CHAPTER-I Introduction 1.1 Introduction: India is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-linguistic country. People belonging to various religious faiths and communitics live together. Muslims in India comprise of the largest minority group in the country, With a population more than one hundred twenty one crores in India and more than nine crores in West Bengal, the percentage of Muslim population in West Bengal is 26.86 % which is about double with reference to overall Muslim population (13.4 %) in India, Muslim community thus put signature of the second state religious group and the largest minority group of the West Bengal*. Muslim women in West Bengal constituted about 12.16 % of the state population and about 48.24 % to the total Muslim population inWest Bengal’. Therefore, the overall participation of Muslim women in state population can never be neglected in any sphere of life. 1.2 Women education in India: Women education plays vital roles in increasing their knowledge, helps them better belong in the society and provides to get a job and much more. It’s not just about increasing their technical knowledge. Education also helps them to understand different cultures and helps them network better. Educated women are also less susceptible to fraud, A lot of people take advantages of uneducated women by employing them for fewer wages than the standard, not giving them cnough facilities and even the fundamental rights they deserve. A lot of what education has to offer a woman will indirectly help them become better. Education involves gathering of knowledge in whatever aspects. It draws the best out of their mind and spirit. Education plays a vital role in their personal growth and the socialdevelopment. It imparts them with all the power and necessities in making a noticeable mark in any of the field, In all in all, it is one’s education which decides what one can make out in their life. With the high urgency of education among all women, many of the nations have already come up with their ideas in maximizing the literacy among all women. It becomes a quite challenging factor among many of the developing countries in spreading the awareness of education. On account of the h importance of education, steps taken by respective governing bodies have eventually led 2 high literacy rate among many regions. It is on imparting education among all by which one can leam to get civilized and leading their life in a health way. Education in India is no more an option. It has turned out to be more of a basic necessity and there is no denying that in this competitive world, In recent times, almost every woman wants to make their children a highly educated person and it has tured into a never ending race, Education is a right. Everybody has the right to education, which has been recognized since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948, The right to free and compulsory primary education, without discrimination and of good quality, has been reaffirmed in all major intemational human rights conventions. Many of these same instruments encourage, but do not guarantee, post-primary education. These rights have been further elaborated to address issues like quality and equity, moving forward the issue of what the right to education means, and exploring how it can be achieved. As a minimum, states must ensure that basic education is available, accessible, acceptable and adaptable for all. The right of girls to education is one of the most critical of all rights ~ because education plays an important role in enabling girls and women to secure other rights.Cultural and traditional values stand between girls and their prospects for education. The achievement of girls’ right to education can address some of societies’ deeply rooted inequalities, which condemn millions of girls to a life without quality education and, therefore, also all too often to a life of missed opportunities. Improving educational opportunities for girls and women helps them to develop skills that allow them to make decisions and influence community and social change in key areas. One reason for denying girls and women their right to an education is rarely articulated by those in charge: that is their fear of the power that girls will have through education, There is still some resistance to the idea that girls and women can be trusted with education, Education is also seen in some societies as a fear of change and now with globalization, the fear becomes even greater fear to lose the cultural identity, fear of moving towards the unknown or the unwanted, and fear of dissolving in the many others. Basic education provides girls and women with an understanding of basic health, nutrition and family planning, allowing them choices and the power to decide over their own lives and bodies. Women’s education leads directly to better reproductive health, improved family health, economic growth, for the family and for society, as well as lower rates of child mortality and malnutrition. It is also a key in the ht against the spread of HIV and AIDS. Educating girls and women an important step in overcoming poverty. Inequality and poverty arenot inevitable. The focus on poverty reduction enables the right to education to be 4 powerful tool in making a chang in the lives of girls and women. Poverty has been universally affirmed as a key obstacle to the enjoyment of human rights, and it has a visible gender profile. The main reason for this is the fact that poverty results from violations of human rights, including the right to education, which disproportionately affect girls