Darul-uloom Nadwatul Ulama
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Nadwatul Ulama is an Islamic institution at Lucknow, which draws large number of Muslim students from all over the country. Nadwa's objective was reaching a middle path between classical Islam and modernity. It was founded at Kanpur in 1894 in the first annual convention of Nadwatul Ulema ("Organisation of Scholars") by Allama Shibli Nomani, Muhammad Ali Mongiri, Ashraf Ali Thanwi and Mahmud-ul-Hasan, with an idea to counter the challenge of western education. The institution was intended to be a modified version of Deoband. The foundation stone was laid by Sir. John Briscott Hewitt, Lt. Governor of India on November 28, 1906.[1]
The choice of the name Nadwa got inspiration from a hall in Mecca, where nobles used to assemble to deliberate. Nadwa was eventually shifted to Lucknow in 1898 (from Kanpur) and updated the Islamic curricula with modern sciences, vocational training etc.
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[edit] Formation of Nadwatul Uloom
On the occasion of convocation of Madarasa Faiz-e-Aam, Kanpur in 1893 (1310 AH), scholars like Maulana Lutfullah Aligarhi, Maulana Hafiz Shah Muhammad Hussain Allahabadi, Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi, Maualana Muhammad Khalil Ahmad (Deoband), Maualana Sanaullah Amritsari, Maulana Noor Muhammad Punjabi, Maualana Ahmad Hasan Kanpuri, Maulana Syed Muhammad Ali Kanpuri, Shaikhul-Hind Maulana Mahmud Hasan, Maulana Shah Sulaiman Phulwari, Maualana Zahurul Islam Fatehpuri, Maualan Abdul Ghani Mau-Rashidabadi, Maulana Fakhrul Hasan Gangohi and Maulana Syed Shah Hafiz Tajammul Husain Desnavi agreed to form an organization of Ulema and convene a gathering in the next annual convocation of Madarsa Faiz-e-Aam. They named the organization Nadwatul-Ulema. The responsibilities of the organization were given to Maulana Syed Muhammad Ali, who became the first Nazim of Nadwatul-Ulema. The goal was to bring harmony and co-operation among various groups within the Muslim Millat, to bring about the moral, religious and educational reform and progress.
Nadwatul-Ulema held its first convention on April 22-34, 1894 (Shawwal 15-17, 1311 AH) in Madarsa Faiz-e-Aam. It was attended by a huge group of scholars from all sects of the ummah and all corners of the sub-continent including Maulana Abdullah Ansari (Founder Nazim-e-Diniyaat, MAO College) and Shamsul Ulema Allama Shibli Nomani, who were Professor of Arabic and Persian at MAO College. Allama Shibli Nomani had visited Rome, Syria and Egypt and saw the region's Madaris and met their scholars. Allama Shibli Nomani proposed Maulana Mufti Lutfullah to chair the opening session. According to Nawab Sadar Yaar Jang Maulana Habibur Rahman Khan Sherwani, Maulana Ibrahim Aaroomi and Maulvi Muhammad Hussain Batalwi were representing Ahle-Hadis (Salafi) delegation, Maulvi Ghulamul-Hasnain were representing Shia delegation. Maulana Ahmad Raza Khan Barailvi also attended the convention and in his addressed praised Malana Inayatullah, maulana Lutfullah and Maulana Ahmad Hasan. Maulana Shah Muhammad Hussain presented the organization's objectives and Allama Shibli Nomani presented the working guidelines (Dasturul-Amal).
On the recommendation of Maulana Muhammad Husain Batalwi, this working guidelines was referred to a committee of scholars to discuss. On April 23, after maghrib prayer, a special session comprising of 30 scholars were held and each and every guidelines were discussed and finalized. On the next day, in morning session under the chairmanship of Maulana Lutfullah of Aligarh, Allama Shibli Nomani announced the proposals;
- The Present educational system and needs a reform.
- Principles or representative of all the Islamic Institutions (Madaaris) should attend the annual convention of Nadwatul Ulema.
- A Federation of Madaaris should be formed so that all the madaaris should come under one umbrella. To implement this scheme few large Madaaris should be started which will act as a main Madrasah known as Nadwatul-Uloom and rest will be their branches. Nadwatul-Uloom will keep an eye on the activities of the branches.
- Expansion of Madarsa Faiz-e-Aam with Hostel facility.
- Curriculum reform (This was proposed by Shah Muhammad Husain Allahabadi and seconded by Allama Shibli Nomani)
After this 12 scholars including Allama Shibli Nomani were named to develop curriculum. All the members of the curriculum developing committee made their proposed changes in the curriculam but Allama Shibli Nomani presented the model of Nadwatul-Uloom. When Allama Shibli’s proposal of a Darul-Uloom was accepted by the attendees, he requested to form a Managing group and so a panel of 16 people was selected with consensus. The founding session was concluded with final remarks and vote of thanks by Allama Shibli Nomani.[2]
[edit] Purpose of Foundation
It was founded with the following three distinct features:
- To serve as a bridge between the Old World and the new but firm and unbending in the matter of fundamentals.
- Aimed at producing an educated class of Muslims well versed in traditional learning and yet actively involved with the ruling power.
- Sought to give Arabic, both modern and classical, a central place in its system of education besides facilitating links with Muslim West Asia.
[edit] Role of Maulana Nadwi in development of Nadwa
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Maulana Syed Abul Hasan Ali Hasani Nadwi (Ali Miyan) was born in Raebareli in 1914 in family of Islamic scholars. In 1934, he was appointed as teacher in Nadwa, later in 1961, he became Principal of Nadwa and in 1980, he was appointed as Chairman of Islamic Centre Oxford, UK. He has been awarded King Faisal Award (1981) and Sulatn Brunie Award (1999)for his contributions. He was a prolific writer in Urdu and Arabic, his books arepart of syllabi in various Ararb Universities, several books have been translated in English.
