Born as Salma Begum in a Muslim family of a small town Dibai, District Bulandshahar in the northern state of India, Uttar Pradesh, she went on to become the first Muslim woman in the world to do her PhD in Sanskrit (1969), India’s ancient language. After marriage she changed her name to Salma Mahfooz.
“My father, Ishtiaque Ahmed and mother, Ehsaan Fatima encouraged me to pursue my higher studies in Sanskrit as I was deeply interested in the language.
After completing high school from the UP board, I came to Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) for higher studies in 1961 and opted for Sanskrit,” says Dr. Salma Mahfooz.
Salma Mahfooz completed her BA and MA in Sanskrit and finally went on to write her PhD thesis in Sanskrit on the ‘Types of Heroines in Sanskrit Dramas’ under the supervision of India’s acclaimed Sanskrit scholar Dr. Ram Suresh Tripathi. She also did an MA in Hindi literature.
“In my PhD thesis, I have analysed several roles that a woman portrays in multiple Sanskrit literary forms,” says Dr. Salma Mahfooz.
She taught Sanskrit at Rani Bhagyawati College in Bijnor and later joined AMU as a Lecturer.
Under the fellowship of India’s regulatory body for higher education, University Grants Commission, she authored a book ‘A Critical Study of ‘Sirre Akbar visa-vis-The Upanishads’ by Dara Shikoh (1615 – 1659), the eldest son of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan
“I have taught Upanishads, Hindu religious texts, and various other Sanskrit literature components,” adds Dr. Salma Mahfooz.
A practicing Muslim, Salma Mahfooz has studied Hindu scriptures and texts, including The Bhagavad Gita, a 700-verse Sanskrit scripture that is part of the Hindu epic Mahabharata, and Kama Sutra, an ancient Indian Sanskrit text on sexuality and eroticism.
She was a Senior Research Fellow and Research Associate at the University Grants Commission and also headed the Sanskrit Department of the Aligarh Muslim University.
source: http://www.youtube.com / www.cineink.com / Cine Ink / January 10th, 2019
Mohsin E Millat Award being presented to Mr. Shamsuddin Punekar by Prof. Shakeel Samdani, Prof. Akhtar Hasbeeb and Prof. A.R.Kidwai
Aligarh:
“Those who are getting education from the great institution established by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan are having the blessings of Almighty on them. Had the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) not existed, then the Indians would have remained educationally backward for a long period of time. I really admire Sir Syed Ahmad Khan that he started an educational movement and that movement gave me inspiration to do social and educational work” said edupreneur Shamsuddin Abdullah Punekar while addressing a seminar organized by Sir Syed Awareness Forum (SAF) on “Sir Syed, Aligarh Movement and Importance of Education” at Auditorium, University Polytechnic, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh.
Mr. Punekar was also conferred “Mohsin E Millat Award” for his services in the field of education. He is the man who established 24 educational institutions in Karnataka and running them successfully.
The award was conferred by Prof. Akhtar Haseeb, Pro Vice Chancellor, AMU and Prof. Shakeel Samdani, President of Sir Syed Awareness Forum, Aligarh..
Mr. Punekar further said that it is the duty of the old boys of this university to take inspiration from the life of Sir Syed and spare some time and money for social and educational work. He told the audience in detail about his life and struggle in establishing 24 educational institutions in Karnataka. He exhorted the audience to save our youth by guiding them on the right path. At last, he congratulated Prof. Shakeel Samdani for organizing such a wonderful seminar.
While inaugurating the seminar, Prof. Akhtar Haseeb, Pro-Vice Chancellor, AMU said that the seed of scientific education planted by Sir Syed has grown up into a tree in the form of Aligarh Muslim University and its three centres. Sir Syed always preached the ideals of tolerance, secularism and brotherhood. He, while congratulating Prof. Shakeel Samdani for successfully organizing the seminar, said that there is no substitute of hard work and those who keep on working hard will see its benefits sooner or later. In the last he advised the audience that whatever has been transpired in the seminar should be transformed into action.