and women, Various grounds of discrimination combine, trapping girls in a vicious downwardcircle of denied rights. Denial of the right to education leads to exclusion from the labor market and marginalization into the informal sector or unpaid work. This perpetuates and increases women’s poverty”. Education is the milestone of women empowerment as it enables them to respond their challenges, to confront their traditional role and change their life. So that we can not neglect the importance of women education in reference to women empowerment, India is poised to be superpower, a developed country by 2020. Education also brings a reduction in inequalities and functions as a means of their status within the family and soci ‘The importance of women education in the words of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru is: “If you educate a man you educate an individual, however, if you educate a woman you educate a whole family. Women empowered means mother India empowered”. ‘The Indian history began with the Indus Valley Civilization existed in the North-West India, now mostly in Pakistan, approximately 3000 years before the beginning of the Christian era with the birth of Jesus Christ. In ancient India, education was religion and religion education, In the age of the four Vedas, the education system comprised of small domestic schools each of which was run by a teacher who admitted pupils who had to live with the teacher for a considerable period of time under prescribed discipline as Vratacharis or Brahmcharis, The system of Brahmeharya also covered the women who were admitted to Vedic schools after the performance of the Upanayana ceremony*, The girls were encouraged to study religious scriptures in view of assisting their husband after their marriage in the discharge of social and religious responsibilities. The ambition of a father was to make his daughter into a Vidushi or a leamed woman so that she could get a suitable husband in Manishi or a leamed man, There were also evidences of highly learned ladies like Gargi who could question the sage Yajnavaika in the court of theking Janaka, ‘The teachers were all Brahmanas and came from the priestly class. Among the hosts of such Brahmana teachers, the more important personalities were Asvala, Gargi Vachknavi, Gotama, Rahugana, Kamalayana, Krishna Devakiputra, Maitreyi, Narada. Raikva, Satyakama, Javala, Saunaka, Sukesi, Bharadvaja and Yajnavalkya. Buddha permitted women to join the Order, though ac ding to the philosophy of his teachings, women were to be shunned. In the Aryan society, women controlled the households and in their daily round of begging, the Bhikkhus could not but come in contact with women as the givers of alms. Later, it is seen that Manu forbade girls to enter into the Vedic schools and advocated their early marriage as soon as they reached puberty mainly to preserve the sanctity of Aryan blood against the fresh inroads of foreign invaders through the North-West. The Islamic rulers in an alien and often hostile atmosphere supported seclusion of women through the system of Purdah. The Gitls of Muslim ruling classes began to be educated at home as their Hindu counterparts. ‘The Muslim rulers who provided education for their sons also made adequate arrangement for the education of their daughters. While the boys were trained to be competent rulers, the girls were provided sufficient education with the knowledge of Quran to such an extent that many of them later distinguished themselves as authoresses of important works, As for example, Raziyah who succeeded her father Iitutmish could study Quran “with correct pronunciation and in her father lifetime employed herself in the affairs of the Government”, Gulbadan Begum who was the daughter of Babar wrote the Humayun-namah which later inspired Abul Fazl to compose the Akbar-Namah. She had her own library with valuable manuscripts. Salima Sultana, the nice of Humayun composed Persian poems under nom de plume of “Makfi’. She became Akbar’s wife after the death of her first husband, Bairam Khan, Akbar’s wet nurse or foster mother Maham Anaga who was a leamed lady6 established a Madrasah in Delhi, Chand Sultana of Ahmad nagar who protested against Akbar’s son, Murad in 1576 was eminent for her skill on the lyre, melodious songs and also her skill of speaking fluently Arabic, Persian, Turki, Kanarese and Marathi. Nur Jahan the celebrated wife of Jahangir who ruled his administration was well-versed in Persian and Arabic literature. Mumtaz Mahal, the beloved wife of Shah Jahan could compose poems in Parsian language. Her female Nazir, Satiunnisa was appointed tutoress to Jahanara Begum, the eldest daughter of Saha Jahan. Jahanara was elevated by her father to the rank of the First- Lady and possessed the managerial ability to look after the affairs of the Imperial Harem as well as the Women’s society in the capital. Zebinda Begum, the fourth daughter of Saha Jahan composed a volume of mystical verses in Parsian. Zeb-un Nisa, the eldest daughter of Aurangzeb was not only proficient in Persian literature and in the knowledge of the Quran but also in the art of calligraphy. She employed many learned men, poets and writers to numerous compilations and original works to her. Aurangzeb’s third daughter enjoyed the Quran from the core of her heart. An almost similar care was taken by Muslim rulers for the education of the women of the harems. Ghiyas-ud-din Khalji who ruled in Malwa from 1469 to 1500 A.D. founded within his seraglio all the separate offices of the Court and among these were school mistress, musicians, women to read