Aligarh. Aligarh Muslim University AMU of UP is considered a big center of Islamic studies. Students from all over the country and abroad come here to study. Now AMU has taken a historic decision. Sanatan Dharma will also be taught in the Islamic Education Department of the university. The education of Sanatan Dharma will be done at the post graduation level at present. Professor Mohammad Ismail, Chairman of the Department of Islamic Education, has written a letter to the Vice Chancellor of AMU to start this course. The name of the course will be Comparative Religion. AMU PRO Umar Peerzada told the media that all religions are already taught in the theology department of the university. For the first time the Islamic Education Department will teach about Sanatan Dharma.
Peerzada said the founder of the university, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, also wanted students of all religions to study here. This course is being started so that the unity of Hindus and Muslims remains. Hindutva organizations have welcomed this decision of AMU. Leader of an organization Saurav Chaudhary told Hindi newspaper ‘Nav Bharat Times’ that this will help in tying the students of all religions in one thread and people of other religions will also get to know about Sanatan Dharma.
However, some Islamic scholars are also opposing this decision. Professor Mufti Zahid Ali Khan, former chairman of AMU’s Department of Theology, said that if one has to teach about Sanatan Dharma, then there should be a separate department for that. Zahid Ali Khan said that it is okay to teach about all religions in the theology department too, but with this study in the Islamic education department, there may also be a demand to teach about other religions there. Which will not have a good effect.