Special education remission for Taleem-ul-Quran courses

 (Note: This section is being developed at present). 

History

Hafiz Nazar Ahmed (1921-2011) had been running a private religious education school named Taleem-ul-Quran Correspondence School in Lahore since 1970s. The system of education was based on correspondence /distance-learning and Hafiz Nazar Ahmed was Principal of the School. He had been making efforts to motivate the convicted prisoners confined in various jails of the Punjab to undertake the courses of Basic Islamic Education by visiting the jails. As a result of his efforts, from 1981 to 1986, a total number of 7,566 convicts appeared in the examinations arranged by his school and 2049 prisoners qualified the examinations.

Government of the Punjab, Home Department obtained report of the Special Branch Punjab, before allowing the Principal of the Correspondence School to have access to prisoners in the jails for this purpose with a view to saving any controversy on this subject. On clearance from the Special Branch Punjab, the Home Department considered that there was a need to make specific provision in Rule 215 of the Pakistan Prison Rules, 1978 to provide for grant of Special Education Remission to the prisoners who qualified various examinations arranged by Taleem-ul-Quran Correspondence School, Lahore.

In the then existing Prison Rules, convicts passing various examinations during their confinement in jails were entitled to special remission on various scales. There was no provision for the grant of Education Remission to prisoners who qualified courses of Basic Islamic Education. Obviously, the prisoners finding no incentive in religious education paid least attention on that important aspect which was directly connected with their Correction and Reformation.

Mr. Taqi-ud-Din Pal, Home Secretary Punjab submitted a Summary to the Chief Minister Punjab in January 1986, to amend Rule 215 of Pakistan Prison Rules, 1978 to provide for grant of Special Remission to the prisoners who pass Taleem-ul-Quran courses devised by Taleem-ul-Quran Correspondence School, Lahore.

The Home Department proposed the following text of the amendment in Rule 215 of Pakistan Prison Rules, 1978, by making addition in the table of examinations:

Rule 215

The Home Secretary moved the Summary to the Chief Minister Punjab through the Chief Secretary with the request to kindly approve the above proposal /amendment in Rule 215, which would not only motivate the prisoners to learn the basic concepts of Islam but would also ensure their Correction and Reformation through religious appeal.

The Chief Secretary Punjab through his note dated 30.01.1986 on the matter asked the Secretary Auqaf Department Punjab to offer comments on behalf of his Auqaf Department about the status and character of the Correspondence School Lahore being run by its Principal, Hafiz Nazar Ahmed.

The Secretary Auqaf Punjab vide his detailed note /report on the matter dated 13.02.1986 reported to the Chief Secretary as under:

The school is functioning on the pattern of Allama Iqbal Open University Islamabad. The basic education of Islam is imparted through correspondence. The Principal is assisted by staff consisting of 6 members. All the members of the staff work on voluntarily basis.

AIM & OBJECTIVE

The Correspondence School has been established:-

1. To disseminate the message of Islam to as wide audience as possible;
2. To project Islam free from all historical and political biases and inculcate better understanding of the ideals and aspiration of Islam.
3. To counter the propaganda launched by Christian Missionaries through their Correspondence Courses.

CURRICULUM

Five (5) Courses have been prepared. The Principal and his staff prepare these courses with utmost care and caution ensuring that no sectarian issue has been highlighted. Before publishing the courses, the Principal sends the outlines /synopsis of each course to eminent religious scholars and other prominent educationists for revision, etc. The courses have been prepared while keeping the modern concepts of teaching in view. The whole of this literature /material has been written in a very simple and lucid language and is based on logic and reasoning. The duration of all the 5 courses is 15 months.

METHODOLOGY

The School management has prepared and circulated 5 courses of Islam comprising 10 lessons each. At the end of each lesson, there is a brief examination paper. The student is required to study the lessons and solve the question paper. After that, he has to send the same to the Principal in the enclosed envelope. The Principal and his staff, after checking the answer paper and making the necessary corrections, return the answer paper to the student along-with the next lesson. The procedure continues till the completion of the last lesson of each course. After the successful completion of the course, a certificate is awarded by the Principal. More precautions are taken while awarding certificate to the prisoner, as in those cases, the remission of some portion of their sentence is also involved. After completion of each course i.e. after 3 months, the Principal visits the jail and conducts the examination himself. The Principal is assisted by the officials of jail, Auqaf and Education Departments in conducting the examination.