Prof. Shakeel Samdani, Director of the seminar and Dean, Faculty of Law, AMU while highlighting the objectives of the SAF, said that this forum was established 15 years ago with the mission to enlighten the ideals of Sir Syed to the students and the forum has been successful in doing so. The purpose of this forum is to make the students aware about the mission and vision of Sir Syed including constitutional ideals of secularism, tolerance, peace and harmony. Prof. Samdani furhter said that in comparison to North India, South Indian Muslims adopted Aligarh Movement and established hundreds of high qualtiy institutions. The same movement should be restarted in north India by the Muslims.
U.P. Ratan Awardee, Dr. Lokesh Sharma said that no one can repay the debt of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan. Sir Syed lost everything for the upliftment of the community. Without caring about his opposition and criticism Sir Syed continued to work for scientific education and he successfully achieved his goal.
Prof. A.R. Kidwai, Director, UGC Academic Staff Collge, AMU while delivering his presidential remarks said that, Sir Syed worked a lot for scientific education and he became a defender of scientific education. He also discussed the tour of Sir Syed to England, where he saw the lifestyle, education system, syllabus, buildings of them and tried to replicate them in AMU.
Dr. Swati Rao while addressing the gathering said that education is incomplete without proper upbringing. She further said that Urdu language is an Indian language and it can be called as the language of communal harmony. She wondered by Urdu language is not getting justice in the country.
Prof. Mohibul Haque said that Sir Syed was one who influenced the time. Sir Syed and Raja Ram Mohan Roy were the first who started socio-religious movement in India. Sir Syed launched educational movement for regeneration of Muslim community and he was the pioneer of interfaith understanding.
The notable feature of the seminar was that it was attended by 32 delegates from Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. 2 delegates came from Turkey and gave an international touch to the seminar. A large number of academicians, faculty members and students of AMU were present in this seminar.
The seminar was moderated by Ayesha Samdani, MBBS student, at AMU. The seminar was started by the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran by Dr. Obaid Iqbal Asim, Abdullah Samdani welcomed the guests and vote of thanks was proposed by Khansa.
The seminar was made successful with the tireless efforts of Adv. Shoeb Ali, General Secretary, SAF, Dr. Haider Ali, Inchage, Mrs. Anjum Tasneem, Mohd. Nasir, Hunain Khalid, Kashif Sultan, Chitranshu, Manasvee, Samreen, Anas, Shubham, Zakia Khan, Samra Hashim, Pawan Varshney, Yusuf Iqbal, Md. Sabeeh, Sachin Varshney, Rahul Singh, Shelja, Talat Anjum, Razia Chauhan, Shreya Singh, Salman, Moiz, Adnan, Chirag and others.
source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Education> Indian Muslim> Positive Story / by Abdullah Samdani / November 17th, 2019
As many as 798 candidates have cleared the Combined Medical Services Examination 2019 conducted by the Union Public Service Commission against 919 vacant positions. Among the successful candidates, there are 41 Muslims.
The examinations were held in two parts. The Computer Based Examination (Part-I) was held on July 21, 2019 and Personality Test (Part-II) was held from October to December 2019. The final results were declared on December 27.
The successful candidates, in order of merit, have been recommended for appointment to the posts of:
(i) Assistant Divisional Medical Officer in the Railways
(ii) Assistant Medical Officer in Indian Ordnance Factories Health Service
(iii) Junior Scale Posts in Central Health Service
(iv) General Duty Medical Officer in New Delhi Municipal Council
(v) General Duty Medical Officer Gr-II in East Delhi Municipal Corporation, North Delhi Municipal Corporation and South Delhi Municipal Corporation.