prayers and petsons of all professions and trades. The ladies in the palace were taught by school mistress. Akbar also arranged certain chambers at Fathepur Sikri to serve as schools for educating approximately five thousand ladies in his harem. However, such Muslim educated ladies in Medieval India would appear to pale into si ificance in comparison with their counterparts in Spain like Zainab, Hamda, Fatimah, Aishsh and Maryum or in other parts of the Islamic World. In all these periods, a large group of people including almost all women could not participate in the educational programmes of the country initiated by the rulers. These groups as well as women remained less empowered and more backward. In ancient period, theeducation was dominated by the priestly class. The Vaishyas and the Shudras remained mostly deprived of education. In Medieval period, the domination of education by the priestly class of ancient India was pushed background with the introduction of an Islamic system of education by the Muslim rulers that benefited the ruling class only. In the British period, a rising middle class livi in urban areas monopolized the Western education, whereas, the bulk of the people living in rural, hilly, desert and inaccessible areas could not participate in the educational programmes introduced by the British. The history of female education in India has its roots in the British Regime. Women’s employment and education was acknowledged in 1854 by the East India Company's Programme, Wood's Despatch. And thus slowly afler that, there was progress in female education — although initially this tended to be focused on the primary school level, and related to the richer sections of society. In 1878, the University of Calcutta became one of the first universities to admit female graduates to its academic degree programmes, before any of the British universities had later done the same. This point was raised during the Ibert Bill controversy in 1883, when it was being considered whether Indian judges should be given the right to judge British offenders. The role of women featured prominently in the controversy, where English women who opposed the bill argued that Bengali women, who they stereotyped as ignorant, were neglected by their men, and that Indian men should therefore not be given the right to judge cases involving English women, Bengali women who supported the bill responded by claiming that they were more educated than the English women opposed to the bill, and pointed out that more Indian women had degrees than British women did at the time’, Looking at the statistics, the overall literacy rate for women increased from 0.2% in 1882 to 6% in 1947. Thus, naturally the large people in India with almost her all women including Muslims also remained illiterate at the time of independence in 1947.A little effort for traditional or institutional education for women including Muslim women had been made after the independence in India, After India attained independence in 1947, the University Education Commission was formed in order to recommend suggestions to improve the quality of education. However, their report spoke against female education’, referring to it as: "Women's present education is entirely irrelevant to the life they have to lead, It is not only a waste but often a definite disability”. But the fact that the female literacy rate was at 8.9% post-Independence could not be ignored. Thus in 1958, a national committee on women’s education was appointed by the government, and most of its recommendations were accepted. The crux of its recommendations was to bring female education on the same footing as offered for boys. Soon after that, committees were created which talked about equality between men and women in the field of education, One Committee on differentiation of curricula for boys and girls (1959) recommended equality and 2 common curriculum at various stages of their learning. Further efforts were made to expand the education system, and thus the Education Commission was set up in 1964, which largely talked about girl's education, And owing to the commission’s recommendations, a national Policy was developed by the Government in 1968, providing increased emphasis on female education®, According to Sixth Plan, the programme of UEE (Universalization of Elementary Education) provided special importance towards high enrolment and retention of girls in schools. The Seventh Five Year Plan (1985-1990) stressed on enrolment and retention of girls at the elementary stage especially in rural areas, the SC/STs and other weaker sections, The Eighth Five Year Plan (1992-97) endeavoured to ensure the benefits of development towards women, It executed special programmes for women to complement the general development programmes and to monitor the flow of benefits to women in education, wealth andemployment. The Ninth Five Year Plan (1997-2002) and the Tenth Five Year Plan (2002- 2007) identified empowering women as agents of soci -sconomic change and development as a major commitment. ‘The Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-12) focussed on bridging gender disparities, Whether it was pre- Independence or post, India had not been taking active steps towards women’s status and education. The 86th constitutional Amendment Act, 2002, had been a path breaking step towards the growth of education, especially for females. According to this act, elementary education was a fundamental right for children between the ages of 6 14 years. And the government had undertaken to provide this education free of cost, and made it compulsory