Emajuddin Nurani Madrasa (Islami School) started its journey with some tin shed rooms in 2010 with the initiative of Emajuddin descendants. Today its a three storied building of approximately 4224 sq ft with more than 350 students. With the expansion of the infrastructure, education facility and number of beneficiary, Emajuddin family got involved in Madrasa activities so that religious fundamentalism is not patronized here. Gradually, with a decade of experience a strategy is conceived to transform the school as a hub of sustainable human development through digitalized smart community space model.
Beside regular education, a total of eight projects are planned for the human development initiative. Digital Center, Karje Hasana (interest free loan), Children Club and Library, Food and Fasting, Part Time Shelter, Training of Mothers, Islami Canteen for Enlighten Man and a Hybrid Islami Cultural Competition Certification are included in the endeavor. It is expected that the people of the area will be transformed to a developed community through this Islami School Approach of Human Development (ISAHD)
Mintola is a remote place of Chapai Nawabganj district of Bangladesh, almost adjacent to the border. Though the wind of digitalization has touched the area but that is mostly limited to mobile internet. School authority has planned to connect the underdeveloped people of the area with internet and modern gadgets and conduct some ICT training to bring a total change in the quality of life of the community people.
a. In this Ramadan, a Quaranic Chat Bot will be released inshallah, where any one will be able to ask orally any question regarding the content of the Holy Quran and will get an answer orally. This is planned keeping in mind the vast majority of our people unable to read and write Arabic and Bengali and thus devoid of getting the words of Allah.
b. Presently, a computer connected to internet, a printer and a smart TV is available in the madrasa. The television is basically used as a projector to display religious events for the children for curricular and co-curricular activities.
c. It is planned to upgrade it an open access digital center so that anybody can access the websites, the world of knowledge and get his/her materials printed without any cost. Gradually, with the increase of the number of Laptops or computers this can be transformed to internet Cafe, which will be a nonprofit organization only for the development of the community with the light of the development in around the world.
d. In course of time this can also be transformed into a ICT training center, where number of children and the elders will be able to learn coding and programming and it can be a space for earning or a station for earning even foreign currency.
Karje Hasana
Karje hasana (64:17) is a Quranic concept of interest free loan, which is one of the main elements (beside Sadaqah, Zakat and Waq f ) concerning the welfare of the society. On the other hand, today’s Bangladeshi rural society is full of interest based micro credit from various NGOs, which contradicts Islamic values. Though modern economy patronize this interest based system, less- educated people without proper planning and self-control fall in the trap of a vicious cycle of loans. We encourage people not to be involved in this interest based loan cycle and lend fellow neighbors/ friends with the value of humanity. A Karje Hasana scheme is planned for following four categories of people.
a. A poor student will be given a loan to support his/her education, which will be paid back after he/she starts earning. Thus the students will be lifelong connected to the school with Islamic values and will reject the interest based loan.
b. A Student’s father or a community member will be given a micro credit for the seeding before the season and they will pay back after harvesting. This will reduce their pressure on interest and allow them to stock their own product for a better price.
c. A kinder garden student’s accompanying mother bring him/her in the school and wet for a long time. Many of these mothers do hand stitching to spend their time in the waiting room. Karje Hasan of 2000 taka can bring them a new way of doing this handy craft and bring solvency in the family. Thus, the whole family will be patronized financially with Islamic values and transform them in to a quarinic family.
d. Anybody in need of emergency treatment can get a small amount of loan from this Karje Hasana project.
Children Club and Library
Presently, an annual competition is held on co-curricular activities on Azan, Kirat and Hamd- Naat. A children club is planned which can be conducted during the leisure hours, after finishing of the school. Five clubs namely Hamd and Naat, art and design, Quran Tilawat, mathematics and English can be conducted in five days of a weak. As qualified instructor will be unavailable in this remote place of Bangladesh, YouTube channels through the television will help them practicing the activities. Additionally, virtual meeting will be organized to guide the children in the class.
Islami foundation is communicated to arrange a library in the school vicinity. Modern books of other faculties will also be collected for flourishing the mental faculty of the students. A digital library will also be available in the computer lab and internet café.
Food and Fasting
Traditionally, Emajuddin family arranges food for student of Hifzul Quran for the whole month of Ramadan. This year some additional food donation is planned for the ultra-poor, so that they can consume Sehri and Iftar comfortably. A package of food containing rice, pulse, sugar, oil and date costing 800 to 900 taka will be supplied to them during the month of Ramadan.
Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam used to keep fasting on Monday and Thursday. We are planning to distribute Iftar on Monday and Thursday round the year to encourage community people for fasting and make a Sunnah alive.
Part Time Shelter
Three storied Emaj Uddin Nurani Madrasa is also used as a free Community Centre for marriage ceremony and any other festivals for the local community. Travelers from other places will also be able to use this as a shelter during the night. As the school is adjacent to a mosque, tablig jamat coming in the mosque can also be hosted in the school premises. Homeless person (if any) can also be given an allotment for the night only. During the day they will work around and after the school period is over, they can come and stay and use it as their part time shelter. We are happy and very grateful to Allah Subhanaotala that we have started constructing our second building. Initially it will ground floor with a four storied foundation and gradually we will build the rest.
Training of Mothers
Presently, lectures are arranged by the local experts for the ladies to enlighten them once a week in the afternoon. Very soon we will be able to start projecting famous lectures from social media in ladies waiting room every morning for the kids accompanying mothers. Additionally, YouTube videos for the development of the ladies will be arranged in the afternoon so that they can spend quality time and develop themselves and their quality of life. Presentations will cover family management and child psychology. This three storied building can also be used as a training center for the ladies for sewing, tailoring and handicrafts in the afternoon. An innovative idea of stretching Quranic calligraphy can be developed by them with some on the job training. Funding from Karje hasana will add a different dimension of developing a business after this training.
Enlighten Men through Islamic Canteen
An Islamic canteen or a tea stall and stationary store is planned just at the outskirt of the school. Stationary will be sold during the school hours. In some occasions keeper will stay away and children will be encouraged to pay the bills of a small purchased item. This venture will encourage to develop self-control, faithfulness, trustworthiness and some other virtues. After the school hours a subject wise Islamic issues projection program will be hanged so that community men can come sit informally and listen to their favorite topics. Community people will come and sit together, they will talk to each other and also listen to some religious talks. Three days a week a program named enlightened men will also be conducted in this school. These will help in social development through spiritual and psychological development of the individual. Financial transition of Karje hasana will be conducted through mobile banking of Islami bank namely cellFin and Islami Bank mCash. Karje hasana project for purchasing seed before the cultivation and emergency treatment facility will glue this enlighten men project.
Hybrid Islami Cultural Competition Certification
Although there are cultural and sports events in general schools, little have been done for the students of the religious sectors. As a result, in some cases fundamentalism, racism and religious extremism might take place. But fourteen hundred years ago, the great messenger Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) informed us about the characteristics of halal culture. So we have taken this small effort to restore the practice of halal culture through the Hybrid Islami Cultural CompetitionCertification. Initial competition will be held in the Islami school or mosque and first three positions will be declared by the institutional authority. We will send them certificates upon receiving their presentations. Once many of the institutional results and presentations will be received, we will select best three presenters of various levels like Thana, Upazila, District and Division champion. Finally, a national championship can also be arranged without spending a lot of money. Hifzul Quran, Arabic to Bengali translation, Azan, Quran recitation, Dawah, Hamd, Nath, Extempore Islamic speech, Islamic debate and some more events can be planned throughout the year.