क्यों आवश्यक है स्कूलों में शारीरिक गतिविधियाँ

स्कूलों में बढ़ते हुए पाठ्यक्रम सिर्फ बच्चों के लिए ही नहीं बल्कि माता-पिता के लिए भी चुनौतियों से भरा हुआ है। समय के अभाव को देखते हुए स्कूलों में शारीरिक गतिविधि के समय को कम करने की वकालत की जाती रही है। कई जगहों पे अकादमिक विषयों के लिए शारीरिक गतिविधियों को अक्सर हाशिए पर रखा जा रहा है। इससे तो यही प्रतीत होता है कि शारीरिक गतिविधि का बौद्धिक और शैक्षणिक मूल्य काफी हद तक अनदेखा हो चूका  है।

हाल के अध्ययनों  ने शारीरिक गतिविधियों को प्रत्यक्ष रूप से अनुभूति (cognition) से जोड़ा है। एक मस्तिष्क-आधारित परिप्रेक्ष्य (brain based perspective) स्कूल में शारीरिक गतिविधियों को न सिर्फ बनाए रखने बल्कि बढ़ाने की वकालत करता है।

व्यायाम ऑक्सीजन के साथ मस्तिष्क को ईंधन देता है, जिससे न्यूरोट्रोफिन (neurotrophins) को रिलीज़ होने में मदद मिलती है। ये मूड को प्रभावित करता है, मेमोरी को मज़बूत करता है, और न्यूरॉन्स (neurons) के बीच संबंध बढ़ाता है, तथा नए ब्रेन सेल्स (neurogenesis)  के उतपादन को बढ़ता है । नई मस्तिष्क कोशिकाएं बेहतर मनोदशा, स्मृति और सीखने को  प्रबल करती है।  वान प्रैग, क्रिस्टी, सेजनोव्स्की और गैज जैसे विद्वानों का कहना है कि नियमित व्यायाम मस्तिष्क में नई कोशिकाओं को जन्म देता है और पहले से मौजूद कोशिकाओं की आयु बढ़ता है।

अमेरिका के शहर इरविन के कैलिफोर्निया विश्वविद्यालय में न्यूरोसाइंटिस्टस ने खोज किया के व्यायाम  (BDNF) को रिलीज़ करता है। ये वो प्राकृतिक पदार्थ है जो न्यूरॉनस को आपस में संवाद करने की छमता को बढ़ाता है। जो अंततः अनुभूति (cognition) को बढ़ाता है (गरिएसबक, हवड़ा , मोलटेनि, व और गोमेज़-पिनिला, 2004)। उन्हों ने बूढ़े हो रहे चूहों पे एक  जांच की। उन्हें चल रहे पहिये पर रोजाना व्यायाम कराया और पाया की हिप्पोकैम्पस समेत मष्तिष्क के विभिन्न छेत्रों में BDNF का स्तर ऊपर उठ रहा है। याद रहे के हिप्पोकैम्पस स्मृति प्रसंस्करण (memory processing) के लिए महत्वपूर्ण है।

वाशिंगटन के शहर सीएटल में तीसरी कक्षा के बच्चों पर एक अध्ययन किया गया जहाँ बच्चे डांस के माध्यम से भाषा सिख रहे थे। इस डांस में नियमित कताई, रेंगने, रोलिंग, हिलना, आगे पीछे होना, उछल कूद  जैसे कई एरोबिक गतिविधि शामिल थे। जहाँ जिला स्तर पे पढ़ने के स्कोर में 2 प्रतिशत की वार्षिक औसत गिरावट देखी गई थी, वही डांस गतिविधियों में शामिल छात्रों ने छह महीनों में 13 प्रतिशत की वृद्धि का प्रदर्शन किया।

 एरोबिक व्यायाम हमारे सोच और सिखने की छमता को बेहतर बनता है क्योंकि इससे एड्रेनालाईन-नॉरएड्रेनालाईन (adrenaline-noradrenaline) तेजी से सक्रिय होती है, जो चुनौतियों का सामना करने और मुकाबला करने के लिए महत्वपूर्ण है। क्रॉस-लेटरल वयायाम दिमाग के दोनों हिस्सों को पूरी तरह से एक साथ प्रभावित करती है, जो वैसे बच्चों के लिए बहुत बेहतर है जो नीद में ड्बे रहते हो, निराश हों या जिनको सिखने में बाधा आती हो।

वैसे बचे जो स्पर्श, प्रेम भाव, या बातचीत से वंचित रह जाते है वो हिंसक मानसिकता के हो सकते है। जो बच्चे सामान्य तौर तरीके से आनंददायक गतिविधियों से आनंद लेने से वंचित रह जाते है, उनके अंदर अहिंसा की भावना उत्पन होने की संभावना बढ़ जाती है, जो आगे चल कर असामाजिक तत्व बन सकते है।

