Fazl-e-Umar — Page 302
Fazle Umar 302 E F F ORT S TO I M P RO v E T H E E d U C AT IO n OF wOM E n Hadhrat Musleh Mau’ood [ra] firmly believed that a nation could not make any progress unless its women were well educated. When he occupied the office of Khilafat, there was only a primary school for girls in Qadian. He instructed his wives and children to teach the women the translation of the Holy Qur’an and Hadith. He argued that the importance of educating women was growing so fast that the changes taking place in the world or yet to take place about which the Holy Qur’an fore- warned, because of them the idea that women were created as a plaything was fading rapidly. The Bible promoted the idea that woman was created for the pleasure of man. However, on the other hand it has to be said that although men and women are equal in the sight of God, but in view of the differences in their nature, they have been assigned different roles for the smooth functioning of human society. As long as women possess the unique ability to bear children and to nurture them, the role of men and women cannot be equal. He believed these considerations needed careful attention while planning or proposing any schemes. In 1925, he intended to make provisions to educate women in secular and reli- gious knowledge. He was mocked by some people for starting Arabic classes for girls. However, by the Grace of Allah, these Ahmadi girls were the first to pass the exams at the Fazil level in large numbers in the whole of India. There was no High School, so arrangements were made to teach them to High School level. This also proved successful and for the first time seven Muslim girls went onto pass the entrance exams. The Nusrat Girls High School was established in 1928. After migration, although the Community was under financial strain, a Girls School was established upon arrival in Rabwah and later in 1951, a college for girls was also established (Women’s College). This became a unique institution amongst the women-only colleges of Pakistan. Ahmadi girls were thus enabled to get university