The Quran learning made mandatory for university students in Punjab

Dubai: In a surprise move, Governor of the Punjab Province of Pakistan Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar has made the teaching of the Quran with translation mandatory in all universities in the province.

Governor Sarwar has issued the notification on Sunday making it mandatory for all the students in the universities (except non-Muslims) to learn the Quran with Urdu translation. The notification states that a student will not be awarded a degree if he or she does not study the Quran — the holy book of Muslims — with the Urdu translation.

“We have decided to make it compuslory to for the university students to learning the Quran with translation. It is a unanimous decisions of vice-chancellors of all the univerities in the province,” Governor Sarwar tweeted in Urdu.

Notification

Governor Sarwar issued the notification in his capacity as the Chancellor of all the universities in the province. In Pakistan, Governor of a province also acts as Chancellor of universities in the province and has the authority to make decisions related to courses and regulations in any university in a province.

“Lecturers in all universities of Punjab will teach the Quran with translation to all students,” said the notification. It added that the holy Book would be taught in addition to Islamic studies, which is already being taught at universities.

Governor Sarwar said that success in the world and the hereafter can only be achieved through proper implementation on the guidelines of the Holy Quran, Geo TV reported.

According to the notification of the committee, the Quran course may have equivalent to one credit hour per year as the relevant university feels appropriate.

The notification says that the assessment of the Quran course must require each candidate to pass/fail. The student may be further assigned a grade as in any other credit subject, if University feels necessary/appropriate. ”As a substitute, the non-Muslim students may be offered the subject of Ethics.

Vice Chancellors agree

In April, the Punjab governor had formed a seven-member committee of vice-chancellors to submit recommendations on how to make the teaching of the Quran with translation compulsory in all universities in the province. All the vice-chancellors agreed to the proposal of the governor. 

He told the media on Sunday that the learning of the Quran with translation has been made mandatory because the Book is a complete code of life and its better understanding with translation would help improve the lives of people.

Jamaat-e-Islami influence

Most universities in Punjab have great influence of students from Islami-Jamiat Talaba-- an Islamic students outfit of famus religious group Jamaat-e-Islami. It has been there long-standing demand to include Islamic studies and the Quran teachings in the univeristies.

In Pakistan, Muslims children start learning the Quran as they start attending the primary school. However, they are taught the Quran only in Arabic without translation.

"The Quran learning with translation should be made mandatory in the primary school instead of makign the university students attend the Quran classes. It seems the Governor Punjab has taken the decision to win support of the Islamic groups which are quite strong in the province, said a top official.