नियमित शारीरिक गतिविधि न केवल छात्रों के सामान्य स्वास्थ्य के लिए महत्वपूर्ण है, बल्कि मानसिक स्वास्थ्य और शैक्षणिक विकास के लिए जरूरी है। विशेषज्ञों ने स्कूलों में लागू करने के लिए कुछ जरूरी  सुझाव दिए हैं।

• रक्त के प्रसार तथा मस्तिष्क में ऑक्सीजन के प्रवाह को बढ़ाने के लिए अधिक से अधिक धीमी गति से बदन खींचने (stretching)  और साँस लेने के व्यायाम का उपयोग करें।

• लगभग हर 20 मिनट पर एनर्जाइज़र (ऐसी गतिविधि जो ऊर्जा दे) शामिल करें।

• सुनिश्चित करें कि आपकी कुछ गतिविधियों में अंतर्निर्मित शारीरिक गतिविधि शामिल है (जैसे, किसी प्रोजेक्ट को करने के लिए बाहर जाना, जिग्सॉ पहेली पर काम करना इत्यादि)।

• क्ले जैसी चीजों को पकड़ने, मोड़ने, तोड़ने इत्यादि जैसी शारीरिक गतिविधयों का अवसर दिया जाना चाहिए।

• छात्रों को बिना आज्ञा लिए परमिशन हो के यो कभी भी क्लास में खड़े हों, बदन को स्ट्रेच करे, अपनी मुद्राओं को बदल सकें, थोड़ा आगे पीछे हो लें, ताकि वे अपने स्वयं के ऊर्जा स्तरों की निगरानी और प्रबंधन कर सकें।

• हर रोज़ हाथ की गतिविघियों की सुविधा हो, जैसे ताली बजाने के खेल, नृत्य, पहेली, और चीज़ों का जोड़तोड़, इत्यादि।

एक सक्रिय शरीर एक सक्रिय मन को मज़बूत करता है। जो शिक्षार्थी सक्रिय हैं वे अधिक सतर्क रहते हैं। थोड़ी सी स्ट्रेचिंग सेशन, थोड़ी चहल क़दमी , या कुछ क्रॉस-लेटरल मूवमेंट्स, पढ़ने लिखने और सिखने में काफी लाभदायक साबित होगा ।

आसिफ मोअज़्ज़म जामई

सचिव

हिमायत एजुकेशन फाउंडेशन

How important is physical activity on the brain and learning

Many educators are reducing physical activity time at schools because of time constraints owing to the overburden of curricula in schools. Physical activities are often marginalized to make way for valuable or academic subjects. It seems the intellectual and academic value of the physical activity is largely overlooked. A large group of recent studies has linked physical activities with cognition and reached to the conclusion of how physical experience affects the brain. A brain-based perspective strengthens the case for maintaining or even enhancing physical activities at school.

Exercise fuels the brain with oxygen, and triggers the release of neurotrophins, which enhance growth, impact mood, cement memory, and enhance connections between neurons. More importantly, the production of new brain cells (neurogenesis) is correlated with improved mood, memory, and learning. Given all the activities happening at once, physical performance probably uses 100 percent of the brain. There is no known cognitive activity that can claim this. Scholars like Van Pragg, Christie, Sejnowski, and Gage say that regular exercise may stimulate the growth of new brain cells and prolong the survival of existing cells.

Neuroscientists at the University of California, Irvine discovered that exercise triggers the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a natural substance that enhances cognition by boosting the ability of neurons to communicate with each other (Griesbach, Hovda, Molteni, Wu, & Gomez-Pinilla, 2004). When the Irvine researchers examined aging rats that had exercised daily on a running wheel, they found elevated BDNF levels in various areas of the brain, including the hippocampus, which is critical for memory processing.

Many researchers believe that sensorimotor integration is fundamental to school readiness. In one study in Seattle, Washington, third-grade students studied language arts concepts through dance activities that included regular spinning, crawling, rolling, rocking, tumbling, pointing, and matching. Although the district-wide reading scores showed an annual average decrease of 2 percent, the students involved in the dance activities exhibited an increase of 13 percent in six months.

Aerobic exercise improves thinking and learning because of its ability to trigger a fast adrenaline-noradrenaline response, which is critical to facing and coping with challenges. Experts say that even a brisk 20-minute walk can be enough to serve both the body and the mind. Cross-lateral movements can be the perfect, simple antidotes for engaging both sides of the brain to full advantage, and they are particularly effective for students who are sleepy, overwhelmed, frustrated, or experiencing a learning block.

