JEDDAH, 11 January 2006 — Al-Azhar University of Cairo has extended its recognition to courses taught by the Jamia Markazu Ssaqafati Ssunniyya, a major Muslim educational and charitable institution in the southern Indian state of Kerala. Procedures in this regard have been completed by both the institutions.
This was disclosed by Sheikh Aboobacker Ahmed, secretary-general of the Markaz managing committee, at a press conference here. He said Jamia Markaz would become the only university recognized by Al-Azhar in Kerala. A delegation from Al-Azhar will visit the Markaz after the Eid holidays and a formal announcement will be made in this regard.
Classes at Markaz are conducted on the Al-Azhar model. The institution has currently about 10,000 students taking various courses including those in Qur’an, Hadith, Shariah and Fiqh as well as in arts and science. New colleges that will be incorporated include engineering, ayurvedic and unani medicine, nursing and business management.
Sheikh Aboobacker recalled the key role played by Dr. Abdullah Omar Kamel, an eminent scholar and leading businessman from Jeddah, to complete the procedures.
“Two representatives of Al-Azhar, Dr. Abdul Maqsood Hamid Abdul Maqsood and Dr. Fithi Usman Faqeeh, visited Jamia Markaz in July 2005 and inspected the facilities. They also concluded an agreement with the Markaz to give it equal status with Azhar, he said.
The secondary courses taught at the Markaz have been approved by Al-Azhar long ago. This was in recognition of the commendable services being rendered by the Markaz in the propagation of Islam and spreading of knowledge. The new gesture by Al-Azhar will become a turning point in Islamic education and care of orphans and the poor in the country.