INCOME & EXPENDITURE

The total expenditure during the last financial year i.e. 1984-85 was Rs.1,40,842.10 as against income of Rs.1,84,015.05.The main source of income is donation from philanthropists and other Islam loving persons. The accounts are audited by A.Aziz Chaudhry & Co., Chartered Accountants.

SCOPE OF WORK AND ACHIEVEMENT

The programme has been an outstanding success. The School was established in 1974 and uptill now, it has succeeded in preparing and circulating 5 courses on Islam comprising 10 lessons each. The total number of students on the role of the School has gone upto 7,98,760. There are about 20 centres attached with the school which are working in different parts of the country. Apart from this, the school has established Centres in foreign countries i.e. Texas, U.S.A., Hong Kong and Occupied Kashmir. The teaching of Islam through Correspondence Courses was started in different prisons of the country during the year 1982. Since then, 8403 persons have been enrolled. Out of them, 2126 prisoners have successfully completed the courses and got certificates. 

I think, by reading these courses, a person can easily acquire the proficiency in understanding the fundamentals of Islam. The management of the school is serving the cause of Islam. The school authorities should be encouraged and patronized at official level.

The Chief Secretary vide his note on the file dated 16.02.1986 requested the Chief Minister to approve the proposal of the Home Secretary regarding amendment in Rule 215 of the Pakistan Prison Rules, 1978.

Mr. Jiwan Khan, Secretary to Chief Minister Punjab vide his note dated 20.02.1986 remarked that the substitution of clause (i) of Rule 215 could lead to the denial of the already given concession to those who can just read the Holy Quran. He suggested that it would be more appropriate if the existing clause was retained and an additional clause was included on the above pattern for which additional remission could be granted as that would not only encourage the prisoners to learning and readingthe Holy Quran but would also work as an incentive for acquiring understanding of the meanings of the Holy Quran and proficiency in understanding the fundamentals of Islam.

In accordance with suggestion of the Secretary to Chief Minister Punjab, the Home Secretary Mr. Taqi-ud-Din Pal vide his note dated 28.02.1986 revised his proposal for amendment in Rule 215 of the Pakistan Prison Rules, 1978 and submitted it to the Chief Secretary as under:

Rule-215

The Chief Secretary vide his note of the file dated 04.03.1986 moved the Summary to the Chief Minister Punjab. Mr. Jiwan Khan, Secretary to Chief Minister Punjab vide his note dated 09.03.1986 conveyed to the Chief Secretary that the Chief Minister had approved the above amendment proposal contained in Para-17 of Note-Part of the case file. On the same day, the Chief Secretary marked the file back to the Home Secretary and the latter signed it on 10.03.1986. Accordingly, Government of the Punjab, Home Department Lahore vide letter No.3/23-SG-Prs-II-HD/81 dated 11.03.1986 addressed to Hafiz Nazar Ahmad, Principal Taleem-ul-Quran Correspondence School, Post Box No.1712, Lahore allowed teaching of Taleem-ul-Quran Correspondence courses in the jail of Punjab through amendment in Rule-215 of Pakistan Prison Rule, 1978 after due approval of the Chief Minister Punjab.

Government of the Punjab Home Department Lahore vide letter No.14/16/6-SO PRS-II/HD/79 dated 10.09.1986 intimated the Inspector General of Prisons Punjab that Hafiz Nazar Ahmad, Principal, Taleem-ul-Quran Correspondence School Lahore had been nominated as member of the committee to conduct the examinations mentioned at Sr. No.1 and 1-A in letter No.3/23-SG-Prs-II-HD/81 dated 11.03.1986 issued by the Home Department, Lahore. Thereafter, the Inspector General of Prisons Punjab vide his Memo. No.JB/17600-27 dated 01.07.1996 addressed to the Superintendents of all jails in the Punjab issued detailed inspections for imparting religious education including Nazra Quran, Kalma, Taharat, Dars-e-Nizami and Hifaz-e-Quran through the teachers provided by the Trust Jamiat Taleem-ul-Quran Lahore.

(Note: The above section is being developed at present). 

To view the timeline of amendment in Rule 215 of Pakistan Prison Rules, 1978 and approvals accorded by Government of the Punjab Home Department and Inspector General of Prisons Punjab in favour of Taleem-ul-Quran Correspondence School, Lahore and Trust Jamiat Taleem-ul-Quran, Lahore to teach Taleem-ul-Quran courses to the prisoners and carryout other reformatory / rehabilitative works in the jails of Punjab since 1986, please click here.