There is a growing concern that some infants deprived of touch, movement, and /or interaction may grow up to have a violent disposition. Unable to experience pleasure through usual channels of pleasurable activity, their need for intense states, one of which is violence, may propel them toward antisocial responses.

Regular physical activity is not only important to the general health of students but it is a must for the mental health and academic productivity. Experts have made few suggestions to be implemented in schools.

·         Use more slow stretching and breathing exercises to increase circulation and oxygen flow to the brain.

·         Incorporate energizers every 20 minutes or so.

·         Make sure that some of your activities have a built-in component of physical movement (e.g., going outside to do a project, working on jigsaw puzzles).

·         Provide manipulatives; have students hold, mold, and manipulate day or other objects.

·         Give learners permission to get up and without permission to move around, stretch, or change postures so that they can monitor and manage their own energy levels.

·         Facilitate hand movements each day with clapping games, dancing, puzzles, and manipulatives.

An active body enhances an active mind. Learners who are active tend to be more alert. A short stretching session, a brisk walk, or some cross-lateral movements will all go a long way in activating learning.

         Asif Moazzam 

The Life and Death of Shaikh Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi

The Life and Death of Shaikh Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi 

Dr. Shah Ebadur Rahman remained a very close associate of Shaikh Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi Rahmatullah. Dr. Shah joined as professor of English in Ummul Qura University in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, after completing his higher studies from Northern University of Illinois, DeKalb, USA. He talks to Asif Moazzam Jamai about the Life and Death of Abul Hasan Ali Miya Nadwi in this exclusive interview for ummid.com

AMJ: Dr. Shah, thank you for your time. Since the 31^st December has just passed, a date in the year 1999, when Shaikh Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi Rahmatullah passed away, we decided to remember him and bring out an interview on him. We arranged this interview with you for this purpose.

SER: Thank you for including me in this good work.

AMJ: I understand that you enjoyed quite a long association with him. How did you come to know about him?

SER: I happened to read an Urdu book by him, Tazkira Hazrat Abdul Qadir Raipuri, which is the biography of his spiritual mentor, Hazrat Abdul Qadir Raipuri. I was very impressed. After finishing it, I wrote him a letter of appreciation. He replied my letter and was kind enough to write me to see him. This was in 1970, I guess. I visited him in 1972, in the month of Ramzan at his home village, a little before I went to America for higher studies.

AMJ: So you couldn’t keep any contact with him for about two years.

SER: No, I kept on writing letters to him. He was a very honorable person, a person of international repute. I surely felt greatly honored. I remember I soon started seeing him as my spiritual mentor.

AMJ: What impressed you about him at that stage?

SER: His pious character, his religiousness, and his moral strength.

AMJ: Can you elaborate on that?

SER: He was a living example of the moral teachings of Isalm in his public as well as private life and was especially careful about his moral uprightness. That is why he always stayed in touch with pious persons of his time.

AMJ: Can you name them?

SER: Yes, why not. Shaikh Ahmad Ali Lahori, Shaikh Abdul Qadir Raipuri, Shaikh Yaqub Mojjaddidi, Shaikh Waliyullah Allahabadi, Shaikh Mohammad Zakariya Saharanpuri.

AMJ: How did his moral strength reflect his personality?

SER: His relationship with one and all was based on sincerity, goodwill and desire to please his lord. If one sat in his company, he felt the love of Allah rising to his heart.

AMJ: What else did strike you as distinguishing about him?

SER: His broad-mindedness and broad heartedness.

AMJ: How would you explain his broad heartedness?

SER: He readily forgave his ill-wishers. For example, a person from India, a Muslim, developed animosity against him and used to write against him very harshly in Urdu magazines and papers. When that person died, Shaikh Nadwi called me at Makkah and through me instructed his close associate and student Dr. Abudllah Abbas Nadwi to go to Haram at the earliest and pray for the deceased. The relatives of the deceased would not even know about it.

AMJ: And his broad-mindedness?

SER: He was very clear about the understanding of the nature and goals of the teachings of Islam and adhered to his understanding and interpretation. But he was respectful to the others who held a different point of view. He was honest enough to express his difference, but he never opened a front against anybody or any group. That is why people from different groups of Muslims, sometimes holding confrontational standpoint, stayed in touch with him, used to visit him and seek his advice.

AMJ: what about his religious character? How did he integrate religion into his personal life?

