Post Workhops 2016

Rationale

Sustainability and continuity are key aspects of the Religious Pluralism project which is why every workshop held in Erfurt is followed up by a post-workshop to be organised by the madrasa-participants of Erfurt workshop in their own institutions in Pakistan. This exercise in cultural translation is of immense importance, as these post-workshops will bear the potential to put into praxis the knowledge acquired in Germany. The post-workshops encourage the madrasa students (who have attended the Erfurt University workshops) to organise the venues and decide upon the resource persons and trainers in collaboration with the principals of their host institutions. The organisers shall thereby not only improve their interpersonal, organizational and leadership skills by shaping a professional workshop but also extend benefit to their peer groups by sharing the experiences made in Germany, discussing cultural and social similarities and dissimilarities and above all education standards, learning methodologies and didactics followed in a western academic tradition. The medium of instruction in all post-workshops is Urdu language so as to ensure and encourage the maximum participation and student outreach. In this context the Chair of Muslim Cultural & Religious History, University of Erfurt (CMCRH) extends its full support in organising these post-workshops. Preparatory sessions are held during the workshops in Erfurt so as to provide vital organisational details in order to help prepare the students to conduct a post-workshop. Similarly, all the post-workshop organisers are asked to timely inform about their preparatory progress with the project’s steering committee and regional resource persons.

Historiography Workshops in Pakistan (2-7 October, 2016)

The first two day post-workshops was on Historiography and took place from 2-7 October, 2016 in three Pakistani madrasas namely Jamia Khairul Madaris (Multan), Jamia Salfia (Faisalabad) and Jamia Naeemia (Lahore). These workshops were held under the aegis and auspices of the CMCRH  as an integral and extended part of the Summer School “Questions of Historiography” held in Erfurt from 15-25 July, 2016. The workshop on “Question of Historiography” focussed on how the history of different religious traditions is being documented and how and which social and cultural perspectives influence their historical narratives, such as in Polytheism, Judaism, Orthodox and Latin Christianity and Islam, focusing among others on oral and textual traditions, historicizing religion, and history as a religious concern. Thus, the workshop on “Questions of Historiography” served as a precursor and blueprint for the organisers and it was expected from them to arrange for and conduct a similar post-workshop in their own madrasas.

Best Workshop / Evaluation

To encourage and incentivize the organisers (madrasa students) of post-workshops, all three post-workshops were professionally evaluated in order to decide the best workshop. In this regard, a professional consultant from Pakistan with expertise in monitoring and evaluation was also roped in to conduct the evaluation of all the three workshops at the above-mentioned cities. The evaluator attended a day each in every workshop in order to conduct pre- and post-evaluations in those madrasas. 

Results of the Evaluation

The monitoring and evaluation expert conducted workshop evaluations in Jamia Salfia (Faisalabad), Jamia Khairul Madaris (Multan) and Jamia Naeemia (Lahore) and based on careful assessment, following positions were given to the participating institutions.

- 1st Position: Jamia Salfia (Faisalabad)

- 2nd Position: Jamia Khairul Madaris (Multan)

- 3rd Position: Students of Jamia Naeemia, Jamia Nizamia Rizvia (Lahore) and Jamia Markaze Uloom Al Islamia Mansoora (Lahore)

 

While compiling the results, the monitoring and evaluation expert gave particular consideration to the following aspects:

  • Workshop execution as advertised
  • Workshop management
  • Organisers’ coordination
  • Time management
  • Instructor/Participant interaction
  • Lecture content and focus
  • Room for discussion and debate
  • Methodology

Historiography Workshop at Jamia Khairul Madaris, Multan (2-3 October 2016)

Organiser: Muhammad Ahmad Hanif
Venue: Jamia Khairul Madaris, Multan

Number of Particpants: 20 (male)
Principal: Maulana Muhammad Hanif Jalandhari

 

The first post-workshop on Historiography was held in Multan at Jamia Khairul Madaris whose student Muhammad Ahmad Hanif had participated in the “Questions of Historiography” workshop in Erfurt. The event took place in Jamia’s library and was comprised of 20 male participants from the Jamia Khairul Madaris during which different trainers and academicians gave talks and conducted interactive sessions with the students. Topics covered at the workshop included:

