[Reader-list] What is useful knowledge?/madrasa journalism

[mohd arshad]

While interviewing Maulana Ejaz Arshad Qasmi, editor of the website of
the Darul Uloom Deoband madrasa, I asked whether you find it difficult
to understand what goes in the construction and the packaging of news
in national dailies as disciplines like Political Science are not the
part of the madrasa curriculum. His answer was: "There is no need to
attach so much importance to the disciplines like Political Science As
the madrasa students are habitual of studying the bulky and tough
syllabus, they really don't need ,like the students of universities,
to devote years to develop an understanding of the Political Science.
Suffice it will for them to spare some time for the discipline."
Likewise, Maulana Yaseen Akhter Misbahi, a Delhi-based veteran alim of
the Barelwi school of thought and editor of the Urdu monthly Kanzul
Imaan, Delhi, is of the opinion that Dars-e-Nizami (the curriculum
presently taught in the madrasas) consolidates the academic foundation
of a student in a way that one can excel in any field one opts for.
That's why instead of the fact that he neither studied in a university
nor received any training in journalism, he continues; his editorials
are admired among the readers.

A bunch of disciplines are considered useful in the mainstream
education system and, also, they are considered necessary for the
madrasas education system. At the same time, madrasa people don't see
any utility of these disciplines useful for themselves. Moreover, they
are of the opinion that there are subjects in the madrasa syllabus
which are useful and should be taught to the university students.
The question which arises in my mind is: what is the useful knowledge?
Which knowledge is useful for whom and who is going to decide it? What
is the history of the useful knowledge?

arshad amanullah
35,masihgarh,
jamia nagar
new delhi-25.