Maldivian International Islamic University

Written by Ahmed Maajid

The Maldives is one of the smallest countries in the community of Muslim nations today. In terms of economic strength, political influence, and intellectual ability, our rank among Muslim countries is probably the lowest. However, being the only nation on earth that entered the new millennium with a hundred-percent Muslim population, and being located within the world’s largest concentration of Muslim communities (out of the 1.7 billion Muslims of the world, more than half a billion live in South Asia), the Maldives is a significant Muslim nation. Therefore we can, and we ought to take a more pronounced role as a member of the Muslim community.

We are small, but that does not mean we have to be insignificant. We can become a leader in the Muslim world. We may not be as rich as Saudi Arabia, or as powerful as Pakistan. However, there are areas in which we can contribute to the Islamic Ummah. By drastically changing our approach to knowledge and education, we can become one of the intellectual leaders of the Muslim community. We can become a beacon of light for not just the Muslim world, but the whole world as well. It would definitely take a long and difficult path to reach where the intellectual leaders of today’s world have reached; however, we should only remember that there was a time when “washing the body was considered a dangerous custom” at the Oxford University in England. From there, they walked, with difficulty, to the position where they stand today. If they could do it, why can’t we?

Being part of the largest concentration of Muslim peoples on earth, the Maldives is well suited to host an international Islamic university—one that would aim to restore the glory of the Muslims of the Golden Age. It was a time when Baghdad, Kairouan, Timbuktu, Cordova, and dozens of other Muslim intellectual and cultural centres illumined the world, and laid foundations of modern science, human rights, etc. Today we have sunk into an abyss of ideological slavery; we have become beggars in relation to knowledge and intellect. There are praiseworthy attempts by Muslims to reach back to the position of intellectual leadership that Muslims so rightfully enjoyed; and this revival activism is very much alive in the hands of Western Muslims—especially those in countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States.

Furthermore, the International Islamic University Malaysia is also doing a commendable job, and setting a great example for the rest of the Muslim world to follow. However, we must realize that only a handful of such universities cannot do the job. More are needed, and the Maldives is well suited to host one such university.

Dr. Afrashim Ali, Member of Parliament for Ungoofaaru Constituency, introduced the idea of an Islamic University in the Maldives to the People’s Majlis during the year 2011. However, it was a time when the a handful of Islam-haters in the country were in power in this country, and they had a large number of seats in Parliament—not because the people liked and supported their ideology, but because they deceived and lied to the people about their true intentions before they came to power. They madly opposed the proposition by Dr. Afrashim, shouting that “never would an Islamic university be built in this country”.

That episode passed, and the scene has become very different. The Muslim people of this country have now gained their nation back, and I do believe that it is high time we started thinking and talking and discussing about an international Islamic university in the Maldives.

Malé, or, for that matter, any inhabited island in the Maldives, does not have enough space for building an international university. This, however, is not a problem at all, as we do have uninhabited islands which can be used for the purpose. This seems even better an option, as one whole uninhabited island could be built as a university island, which can provide students an environment where they can quietly study, do research, and engage in intellectual activities. Such an island can be developed with a mosque in its center, and with hostels, shops, canteens, sports avenues, and other facilities necessary for such a place. The island could be located near an airport so that transportation can be easily arranged, and weekly ferries can connect it to nearby inhabited islands should the students wish to visit them.

Establishing an international Islamic university is not an easy feat. Mostly, we do not have scholars qualified enough to run such a university in this country. Hence, we can employ Muslim scholars from foreign countries. Considering many factors, such a university should be using English as its primary medium of instruction, whilst Arabic language should be taught in the University. Also, some programs or modules can even be conducted in Arabic. However, the official medium of instruction needs to be English, just as it is in the International Islamic University Malaysia. I would personally suggest that the management and academic leadership should be handed over to Muslim scholars from Western Muslim communities or to scholars from Muslim world who are extremely through with Western sciences, thought, and culture. The reasons for this are many, but this is not occasion to discuss them!

Such a university will do much to counter terrorist ideologies as well. In fact, the International Islamic University Malaysia, which we can emulate in establishing an international Islamic university here in the Maldives, is one of the most effective tools against terrorist ideologies. This is so because the University enlightens thousands of Muslims and hundreds of Muslim scholars every year to the real nature of Islam. The IIUM has proved that to instill the Islamic ideals of peace, human brotherhood, tolerance, freedom of choice, etc. a Muslim university can do much more than any government program or any threats from Islam-haters can. Hence, a similar university in the Maldives is going to be a very powerful counter-terrorism platform for the country as well.

The purposes for establishing an international Islamic university in the Maldives should not be economic. It should be for the sake of Islam, and the Muslim world. It should be for the sake of knowledge and truth. It should be for the sake of intellectual development. However, a good international Islamic university in the Maldives would, in addition to achieving the said purposes, will also contribute to the Maldivian economy, if anyone wishes to see the issue from that perspective. Such a university would attract hundreds, or even thousands of students from nearby Muslim communities in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and even from Arab and African Muslim countries. Indeed, I can only think of good things for this country with the coming of such a university.