Mansooruddin Faridi/New Delhi

The success of Shaifat Ali, a student of a Delhi madrassa, in a local bodybuilding competition, has given a lie to the common perception that the  Madrasa education system is just about the study of Islamic scriptures and religion.

Saifat Ali of Madrasa Babul Uloom located in the Jaffarabad area of New Delhi has won two gold medals in the area bodybuilding competition buoying the spirits of all students in his seminary and making the management speak up about the inclusive education that they impart at this Islamic school.

Speaking with Awaz-the Voice, Shaifat Ali said that he achieved this success in the 65 to 70 kg category. He also got a cash prize of Rs 21,000 for his success.

Shaifat Ali said he wants to compete at the national and international levels. He is aware that for going ahead in this profession, he has to put in a lot of hard work and also needs adequate facilities.

Recently there were heartening reports about the Madrasa graduates clearing the medical college entrance examination, the NEET, and appearing in the civil services exams. Sheft Ali’s success opens another aspect of madrasa education for the common people.

Hailing from Bihar's Darbhanga district, Ali says he lives with his elder brother in Shastri Park in Delhi. He got interested in bodybuilding because of his brother. He goes to the gym whenever he gets a break.

Interestingly, he doesn’t have a trainer and works alone on building his body.

Shaifat Ali being felicitated at winning the bodybuilding championship

Interestingly, this bodybuilding competition was organized by the Fitness Body Building Association at Prachin Shiv Mandir Hall in Azadpur which is within the premises of the temple.

The organisers of the competition were Ravi Ujjaiwal, Sanjay Chadda, Jitendra Rajora, and Advocate Rohit Ujjainwal.

Expressing his happiness for the success of Madrasa Babul Uloom student, Maulana Muhammad Dawood Amini, in charge of the madrasa, hailed Sheft Ali’s efforts. While appreciating his hard work, he said that madrasa students do not lag in any field and are walking shoulder to shoulder with school students.

Madrasa in charge said Sheft Ali’s success is an apt response to those who think that the students of Madrasas lag in normal activities.

Maulana Amini said that the Madrasa authorities are continuously working on all the students to work hard so that they can be successful in life too.

He told Awaz-The Voice said that children not only memorize Quran in this madrassa but are also taught English and Hindi along with Arabic-Persian.

Importantly, along with education, the children who live in the madrassa hostel are sent to play in the local park after Asr prayer, i.e. after four o'clock in the evening as the madrassa does not have a grounds.

He said that children in madrassas are encouraged to participate in sports - this is the reason why Ali also achieved success in bodybuilding.

Maulana Amini said that about 160 children live in the hostel of this seminary, whereas it had 260 before the lockdown, due to the Covid pandemic.

He said the students of Madrasah Babul Uloom attend the English medium school run by the Jamair-e-Ulama-e- Hind and they appear in the National open school to clear their further classes. The Jamait-e-Ulama-e-Hind has 255 children on its rolls.

The children enrolled there appear for their matriculation examination from the open school.

Maulana Amini also said that they have also opened a computer center, sewing, embroidery, and mehndi training centers – where 130 girls are currently being trained.

The Madrasa authorities are planning to set up a coaching center to prepare Muslim students for competitive examinations ranging from police recruitment to civil services.

The second floor of the school building is vacant and there the authorities want to open a hospital for women.

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Maulana Amini says: “We want the students in our madrassa to be able to show their potential in various fields.”