SER: He was very sincere in his relationship with his lord. Following a religious injunction was not a ritual for him; it was a source of contentment of heart. An example may help us see the point. In his last sickness in which he was struck by paralysis, he was badly hurt. He was in his 80s. Frail as he was from his early boyhood days, he was then unable to rise from his bed or even turn his sides. He couldn’t utter words clearly. But even in that serious sickness, he never missed his salat (prayer) even for one time. He insisted on making wudhu (ablution) for every prayer, and on having prayers in jama’at (congregation). So he was helped in making wudhu and brought down from his bed to sit in a raw to offer prayers in congregation. Pillows were put beside him and at his back to make sure he didn’t lose balance. He didn’t miss his tahajjud prayers (late night prayer), even for one day. This shows his sincerity in his relationship with Allah.

AMJ: How did he look at the social problems of the Muslim Ummah?

SER: He believed that the social irregularities of Muslims can be controlled only when Muslims realize their religious responsibilities and become mindful of aakhirat (life after death). He traveled extensively, addressed to these issues in his speeches and writings and supported all that was done in the field of ‘islahe Ma’ashra’(correction of society).

AMJ: Did he have any plans for Muslim's relationship with other religious communities? Did he take any practical steps in this regard?

SER:  This was an important agenda in his work plan. He established “Payame Insaniat” (message of humanity), a platform for the followers of all faiths to come together and address to the problems and issues threatening the humanity at large, such as dowry-killings, communal violence, and intolerance of any form. He held the view that it was the responsibility of religious leaders first to save humanity from such wrongdoings. With this mission, he himself traveled to monasteries and had dialogues with Shankracharyas. He established an office for Payame Insaniyat at Nadwa in Lucknow and published literature to support this work. This office is still functioning.

AMJ: Anything else that he did in this regard?

SER: Yes, in fact, he lived with the desire to contribute to the cause of mutual cooperation among different religious communities as much as he could. He wrote a book, perhaps entitled ‘The Indian Musalman’, in which he introduced the religious and cultural entity of Muslims in India to the followers of other religious communities in order to promote mutual understanding. He also requested writers from other communities to reciprocate so that barriers break down and familiarity persists among neighbors.

AMJ: How did he relate to the government of his time?

SER: He did not get involved in party politics, that is to say, that he didn’t side with one political party or the other. But he didn’t keep himself unnecessarily aloof from the government. As soon as he felt that the government of the time was in need of help in understanding an issue, he met the Prime Minister or the minister concerned to explain his perspective. He visited several prime ministers and several prime ministers such as Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Deve Goda, and Vajpayee, personally visited him at his residence on different occasions.

AMJ: Could you elaborate on his relationship with such top leaders?

SER: He never asked for any personal favor from them, nor did he allow them to do any personal favor to his relatives. He drew their attention to the issues of the Muslim community in India in the context of the national structure. For example, when Prime Minister Vajpayee visited him in his sickness at Nadwa, he mentioned Democracy, Secularism, and non-violence as the foundation for the protection and development of the country, and requested him to protect them as prime minister. But in the same meeting, Kalyan Singh, the then chief minister of UP, informed the PM that he had offered Shaikh Nadwi a chartered flight to Delhi and treatment at the cost of the government, which he had refused. He stayed in Luckow and was treated by local doctors there.

AMJ: What was his status among the Muslim scholars of the time?

SER: He was the most honored Islamic scholar of his time. He was a lifelong member of the Rabeta Al-Islami, member of the governing body of Madina University, founder member of the Islamic Centre at the Oxford University of the UK; and the list is really too long. Great Islamic scholars of his time loved him and openly acknowledged his superiority. When Nadwa at Lucknow organized a world conference on the eve of its 85^th year, great Islamic scholars attended. Shaikh Muhammad Al- Subail, the imam of the Haram Sharif of Makkah, was chosen to preside. When approached, he came to the mike and made the historic announcement, “when Shaikh Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi is present in the gathering, none else would ever preside. I request him to come and take the chair.”

AMJ: He must have received several awards.

SER: Many awards. The government of Dubai offered him the award for his life-long service to Islam and organized a big event for the occasion. He declined to attend on health ground. But the government of Dubai finally won his approval. A special plane was sent by them directly to Lucknow, with the permission of the government of India, which brought a full team of medical doctors to assist Shaikh Nadwi. With special facility, he flew to Dubai to grace the occasion. Such facilitation was not rare with Shaikh Nadwi. In fact, he raised the prestige of India on the world platform.

AMJ: Who was his ideal, the role model, in his life?

SER: Prophet Muhammad, may Allah’s blessings and peace descends on him. In one of his interviews that he gave in Madina to an Arab journalist, he was asked, ‘which of your books is your favorite?’ he readily answered, “Pathway to Madinah” (Tarik ilal Madina). This book revolves around the personality of Prophet.

