Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama

Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama (Hindi: दारुल उलूम नदवतुल उलेमा, Urdu: داراُلعلوم ندوۃ العلماء‎) is an Islamic institution at Lucknow,^[3] India, which draws large number of Muslim students from all over the world. Nadwatul Ulama fosters a diverse range of both scholars and students including Hanafis (the predominant group), Shafi'is and Ahl al-Hadith. Additionally it is one of very few institutes in the region to teach the Islamic Sciences completely in Arabic. 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 Muhammad Ali Mungeri, Ashraf Ali Thanwi, Mahmud-ul-Hasan with an idea to counter the challenge of western education. The institution was intended to be a modified version of Darul Uloom Deoband. The foundation stone was laid by John Briscott Hewitt, Lieutenant Governor of India on November 28, 1906.^[4]

"nadwa" means assembly and group, it was named nadwa because it was a group of brilliant islamic scholars. Nadwa was eventually shifted to Lucknow in 1898 (from Kanpur) and updated the Islamic curricula with modern sciences, vocational training etc.

Formation of Nadwa

On the occasion of convocation of Madarasa Faiz-e-Aam, Kanpur in 1893 (1310 AH), scholars including Lutfullah Aligarhi, Shah Muhammad Hussain Allahabadi, Ashraf Ali Thanwi, Muhammad Khalil Ahmad (Deoband), Sanaullah Amritsari, Noor Muhammad Punjabi, Ahmad Hasan Kanpuri, Syed Muhammad Ali Kanpuri, Maulana Mahmud Hasan, Shah Sulaiman Phulwari, Zahurul Islam Fatehpuri, Abdul Ghani Murshidabadi, Fakhrul Hasan Gangohi and 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 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 22–24, 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 Maulana Shibli Nomani, who were teachers of Arabic and Persian at MAO College. Maulana 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 Shah Muhammad Hussain presented the organization's objectives and Maulana Shibli Nomani presented the working guidelines (Dasturul-Amal).

On the recommendation of Maulana Muhammad Husain Batalwi, these working guidelines were referred to a committee of scholars to discuss. On April 23, after maghrib prayer, a special session of 30 scholars convened and discussed and finalized each and every guideline. On the next day, in the morning session under the chairmanship of Maulana Lutfullah of Aligarh, Maulana Shibli Nomani announced the proposals:

• The Present educational system 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 Maulana Shibli Nomani)

After this 12 scholars were named to develop curriculum. All the members of the curriculum developing committee made their proposed changes in the curriculam but Maulana Shibli Nomani presented the model of Nadwatul-Uloom. When Maulana 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 Maulana Shibli Nomani.^[5]

One of the Main aim of the formation of Nadwa was to bring all the sects of Islam irrespective of their beliefs.

Initially the founders of Darul Uloom Deoband like Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi, Qasim Nanotwi etc. were against the Nadwa Movement but later they joined in. Now Nadwa is a sister institute of Darul Uloom Deoband preaching it teachings.

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.

Aalim/Shariah Course Syllabus

The Aalim/Shariah course in Nadwatul Ulama broadly deals with Arabic Language, Hadith and it's Usool (science), Fiqh and its Usool, translation of the Qur'an and Tafseer and its Usul.

The condensed 5 yr course (for college graduates) consists of:

1st Year: Purely Arabic (Nahw, Sarf, Conversation etc.)

2nd Year: More Arabic literature, starts translation of Qur'an, starts Fiqh (Qudoori for Hanafi students and there is provision for Shafi'i students), Hadith (Riyadhus Saaliheen)

3rd Year: Hadith (Mishkath pts 1&2), Usoolul Hadith (Muqaddimah Mishkath), More Translation/Tafseer, Fiqh (Hidayah pts 1&2), Aqeedah (AsSunniyah), Some literature and Balaghah

4th and 5th Year: After 3 years, students join the 7th and 8th years (called Aaliyah Thalithah and Aaliyah Raabi'ah) of the regular Aalim course in which they are taught the remaining Mishkath. Further books are taught in Usool Al-Hadith (e.g. Nukhbah) and Usool Al-Fiqh (e.g. Usool al-Shashi), the remainder of Hidaayah, Usool Al-Tafseer (Alfawzul Kabeer), Tafseer, Aqeedah Tahaawiyah. Finally the Sihah Sittah (6 books of Sahih Hadith) are taught.

After the completion of the Aalim course, students generally go for Fadheelath in Arabic, Hadith, Fiqh or Tafseer.

The 5 yr courses do have one stream who are taught exclusively in Arabic

Role of Maulana Nadwi in development of Nadwa

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) given by King Faisal Foundation and Sultan Brunei Award (1999) for his contributions.^[6] He was a prolific writer in Urdu and Arabic, his books are part of syllabus in various Arab Universities, several books have been translated in English.

See also

• Nahdlatul Ulama
• Jamia Islamia Bhatkal
• Darul Uloom Deoband
• Al-Jamiatul Ahlia Darul Ulum Moinul Islam
• Darul Uloom Karachi
• Jamiah Darul Uloom Zahedan
• Madrasah In'amiyyah

References

External links

1. Official website
2. Darul Musannefeen Shibli Academi

Coordinates: 26°51′54″N 80°55′57″E / 26.8651°N 80.9325°E / 26.8651; 80.9325