Sialkot, August 2021: We have received a copy of Chief Executive Officer, District Sialkot letter that deserves placing on record for future reference, and calls for a comment now. We produce below its translation:
From the Office of Chief Executive Officer (DEA) Sialkot
To: All the District Education Officers District Sialkot
Letter No: 3568 Date: August 17, 2021
Subject: Important Instructions to Heads of Institutes
- All heads of education institutes should be made to appoint only Muslim teachers to teach the subjects of Islamiat and Arabic, who have a good knowledge of Islam.
- The students should be given lectures from time to time during the Islamiat and Arabic periods on Khatme e Nabuwwat in the light of the teachings of the Holy Quran and Hadith.
- The following Hadith should be displayed on prominent and safe places of the school.
انا خاتم النبیین لا نبی بعدی (ترمذی شریف)
I am the last of the Prophets, and there will be no Prophet after me.
Sd/-
Chief Executive Officer (DEA)
Sialkot
Copy for information: Deputy Commissioner Sialkot
Copy of original vernacular is placed at Annex I.
There is a background to the issuance of this letter. Earlier on, the Punjab Government had made the study of the Holy Quran compulsory as a separate subject under “The Holy Quran Compulsory Study Act 2018”. Three to four periods per week were to be allocated to the subject and all private and government schools and Madrassas were to follow this instruction and make arrangements accordingly.
In addition, the subject of Khatm e Nabuwwat (KN) was taught only in Matric and Intermediate, but now it has been made part of the syllabus from class I onward.
This order apparently has been issued on instructions from Lahore, the provincial capital. The promulgated instructions call for some analysis and commit.
First, it makes no sense that Arabic, a language, should be taught only by a Muslim teacher. Not only Muslims but also Christians, Jews and other Non-Muslims including those of no religion speak this language. This language existed long before Islam come to Arabia. Therefore, this order is sectarian, improper, unjust and baseless.
Second, what is the rationale of teaching the dogma of Khatme Nabuwwat during Arabic language periods? A language has no religion; its learning should involve no commitment to a religious belief.
Third, why only one particular Hadith should be displayed in the school, out of a collection of tens of thousands of Hadiths? Also, there are numerous Hadiths on the issue of Khatme Nabuwwat, why not display one or two others also that shed light on this issue from a different perspective, for instance the one from Sahih Muslim wherein the Holy Prophet, while referring to the advent of the future Messiah, termed him a Nabi (Prophet) four times in a single discourse.
Fourth, it is said that the Holy Quran contains approximately seven hundred Sharia orders etc. The Hadith would contain even more. So how come the authorities find only the End of Prophethood fit to be taught repeatedly to students over 12 years in Islamiat and Arabic periods? There must be some ulterior motive other than simply imparting Islamic teachings on KN. It is not difficult to guess.
Fifth, what is the purpose of giving so much time and emphasis to this particular issue in this country where 97% of the population is Muslim? Even Ahmadis believe in the Finality of Prophethood. The difference is merely semantic and only in finer interpretation. The authorities obviously have their own (political) agenda, and they hope to make some personal gain through a hateful campaign that this issue will make it possible to precipitate through sectarian and extremist elements.
There is enough experience that the periods allocated to the KN issue in schools and colleges are spent on hateful propaganda against the Ahmadi community, while no Ahmadi is ever permitted to explain the Ahmadiyya belief on this issue. To prove our point, we place at Annex II a homework sheet given to students by a teacher. To conclude, by adding the topic of Khatme Nabuwwat to primary school syllabus, false and baseless information on Ahmadiyyat and its founder will be imparted to the young students. This will create an environment of hate against the Ahmadi students in schools that will add greatly to their problems.
