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Illiteracy is the mother of all issues as it gives birth to many other issues like poverty, unemployment, child labour, female foeticide, and many more. That’s why the first verses revealed unto Holy Prophet Mohammed (Peace be upon him) were related to literacy. Islam emphasizes upon literacy and knowledge. In view of this fact, the educational institutions, particularly madrasahs have got a special status in the Muslim community.
A person aged seven and above, who can both read and write with any understanding in any language, is treated as literate. As per 2001 Census, the overall literacy rate of India is 65.38%. The difference between the highest and the lowest literacy rate in India is very high. Kerala has the highest literacy rate which is 90.92 %, while Bihar has the lowest with 47.53 %.
Illiteracy in India is characterized by wide gaps between the urban and rural populations. The rural population depends mainly on agriculture and the rate of illiteracy is high, while the urban population is more of the ‘employee class’ and also more educated. Even amongst the male and female population, there is a wide disparity in literacy. The male literacy rate is 75.96% and female literacy rate is 54.28%.
Several efforts have been made on part of the government to deal with illiteracy. The National Policy of Education -1986, declared that the whole nation must pledge itself to the work of eradicating illiteracy, particularly in the 15-35 age group. The National Literacy Mission came into being in 1988 and started striving to involve all sections of the community in the literacy endeavour. The 1992 Education Policy envisaged free and compulsory elementary education of satisfactory quality to all children up to the age of 14 before India entered the 21st Century.
The Supreme Court in its 1993 ruling held that children had a fundamental right to free education. Former President A.P.J Abdul Kalam gave his assent to the Constitution (83rd Amendment) Bill, 2000, and the “right to education” was incorporated in the Constitution as a fundamental right. The country had failed to implement the provisions of Article 45, providing for compulsory and free education of children up to 14 years of age within 10 years from the commencement of the Constitution.
India is developing but at a very slow rate. It is due to this problem of illiteracy only. A literate person is aware of all his fundamental rights and duties. Literacy is the ultimate solution to fight problems like communalism, terrorism and under development.
Madrasahs can play a decisive role in eradicating illiteracy. According to social and educational activist Ms Baghchi, the highest rate of literacy in India is found in the Muslim community, and it is due to the system of maktabs at most of the mosques in Muslim localities.
Madrasah Tajweedul Quran is one of them. It was established by late Qari Mohammed Sulaiman 62 years ago at Masjid Takya Wali, Azad Market, Delhi, and is now being run by his able sons under the stewardship of Hafiz Qari Mahmoodul Hasan. Teaching ‘hifz’ and ‘tajweed’, it has become a premier institution of eradicating illiteracy and promoting literacy in the country. Therefore, the need of the hour is to consolidate the system of maktabs and madrasahs and spread it further. If it is done seriously, the entire Indian society can move fast in its fight against illiteracy.
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