Jamya Abbasid (1925-1963): A Model for Religious/Traditional and Modern Curricula Synthetization in Pakistan

Abstract

The first National Education Conference (1947) accentuated the dire need of synthetization of religio-traditional curricula with the modern/contemporary syllabi in Pakistan. Successive governments tried to engage Ulema representing different sectarian persuasions to modernize the madrassa education system under Zia and Musharraf regimes respectively. Each time Ulema distrusted the intention of the state to modernize the traditional religious curriculum of Dars-i-Nizami and halted the above-mentioned process. Keeping in view the severity of the issue, Jamia Abbasia Bahawalpur’s (1925-1963) model for synthetization of traditional syllabi with the modern curriculum can be useful to create consensus between Ulema and the State. Jamia Abbasia (presently Islamia University of Bahawalpur) is a one and half century old academic institution which went through four different phases; Madrassa Sadr Diniyat (1879-1925), Jamia Abbasia (1925-1963), Jamia Islamia (1963-1975) and Islamia University Bahawalpur (1975-Present). In 1879 Nawab Sadiq Muhammad Khan (IV) established this institution as a madrassa to impart basic religious education. Following the footsteps of Jamia Al-Azhar (Cairo), Nawab Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi (V) upgraded the madrassa into an institute of higher religious education. This study is an attempt to investigate the multiple structural features (administration, curriculum, faculty, students, famous visitors, and the internal institutional changes etc) of the second phase and to provide substantial evidences for those who are involved in the synthetization process of religious curricula with the modern syllabi in the country.