for those in that age group. This government undertaking was more widely known as Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). Since then, the A had come up with many schemes for inclusive as well as exclusive growth of Indian education as a whole, including schemes to help foster the growth of female education. Mahila Samakhya Programme was launched in 1988 as a result of the New Education Policy (1968) and created for the empowerment of women from rural areas especially socially and economically marginalized gfoups. When the SSA was formed, it initially set up a committee to look into this programme, how it was working, and to recommend new changes that could be made. Kasturba Gandhi Bal a Vidyalaya Scheme (KGBV) launched in July, 2004, to provide education to girls at primary level was primarily for the underprivileged and rural areas where literacy level for females remained very low. The schools set up had 100% reservation- 75% for backward class, and 25% for BPL (below Poverty line) females. National Programme for Education of Girls at Elementary Level (NPEGEL) launched in July, 2003 was an incentive to reach out to the girls who the SSA was not able to reach through other schemes. The SSA. called out to the “hardest to reach girls”. This scheme had covered 24 states in India, Under the NPEGEL. “model schools” had been set up to provide better opportunities to girls.10 1.3 Muslim women education and Religious dogma: Islam is derived from the word *Salam” which implies “peace and safety”. In Arabi Islam means submission or surrender. Many people feel that Islam implies enslavement to Allah, Islam is often called a way of life, Muslim or Moslem means ‘One who submits to God.” Most Muslims accept as a Muslim anyone who has publicly pronounced the Shahadah (declaration of faith) which states, "I tes that there is no god except for the God, and I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of God.” They also believe that Muhammad is the Seal of the Prophets and the final prophet. Their basic religious practices are enumerated in the Five Pillars of Islam, which, in addition to Shahadah, consist of daily prayers (five times a day) (salat), fasting during Ramadan (sawm), almsgiving (zakat), and the pilgrimage to Mecea (hajj) at least once in a lifetime, Their Six main beliefs are 1) Towheed (Monotheism) or “The one God is Allah”. 2) Angels; ) Prophets: 4) Revelation Messenger; 5) Day of Judgment; 6) Foreknowledge of God. Their important annual festivals are Ashura, Mawlid al-Nabi, Ramadan, Eid al -Fitr, Bid al-Adha, Lailat al Miraj. Islamic culture is the way of life of Muslim and also the way of Muslim behavior and the constructions based on the belief in one God “Allah” and Muhammed’. It consists of four Parts: Concept; Organization; Usage; and Instrumental and symbolic objects. The important source of Islamic culture is Al-Quran, the prayers, and the teaching of Muhammed. Belief means respect and clinging to something even though it is abstract or conerete This respect will have evidence for improvement or will not but whenever humans believe in it, they will express it through physical and verbal action. The beliefs of Islam are based on mental belief and lead to practice on the teaching of the God!”. Belief is faith, trust and admiration without any questioning. Different ways of belicf arc belief related to the people, in medi belief in spirits, super power, holy things, dreams, horoscope, treatment. Muslims believe in above main six belief’.u Custom means behavior and practices that are passed on from generation to generation to become accepted and followed by people. They can be changed following social change and time. Islamic customs are divided into two parts; Annual customs and Life cycle customs. In annual customs, five pillars of Islam are the basic acts in Islam, considered obligatory for all believers. There are five life cycle customs-Birth; Puberty; Marri Death and the Hajj The standard greeting amongst all Muslims the world over is "As-Salaamu Alay-kum." Also, when speaking of future events Muslims say Inshallah (If Allah Wills), and say Bismillah (In the Name of Allah) before doing just about anything. According to Muslim culture, marriage is, in the words of Mohammed, ‘half of religion’. ‘The bonding of two souls in holy matrimony is looked upon as a legal bond and social contract. The abstract, decorative and floral designs are unique to Islamic art and architecture. Muslim art is always devoid of depictions of the animate, especially human beings according to the dictates of Islam or Muslim religion. Portraiture is taboo to the culture and traditions. Islamic art focuses on the omnipresence of Allah, the ‘One who cannot be represented by imagery’. Arabic calligraphy is a recognized art form used to write verses from the Qut’an. Islamic architecture is common in the following features:Large courtyards; Central prayer halls; Minarets; A wall niche indicating the direction to Mecca; Domes: Iwans to separate sections; Repetitive art forms; Arabic calligraphy: Fountains: Bright color. Islamic music is mostly played in public services. Devotional music is enjoyed by contemporary Muslims all over the world. The common music forms include Arab classical and North Indian classical music. Muslim men tsim the mustache growing their beards, while women wear the hijab; use the right hand to eat with and the left hand for the bathroom; use a stick called miswak for cleaning teeth and shaking hands when greeting someone. In the Middle- Bast, while greeting men kiss each other on the cheek. In Africa, after greeting