No Purdah from God

That they fulfil a very real need is apparent from the droves of girls from India and abroad 8212; 2,600 at last count at the 10-year-old Manubar school alone 8212; who have enrolled here. Earlier, there were just two such centres for girls, one in Malegaon, Maharashtra, and the other in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh.

While the course traditionally centres around the Quran Sharif, the girls are also taught languages like Urdu, Arabic, Persian and English, computers and even sewing. In some schools, mathematics is part of the curriculum, and at least one dar-ul-uloom management is considering introducing vocational courses as well.

Though it may not seem like a big deal, it is certainly a world apart from the local madrasas or maulvis at home that were the only options for theological education for Muslim girls so far. 8216;8216;Ma ki kokh bachche ka pehla madrasa hota hain, isi liye ladkiyon ki tarbiyat sahi honi chahiye A mother8217;s womb is the child8217;s first school. That is why girls should be educated right8217;8217;, Maulana Ali Ismail at the JSBA justifies their effort.

A typical day for a student begins around 4.30 am, with prayers and breakfast. Next comes the chore of cleaning up rooms and classrooms. 8216;8216;Our students come from varied family backgrounds. Cleaning up their surroundings is our way of teaching them that there is no shame in menial work,8217;8217; says Aalima Aarifa, who teaches Arabic at the Jamiat-ul-Banat-run dar-ul-uloom at Tankaria village, close to Manubar.

Once that is out of the way, it is time for classes. Lunch at noon is followed by afternoon prayers in spacious halls. Then it8217;s another round of classes. Evenings are spent in play in the huge quadrangle surrounded by the residential quarters and classrooms.

8216;8216;Because of the packed schedule, we have little time to ourselves, but it8217;s fun to get to know each other, since we come from different places,8217;8217; says Somaiya of Bhalej village, Anand district. With her is Fatima Nizamuddin, a 14-year-old from Toronto. 8216;8216;I8217;ve come here to learn the Islamic way of life. There is no such facility in Canada. I plan to complete the seven-year course here and then go back to mainstream studies,8217;8217; she says in between practising her Arabic pronunciation.

The teachers, too, have their hands full. 8216;8216;We try to set an example to the students, so we are absorbed in learning and teaching all 24 hours,8217;8217; says Aalima Karimunnisa, one of the 187 woman teachers at the Manubar school. Adds Ismail Mohammed Bhuta, one of the trustees of the Tankaria dar-ul-uloom, 8216;8216;It is not just about teaching them prayers, but also educating them on proper behaviour.8217;8217;

Just as there are no strict criteria for enrollment 8212; new students range in age from 11 to 15 8212; so the fee structure, too, is flexible, to accommodate girls from all income backgrounds. The dar-ul-ulooms claim to sustain themselves not through the fees but through donations and zakat during the month of Ramzan; it helps that in Gujarat at least they are located in predominantly-Muslim NRI country.

Because of the strict segregation of the sexes and the enforcement of purdah, the schools have found favour with traditionalist Muslim parents. And the girls themselves seem to appreciate the difference the dar-ul-uloom makes. 8216;8216;Unlike regular schools, this is not just about learning subjects, but about becoming good human beings,8217;8217; says Aarifa Bashir, a Fijian who intends to return home and become an Islamic teacher. And who can find fault with that?