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Say: “Are those who know equal with those who know not?“

But only men of understanding will pay heed.

The Holy Qur’an; Chapter 39 (The Troops), Verse 9

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One of the very first projects to come to fruition, after the start of our weekly gatherings, was the setting up of a library. While the majority of works included in the library concerns the spiritual path of the wayfarer, there are plans to expand the collection of works to include other branches of knowledge.

Beginning in August 2020, we launched a new course entitled “Foundation in Islamic Studies“. It was felt that there was a need to teach the Muslim community, especially the youth, some elementary but essential aspects of orthodox Islamic creed. With the passing of time, it has become increasingly difficult to acquire such knowledge in contemporary educational circles.

The course was set up to inculcate the basic tenets of faith, jurisprudence, and the Prophetic biography in particular. It runs in parallel at 4 different locations across the island, and is led by Maulana Hayat Noor Khan, a scholar who has given years of service to the Muslim community in Mauritius. It is expected to run over 1 year, after which more advanced teaching is planned for those who succeed in its completion.

In the long run, the vision is to set up infrastructure that would lead to the delivery of in-person teaching, apprenticeship, and training under qualified instructors. This should not only concern religious sciences, but aim to produce competent individuals who are able to exercise their thoughts and judgement freely on a range of issues facing us in our current predicament.