Deoband seminary to not get affiliated to U.P. Madrasa Board

Darul Uloom organised a day-long national conference at Deoband on Sunday in which owners of over 6,000 madrasas affiliated with the seminary participated. Islamic scholars and madrasa owners discussed several issues and unanimously took three major decisions regarding madrasa affiliation, funding and courses.

MEERUT Islamic seminary Darul Ullom of Deoband has decided to not get affiliated to the Uttar Pradesh Madrasa Board and has also declared that there would be no changes in courses of its madrasas.

The seminary has also declared that there would be no changes in courses of its madrasas. (Pic for representation)

Darul Uloom organised a day-long national conference at Deoband on Sunday in which owners of over 6,000 madrasas affiliated with the seminary participated.

Islamic scholars and madrasa owners discussed several issues and unanimously took three major decisions regarding madrasa affiliation, funding and courses.

Maulana Arshad Madni, head of the teachers in Darul Uloom of Deoband, said that the seminary had decided not to get affiliated with the state’s Madrasa Board. He said the seminary had sufficient resources and funds and after discussion, it was decided to continue the existing courses in madrasas without making any changes.

The seminary’s spokesperson Ashraf Usmani said that Darul Uloom of Deoband was registered under the Society Act and gave affiliation to madrasas across the country. So, it needed no affiliation from the Madrasa Board. He explained that the seminary also did not need any government aid because it had sufficient funds provided by people for its activities.

He said the national conference of madrasas was organised once in two years but could not be held for the past two years due to the corona pandemic, so it had been organised now. The objective of the conference was to discuss issues related to madrasas in the prevailing situation and owners from across the country participated in it enthusiastically.

Maulana Madni reminded that Darul Uloom and its scholars played an important role during the freedom struggle. But it was shocking to see that the madrasas’ integrity was being questioned and attempts were made to link madrasa owners with terrorism.

He clarified that madrasas had nothing to do with politics.

Targeting the present governments, Maulana Madni said that a ban was being imposed on construction inside the seminary which always spread the message of peace and harmony. “The seminary never faced such a situation in the past because those who were in power knew its contribution to the struggle for freedom and nation-building,” he said and reminded that the situation and the government kept changing.

The seminary’s Mohatmim (vice chancellor) Mufti Abul Kasim Nomani denied introducing any change in the syllabus of madrasas.