SEMINARIES once used to be not only the main religious learning centres, but also learning hubs of worldly affairs. Students were taught science, medical and engineering courses, algebra, geometry, logic and philosophy alongside Islamic jurisprudence. The practical nature of the system enabled seminary students to be decent individuals in their respective fields.

During the British rule in India, however, the seminaries began to lose their influence. The British introduced new schools to train people in administrative affairs and divided the system of education into two separate domains: traditional and modern. A rift was created between their graduates that only widened the chasms in society.

The seminaries limited their educational activities to religion. As a result, there came a dearth of practical people coming out of the seminaries who could reshape the course of history and politics.

A sincere review of the curriculum being taught at the seminaries today will do a lot of good to the students and to society at large.

Farhan Rauf
Kech

Published in Dawn, November 19th, 2022