List of the successful Muslim candidates:
Name
Rank
1
SAHANA B
6
2
FATIMA RASHID
86
3
SABAHAT ZAFAR
103
4
MOHAMMAD AKHAL ALISHA
179
5
MODASSAR FERAZ
186
6
SAID JABIR
234
7
SYED SAHIL HUSSAIN RIZVI
242
8
ABOOTHAHIR VM
286
9
P SHAIK HUSNA NAAZ
288
10
JUBAIRIYA K H
303
11
MAHSOOMA T A
304
12
FARHAT KAUSAR
335
13
SHAMEEL K K
344
14
SHABNA A
353
15
BEEGUM THASNEEM S S
365
16
TASNEEM MUHAMMED SHERIEF
383
17
THASLEEM SHAREEF
384
18
SUBAHANA NAZIR
411
19
MADHIHA M
443
20
SHABNA T K
485
21
ANSHAD BEGUM
494
22
SHAIK JAWAD HUSSAIN
583
23
RAFSAL MUHAMMAD
590
24
MOHAMMED ASIF
591
25
RAFIYA FATIMA
597
26
MOHAMMED SADIQUE M P
600
27
MOHD NAWAZ
620
28
AYSHA M
629
29
SHAHEENA PARVEEN H
648
30
NIDA SHABBIR
650
31
MOHAMMAD ASLAM ANSARI
651
32
SAJIL HAQ C G
665
33
ALAUDDIN ANSARI
667
34
DANISH AHMAD KHAN
688
35
SOMY KHAN
709
36
MOHAMMED SADATH ALI P V
717
37
SAHANASHREE G
736
38
TAHIR MEHMOOD
742
39
MEMON NAURIN ZAHIDBHAI
750
40
HAIK MOHAMMED ILIYAZ BASHA
753
41
AMEENA M
794
source: http://www.caravandaily.com / CaravanDaily.com / Home> Big Story> Indian Muslims / by Caravan News / January 01st, 2020
Jamia Markaz at Karanthur in Kozhikode is on a roll as the first batch of 20 Muslim religious scholars from Markaz Law College turned lawyers. Thanks to the mission of Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar alias Sheik Abubakr Ahmad, the founder and chancellor of Jamia Markaz in ensuring students overall growth– Intellectual, Spiritual and Social.
And rightly the Governor of Kerala Arif Mohammed Khan during an event at Jamia Markaz a week ago had eulogised the services of Aboobacker Musliyar by saying– Kerala Muslims are blessed as they have visionary religious leadership. Not just imparting education, the Markaz hones the skills of students in different spheres thereby making them face the challenges in life after their course.
Joy knew no bounds for the Musliyars turned lawyers clad in black pants and white shirts with the advocate gowns after they got enrolled at the Kerala State Bar Council in Kochi. Interestingly, the enrolment event was like a festival with family members, college management and scores of friends and relatives accompanying them. Markaz Law College is the first project launched under the Knowledge City of Markazu Saquafathi Sunniyya which is affiliated to the University of Calicut and is recognised by the Bar Council of India. The law college started in October 2014 at the markaz campus offers three year LLB course.
Notably, the religious scholars after completing their post-graduation in Islamic theology took up law course. Quite interestingly, fifty year-old Dr Hussain Saquafi C S,the vice chancellor of Jamia Markaz was one among the first batch of students to get enrolled as advocate at the bar council in Kochi. Enthusiam was writ large on the face of newly enrolled advocates, who are all set to begin their legal practice. Meanwhile, a few are preparing for governemnt postings as munsif cum magistrate while a major chunk of them are keen to specialise in criminology, human rights, corporate law and constitutional law.
Jamia Markaz (Islamic University) was established in 1978 in a sprawling campus at Karanthur in Kozhikode grew from strength to strength to emerge as a centre of social, cultural progress as well as educational excellence for the entire communities across the country as a whole Muslims in particular. Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad is the grand Mufti of India, who is also the General Secretary of the All India Sunni Jamiyyathul Ulama besides Chancellor of the Jamia Markaz and Chairman of the Siraj Daily and President of Islamic Educational Board of India.
source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Education> Indian Muslim / by M Rafi Ahmed, Muslim Mirror / November 01st, 2019
We have acknowledged a lot of legendary stories of underprivileged children who knocked out every difficulties on their way to achieve a great successful life ahead. One bright example is Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, who, out of poverty, used to sell newspapers in his early childhood to earn for his livelihood and studies. Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar couldn’t study in a small room due to the presence of his other fourteen siblings, so he used to sleep early and get up in the midnight to study when all others were fast asleep. Dr. Rajendra Prasad studied under the street lights, etc.
Here is a similar story of a child named Aamir Ahmad of fourth class. Aamir has won gold medal in the International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO) in 2017-2018.
