Jihad is not being deleted from the new curriculum because it is an integral part of Islamic teachings and Muslim beliefs, said Education Minister Lt Gen (r) Javed Ashraf Qazi on Monday. “Jihad has many dimensions which also includes self-negation (Jihad bin nafas). We will teach students the full concept of Jihad,” Qazi said during a briefing on the draft of the new curricula for classes 1 to XII. He said that Sura Al Anfal and other suras over which certain western countries had reservations with regard to their Jihad teachings, were still part of the Islamiat curriculum.He said the new curricula will be implemented in junior classes from the start of the academic year in 2007 and will be introduced in all classes up to grade XII by 2009. The draft curricula has been sent to the provinces for recommendations and will be finalised after their proposals are considered, he added.
Qazi said the revised Islamiyat curriculum has been divided into five topics: Al Quran Al Kareem (Quranic teachings), Imaniyat aur Ibadaat (Haqooq Allah) (Rights of God), Seerat e Tayyaba (Life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Akhlaq aw Adaab (etiquette) (Haqooqul Ibad) and prominent personalities of Islam. He said that Nazara Quran would start in grade-III, leading up to completion of the Holy Quran by the end of grade-VIII. The students will also memorise 19 small suras by the end of class-VIII. The suras include Sura Ikhlas, Sura Nasar, Sura Fathihah and Sura Falaq. He added that students would also memorise with simple translation 27 Quranic supplications recited during prayers.