National Education Day: Milli Council Calls for Integration of Religious and Modern Education
Speakers recall Maulana Abul Kalam Azad’s vision and launch Mission 2050 for comprehensive community education
Bengaluru: Calling education the foundation of community development and social progress, the All India Milli Council, Karnataka, observed National Education Day on November 11 at Darul Uloom Mohammadia, Gangondanahalli, Bengaluru. Speakers highlighted the contributions of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, India’s first Education Minister, and called for an education system that combines religious values with modern knowledge and professional skills.
Addressing the gathering, Fiaz Sharief, General Secretary of Milli Council, Karnataka, said Maulana Azad’s contribution to the country during its early years of independence should inspire the community to give greater importance to education. He recalled Azad’s sacrifices during the freedom struggle and his role in laying the foundation for India’s educational development.
“Although the Quran places great importance on education, our community has not given it the attention it deserves,” Sharief observed. He said educational progress should not be limited to earning money or securing positions but should also develop humility, good character and spiritual values.
Religious and Modern Education Must Go Together
Referring to Maulana Azad’s vision, Sharief said Muslim children should have the Quran in one hand and a science book in the other. He called for reforms in the existing education system, particularly in madrasas, to ensure that students receive both religious instruction and modern education.
Mufti Ahmed, Secretary of Milli Council, Karnataka, also stressed the need for an integrated curriculum. He said madrasa education should include subjects such as English, Kannada, Hindi, science, technology, medical science, geography and history, alongside religious studies.
He emphasised that proficiency in multiple languages and access to modern subjects would help students participate in wider educational and professional opportunities.
Mission 2050 for Complete Education
Sulaiman Khan, representing the All India Milli Council, highlighted the contributions of religious scholars to national development and stressed the need to create greater awareness about education. Speakers recalled Maulana Azad’s efforts to establish educational institutions during India’s early years as an independent nation.
The programme also featured the unveiling of Mission 2050, an initiative aimed at promoting comprehensive education within the community. The event included addresses by Bengaluru’s Ulama on the importance of religious and modern education and initiatives for achieving complete education.
The speakers urged the community to turn education into a priority for the next generation, stressing that knowledge, character and modern skills must go hand in hand in building a more educated and empowered society.
