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A Study of Madrasas of Kerala: An Overview

Prof. Sushma Jaireth 1

Mr. Shiraz.S 2

Ms. Khadija Siddiqui 2

Introduction
The Kerala Muslims, estimated at around a fourth of the state’s population,
is the most well educated Muslim community in the country. Although some
Madrasas of the ‘traditional’ type do exist in Kerala, they have been
overtaken by a large and expanding network of reformed Madrasas that
have incorporated ‘modern’ subjects and teaching methods of varying
degrees. The ‘reformed’ Madrasas in Kerala highlight the diversity within the
Madrasa education system of the country as a whole in comparison to
‘traditional’ Madrasas of north India.
As a part of the study to understand the gender perspective in the Madrasa
education system, the field work was conducted in sample districts
Malappuram and Thiruvananthapuram of state Kerala. During this visit a
number of Madrasas known as the Islamic educational institutions of both
the districts were visited for data collection. It was found that these Islamic
educational institutions were following different schools of thought and
philosophies like Jamaat-e-Islami, Nadvathul Mujahideen, Samastha Kerala
Jamyiathul Ulema, Dakshina Kerala Jamyiathul Ulema and Tabligi Jamaat.
Further, some of these institutions in district Malappuram are also running
courses which are affiliated with University of Calicut and are thus getting
the government grant according to UGC norms.
Objectives
The major Objectives of the above mentioned study are to:-
Analyze the curriculum of Maktabs and Madrasas from the view point of
gender bias and gender stereotyping
Examine the gender perceptions of students (both girls and boys),
teachers, head teachers/ Principal and the community leaders.
Evolve strategies for education and empowerment of Muslim girls
1
Professor and Principal Investigator, Department of Women’s Studies, NCERT, New Delhi
2
Junior Project Fellow, Department of Women’s Studies, NCERT, New Delhi
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Research Methodology
The present study is a blend of quantitative and qualitative methods.
Primary data of the study is based on the field work conducted in the
Malappuram and Thiruvananthapuram districts of Kerala. Data was
collected with the help of structured schedules/questionnaires, which were
canvassed to all the stakeholders of education i.e. students, teachers, head
teachers/principal and the community leaders. Tools were developed in
English and later were translated in to local language Malayalam. Focused
group discussions were held with the stakeholders to know more on the
relevant information and examine their perception on gender and related
issues.
Islamic Education System
In Kerala there exists the different levels of Islamic education system, which
has been categorised and termed as follows:
Othupalli (Morning or Evening Madrasa in Malayalam)
Dars system(Mosque centric residential learning system)
Arabic or Islamiya colleges (Students studying both Islamic and
Material subjects in residential campus)
Islamic Universities (Affiliated to international Islamic Universities
and provide research level courses)

Students of
Guidance
Arabic College,
a co-ed
institution,
Edakkara,
Malappuram
district
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Courses Offered:
The following are the courses and degrees offered by Islamic institutes.
Courses run by different Islamic Degrees/certification offered by Islamic Institutes
Institutes
Afzalul Ulama Bachelor of Usooluddin
Usooluddin Masters in Quran, Hadeeth, Shareeah & Dawa
Arts & Islamic Course Hudavi
Kulliathul Quran Mannani
Kulliathul Hadeeth Hudhaibi
Kulliathus Shareeah Salafi etc.
Kulliathud Dawa
Alimiyat
Fazilat etc.

Organizational Philosophy:
The schools of thought and the Organizational Philosophies operating in
Kerala have been explained below in brief:-

Jamat-e-Islami Hind Kerala Chapter

Jamaat-e-Islami is a progressive Muslim organization of Kerala.
Establishment of religion-Islam-as a complete way of life i.e. ‘Iqamathuddin’,
is the prime objective of Jamaat-e-Islami. According to this philosophy,

Administrative building of Al Jamia Al Islamiya, Santapuram of Malappuram district

is known as the trend setter in the field of Islamic education. This is the only
institution in Kerala providing P.G Diploma in Islamic Banking and Finance.
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human life can not be divided in to ‘religious’ and ‘material’. Islam

addresses the human beings as a whole. Jamaat-e-Islami Kerala is the first
organization in Kerala which started a women’s Arabic college called
Madrasathul Banath at Chennamangalloor of Kozhikode district.

Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (KNM)

KNM is the counterpart of the Ahl-e-Hadeeth of north India. ‘They believe
that Muslims need to go back to the basic sources of faith, the Quran and
Hadith, by passing centuries of tradition as represented by medieval fiqh
and Sufism. Followers of the movement call themselves Mujahids who are
based only in Kerala who are against superstitions and corrupt practices
that have crept into Muslim society.

Samastha Kerala Jamyiathul Ulema

The majority of Kerala Muslims are called as Sunnis who adhere to the shafi
school of sunni jurisprudence. They follow various forms of Sufism. They
are mainly divided in to two fractions, have separate leaders and separate
Madrasa Boards too.