someone, it is customary to put theit hand to your head. Whereas in Pakistan, Muslims bow down when one's child has reached 40 days old.12 ‘The genesis of Islamic education is the holy Quran. The Quran is also known as Al- Quran, “The Reading”, The Surah-i-Iqra or the Al-alaq is the first revealed version of the Quran which gives importance on the art of reading and the art of writing on which the meaning depends. In Medieval India there were usually three conduits through which the knowledge was acquired. These are maktab, madrasah and khangah, In maktab elementary education was imparted, while learning was pursued at a madrasah and religious education or theology was chiefly discussed at a khangah. When a child was four years, four months and four days old, he was dressed in his best cloths and seated in a cushion in the presence of his family members and their friends and was asked to touch the alphabets, the Surah-i-lgra and the Quran in succession Like Upanayan ceremony in Hindu, After completion of his study at a maktab, one could be eligible for admission to a madrasah where instruction in higher education was given, The origin of Muslim literature is in Arabic, the language of Prophet. Most of the literature is religious in nature. It comprises communication and documentation of the belief system from the Quran, Sira and Hadith, Islam attaches a great value to education and gives an immense importance for acquiring and spreading of knowledge. Basically, Islam considers learning at least as a necessary accessory to be a good Muslim and essential condition to develop their faculties! It encourages its believers to enlighten themselves with the knowledge of both of their religion and other branches of education, It also encourages every follower to be well educated. Islam holds the person who seeks the knowledge of high esteem and the Quran is full of verses that praise well educated and leamed people”. Islam advocates education as one of the most preferred and favoured activities. There is nothing in Islamic principle that leads to the low status of Muslim women, Besides, it prescribes the equality in the status of men and women, The rise of Muslim to the zenith of civilization in four docades was based on Islam’s13 emphasis on leaning in accordance with the Quran and the traditions of Prophet Muhammad which are blend of learning, education and the use of reason. In the Quran and the Hadith literature, there is clear pronouncement in favour of equal rights for both sexes. Like her male counterpart, each woman is under a moral and religious obligation to seek knowledg develop her intellect, broaden her outlook, cultivate her talents, and then utilize her potential for the benefit of her soul and of her society". According to the verse of the Quran, man and woman have been originated from a single soul “O mankind! Verily we have created you fiom a single pair of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes that you may know each other.....” (49: 13) The following words of Quran depicted that both men and women will be subjected to equal treatment for their deeds. “We shall reward the steadfast according to their noblest deeds. Be thy men and women, those that embrace the faith and do what is right we shall surely grant a happy life, We shall reward them according to their noblest actions.” (16: 97) The Quran ignores the arbitrary hierarchy between sex while determining the significance of cach individual man and woman on the basis of their work or the participation in socicty™’ (Wadud-Muhsin 1989) as follows: “Lo! I sulfer not the work of any worker, male or female, to be Tost. (3:195) Whoever does right, whether male of female, and is a believer, (all) such will enter the garden.” (40: 39)14 In Islam, there is no priority for men over women with respect to acquire education, There was no ban for women in pursuing education''. Every Muslim man’s and every Muslim woman’s prayer should be: “My Lord! Enrich me with knowledge.” The Prophet Muhammad always emphasized the importance of knowledge to his followers as: “The acquisition of knowledge is compulsory for every Muslim, whether male of female”, Moreover he mentioned that “You should acquire knowledge even if you have to go to China for learning.” ‘The equal rights and high status for men and women was granted by Islam during the early Islamic period'’, Kabir'® (1964) pointed out that every man and woman to receive education must go to the farthest comet of the globe, On the contrary, in Islam, pure illiteracy is regarded as divine. The uneducated prophet of Islam called himself“a guardian of the illiterates sent by Allah” (Bukhari, 3:34:335), Another hadith (Sunsan Ibn Majsh V:4290) shows that Allah loves illiterate people and hates educated people and he had promised the first entry to Paradise to the illiterate Muslims and the last entry to the educated Muslims. Muhammad wanted to keep his followers away from education because he knew that his newly established religion could not survive if criticism is allowed. Muhammad clearly saw that the spirit of inquiry would not favour him. This is how Islam maintained itself’. Qur'an (5:101, 5:102) very strictly prohibits criticism. Diderot’* (1975) revealed the same reason of Muhammad’s concern to keep his followers in darkness of ignorance, because reason is the greatest enemy of Islam, He wrote “since he [Muhammad] could not read or write, and so this had encouraged Muslims to hate and have contempt for knowledge, which in tum secured the survival of Islam In order to honor their prophet, it is the essential duty for every faithful