About Jamia Imamiya
The founder of the Jamia Imamiya had long envisioned creating an institution dedicated to higher religious education. Recognizing the talents of bright students emerging from his earlier educational endeavors, he decided to establish a dedicated institution to further nurture their capabilities. In a letter addressed to Allama Zeeshan Haider Jawadi, he expressed his motivations and plans
The establishment of Jamia Imamiya is now a reality. I know this might displease you, but I cannot stand by and watch our children’s potential go to waste. Therefore, I am compelled to ensure their future by all means necessary. The work has begun, and I place my trust in the providence of the Lord and the guardianship of Imam-e-Asr. Please continue to provide your valued advice and monitor our progress.
Under the founder’s leadership, the Jamia Imamiya Organization of Schools was inaugurated on the 11th of Ziqa’ad 1403 Hijri, coinciding with the birthday of Imam Ali Raza. Today, the institution boasts comprehensive facilities including residences and dining for students, and it employs numerous educators. The chief orator has made concerted efforts to modernize the curriculum, emphasizing core Islamic studies such as Tafsir and Hadith, beliefs and theology, history and biography, as well as jurisprudence and its principles. This initiative has allowed these subjects to play a central role in the academic schedule. Notably, Jamia Imamiya was the first to introduce a department for the memorization and recitation of the Quran within such an institution. It stands as the pioneering seminary in the Indian subcontinent to blend traditional religious education with modern educational methodologies.
During the founding of Jamia Imamiya, the chief orator expressed to Allama Jawadi his concern about safeguarding the future of students emerging from affiliated schools. He emphasized the necessity of advanced education to prevent their moral and ethical degradation.
Thus, a distinctive institution was born, dedicated not only to education but also to comprehensive healthcare. While it was customary in other Indian universities for students to receive only lunch and dinner, with breakfast being their own responsibility, the chief orator’s background in both traditional schooling in Lucknow and medical education equipped him with a keen understanding of health requirements. This insight led to Jamia Imamiya becoming the first university in India to provide for all three meals, including a nourishing breakfast featuring homestyle dishes such as chickpea and fenugreek khichdi and porridge. This practice is proudly maintained to this day
Principles at Jamia Imamiya
At Jamia Imamiya, the inclusion of chickpeas and porridge in the breakfast menu underscores a commitment to healthful eating, with each ingredient chosen for its specific health benefits—fenugreek, for instance, is renowned for its efficacy in kidney health. The institution’s founder, having spent much of his esteemed life in Lucknow and understanding the potential influences of external environments, was keen on insulating the students. Consequently, he mandated that all students, even local residents from Lucknow, reside within the school premises. This policy limited students’ external engagements to just two hours before sunset for necessary activities and sports, safeguarding them from any detrimental external influences.
Moreover, the students were discouraged from participating in exams conducted by other boards or universities like Aligarh Muslim University, reflecting the founder’s vision to immerse them solely in their religious education, fostering a deep connection with religious teachings and figures, and shaping them into devout followers of Imam Zamana.
One distinctive practice implemented by the founder at Jamia Imamiya was the maintenance of a daily diary by each student. This diary was not merely a record but a structured reflection of their daily activities, including class attendance, communal prayers, study sessions, debates, recreational times, and specific Quranic recitations like Surah Waqiah. The emphasis on the post-Isha recitation of Surah Waqiah, believed to enhance prosperity, was aimed at ingraining a lifelong habit that would contribute to the students’ spiritual and material well-being.
Thus, students were accustomed to reciting Surah Waqiah after Isha prayers, a practice believed to enhance sustenance and prosperity, ensuring that they would never experience poverty due to the blessings of this Surah.
A unique feature of the diary was the income and expenditure ledger. Students had to record their financial activities, which were then scrutinized by the dormitory supervisor to ensure there was no wasteful spending and to verify the sources of their funds. This full oversight in the form of a diary was not only a form of surveillance but also served as a valuable educational tool. By managing their finances and activities from a young age, students were trained to be successful in life. Beyond the standard curriculum and textbooks, the founder’s special focus was also on the inclusion of ethical teachings within the Jamia’s curriculum, exemplified by the establishment of moral education classes—possibly a first for any religious institution in India.
The uniqueness of this institution also lay in the mandatory participation of every student in the five daily congregational prayers. Morning classes began with prayers and supplications, distinguishing the Jamia’s commitment to spiritual development
Their fervent hope was to modify the curriculum of seminaries to include modern sciences so that their students would be familiar with the latest advancements in science and technology. This was intended to prevent society from viewing them merely as traditional scholars or clerics unversed in contemporary knowledge.
Despite many attempts, they did not give up and went on to establish Jamia Imamia. They consulted experts and introduced a curriculum that includes religious education along with English, Hindi, Science, and Mathematics. Ethics and physical education are also integral parts of the curriculum, alongside limited freedoms to explore and observe the outside world.
The Purpose of Jamia Imamia
They recognized the need to adapt traditional Islamic education—including Jurisprudence, Principles of Jurisprudence, and Theology—to modern methods. Their goal was to train scholars and speakers quickly who would then enhance the religious community with their knowledge and actions, exemplifying the virtues of a divine congregation. Thankfully, within two years, the students of this program distinguished themselves in their studies and character.
Reforms in the Seminary System
In that era, the conditions in seminaries were dire, with inadequate facilities for lodging, food, and other amenities. Maulana Syed Ghulam Askari founded Jamia Imamia and established a model that inspired significant improvements in religious schools and seminaries nationwide. Key reforms included
– Updating the educational system to meet contemporary needs,
– Selecting syllabus that reflected the requirements of the times,
– Constructing modern, clean, and well-lit classrooms,
– Introducing chairs, desks, tables, and blackboards in classrooms for the first time in Indian seminaries,
– Ensuring three meals a day, with teachers and students dining together when teachers were present,
– Making the study of Quranic recitation, interpretation, Islamic sciences, ethics, Hindi, and English mandatory,
– Instituting regular assessments including monthly, quarterly, biannual, and annual exams,
– Requiring students to maintain a daily activity diary, reviewed nightly by the warden,
– Regularly sending educational, behavioural and health reports to students’ parents or guardians.
These reforms were unprecedented and set a new standard for both existing and future seminaries.
