The convocation ceremony of Al-Jamia Al-Islamiya Santhapuram concluded at Perinthalmanna on December 22, expressing its solidarity with the ongoing nationwide protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Registration for Citizens (NRC). It urged the central government to withdraw the draconian laws.
A total of 358 students including 111 girls received their degrees from prominent scholars and academics during the ceremony which included a musical drama highlighting the bravery of Malabar Muslims in confronting British colonial forces during the freedom struggle.
Earlier, the graduates wearing graduation gowns gathered in Al-Jamia grounds and raised slogans against NRC and CAA. They denounced police brutalities against protesters.
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Ameer Syed Sadatullah Husaini and T. Arifali, all-India secretary-general, Dr. Ahmed Al-Raissouni, president of International Union of Muslim Scholars and other dignitaries attended the event.
In his key-note speech, Mr. Husaini urged the new graduates to play a major role in spreading the message of Islam and address contemporary issues in light of the Qur’an and Sunnah. He noted Al-Jamia’s efforts in producing highly qualified Islamic scholars and training leaders for JIH and its subsidiaries such as SIO, GIO and Solidarity.
Secretary General Arifali called for the continuation of the nationwide agitation until the BJP government trash the two controversial laws that differentiate citizens on the basis of religion and violate India’s secular and democratic principles.
“I believe it will take decades to restore India’s democracy and secularism as the BJP government has demolished these basic pillars that united the people of India despite their religious, racial and linguistic differences,” Arifali said.
“The fascist government has also destroyed the economy and undermined the warm relations between the people of India by spreading hatred,” he said. However, he noted that Indians are capable of restoring their unity in diversity.
The fascist ideology promulgated by BJP, RSS and other Sang Parivar forces has strengthened its grip on the country by imposing unconstitutional laws. “CAA and NRC aim to drive Muslims out of the country. This will not end here. After Muslims they will knock at the doors of Christians, then Communists and the Dalits,” Arifali told the gathering.
He hoped that the ongoing protests would put an end to fascism and the fascist ideology that have divided the country and triggered mayhem and violence, endangering the country’s peace and stability.
The convocation ceremony was inaugurated by Dr. Ahmed Al-Raissouni, who urged graduates to continue their search for knowledge and represent Islam and Muslims in an impressive manner.
“Allah will facilitate the path of knowledge- seekers to the Paradise,” he said quoting a Hadith.
Dr. Abdussalam Ahmed, the rector welcomed the guests including Dr. Khalifa Al-Kuwari, adviser to the minister of endowments and Islamic affairs in Qatar, Professor Dzulkifili Abdulrazak, rector of International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Dr. Mutlaq Alqarawi, assistant secretary Ministry of Endowments Kuwait, Dr. Hamdi Arslan of Sultan Mohammed Fatih University Turkey and Dr. Mohammed Maksudoglu of Cambridge University.
The Al-Jamia rector reminded the graduates about their great responsibility and asked them to be the university’s ambassadors upholding its values.
MI Abdul Aziz, JIH president in Kerala and chairman of the university’s board, commended Al-Jamia for producing knowledgeable scholars who can address modern issues and spread the message of Islam in a plural society like India.
The convocation ceremony included Milli and Urdu conferences, a women’s conference and an Alumni conference as well as an international academic conference and a cultural conference. It also witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement by the rectors of IIUM and Al-Jamia.
Nearly 50,000 people from different parts of Kerala attended the programmes.