It was a cold night. It was the wedding reception party of a friend. We had our fine dinner by 9 pm. Now it was time for the talks for the gathering of friends. We set a bonfire in front of the friend’s house. And the laughter began. We indulged in the entertainment of anecdotes and jokes around married life. Then a bicycle bell rings. We were blocking the road with our gathering. A little boy on a cycle with his younger littler sister on the back carriage of the bicycle. He wanted us to move so that he could go on his way.
Aamir with his sister. Picture taken from Author’s FB page
My eyes fell on the boy. With a woolen cap on his head and a shirt with all buttons buttoned up till neck for it was cold out there, maybe he didn’t have a sweater. I recognized the boy. He was Aamir from my school. I called him out, “Aamir”. He replied, “yes, sir”. I approached him. His bicycle’s handle was laden with 10-12 one and two-litre bottles and a 3 year old sister on the back. Some 20-25 kilogram load. I asked him “where are you going in this cold night?” He replied, “I am out to sell milk, house to house.” I said “day after tomorrow you have level-2 exam of International Mathematics Olympiad”. He replied immediately, “Yes, sir. I have finished revising 7 chapters of the 14 from IMO practice book before leaving home and will finish the remaining 7 chapters after going back home before I sleep.”
I was stunned. I knew he was from an economically poor family but I didn’t know that he used to sell milk every morning and evening. I didn’t have any words to say. I stood there looking at him with a gasp. He kept looking at me if I had to tell something. I could say anything but okay bye. He wished ‘salaam’ and left to go about his work.
I was shaken from inside. I kept thinking how many such kids are struggling day in day out to make their dreams come true with all their sweat and blood, with no proper clothes to wear according to the weather, with no food to fill their stomachs two times a day but with courage to dream of reaching the stars.
Aamir is the eldest of his siblings. He tops in his class exams. Has already earned a gold medal in International Mathematics Olympiad. Tomorrow (11th Feb, 2017) he is going to Bishop Cotton School, Ranchi, to attempt level-2 of the IMO.
I only pray that this 10 year old Aamir becomes exemplary for kids of his age sucked up in Android culture and becomes a new Kalam for the country.
(Note: The original write-up(Hindi) is translated into English by Kashish Azeem and Adeel Ahmed)
source: http://www.thecompanion.in / The Companion / Home> Education / by Sajid Hussain / February 14th, 2018
Rabeeha Abdurehim later accepted her certificate but turned down the medal. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Pondy University student later accepts M.A. degree but rejects medal in solidarity with CAA protesters
A student who completed her masters in Mass Communication with a gold medal from Pondicherry University, Rabeeha Abdurehim, has alleged that she was prevented from attending the convocation ceremony attended by President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday.
Rabeeha Abdurehim, who hails from Kozhikode in Kerala, told reporters after the ceremony that she was asked to leave the hall before the President arrived.
“As I was on the radar of authorities (for participation in anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests), I was asked to leave the hall and was allowed only after the President left. Later, I received my degree and refused to accept the gold medal,” she told reporters.
Ms. Rabeeha said her decision to reject the gold medal was also to express solidarity with students who faced police brutality while staging protests against the CAA.
‘Take a strong stand’
“Educated youth should take a strong stand against the legislation and fascist regime,” she said.
Ms. Rabeeha did her masters in the School of Media and Communication of Pondicherry University. Another gold medallist from the same school, Karthika B. Kurup had announced her decision to boycott the convocation in support of the protest against the CAA.
S.I. Humayun, officer-in-charge, Pondicherry University, said the student’s decision to not receive the medal from the President was her “personal decision” and the University had nothing to comment on it.
The official also denied knowledge of what actually led her to getting ousted as she had been duly registered and had taken a seat.
‘She was asked to leave’
“All we know is that there was commotion in the hall and she was asked to leave. She was allowed back after departure of the President.”
The official also denied the charge that she was asked to leave for wearing a hijab as was being claimed on social media.
“This is borne out by the student’s Facebook post where she herself has denied it,” said the official.