AMJ: Can you name some late religious scholars and leaders who inspired him?

SER: In general, he admired and trusted the earlier Islamic scholars (Salafe saliheen) and benefitted from them. But among the Indian scholars and leaders of the recent time, he was greatly inspired by Shah Waliyullah Dehlavi, Shaikh Ahmad Sarhindi known better as Mujaddid Alf Thani and Sayyid Ahmad Shaheed.

AMJ: We have heard that he died an ideal death, so to say. Do you agree and can you elaborate on it?

SER: Yes, for many, his death signified that he was dear to Allah and departed from this world as a pious soul. That was 1999, the 31^st of December, the closing day of the 20^th century. According to the Arabic calendar, it was the second last Friday in the holy month of Ramadan. He breathed his last around 11 a.m., which means that he had offered his Fajr prayer and the time of dhuhr prayer had not entered yet. He prepared for the Friday prayer, took a shower, changed dress, wore a sherwani and an Arabic head cover, applied perfume, sat in his head facing ‘Ka’aba’, started reciting Surah Yasin and then only after a few minutes people realized that he was no more.

AMJ: How is his mission being carried on by his associates?

SER: They are working in different faiths. All his works are being pursued by his devoted associates. Details can’t be covered in this short interview.

AMJ: Yes, I understand. If I may ask, how are you contributing to his mission?

SER: I’ve translated a few of his books into English. I also wrote a book on Sayyid Ahmad Shaheed in English, which is also available in Urdu now, and a memoir of Shaikh Nadwi in Urdu. We have also formed a platform for supporting his mission in Delhi, known as Abul Hasan Ali Study Circle. We have already published ten-twelve short and detailed works from this Study Circle. We have devoted some of them to refute allegations against Islam, such as the sword theory against Islam, the charge of violence, incompatibility of Islam with modernity and progress, and multiple marriages of the prophet. These books are in English and Urdu. We are trying to bring out Hindi translations soon.

AMJ: Thank you for your time for this interview.

SER: Thank you for giving me an opportunity to share information with you.

Asif Moazzam Jamai

Dept of English

University of Bisha

Saudi Arabia 

We must tap India's diversity to make it a hub of scientific research: UK based Indian scientist

Observing that India is a hugely diversified country where Hindus and Muslims have co-existed peacefully for ages, Dr. Mumtaz Naiyer, post-doctoral scientist and researcher from Bihar who is currently based in the United Kingdom, while speaking to Asif Moazzam of ummid.com said, "The more diverse a society, the more productive it is. We must tap this diversity for making India a prosperous country not only on the economic but also on the scientific front. But this will be a distant dream as long as we remain divided and at war with each other."

At the same time, he advised the youth of India, not to become part of the mad crowd and indulge in any rubbish engagement, rather create rational and scientific temperament, which may lead you and the county to prosperity.

Excerpts:

Q. Please share with us your journey from Kishanganj to the UK. What made you keep moving despite all sort of constraints?

The journey was full of a roller coaster. I was born and brought up in one of the remotest villages of Bihar. My father passed away when I was just 8-year old. It was extremely difficult for my mother to support us. After my father’s demise, one of my eldest brothers Zainul Abedin had to discontinue his studies to support the education of two younger brothers.

I wanted to become a doctor because I had seen young children die in my village due to lack of medical facilities.

Even though I was unable to crack medical examinations, I was selected for Bachelor of Dental Studies and B.Pharma at reputed institutes but could not take admission due to the high fees. So, I finally decided to do a simple, affordable but promising course. Luckily, Jamia Millia Islamia had recently launched B.Sc. (Biotechnology) programme and I got enrolled in it. Soon, I started getting a merit scholarship from the Central Wakf Board, Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India for two years.

After my bachelors, I joined Jamia Hamdard for my masters. I was the recipient of Tasmia Merit Scholarship for best academic performance at masters’ level university exams in Jamia Hamdard.

After my masters, I joined National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS), Pune, an autonomous institution of the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, for my Ph.D. This is considered to be one of the top biotechnology research institutes in India and is also a national cell repository. Here, I was able to work under one of the best Immunologists in the country Dr. Bhaskar Saha, who is also a Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar Awardee.

At the end of my Ph.D., I received offers for post-doctoral fellowships from world-famous universities like University of Montreal, Canada; John Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA; National Institute of Health, Bethesda, USA; and Imperial College London, UK. I decided to join Khakoo lab at Imperial which was later shifted to the University of Southampton.

Q. what exactly is your research work and how it’s going to benefit humanity at large?

My current research work focuses on studying the immune response of Natural Killer cells to flaviviral infections especially Hepatitis C, Zika, Dengue etc. I am working on understanding how flaviviral peptides bound to MHC class I may activate Natural Killer cells through activating receptor KIR2DS2.