Muslim to keep one of their sons illiterate"®. In many orthodox Madrasas, it is still taught that earth is flat”. This is the height of Qur'anic stupidity. Earth is flat, because, Qur'an says so. Ibn Baz threatened to his fellow Muslims, “Anyone of the round persuasion does not believe in God15 and should be punished". This scholar never read any book except of Islamic faith and since Qur'an confirms that earth is flat, therefore Tbn Baz was sure that earth is flat, 1.4 Famous Muslim women and their roles in the field of education: Inspite of lack of proper educational system of Muslim women education, social and religious boundedness some Muslim women had showed eminence in different fields in different period of times. Hypatia was a philosopher; mathematician, astronomer and teacher lived in Alexandria, Hellennistic Egypt. Cleopatra, a strong and able Monarch was very protective of Egypt. Aisha bint Abu Bakr, wife of the prophet Muhammad was an administrator, a scholar in Hadith, jurisprudence, an educator and an orator. Sabiha Qokeen was the first female combat pilot in the world and a chief trainer at the Turkish Aviation Institution. Zubayda bint Jafar al- mansur had pioneered a most ambitious project of digging wells and building service stations all along the pilgrimage route from Bagdad to Mecca. Sutayata was a mathematician and an expert witness in the courts. Dhayfa Khatun had excelled in management and statesmanship. Fatima al ~ Fehri had founded the Qarawiyin mosque in Fez, Moroceo, the first university in the word, Al-{lia an engineer had made astrolabes in Aleppo. Aisha Abdurrahaman Bewley had pubished Muslim women Biographical Dictionary, a comprehensive reference source of Muslim women throughout Islamic History. Abu’l-Faraj al-Isbahani wrote Al-Aghani, the major source for singers. Umar Rida Kahhala composed A’laman-Nisa consisting of five volumes dealing with notable women, Wallada, a princes of the Almonads was renowned for her knowledge of poetry and rhetoric Al-Ghassania and Safia, both of Seville, were poetical and oratorical_ genius Miriam, the gifted daughter of AL-Paisuli was famous throughout the Andalus for her literary attainment, the caustic wit and satire of her epigrams. Umm al-Sa’d is eminent for her familiarity with Muslim tradition, Marych al- Qibtiyyah, an Egyptian woman wrote on alchemy. Rufayda bin se’ad was considered as the first nurse in Islamic History who nursed16 the wounded dying persons in the wars of the Prophet Muhammed in the battle of Badr. Laila or al-Shifa was involved in public administration and skilled in medicine and nursing. Labana of Cordiba, Spain was one of the few renowned Islamic female mathematicians who could solve the most complicated geometric and algebraic problems in her period. Hiirrem Sultan, also called Roxelana founded a mosque complex in Istanbul, the Hasaki Killiyacomplex, cifte hamam, a women hospital, four schools in Mecca and a mosque in Jerusalem. Hoda Shaarawi, a pioneer Egyptian feminist leader and nationalist wrote poetry in French. Saad Zaghloul was the leader of 1919 revolution in Egypt. Duria Shafiq obtained Ph. D degrees from France and England, Suhayr al Qalamawi, a women writer of novels joined Fuad, the first University of Egypt as the first woman, Ahda soucit, a prolific novelist in English is playing a major role at present after Egyptian Revolution. Tawakul Karman won the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize for their non-violent struggle for safety of women and for women rights. She was the first Arab Woman and only Yemeni to receive a Nobel Prize. Malala yousafvai, the youngest Nobel Prize winner, the second Pakistani and the first Pashtun won the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize for their struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education. Anoushah Ansri was the first female space tourist and the first Muslim woman in space (Soyur TMA.9, September 18, 2006). Nasteen Ghaddar was the shaper of energy future, Kuwait and Lebanon. Bina Shaheen Siddiqui, a Fellow-TWAS (1989) was the famous plant scientist in Pakistan, Samira Ibrahim Islam was the drag safety advocate in Soudi Arabi Rubia Hussain (FIAS"08) was the infectious diseases specialist in Pakistan. Khatijah Mohd, Yosoif (FIAS‘08) was the eminent Virologist in Malaysia. Ismahane Elouafi was the food safety champion in Morocco and Canada. Tham Al Qaradawi was one of the famous physicists in Qatar. Niket Yetis was the Science Administrator in Turkey. Hessa Al Jaber was the Policy Maker in Qatar. Anacesah Gurib was the herbalist in Mauritius. Hina Choudhury7 was the cardiac magician in Pakistan and United States. Hayat A Sindi was the innovator in Soudi Arabia. Maryam Mirzakhani was one of the eminent mathematicians in Iran. Maryam Mater was the humanitarian, UAE. Rana Dajani was the Islamic Faminist in Jordan. Benazir Bhutto was the Prime Minister of Pakistan (1988-90) and (1993-1996), Megawati Sukannoputri was the President of Indonesia. Tansu Ciller was the Prime Minister of Turkey (1993-1995), Begum Khaleda Zia was the Prime Minister of Bangladesh in 1991, 1991-96 and 2001-2006. Sheikh Hasina Wajed was the Prime Minister of Bangladesh in 1996, 1996- 2001 and 2009-present. Kubra Nurzai was the first female minister in Afghanistan. Atife Jahjage was the first youngest female Muslim President in Kosovo. Rasa, an Indian woman, was the author of a book on medical treatment of women in Arabic. Rajia Sultan, the ruler of Sultanate of Delhi between 1236 and 1240 was a major Patron of learning, establishing schools and libraries. Rokeya Begum was an