  • Religious Historiography (Dr. Saeed ur Rehman, Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU), Multan)
  • Peace Education (Mr. Noman Hamid, The Message School, Lahore)
  • The Development of Religious Tolerance in Historiography ( Dr. Abdul Quddus Sohaib, BZU, Multan)
  • Chronology of Cultural and Religious Periods (Mr. Salman ul Waheed, KIPS College,  Multan)
  • The Historiographical Origin of Terrorism in Pakistan (Mr. Saeed Akhter, Principal Al Khair Public School, Multan)

Historiography Workshop at Jamia Salfia, Faisalabad (4-5 October 2016)

Organisers: Arslan Zafar, Abul Hasan, Muhammad Zubair
Venue: Jamia Salfia, Faisalabad

Number of Particpants: 30 (male and female)
Principal: Maulana Yasin Zafar

The second post workshop on Historiography was held in Faisalabad at Jamia Salfia whose three students namely Arslan Zafar, Abul Hasan and Muhammad Zubair had participated in the “Questions of Historiography” workshop in Erfurt. The event took place in Jamia’s conference room where 30 male and female students from the Jamia Salfia (along with affiliated madrasas) took part. Different trainers, academicians along with the organisers themselves delivered lectures and conducted interactive sessions with the students. Topics covered at the workshop included:

  • Peace and Education (Mr. Arslan Zafar, Jamia Salfia)
  • Capabilities for Social Development (Mr. Abdul Rehman Hafeez)
  • International Perspectives on Human Rights (Dr. Aziz ur Rehman, International Islamic University, Islamabad)
  • Current Challenges and their possible Solutions (Maulan Yasin Zafar, Jamia Salfia)
  • Violence and Extremism (Mr. Abul Hasan and Muhammad Zubair, Jamia Salfia)
  • Principles and Strategies of dealing with Discord and Disagreements (Maulana Yonis, Wifaqul Madaris Salfia Pakistan)
  • Higher Education Institutions Abroad (Maulana Yasin Zafar, Jamia Salfia)

Historiography Workshop at Jamia Naeemia, Lahore (6-7 October 2016)

Organisers: Amir Qureshi (Jamia Naeemia, Lahore), Bilal Anwer (Jamia Nizamia Rizvia, Lahore) and Hameedullah (Jamia Markaze Uloom Al Islamia Mansoora, Lahore)
Venue: Dr. Sarfraz Naeemi Institute of Peace, Education & Research (Jamia Naeemia, Lahore)

Number of Particpants: 30 (male and female)
Principal: Maulana Syed Raghib Hussain Naeemi

 

The third post workshop on Historiography was held in Dr. Sarfraz Naeemi Institute of Peace, Education & Research (Jamia Naeemia, Lahore). Students from three different madrasas namely Amir Qureshi (Jamia Naeemia, Lahore), Bilal Anwer (Jamia Nizamia Rizvia, Lahore) and Hameedullah (Jamia Markaze Uloom Al Islamia Mansoora, Lahore) who had participated in the “Questions of Historiography” workshop in Erfurt jointly organised this two-day post-workshop. The three organisers conducted the workshop in Jamia Naeemia whose principal Dr. Raghib Naeemi extended his support for conducting the workshop at Dr. Sarfraz Naeemi Institute of Peace, Education & Research where 30 male and female students from the Jamia Naeemia (along with its affiliated madarasas for female students)and Jamia Markaze Uloom Al Islamia took part.. Topics covered at the workshop included:

  • Importance of Religion (Dr. Raghib Hussain, University of the Punjab, Lahore)
  • History of Sikh(Dr. Iqbal Chawla & Dr. Robina, University of the Punjab, Lahore)
  • Origin of Christianity (Dr. Mehboob Hussain, University of the Punjab, Lahore)
  • History of Islam (Dr. Maqbool Ahmad Awan, University of the Punjab, Lahore)
  • Historiography (Dr. Fraz Anjum, University of the Punjab, Lahore)
  • Religion & Politics in Pakistan (Dr. Mahboob Hussain, University of the Punjab, Lahore)

End Note

It was among the first instances that madrasa students who attended academic workshops in a western education system, in this case, the CMCRH were given an opportunity to conduct similar workshops in their own institutions by their own. Most of the participating students in the post-workshops experienced the event as extremely helpful and considered such an exercise as academically and socially stimulating. For most of the madrasa students it was the first time to co-interact with academicians of mainstream universities in their own madrasas. Similarly, the one-on-one interactive discussion with the CMCRH, Prof. Dr. Jamal Malik also provided them with a unique opportunity of learning among others, religious historiography through a different academic tradition.