Kerala: Two Muslim Students Win Online Ramayana Quiz | News from Kozhikode

KOZHIKODE: As DC Books announced the winners of the recent national contest Ramayana online quizorganized to show respect for Ramayana months, the first two names of the five winners caught everyone’s attention.
Mohamed Jabir P.K. and Mohamed Basith M, two Muslim students from Malappuram, dominated the online Ramayana quiz attended by over 1,000 people. Both are taking the Wafy course at KKHM Islamic & Arts College, Valanchery.
Under the eight-year Wafy program, they pursue Islamic studies up to the post-graduation level which also includes a regular university course.
The Wafy course’s unique curriculum, which includes an article on Indian religions that studies Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, gave him an edge, Jabir said. Part of the course also includes an article dealing with Christianity, Judaism, Taoism, etc.
“The curriculum of the Wafy course, designed by the Coordination of Islamic Colleges led by Abdul Hakeem Faizi Adrissery, our director, encourages us to study all religions with the aim of preparing students to live in a multi-religious society. In accordance with this vision, our syllabus has modules that study various religions in detail,” Jabir said.
Inspired by the program, some seniors are now doing doctoral research in the comparative study of religions, including Islam and Buddhism and Islam and Sikhism at foreign universities, he added.
As part of the program, he studied readings on the Ramayana and referred to additional readings from books in the university library, Jabir said. “By studying the epic, I understood that people of all religions should study each other’s religious books. Studying various religions would help prevent violence in the name of religion. All religions teach us to love each other and to respect each other. The Ramayana upholds the ideals of love and peace. There are also lessons in sacrificing power for one’s own brother, to honor the word of the father and also in good governance,” Jabir said.
He heard about the Ramayana quiz from the DC Books Telegram group and signed up for it. “Besides a quick brushstroke, no elaborate preparation was involved,” he said.
Jabir, from Perinthalmanna, is a final year Wafy PG student and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology.
The winner and native of Omanoor, Mohammed Basith, is a fifth-year student from Wafy pursuing a BA in psychology.
The other winners of the contest, held July 23-25, are Abhiram MP Neetu Krishnan and Navneeth Gopan.