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| Markaz Main Building |
Muslims have played a robust role in the making of India, the most populous democracy in the world. They ruled over the nation for many centuries. Their contributions to the language, culture, heritage and welfare of the country are significant.
Kerala, the southern-most tiny State in India known to the world as God’s Own Country, has everything to beckon the glob-trotters. Its long coastline, meandering rivers, hills and dales of sylvan labyrinth, and enchanting backwaters have made Kerala a heaven on earth.Kerala had ties with Arabia from time immemorial, and Islam reached this tiny State during the lifetime of Prophet Mohammed (pbuh). Calicut, the largest town in northern Kerala, carries the greatest legacy of Indo-Arab relations.
Markazu Ssaquafathi Ssunniyya, popularly called Markaz, lies 14 km east of Calicut, crowning the locale of scenic splendour with its beacon of Islamic education. In a short time after its birth, Markaz made a mark for itself giving life to a dream long cherished by a community
The march of Markaz has been steady and stellar since its humble beginning in 1978 under the leadership of Sheik Aboobacker Ahmed. In three decades, it has grown to become an institution of sterling repute, catering to 10,000 students from across the country. About a million people currently benefit from its educational, cultural, social, medical and humanitarian activities.
Markaz offers a variety of services to the society in general, and the Muslim community in particular. Its attempts to promote religious sciences, technology, education and Islamic culture, as well as to protect Islamic faith, have won world-wide appreciation. Exemplary have been its efforts to promote religious and cultural harmony in a pluralist, secular Indian society.
Thirty various institutions currently function under the umbrella of Markaz. They include colleges, schools, technical institutions, hospitals, and centres of humanitarian aid and social activities
Colleges
Three Faculty Departments at Markaz currently enjoy Al-Azhar (Egypt) accreditation. The Departments of Arabic Language, Islamic Jurisprudence, and Islamic Studies have this unique distinction.
The Islamic Share-a-th College of Markaz follows the traditional way of imparting Islamic knowledge. More than 300 students get the Saquafi degree from this institution every year.
An excellent education centre with state-of-the-art facilities at Punoor offers religious and temporal education to select students. Religion and modernity find a rare synthesis here. The students can simultaneously earn religious and university degrees through this institution.
Markaz Arts and Commerce College, established in 1985, offers courses for bachelor degrees in commerce and humanities from Calicut University. It also gives best Islamic knowledge in different branches. The students are provided hostel accommodation.
Markaz Library can match any great storehouse of knowledge not only in the number of books but in variety as well. The Research Centre functioning adjacent to the Library has all the ingredients fit to lift Markaz to higher realms of learning.
Schools
Markaz has schools affiliated to both the State and the Central (CBSE) streams with classes from LKG to plus-two. Irrespective of caste and religion, Markaz schools attract students from all parts of Kerala. Markaz campuses have excellent laboratories for botany, physics, chemistry, astronomy and computer science.
Markaz has a large campus for foreign students. Markaz also runs an Islamic Secondary School, which follows the curriculum of Al-Azhar University, Cairo. The Markaz School of Quran has been rated one of the best in the country. Markaz students have won laurels in international Quran competitions held in Arabian and other Muslim countries.
Technical & Professional Institutes
Markaz IT Centre offers courses in diesel mechanic, electronics, wireman, automobile engineering, electrical engineering, refrigeration and airconditioning, computer software, hardware and networking, D.T.P in three languages (Arabic, English and Malayalam), architectural assistant, and driver-cum-mechanic.
Markaz Handicrafts Centre is a well-established unit offering training in making umbrella, soap, candle, paper bag, chalk, etc. It also trains students in book-binding, screen printing, dye making, etc.
Charity Activities
Caring for orphans is among the basic objectives of Markaz. It currently runs two orphanages, one for boys and the other for girls. The inmates there get free food, accommodation, health care, education, vocational training and other facilities. They undergo education till Plus-Two with special course in Islamic higher secondary education.
Markaz has a special project known as Orphan Care, which takes care of the expenses of poor orphans when they are at home. About 1,500 orphans from across the country are beneficiaries of this project.
Emirates House for Kashmiri Students is a unique charity institution of Markaz, which takes care of more than 200 children from the strife-torn Kashmir. It is funded by the Red Crescent of the United Arab Emirates.
Markaz runs Students Home with modern hostel facilities, accommodating more than 1,400 students of different Islamic colleges.
Ponoor Hospital & Research Centre is a charity hospital with modern facilities. Specialist departments such as maternity, child health, surgery, general medicine, ENT, ophthalmology, neurology, and orthopaedics are available there.
Markaz also runs Medical Centres supplying medicines and conducting medical camps.
A voluntary organization functions under Markaz to provide medicine, ambulance, and other services to the patients of Medical College, Calicut.
Markaz extends financial and physical aid to people affected by natural calamities. It also undertakes distribution of food to poor families in backward areas.
Markaz offers scholarships to pursue higher study in medical science, engineering, management, computer science and mass communication. Priority is given to the poor.
The sweet water project of Markaz aims at helping the people suffering from dearth of water. Markaz has dug several wells and bore wells at many places benefiting thousands of families.
Markaz has formed a scheme called Marriage Aid to help the poor find suitable alliances.
On the day of Eidul-Azha, Markaz distributes the Kurban (meat) in different parts of country
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| Markaz annual conference |
