Uttar Pradesh Madrassa Education Board Chairman Iftikar Ahmed Javed, on Wednesday, December 21, mentioned a proposal to change the weekly holiday of madrassas would be discussed next month. The holiday across all the madrasas in the state will be shifted to Sunday from Friday.
The proposal came up during a meeting of the government-appointed board on Tuesday, December 20. According to Javed, the meeting was held regarding making the necessary amendments to the Uttar Pradesh Non-Government Arabic and Farsi Recognition Administration and Service Regulation - 2016. It was attended by its members and madrassa representatives.
"During the meeting, it was proposed to change the weekly holiday of madrassas in the state from Friday to Sunday, a long-pending demand of various stakeholders," he said. However, the move was opposed by the representatives of the teachers' association of madrassas, who said the change would send out a wrong message, as per a report by PTI.
Diwan Saheb Zaman, Uttar Pradesh General Secretary of Madaris Arabiya (the teachers' association of madrasas), said that special arrangements are made for Friday prayers and that is why it was a holiday for madrassas on Fridays. "If this system is changed, it will send out the wrong message," he added.
"During Tuesday's meeting of the Uttar Pradesh Madrassa Education Board, only a few people had advocated changing the weekly holiday while the others opposed it. Madrassas across the country are usually closed on Friday. Friday prayers have special importance in Islam and in view of the preparations for Jumma, madrassas remain closed on this day," he stated further.
The debate is still on. Javed said a final decision on the proposal would be taken in a board meeting in January 2023, as per PTI.
