Secular lesson from Chennai

8220;No religion teaches hatred or violence. The root cause for all communal tension is the lack of knowledge about religion,8217;8217; points out G.S.M.P. Khadri, the Foundation8217;s Correspondent. In 1975, the Murthuzaviya Trust decided to combine 8216;secular and religious education8217; and introduced Sanskrit along with teachings in Islam in the Oriental Higher Secondary School run by it. Education was free, both for Hindus and Muslims. Many enthusiastic Muslim students enrolled over the years.

The Sanskrit teachers in the school are both Muslims and Hindus. Misbah Fathima 22 is a post-graduate in Applied Mathematics. But after passing Sanskrit with a First Class, she loved the language so much she decided to teach it. The youngest teacher in the school, Misbah says that her parents had encouraged her to learn the language. 8220;I want to teach it to as many Muslims possible,8217;8217; she says.

Last month, the institution introduced Persian classes. Two Hindus enrolled, one among them being a bureaucrat. Says Persian teacher Mohammed Sulaiman proudly, 8220;The Hindu students are quick to learn the khuruf hija the Persian alphabet.8217;8217;