In her Facebook post, Ms. Rabeeha said that while she dreamt often about the moment she would receive a gold medal and master’s certificate, “never did I imagine it would end up being in a way in which I could send a strong peaceful message across India.”
“As a woman, as a student, as an Indian, today in my graduation I reject the gold medal awarded to me in solidarity with all the students and publicwho are fighting against CAA and NRC. This is my way of showing the world what education means to us youth, not medals and certificates but… standing up against injustice, fascism and bigotry,” she said.
“And even though (for ‘unknown’ reasons) I was send (sic) out of the auditorium where 100s of students sat awaiting their medals when the president came and was only allowed inside when he left, I feel at peace for the fact that I was able to take a stand as an educated youth”.
A post script to this added: “I have been seeing news which says I was asked to remove my scarf. That is false. No one asked me to remove anything. No one told me why I was kept outside.”
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Puducherry / by Special Correspondent / Puducherry – December 23rd, 2019
A quaint teashop on one of the dingy lanes in Sharda Nagar in Kanpur has been the talk of the town for the past few weeks. The teashop is often seen crowded. It is not the tea but the owner of the teashop Muhammad Mahboob Malik who draws the crowd now. This 29-year-old commoner had become an overnight celebrity in the locality after he was mentioned by former cricketer VVS Laxman in one of his tweets recently.
Laxman had shared the incredibly inspiring life of Malik who has been sponsoring the education of 40 poor kids, for the last three years, using 80% of his income. Forty students study in various divisions till class 4 in his school.
Malik’s father was the only earning member in his family which had six children. His income alone was not enough to make the two ends meet. So, the kids didn’t have enough opportunities to fare well in their studies. Amidst all these struggles, Malik could only study till class 10.
Soon, Malik too began working at his father’s teashop. It was then that he began noticing how a few kids from the poor families in the locality were roaming around or begging, without attending school. Most of them were the children of single mothers who struggled even to feed their kids at least one meal a day. For them, sending their children to the school was unthinkable.
Malik, who saw himself in those kids, had decided to sponsor their education. He believes that he would not have ended up in the small teashop on the street and could have done more for the development of the nation had he got the opportunity for better education. It was this thought which motivated Malik to take the significant decision to help the poor kids complete their education.
In the beginning, Malik opened coaching centers in the locality and also at Gurudev Talkies and Kanshiram Colony where around 350 children were taught for free. He even appointed teachers for a remuneration of Rs 2,000 per day for training the kids for two hours every day. However, soon he realized that the two-hour classes were not enough to bring significant changes in the attitude or life of those poor kids.
In 2017, as instructed by a friend, Malik began an NGO called the Tujhe Salam Foundation with the sole aim to provide free and quality education for the poor children in the locality. A core team of 5 members and other volunteers are responsible for training the 40 kids. The NGO provides uniform, shoes, socks, bag and other stationery items to these students absolutely free of cost. Malik finds the money to run this school, which functions in a rented building, from his income at the teashop.
Malik, who wakes up at 5 in the morning, works in the teashop from 5.30 am to 7.30 am. After 7.30 am, his father would manage the teashop when Malik goes to the school. He returns in the afternoon and would again work in the shop from 3 pm to 11 in the night. Malik tries to save at least Rs 500 per day to meet the expenses at the school.
In the beginning, a few neighbours had criticised Malik for spending his hard-earned money on this social cause. Some had even called him mad. But the same people began appreciating him when more people came to know about his amazing effort. After Laxman’s tweet became viral, lots of people are coming to meet him at his teashop and school.
Now, Malik is all set to register his NGO and secure 80G certification that will enable tax exemption for donors. Malik wishes to work even harder so that he can extent his school to class 10 where he could give free education to at least 200 poor kids.
source: http://www.english.manoramaonline.com / OnManorama / Home> News> Campus Reporter / by OnManorama / December 15th, 2019
If you believe in first impressions, you are likely to be disappointed by Gazelle S Khan and Yasmin Mehtab. The two lifelong friends were full-time homemakers, busy taking care of their family, kids and other responsibilities to make their homes run smoothly. There was something they both aspired for but were unclear about the exact nature of what they wanted till they attended a workshop on self-management.
