Al Jamea tus Saifiyah

Old entrance gate of 1814 AD era

Al Jamea Tus Saifiyah is an Islamic Arabic Academy first located in Surat, India.^[1] It was founded as a theological University for Dawoodi Bohras in 1814 AD(1224AH)by the 43rd Dai Syedna Abdeali Saifuddin who named it as ‘Dars-e-Saifee” .

The Dawoodi Bohra's 51st Dai, Syedna Taher Saifuddin introduced secular and science subjects in the 1960s and gave it the present name of ‘Al-Jamea-tus-Safiyah’. Its doors were also opened for Bohra girls. The 52nd Da'i Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin oversaw a complete rebuilding and expansion of the campus buildings.

Its educational focus is the Quran, Islamic sciences, Arabic language and literature. Students are sent out for religious duties to various places all around the world during the Ashara (Moharram) and Ramadan.

An eleven-year course of study is divided into three phases. The first phase is four years and involves 55 courses. The second phase is five years, subdivided into three years with 75 courses and two years with 90 subjects. The final two-year phase focuses on specialization and advanced studies in Islamic and Arabic science. Degrees are awarded at successive stages. At the end of the eleven-year course the student is awarded the degree of Al Faqih Al Jayyid. Graduates are provided an opportunity to perform a Hajj and Ziyarat pilgrimages.

The final degree is considered equivalent to the Masters of Arts from Aligarh Muslim University and recognized by Al Azhar and Cairo Universities of Egypt. Students who complete the STD V phase are considered to have completed secondary education and qualify to test for an International Baccalaureate. Also recognized by Oxford University and many more. The academy has separate hostel facilities for boys and girls.

Campus

The Surat university campus is situated in an area known as Zampa Bazaar near the mausoleums of 7 Duaat Mutlaqeen and the centuries old Masjid-e-Moazzam (since rebuilt and expanded). It encompasses 2 hostels, one for boys and one for girls with in-built swimming pools and solar energy supply. The separate teaching block houses classrooms and administrative offices, a large hall known as the 'Ewaan' where the annual exams are primarily held (amongst other events that involve the entire student and teaching faculties). A small masjid - Al-Masjid al-Fatemi - nestles between the garden and the ewaan.

There is a minaret and a library that houses more than 150,000 books and subscribes to more than 100 periodicals monthly.^[2]

The entire campus is adjacent to the 'Devdi Mubarak' where previously the Da'is have had their residences and residential dwellings for the Syedna still remain. At the end of this Devdi is the magnificent Mahad-al-Zahra Quran Teaching institute for students to memorize and pursue Quran studies. All of the other Al-Jamea tus Saifiyah campuses follow in the design of the one in Surat with both those of Nairobi and Marol currently still under development.

References

External links

• Official website
• Al Jamea tus Saifiyah Url accessed on Nov 27, 2006
• Al Mawaid
• Al Jamea-tus-Saifiyah, Karachi - Arabic Academy
• The Oxford encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World