Traditional Vaccines work by stimulating the immune response to the coat of proteins on the virus, enabling the body to fight off the virus and recognize it in the future. However, the viruses are able to escape the immune system because they can change their coat proteins by a process called mutation. In the recent study published in Science Immunology, we have shown that the NK cell receptor KIR2DS2 is able to target a non-variable part of the virus called the NS3 helicase protein, which is essential in making the virus work properly. Unlike other proteins, the NS3 helicase protein does not change, which allows the immune system to grab hold of it and let the NK cells deal with the threat.

We believe that by targeting this NS3 helicase region of the virus, we can make a new type of vaccine based on natural killer cells, which can be used to help protect people from these infections. Since this NS3 protein is conserved in more than 60 flaviviruses, a single shot vaccine for multiple viruses can be developed.

We also believe that this work can easily be translated in the field of cancer for cancer therapeutics.

Q. While working in a developed country, how do you see the educational system in India?

First, we must concede that there is a deep crisis in our education system. A nation’s progress and prosperity rely on its education system. There is a huge disparity between the rural and urban education system of India, which resulted in huge talent loss from the rural areas, and we can see the stunted growth of our country in comparison to other major Asian giants like China, Japan, etc.

The challenges are many that our education system is facing. The foremost of all is a reduction in the allocation of funds (percentage GDP) in Health, Education, and Research. Our peers like C. N. R. Rao and Krishnaswamy Vijay Raghavan FRS have addressed these problems in their interviews and cited how complex bureaucracy is ruining our education system and I must say medical research is the worst casualty.

In some cases, we have to wait for months for getting the chemicals/reagents and by the time researchers lose their interests. Complex bureaucracy literally kills Indian Science. Government and policymakers must look beyond the pigeonhole. The county has immense potential for both science and economic frontiers.

Q. You come from a community, which is on the back foot. You are inspiration and hope for millions of youth. Do you have any message for them?

For past three decades, the Muslim community of India is passing through a challenging and arduous phase. The biggest crisis is the absence of proper leadership followed by least representation of the community in any of the fields. Yet, the future is not totally bleak. Every challenge is a blessing in disguise. Fifty Muslim candidates cleared civil services exam this year, the highest since Independence. This is an indicator of community’s awakening and struggle. Resources should be further explored and utilized for the social welfare, education, and health of the community.

The prime focus of the community should be on education. Let them be self-critical and awake from a slumber sleep. Many parents, who are economically not well off, look at an immediate gain and prefer to send their kids as child labor. Had my guardians thought on a similar line, I would have been serving in a workshop or a similar place. I advocate everyone to move on, despite any sort of constraints. Only firm determination followed by required action is going to pay in the long run.

Q. The cleavage between Hindu and Muslim community is deepening. As a scientist, how do you see it, and what would you like to say to the youth of India.

Hindus and Muslims have co-existed peacefully in India for ages, with some occasional conflict. Unfortunately, the current political dispensation is charged with dividing these communities at its worst. Being a scientist, I see this cleavage as a huge loss for the country.

India is a hugely diversified country. We are diversified not only religiously, but also culturally. The more diverse a society, the more productive it is. We must tap this diversity for making India a prosperous country not only on the economic but also on the scientific front. But this will be a distant dream as long as we remain divided and at war with each other. In a great county like ours, we are witnessing a tense growing atmosphere, which is by and large created by a section of media and some petty politicians to reap political mileage. For sure, this gloomy atmosphere will die down, sooner or later. From the bottom of my heart, I advise the youth of India, not to be part of the mad crowd and indulge in any rubbish engagement, rather create rational and scientific temperament, which may lead you and the county to prosperity.

We have been divided enough in the name of race, color, religion, caste, and creed by the British. Let’s not be foolish to fall into the same trap again. Let’s be united and serve mother India in our capacities best. It’s worth remembering Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, the founder of Aligarh Muslim University, who said “Hindus and Muslims are the two eyes of the beautiful bride that is Hindustan. The weakness of any one of them will spoil the beauty of the bride”.

Q. What are your future plans?

I want to contribute more to science and use my knowledge and expertise against the serious threats to humankind posed by dangerous viruses such as Zika, Dengue, Ebola, etc. I would like to establish my own lab and become a principal investigator. If given the opportunity, I would like to return to India and want to contribute to the Indian science. I am looking for ways to support my research work. I am planning to apply for grants in Medical Research Council, UK, and Wellcome Trust, UK.