eminent educator and a feminist in West Bengal during early 20 th century. Some schools were established in her name in West Bengal, India. Najma A Heptulla was one of the Cabinet Ministers of India, Begum Aafia Ahmed was the first Muslim MLA in Asam, India in 1967. Begum Mofida Ahmed was the first Muslim MP in Asam, India in 1952. Syeda Anwara ‘Taimur was only female Chief Minister of Asam, India in 1980, Mausam Noor is at present an MP from Malda, West Bengal, India. Mamtaz Sanghamitra is an important political leader in Burdwan, West Bengal, India 1.5 Rationale of the study: Muslim women have to live in fears and domination in their family and outside their family. Most of the Muslim women have to overcome parochial outlooks to obtain educational freedom, The status of Muslim women is not satisfactory with respect to their socio-economic status, educational attainment, political participation and role in decision making. They have nothing or minimal say both the inside and outside the family. The18 findings of socio-economic studies on Muslims confirmed that the Muslim women are in socially, economically and educationally backward in India and also in West Bengal’, Muslim women were lacking thi proper knowledge in their faith for which Muslim men sometimes mistreated women”, The educational backwardness of Muslim women led to their exclusion from economic development and modernization of the country”. The relative backwardness of the Muslim community and pa larly of Muslim women became an important factor of comparatively high fertility rates observed among the Muslim population, Muslim women, especially in rural arca, were unaware of the different Government Schemes and facilities available for Muslim women™, In some instances, the relative share for Muslims remained lower than even the Schedule Castes*. This gap became much more in case of Muslim women who were educationally backward both in comparison to Hindu women and Muslim men. A glaring gap of more than 50% backwardness among Muslim women compared with their Hindu counterparts was existed in key areas as education and health awareness’. With the influcnee of cor lerably better educational background and other family members, awareness was emerging among Muslim women about the importance of higher education in different fields, but with reference to ‘empowerment, they were in transitory state”. Table 1.1 Rates of literacy of different categories in West Bengal (Sachar Committee Report, GOI, 2006} ‘Year Non- | Non-Muslim | Muslim ‘Muslim Muslim | Female male female 1965 T13% 63.7% 59.35% 30% | t9g0—=«dT:CiS | TRAM «Cf 12% | 40% | 1995 90% 83.8% 71.25% 61.25% 2001 92.5% 87.5% 75.6% 71.25%19 Table 1.1 quantitatively established that Muslim women were quite educationally backward in West Bengal with respect to other people, other females and Muslim males in West Bengal So the questions arises-1) To what extent the rate of education of Muslim women differ from other categories of men and women? 2) What are the causes of poor educational status of Muslim women? 3) What are the ways of improvement of Muslim women education’ 4) To what extent the opinions of Muslim women differ towards the causes of backwardness of Muslim women education and towards the improvement of Muslim women education in West Bengal? ‘The development of any country depends on proper utilization of its material sources by human and gradual improvement of its human resources, The development of human resources is primarily indicated through their educational status. Thus, education becomes the fourth necessity for man after food, clothing and shelter in today’s competitive world. Education is indeed a powerful tool to combat the cut-throat competition that man is faced with at every junctures in life. The importance of education in India is indeed rising with passing time, All though India has always been a great source of learning for many years, it still needs to improve not just on the quality of education but also on the number of people being educated. Education is the mos ;portant way that can bring the Muslim women in light 3g the burden of tradition of ignorance and strict seclusion within the home, in equipping them with the expertise and knowledge required to play modem roles, in widening their horizons and in raising their general status in the society". Various studies ** * have shown that education can significantly contribute in improving the status of women, Education of women may become the most effective channel for reducing the inequalities between men and women andensuring the maximum participation of women in the development process. Education ean provide sufficient strength for men and women to claim their rights and realize their potential in the economic, political, social and religious domain. Education is also the single most powerfiul way which can li people out of poverty and play a particularly important role as a foundation for girls’ development towards adult life. Education can bring phenomenal changes women’s life by enhaneing their confidence, raising their status in the family and society, bring awareness about their rights, boosting their self-esteem, increasing their self efficacy, reducing their dependency, better up-bringing their children, enhancing their mobility and opening their career opportunities. Again recent studies reveal that Muslim women, even non-educated or less educated! are specially emphasizing the importance of their daughter's education in modem education system. They have high hope for their daughter in education field. Muslim women are as ambitious as any other women, They have a strong desire and enthusiasm for education. Therefore, itis quite essential and necessary to improve the status of Muslim women in West Bengal in all respect. To improve quality of education of the Muslim women, economic, social, political, religious, cultural and educational status of the Muslim women and to get the answers to the above questions arisen, the study was conducted on “Educational status of Muslim women in West Bengal”. 