Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, Nov 8: Former Kerala education minister and MP, E T Muhammed Basheer, heaped lavish praises on Salafi Movement for playing a leading role in creating educational revolution among the Muslim community. He was speaking after inaugurating the public meeting organized as part of the educational conference organized at Salafi Nagar in Deralakatte near here on Sunday November 7,w hich was a part of the annual day programme of Markaz Ibn Taimiyya, Ansar Arabic college, functioning at Deralakatte near here.
“There was a time when the elders dithered from providing education to even our boys, let alone girls. They were against giving worldly education to the children, as they felt, this could jeopardise their theosophical progress. In course of time, this feeling is tapering off. When I was the education minister of Kerala, there was lot of opposition when I wanted to initiate ambitious programmes to educate Muslim community. I am happy that of late, the people have become receptive to these ideas,” Basheer explained.
He said that educational institutions do not just dole out degree certificates, but that they are places where knowledge and moral values are taught. He added that education is a wealth which is more valuable than any other movable and immovable wealth, and that education cannot be leased, pawned or sold.
Baba Khan, vice president of Karnataka Goa Jamiyyate Ahle Hadis, presided. Special lectures on ‘the religion that changed the world’ and ‘Islam, which gave key to knowledge to the world’ were delivered by Ummer Shariff from Bangalore and Salahuddin Abdul Khader of Ansar Arabic College, respectively.
Coastal Development Authority chairman, Nagaraj Shetty, released the work, ‘Islam, as I have understood’, while MLA, Yogish Bhat, released Madrassa text books for sixth and seventh standards.
MLA, U T Khader, entrepreneur from Bellary, Syed Abdul Basit, district Congress vice president, Ivan D’Souza, chief whip of the city corporation, Ranganath Kini, corporators, political leaders, and other dignitaries were present.
Ismail Shaffi, administrative officer of Ansar Arabic College, welcomed and presented the programme. The programme was coordinated by South Karnataka Salafi Movement.