Q. What are your other areas of interest? Please share with us.

I love interacting people. An important aspect of science and scientists is to interact with common masses as much as possible. I do interact with the common mass on a regular basis. My juniors also write to me to seek career advice, to which I always make sure they are attended satisfactorily. I have interests in creative writing on social and scientific issues. Some of my articles have also been published on various online platforms.

Inspired by the founder of Humans of New York, Brandon Stanton, I along with few close friends, are running “Humans of Seemanchal” Facebook page. The page highlights the success stories of local folks, shares the hopes and aspiration of disadvantaged people belonging to this region. During the recent floods in Seemanchal, through HOS, we raised significant amount (Rs 1.75 lakh) and our team and volunteers carried out relief work in the worst flood-affected areas. Some of my friends call me social scientist jokingly (laughs).

Apart from that, I receive lots of queries on foreign education opportunities by students in India. Again, my friends and I are trying to establish a global education consultancy for academics named SeedingSTEM. It is conducting market surveys now and is scheduled to work from offices in 2019.

Last but not the least; I have a dream to establish schools, colleges, hospitals and healthcare in every block of Seemanchal, which would be affordable for the last person standing in the social and economic hierarchy. Interested people may contact me to discuss how to realize this dream. 

http://ummid.com/news/2017/Novembr/24.11.2017/dr-mumtaz-naiyer-interview-with-asif-moazzam-ummid-dot-com.html
http://radianceweekly.in/portal/issue/islamic-banking-back-to-square-one/article/prime-focus-of-muslims-should-be-on-education/

Saying no to cow slaughter: Roadmap for Indian Muslim

http://ummid.com/news/2017/May/28.05.2017/saying-no-to-cow-slaughter-roadmap-for-indian-muslims.html
http://worldhinduism.org/2017/05/28/saying-no-to-cow-slaughter-roadmap-for-indian-muslim/

Reverence for Cow
In Hinduism cow is thought to be sacred and is held in high esteem since time immemorial. Steps to prevent cow slaughter have been observed by rulers and civilians from time to time. Mughal Emperor Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir and others imposed selectively restricted bans on cow slaughter.

Bahadur Shah Zafar banned the butchery of cows, forbade the eating of beef and authorized for anyone found killing a cow the terrible punishment of being blown from a cannon.

Hyder Ali, the Sultan and de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore, made cow slaughter an offense punishable with the cutting of the hands of the offenders.

Reverence and protection of cow have been in practice for a very long time, and keeping this in mind, Muslim rulers imposed ban on its slaughter. A movement of cow protection was launched by a Sikh sect too, in Punjab in about 1870.

In recent past, leading Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Deoband appealed Muslims to avoid cow slaughter on Eid al-Adha in states where it is banned as a mark of respect for the feelings of Hindus.

Refraining from hurting anyone’s feeling is part of religious duty. If a cow is so much revered by a community, should not members of other communities take care of their feelings?

Should not one change food habit since it hurts the feeling of millions of fellow citizen?

A common Hindu treats cow as its mother and holds it in high esteem, is this reason alone not enough to stop any community from India to say big NO to cow slaughter?

Community Responsibility

BJP is in power today, it may not be tomorrow. Let any so-called secular or so-called communal party come to power, Muslims should act wise and start making decisions that are going to have long-lasting effects. In continuation of the reverence and respect of the feelings of millions of fellow citizen, Muslims should move a step further.

Ulemas of all school of thoughts existing in India, despite any difference they have, should come on a platform on this issue and unanimously issue a fatwa against the consumption of cow meat as formidable and unlawful.

All Muslim religious and social organizations would then carry forward the word from one corner to another. Imams of all masjids would be asked to announce the revoke of cow slaughter in jummah khutbah, reaching villages after villages.

It is argued that cow slaughter is banned in one part of India but allowed in another. It is also argued that India continues to be the world’s largest exporter of beef. True, but Muslims shouldn’t get into it, but get out of the shadow of this vicious politics.

They should stand by a common Hindu and empathize with them. If they oppose cow slaughter, Hindu’s faith will be honored, and Muslims’ moral and religious duties will be fulfilled. This step will bring Muslims closer to their Hindu counterparts.

Love breeds love and hatred breeds hatred, it’s a cycle. This step will definitely unite two alienated hearts and will bring positive changes between the two communities in the long run. This move will be ever remembered and appreciated even by the deadliest critique of Muslims. It will also close forever a convenient window of malign and torture against Muslims.

Another side of Shahabuddin’s untold story

The name of Mohammad Shahabuddin, two-time MLA from Jiradei constituency and four-time MP from Siwan, is a synonym to terror and crime in media. But he has another facet to his personality, hardly known to the world.

