq Sajjad: Managing Editor, Ishraq, Lahore
14. Muhammad Hanif: Director, H.M Hanif & Co., Karachi
15. Muhammad Ali Durrani: President Wise Education Society, Lahore
16. Muhammad Saleem Safi: Bureau Chief, NNI, Peshawar
17. Muhammad Yunus Zindani: Proprietor, Swiss Gold, Karachi
18. Mrs Tariq Rahman: Chairperson, Executive Committee, Fatimah Memorial Hospital, Lahore
19. Shahzad Asghar: Director, Style Textiles, Lahore