1.6 References: 1. Jana, P. K, (2015). Trends of elementary education among the Muslim girls in West Bengal. Islam and Muslim Societies: A Soctal Science Journal, 8(2), 1-17. 2. Govemment of India. (2006). Social, economic and educational status of the Muslim community of India-A Report, Prime Minister's high level Committee, Cabinet Sceretariat, GOI, (Chairperson Justice Rajinder Sachar), New Delhi.10. uw 12. 1B. 14. 15. 16. V7. 18. Tomasevski, K. (2005), Human Rights and Poverty Reduction. Girls’ edueation through a human rights lens: What can be made better. Retrieved from www.odi.org/sites/odi.org. Suguna, M. (2011). Education and women empowerment in India. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, (8), 198-204. Ghosh, S.C. (2007). History of Education in India, New Delhi: Rawat Publications. A Reader. New York: Lewis, R. and Mills, S. (2003). Feminist post colonial theory Taylor & Francis, Report of the University Education Commission, Government of India, 1948-49, Vol (@, Chapter XIL, 401 Pandey, B. (1987). Post-independence educational development among women in India Retrieved from www.owds.ac.in/ocpapet/post-independenceeducational pdf. Jitmuad, S. (1992), Islamic Culture, Bangkok, Thangnam, Report of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction Development, Ministry of Education, 2003, 167, Singh, S. N, (2003), Muslims in India, New Delhi: Anmol Publications, Yadav, N. (2003). Education for women, New Delhi: Reference Press. Jawad, H. A. (1998), The rights of women in Islam. New York: St. Martin’s Press. ‘Wadud-Muhsin, A. (1989). Muslim women as minorities. Institute of Muslim minorities” affairs, Journal, 10(1), 161-170. Engineer, A.A. (2005), The Quran woman and modem society, London: New Dawn Press, INC, UK, 207. Kabir, H. (1964), Education in India, London: George Allen and Unwin Ltd. Gunny, A. (1996). Images of Islam in eighteenth century writing; London: Grey Seal Diderot, D. (1975). Oeuvres Completes; Vol. VIII, 230 Paris,19. Eraly, A. (1997), The last spring — the lives and times of the great Mughals. India: Viking Penguin. 20. Das, S. (2006). Madrassah ~ An Islamic school to leam ignorance. (Last accessed 27th June / 2008) 21. Das, S. (2006). A tribute to a Muslim Genius. Islam watch, (Last accessed 27th June / 2008). 22, Sharma, A. (2002). Women in Indian Religions. New Delhi: Oxford University Press. 23. Hasan, Z. and Menon, R. (2004), Unequal Citizen: A study of Muslim women in India, New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 24. Mistry, M. B. (2005). Muslims in India: A demographic and socio-cconomic profile. Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs, 25 (3), 399-422. 25, Siddiqui, M. H. 2005). Women Education (A Research Approach). New Delhi: Ashish Publishing House. 26. Datta, R. (2007), More than 50 pe Muslim women Backward: Survey, Romita.Datta@hindustantimes.com 27. Ahmed, S. and Mistry, M. (2010). Modem education and Socio-economic change (A case study of Muslim women in Pune city, India). International Referred Research Journal, UCL), 139-149. 28. Akhtar, J. (1992). Muslim women’s education in India” in Mohini Anjum (ed.) Muslim women in Education, New Delhi: Radiant Publishers, 29, Agrawal, M, (1986), Education and Modemization: A study of Hindu and Muslim education, New Delhi: Eduresearch Publications. 30. Menon, I, (1981), Status of Mustim women in India, New Delhi: Uppal Publications. 31. Roy, S. (1979). Status of Muslim women in North India: A study in dynamics of change. New Delhi: B. R. Publishing Corporation.CHAPTER2 Review of related studies and literature 2.1 Introduction: The literature review is the part of the thesis where an extensive reference related to research theory in particular field is presented. It is the selection of available published and unpublished documents on the topic which consists of information, ideas, data and evidence written from a particular standpoint to fulfil certain aims and objectives ot express certain views on the nature of the topic. ‘The literature review was carried on the the status of Muslim women and the causes of backwardness of Muslim women, The studies on Govt, and non- Govt, rules, regulations, policies and schemes were also reviewed for the improvement of Muslim women education to find out the literature gap and thereby to select the research problem, 2.2 Review of studies on the status of Muslim women: Khattab (2015)! conducted a study on “Muslim women much more likely to be unemployed than white Christian women” with a sample of 2643 in UK. One of the objectives of his study was to compare the employment status of Muslim women with that of other categories of women. On the basis of his findings he concluded that the unemployment rate among Muslim women was 18 per cent, compared with 9 per cent for Hindu women and 4 per cent for white Christian women, Muslim women were 71 per cent more likely than white Christian women to be unemployed, even when they had the same educational level and language skills. Hindu women were 57 per cent more likely to be unemployed than white Christian women. “Economie activity among Muslim women in the UK remains considerably