In the capacity of an MP, he stood unmatched. He was among rare MPs who spent the whole of MP LAD (Local Area Development) fund in his constituency. His development agenda covered many areas, with prime focus on Education and Health.

He established Islamia Educational and Social Welfare Trust.  The trust took up major projects for educational and social welfare development. It got registered 300 acres of land for a minority character university. He dreamed of having all the major faculties and departments in the campus such as Law, Engineering, Medicine, and Mass Communication and so on. Presently, Engineering College along with other colleges and courses are running smoothly. To raise fund for the cause, he traveled to different states of India and abroad. He had managed enough of the fund to establish the university, on a personal level.

He had targeted 2006 for the university to come in full swing, but unfortunately, his long-term journey of jail started in 2005, and since then, the larger project came to a halt.

To ensure that the schools and colleges have proper infrastructure and an academic environment, he used his MP LAD fund to good effect. I remember the dilapidated building of Vidya Bhavan Women College, which the MP transformed into a huge building. He ensured that the teachers were present regularly at the schools and tried to improve the educational standards. Irregular and irresponsible staffs either mended ways or got transferred out of Siwan. It was a time when using unfair means in exams in Bihar were common practices. It was only in Siwan that no malpractice was allowed in exams, therefore, non-serious students moved to other districts to get good marks. In exam days, the MP used to visit exam centers on regular basis to ensure fair means practiced.

  

The health sector was given equal importance. ‘HAMARA PRAYAS’, an NGO, funded by the trust worked effectively in the district in the area such as cultural development and healthcare.  The MP then fixed the upper limit of doctors' consultancy fees at Rs. 50 and 70 respectively. The move was widely welcomed and it benefitted the poor immensely.  Besides, the doctors treated the poor on all important festivals for free. With the help of local businessmen, the health committee managed generators and provided regular power supply to the hospitals, which was needed much due to huge electricity crisis across Bihar.

To the surprise of many, Mohammad Shahabuddin is a voracious reader too. He loves to read books on different issues, especially history books. He was awarded the doctorate degree on his thesis ‘First Coalition Government’ from Muzaffarpur University, Bihar. To launch a newspaper was also in pipeline.

This is one of the aspects Mohammad Shahabuddin will be ever remembered and cherished by people of Siwan.

Strengthening Owaisi in UP will give Muslims capacity to bargain

http://twocircles.net/2017feb11/404550.html
During the seven decades of independence, we have seen many parties very closely, and hopefully, have understood well the meaning of secularism. Without going into the detail of their precepts and practices in the decades-long history, let’s have a look at the recent incident in Assam to understand the political game under the garb of secularism.

In Assam, BJP+ AGP+ BPF alliance got 41.9 % of vote share while Congress got 31% and AIUDF 13% of the total vote. Congress and AIUDF put together amount to 43%. Congress didn’t form an alliance with AIUDF and was reduced from 79 to 26 seats. So-called secular party like Congress could afford to see BJP in power and lived through its humiliating defeat, but couldn’t afford to see Badruddin Ajmal in power. In Indian political context, secularism urges to get the vote of Muslims, but refuses an alliance with them, even if it costs dear.

In recent Bihar election, Muslims so vigorously voted for the grand alliance that all six candidates fielded by AIMIM, including the veteran Akhtarul Iman, two-term MLA and very popular candidate, lost to grand alliance candidates from Seemanchal, a thickly Muslim populated area. Soon after, Nitish government reduced the minority budget from 309 to 294 crores. The fact is that in politics, there is no friend or foe, but the truth is that power recognizes power. Our crisis remains because we are a vote bank without a leader.

Any community deprived of its leader is a pushover. Why shouldn’t Muslims, as a marginalized community and not as a religious minority, have the custodian of their votes? Some argue this will lead to polarization, which is not true. Vote pattern in India is now deeply on caste line and not on religious line. Therefore, Muslims voting in unification for their leader and party will be simply a pattern followed by other communities of India.

In this caste based political system in India, each political party is supported primarily by a sizeable section of particular community and caste. Their caste votes bring them electoral strength and real political power with a capacity to rule and bargain.

Following the own leader and the party headed by own leaders will reduce chances of being blackmailed. Such a party will definitely be part of alliance and governance as well. The mass following will strengthen the leader and place him in a position to bargain, which is a must for the community.

In Uttar Pradesh, in 73 of 403 assembly constituencies, Muslims form more than 30% of the electorate. AIMIM is contesting around three dozen seats. Muslims must vote unanimously across Uttar Pradesh to defeat communal force but shouldn’t they throw their weight behind Owaisi contesting few seats and give him a chance to lead and represent the community?

Asif Moazzam Jamai

Dept. of English

University of Bisha

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia