Community Initiative

The common belief is that Islamic scholars take no interest in community activities. Breaking away from this stereotype image, we bring you profiles of two institutions. The men behind the success of these institutions strongly believe in interaction with the masses. Both have opened their hearts and doors of their institutions to Muslims and non-Muslims. While one is focused on education, the other is striving to spread peace.


Rolling Shields and Winter Uniforms

The Unity Mission School in Lucknow has over 1400 students from the less privileged sections whose future is shaped in the classrooms.


A day in 1999, brought about a revolutionary change in the lives of the less privileged children. One morning, renowned Islamic scholar and social reformer Dr. S. Kalbe Sadiq saw a child standing outside the gate of Unity College in Lucknow. He asked him, “where do you study.” The child’s spontaneous and innocent answer was another question. “Do poor children also study anywhere?” His helplessness and his unsaid desire to go to school pierced Dr Kalbe Sadiq’s heart. Tears came in his eyes and the very next day, he expressed his desire to start Unity Mission School for such students in Lucknow. Words were translated into deeds. It was due to his sincere endeavour that, from a modest beginning with nine students, today the school is providing free education to 1400 students (boys and girls) on roll. The school provides, free of cost, quality education, complete winter and summer uniform, books and stationery, medical aid, transport facility and vocational training.


The school is run under the guidance and support of the Tauheedul Muslimeen Trust, a non-profit Trust for educational and charitable purposes. Dr Kalbe Sadiq is one of the Trustees and apart from the Unity Mission School, the Trust runs the M.U College, Aligarh, Unity Inter College, Lucknow, Unity Industrial Training Centre, Lucknow, Hazrat Imam Zainul Abideen Charitable Hospital, Lucknow (A joint venture with Alimaan Charitable Trust, Mumbai) and Unity Computer Centre, Jalalpur.


Unity Mission School provides a well furnished library, a computer lab, science labs and a big playground along with spacious well-ventilated classrooms. The school is from Nursery to Class VIII. Children are provided with books, stationery, uniform, shoes, sweaters etc by the school, free of cost. Free medical aid is also provided to the students. The whole syllabus is divided into three terms, quarterly, half yearly and annual examinations. Several extra-curricular activities like debates, quiz, essay writing competitions, along with sports events are held regularly. Urdu, theology (Deeniyat) is compulsory for Muslim students. Namaz-e- Jamaat is made compulsory for Muslim boys upto Class VIII. There are separate sections for overage students and a special syllabus is designed for such students. The School has its Literary Club.


The school is surging ahead with the belief and is showing light to the society. Due to the untiring efforts of the institution, the future of many children is not at stake, but is being shaped in the classrooms.


(For more details, contact: Tauheedul Muslimeen Trust, Kalbe Husain Plaza, Chowk, Lucknow. Ph: 0522-3295526, 2265600. Email:tauheed@ sancharnet.in)

The Centre for Peace and Spirituality focuses on unleashing the spiritual potential of an individual.


Maulana Wahiduddin Khan is an Islamic spiritual scholar who has adopted peace as the mission of his life. Born in 1925 at Azamgarh, he is well versed in both classical Islamic learning and modern science. In the course of his research, the Maulana came to the conclusion that the need of the hour was to present Islamic teachings in the style and language of the present day. His life since then has been devoted to the development of a complete ideology of peace. Having studied Islam from the original Arabic scriptures, the Maulana has presented to the world the ‘real’ face of Islam based on peace, tolerance and co-existence. In September 1970, he established the Islamic Centre in New Delhi. Al-Risala, the voice of the mission in Urdu language and The Spiritual Message in English, are regularly published as monthly periodicals. The Maulana received the “Demiurgus International Peace Award 2002” for his outstanding achievements in strengthening peace among nations. He was also awarded the title of “Ambassador of Peace” by the International Federation for World Peace, Korea. He has authored over 200 books on Islam, Prophetic wisdom and peaceful co-existence in a multi-ethnic society. The latest work to his credit is The Idealogy of Peace, which not only offers a peaceful solution to the terrorism menace, but also helps people understand the concept of peace in Islam. To cater to the quest of inquisitive minds and to connoisseurs of spiritual pursuit, in 2001, the Maulana established the Centre for Peace and Spirituality (CPS). The Centre under his patronage focuses on unleashing the spiritual potential of an individual. The Centre aims to address the modern and scientific thought of young people and inquisitive minds of all ages and arranges lectures, television, radio and weekly interactive one-on-one sessions every Sunday which focus on understanding the relationship between man and his Creator, de-conditioning of the mind for clearer thinking, discovery and development of the spiritual personality and rational understanding of the Creation Plan of God. At a recent lecture on “Peace and Non-Violence in Islam” held in Delhi, the Maulana emphasized on the importance and need for Muslims to set up a ‘Dawah Empire.”


(For more details, contact: Centre for Peace and Spirituality - 1, Nizamuddin West Market, New Delhi-110013 Ph: 24355454 Email: info@cps.org.in)

The riots of 2002 in Gujarat have changed Gujarati Muslims in many ways. Women empowerment and education spree has begun and now, some good notable results are on cards. Until five years ago the women of Juhapura in Ahmedabad had not ventured beyond the confines of their small neighbourhood. But now the situation has changed.


As the riots left most male members of the area jobless, 20 Muslim women began a self help group (SHG) called parwaaz, with children to feed and rents to pay, saving even Rs. 20 from their monthly household expenses was a hard task. How ever, they still managed to save some and deposited the amount in a group savings account managed by the accounts arm of Parwaaz.


In the last five years, Parwaaz has grown from 20 to over 500 in number. Two years ago, Arzabibi took a loan of Rs. 1,000 from Parwaaz, she bought mehendi powder and sold it, making 100 per cent profit in solarpur. “Now, I make a almost Rs. 1,500 every month says Bibi, who owns a credit card.


But just saving money is not what all these women do. Parwaaz also fights against domestic violence, abusive husbands and in-laws, besides empowering women to sustain themselves by helping them start small business.


Jaheeda Banu, a member saud, “now we aften out in the middle of night to rescue distressed women from their abusive husbands.” Farzana Pathan, president of Parwaaz, said “there was stiff resistance when we first stepped out of our homes to attend meetings. In the face of such opposition, we raised sensitive issues. Such a domestic violence against “women”. We are not truly empowered.