The Real Issue

Urdu and Arabic. Please arrange a tutor for them.” Maulana Qasmi asked why he wanted his children to learn Urdu and Arabic. Mr. Ahluwalia replied, “I want my children to have an open mind and to think beyond narrow-mindedness.” It should be noted that Mr. Inderjit Singh Ahluwalia is affiliated with the RSS and is an active member of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Maulana Shakeel Ahmed Qasmi believed that if he assigned a madrasa student to this task, they might not do it well. So, he decided to take on the task himself. When he told Mr. Ahluwalia about this, Mr. Ahluwalia was very surprised. But, after Maulana Qasmi’s insistence, he agreed. Mr. Ahluwalia then asked, “Maulana Sahib, how much do we need to pay you each month?” Maulana Qasmi responded, “Nothing. This is a joyful task for me. The only reward I need is the satisfaction of seeing some people in an area where Urdu is fading, learning Urdu and Arabic.” After some discussion, it was decided that Maulana Qasmi would go to their home to teach Urdu to their children. Maulana Shakeel Ahmed Qasmi started teaching Urdu to these children using Maulana Ismail Merathi’s “Reader.” This program began on December 1, 1992, and continues today. During this period, these Hindu children have completed several readers. They can now write correctly and read Urdu newspapers like “Qaumi Awaz” easily. They have also begun learning Arabic through “Minhaaj-ulArabiyya.” Currently, they are studying the second part of “Minhaaj-ul-Arabiyya.” Urdu has become so prominent in their household that even Mr. Inderjit Singh Ahluwalia has started learning Urdu from Maulana Qasmi. In addition