A New Quran Center in Delhi

In the Zakir Nagar colony of New Delhi, a new Quran center has made a very humble beginning. Started by the sitting principal of Delhi's oldest college, the Delhi College, the Center offers free coaching classes to class six and class ninth and tenth students in mathematics, science, vernacular language, and social studies. There is nothing unusual about teaching these subjects, but what is unusual is that students would also have to spend one hour learning the meaning and message of the Quran. They would be required to take tests, if they fail in the Quran test, the privilege of tuition-free coaching would be withdrawn.
The new center is run by the Yumna Quranic Education Trust. This is the first effort of its kind anywhere in the world where students are encouraged to study the Quran with meanings combined with modern education curricula. There are several unique features of this center.
1. The money was not raised through fundraising appeals. Dr. Mohammad Aslam Pervaiz donated his hard-earned money to purchase the building and he assumed the responsibility of taking care of its running expenses.
2. Not a single dime was taken from any of the existing religious institutions or government agencies or foreign organizations. No Qatar, no United Arab Emirates, no Kuwait, and no Saudi Arabian money are involved in running this center.
3. The Quran Center does not belong to any school of thought or ideology. It has no loyalties other than the loyalty to serve Allah and His prophet and the people.
4. Its emphasis is on the understanding of the message of the Quran in a language that is understood by the students easily.
5. It is not dependent upon its survival on anyone other than on the one in whose name it is initiated, i.e. God Almighty.
6. It is not an intellectual exercise on the part of a few individuals, but a bold effort to impart the meanings to those who are sure to play effective roles in the upcoming generations of Muslims.
7. The idea is to duplicate this type of center to different parts of India depending on the need.
8. It is meant to help students improve their life on the basis of the teachings of the Quran.
The center is the logical culmination of two annual Quran conferences that took place in Delhi in 2011 and 2013 under the leadership of Dr. Pervaiz.The Center would ensure that these conferences are organized regularly not only in Delhi but in different parts of India as well.

In the Muslim world where the Quran has been reduced to the level of memorization, recitation, and reading without understanding, there is this bold effort to communicate the message to the younger generation of the grassroots. While memorization, recitation and reading are good, they are not the main purpose of the Quran. If this was the case, Allah would have revealed the rules of Tajweed along with the Quran. The rules of tajweed were developed by people who later came to be known as a scholar. They were based on the linguistic and sound notation rules to ensure that their recitation creates an impact on the heart. The main purpose of the Quran was and is to understand divine guidance and live one's life accordingly.
This is the purpose that one finds missing in most institutions created to teach the Quran. Recently, in fundraising, the director of a Quran Institute boasted that his school has produced 100 plus huffaz (those who memorize the Quran) in the last 15 years. How many of them really understand the Quran and grasp its meaning. He did not like the question and even memorization brings huge rewards. When you have a culture in established Islamic schools, that the Quran is not a book to be understood, how can you extract any guidance from it?
The ideal situation is that people understand the Quran in the language in which it is initially revealed. Yet in the last 1400 year history of Muslims, it did not happen. But until that happens the guidance cannot be postponed or understood through secondary or third sources. It has to be understood directly from the Quran and from the Prophet. This Center is making this task easier for our younger generation, at least in India.
The Center is also establishing the example that knowledge cannot be split into secular and religious. All knowledge is created by the Creator and hence without the one, the other is incomplete. Let us hope that this new effort succeeds and help our younger generation, at least in India to grow under the shade of the Quran to live a life that is meaningful and worthy of living.
The address of the Center is:
The Quran Center
244/5 Zakir Nagar, New Delhi 110025