✍️ Saeed Anwar Arariavi
Darul Uloom Waqf Deoband
After Mufti Shumail Sahib's debate in recent days, the topic has once again emerged that there is a need for renewal in the curriculum of Islamic schools. In this regard, various articles have been reviewed, and this saying has become famous in the school circles that the curriculum is quite lengthy and needs to be reconsidered. But the question is, where is the deficiency? And can't competent scholars be produced by studying this curriculum? When your standard of thought goes a little deeper in this regard, you will realize three things, and perhaps this could be the solution to the problem.
(۱) If an answer to this question is sought, then it certainly comes to light that there is a need for partial change in the curriculum. Combining ancient rhetoric, philosophy, and issues with modern sciences would be a commendable step. However, changing the entire or most of the curriculum will result in a weakening of aptitude. Not only this, but reducing the duration of education is even more fatal.
(۲) Regarding benefit and utilization, both the teacher and the student have to play their role well. Therefore, the teachers can be requested to teach each book as a subject of art, explaining the ancient books with modern style, current examples, and new terminologies.
(۳) The third thing is that those students who question this curriculum can be asked whether they listened to the lesson carefully? Did they repeat and study it afterward? Well! The fact is that the students' enthusiasm for hard work, the desire for research and inquiry, and the taste for repetition and study have all faded. Mobile phones have become dearer than books. Obviously, in such a situation, expecting competent scholars would be painful.
Therefore, abandoning the blame on the curriculum, everyone should try to fulfill their duty well, then surely this worry will be dispelled, and the fragrance of knowledge and action, the scent of repetition and study, and the rays of research and investigation will begin to emanate in the institution's surroundings. May Allah Almighty grant us all the ability to acquire knowledge.