Mangalore: Muslims should not separate their worldly secular education from spiritual education as both are two faces of the same coin of ‘Ilm’ (knowledge), which is a boon made to only the mankind, said SM Sayed Khaleel, chairman of Bhatkal Anjuman group in Mangalore on Saturday. He was the guest of honour at the inaugural session of Coastal Muslim Educational Conference at IMA hall today.

Hidayah Foundation organised this 2010 event. He added that God (Allah) gave Adam (the first man) knowledge and the superiority over all creatures first and then gave him guidance (Hidayah).

Muslims remained backward when they ignored secular (material) education. When this community disregarded education and knowledge, they lost everything. But there was a time when common Muslims were torch bearers of both knowledge (Kuran) and secular education, but not now. The Muslims forgot the value and importance of knowledge. They  lost direction and received a setback in all areas, Khaleel said.

More than a billion (100 crores) Muslims are unable to match 14 million (1.4 crores) Jews in any field, due to their own negligence of education, he added. Sayed Khaleel advocated that spiritual and material education should go hand in hand, together.

Dr. Mansoor Alam of All India Milli Council, in his inaugural address said that, education alone can uplift Muslims into enlightened society. The global Muslims in the last 200 years have left the path of knowledge and learning to experience shame and insults. He disclosed that Sachar Committee report on minorities was not read by most of the Muslim leaders in India. Dr Alam asked the Muslim population of the coast not to be affected by Fear Psychosis, discussed in the second chapter of Sachar report. Fear created by propaganda can affect education and other aspects of Muslim life, he added.

Dr. Alam symbolically inaugurated the Educational event by passing on a copy of Koran, the source of divine knowledge and guidance, to M. Farhan who recited its verses.
Prof. M. Abdul Rahman, former Vice-chancellor of Kannur and Kozhikode Universities, who presided on this occasion, asked all Muslims to make use of a democratic set-up in this country to reach education in a secular world.
Kasim Ahmed welcomed the gathering and made the opening remarks. Dr.CP Habeeb Rahman, thanked the guests. Dr. F. Farouki, Dr. M. Iftiquaruddin (both of MESCO) and CRM Imthiyaz, advocate were present.