Speaking to TwoCircles.net, Yasmin said, “It started in December 2017 when Gazelle and I participated in a workshop and witnessed a transformation in ourselves.” Adding to the Gazelle says, “Often, we homemakers forget our happiness and keep making sacrifices for our families. But we need to strike a balance. The workshop that we attended touched our lives and we decided to take the skills we learned to others in need to be transformed. And that is how You Touch Lives (YTL) began.”
It was Yasmin who came up with the idea of having YTL (platform to help many who are even clueless about the crisis they are in), to which Gazelle readily agreed. While Yasmin uses her operational acumen to organise the workshop, network etc, Gazelle chose to become the face.
“I also realised that one workshop was not enough to conduct a life-changing workshop for women. I thus became a certified life coach and since then, as they say, there has been no looking back,” she added.
source: http://www.twocircles.net / TwoCircles.net / Home> India News> India Politics> Indian Muslims> Lead Story> TCN Positive / by Shabina Akhtar – TwoCirlces.net / December 13th, 2019
An experts’ committee constituted by the state government to look into the demand of BJP MLA Appachu Ranjan, who sought removal of content related to Tipu Sultan from textbooks, on Tuesday recommended against the demand by urging the government to retain the content on Tipu.
The committee, comprising academicians and historians, had submitted the report to the Karnataka Textbook Society on Monday and expressed an opinion that chapters on the ruler of Mysore currently prescribed in textbooks are only introductory in nature about the life of Tipu Sultan. “It is impossible to teach the history of Mysore without the introduction to Tipu,” the committee noted in its report.
Sources in the committee told DH that all textbooks contain only factual and introductory information about Tipu Sultan. “We have not arrived at any judgement based on the controversy. Being historians, it was our duty to submit a factual report,” revealed a member of the committee. Historians, who were part of the committee, have also advised that some of the documents submitted by Appachu Ranjan need to be verified.
Karnataka Textbook Society officials will now submit the report to the state government for a final decision. Textbooks for classes 6, 7 and 10 had lessons pertaining to Tipu Sultan and his administration.
BJP MLA from Madikeri Appachu Ranjan had appealed to Primary and Secondary Education Minister Suresh Kumar and Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa to drop content related to Tipu Sultan from school textbooks.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> City> Bengaluru Politics / by DHNS, Bengaluru / December 10th, 2019
Dr Adfer Rashid Shah of Sarojini Naidu Centre for Women’s Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), has received George Greenia Research Fellowship of USA to study Amarnath Yatra.
Dr Adfer Rashid Shah of Sarojini Naidu Centre for Women’s Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) has been awarded with George Greenia Research Fellowship in Pilgrimage Studies from USA’s William & Mary University for a qualitative study of Amarnath Yatra in Kashmir Valley.
The fellowship by George Greenia, the second-oldest university in the US after Harvard, provides funding for faculty to support original scholarship on pilgrimage.
Dr Shah’s project titled, ‘Understanding a Perpetual Pilgrimage in a Conflict Zone from Stakeholders’ Views and Experiences: A Qualitative Study of Amarnath Yatra in Kashmir Valley‘ has been accepted for the fellowship.
Dr Shah has been researching Muslim Endowments (Auqaf), peacebuilding and pilgrimages in India, especially Amarnath Pilgrimage in Kashmir valley for many years, this fellowship is the recognition of his years of work in this field.
He was chosen for this award during the Annual Symposium hosted by William and Mary’s Institute for Pilgrimage Studies in November this year.
The award also contains a cash prize of one thousand US dollars. Dr Shah also presented a paper (in absentia) titled ‘pilgrimage and peacebuilding in conflict zones: Notes on Amarnath pilgrimage in India’s Kashmir Valley’ in the symposium.
About Dr Adfer Rashid Shah
Dr Shah earned his doctorate in Sociology from JMI in 2015 and has authored three books and about 40 research papers in prestigious journals. He also edits Eurasia Review as Associate Editor and also served Women’s Link Journal as Associate Editor besides writing columns for leading newspapers.
source: http://www.indiatoday.in / India Today / Home> News> Education Today> News / by India Today Web Desk / New Delhi – December 07th, 2019