Dakshina Kerala Jamyiathul Ulema

They have the set up of traditional Madrasas. It is mainly an organization of

Students along
with their teacher
in the evening
Madrasa, Al
Madrasathul-
Islamiya,
Karimatom colony,
Thiruvananthapuram
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Islamic scholars of South Kerala. Usually they also follow Deobandi School
of thought and the ideology of Tabligi Jamaat.

Tablighi Jamaat
Tablighi jamaati works for the spiritual reformation of the Muslim
community from 1926. It is keeping relationship with people related to
different social and economical levels. It works to remove the corrupt
practices in the spiritual sphere of Muslim life.

Observations
Some of the significant observations due to the institutions visited in
Malappuram and Thiruvananthapuram districts of state Kerala are
mentioned as follows:

There is no Madrasa Board in Kerala at government level.

Physical infrastructure of Islamic learning centres of both districts
though varying according to the financial set-up of the institution
attempts to meet the needs of their students.
A lot of emphasis is given to English and computer education along
with Islamic Education. These skills are imparted in a specialised
manner by these institutions from first to final year.

Interaction
with the
stakeholders
of Al-Furqan
Educational
Complex,
Vaniyambalam
of Malappuram
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Most of the Islamic institutes of Thiruvananthapuram district are

traditional in nature, yet they are making an effort and are trying to
incorporate secular subjects, while their Malappuram counter parts
are providing ample facilities to their students to get +2, B.A and M.A
degrees from the recognized universities.
Institutes running an Islamic Course (AIC) under Majlissu Talimul
Islami have a specially designed curriculum, which is a mix of
subjects taught in the Islamic and University. These subjects are
Arabic, Sociology, Economics and Commerce, which are offered at
Graduate Degree and Post Graduation levels.
Curriculum of these institutions is structured to prepare their
students more effectively to get moral and modern education which
will prepare them to meet the challenges of the real world.
Medium of instruction is either in Arabic or English. Besides, few
institutes are following Malayam, the local Language.
Students are moving to English/Malayalam medium in State or CBSE
schools after completing their two hours morning Madrasa from 7.00
AM to 9.00 Am. Some of the students are also moving to evening
Madrasas from 5.00 pm to 7.00 pm after completing their regular
school.
Numbers of women in the administrative and teaching positions are
very less even in girls’ institutions.
Teacher student relationship seems to be harmonious.
Some of the girls’ institutions also welcome girls under difficult
circumstances.
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Movements influencing Islamic education

In Kerala the following major organisations manage the Islamic institutes which were visited for the above
mentioned study. These major organisations manage the private organisational Madrasa boards mentioned
below. It is significant to mention here that the whole Islamic education system has been highly influenced by
Islamic reformist movements like Jamaat-E-Islami Hind, Kerala Chapter and Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen,
which have brought radical changes in the school of thoughts and the philosophies, hence modernising
people’s mindsets.

Major Organizations Organizational Madrasa Boards

Jamaat-E-Islami Hind, Kerala Chapter. Majlissu Taalimul Islami Kerala
Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen. Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen Vidhyabhyasa Board
The Council for Islamic Education and Research(CIER)

Samastha Kerala Jamiyathul Ulema.
Dakshina Kerala Jamiyathul Ulema.
Tabligi Jamaat
Samastha Kerala Islam Matha Vidhyabhyasa Board(SKIMVB)
Samastha Kerala Sunni Islam Matha Vidhyabhyasa
Board(SKSIMVB)
Dakshina Kerala Islam Matha Vidhyabhyasa Board (DKIMVB)
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Institutions Visited
Following Madrasas were visited in Malappuram and Thiruvananthapuram districts of Kerala

Madrasas visited
Al Jamia Al Islamia, Sanatapuram, Pattikkadu Khadijathul Kubra banath &Arabic college, Balaramapuram.

Women’s Islamia College, Wandoor Jamia Hidaya Shareeath College, Thattamala-PO,Kilimanoor

Roudhathul Uloom Arabic College, Feroke Islamic Educational Complex, Azhekodu, Nedumangadu.

Jamia Salafia, Pulickal. Salafi Centre, Oottu Kuzhi.

Anwarul Islam Womens Arabic College, Mongam. Nibrasul Islam Arts & Arabic college, Pallinada, Kaniyapuram.

Jamia Nadwiyya,Edavanna. Makhdoomiya Dawa College, Parayathu konam PO, Attingal.

Guidance college,Edarikkara Jamia Salahiya Islamiya Arabic College, Kallambalam.

Jamia Hikamiya, Pappinippara, Manjeri. Islamic Educatonal Complex for Boys, Umayanalloor.

Najmul Huda Madrasa,Vettakkodu, Manjeri. Jamia Hudaibiyya arabiccollege, vellanchira, panavoor.

Al-Furqan Educational Complex, Vaniyambalam. Pallikkal Banath, Pallikal-PO.

Darul Huda Islamic Academy, Tirurangadi. IslamicUniversity Varkala, SV Puram-po, Varkala

Al Ghaiz Islamic & Arts College for Girls, Karthala. Madrasthul Islamiya, Islamic Cultural centre, Pottavila, Karamana

Madrasa Abubacker siddique. Madrasathul Islamiya, Karimatam colony, Attakkulangara.

Malappuram Orphanage Madrasa.