Masjid One — a vision in the making

Aysha Tanisha
March 29, 2018

The gathering point of the Muslim Ummah or community is the mosque. For Muslims, it is a divine place wherein they connect to their Creator through prayers. It is synonymous to the house of God, as one can see the rich and poor, healthy and ill, educated and uneducated stand alongside one another, praying in synchronization. 

In India, Muslims fall under the minority category. This qualifies the socially and economically disadvantaged Muslims to avail government benefits designed to improve their condition. Till date, due to lack of information and guidance, not many have benefitted from this. NGOs and organizations working for the development of Muslims weren’t of much help, as they have been tackling issues from a surface level.

In the Prophetic times mosques didn’t function solely for prayer purposes. It engaged in activities concerning community development. Many organizations, activists and leaders have insisted on re-working this concept. Mohammed Imthiyaz, a young businessman and social activist, and his team have left for Mangaluru to lay the groundwork for the ‘Masjid One’ plan.

This project aims at bringing all the mosques in the country under one plan of action, with an objective of developing the Muslims throughout India. As per the plan, the Masjid committee will stop by each Jamaat’s home and gather information on the family economy, social status, family members’ employment, health and education level etc. The information thus collected will go on the App. The project will enable Muslims to benefit from government plans and schemes. The poor will be helped by the rich donors. Many mosques are enthusiastic about the project, including the ones from Karnataka, Kerala, and Uthar Pradesh. 

The situation of Muslim community

1. Socio-economic conditions of a considerable number of Muslims in India are too bad. A major part of Muslims is below the poverty line.
2. The literacy level of the Indian Muslim is below the country average.
3. Muslims are often found crammed into ghettos with poor infrastructure and civic facilities.
4. They are often neglected and discriminated.
5. Many of the Muslims are doing menial jobs, working as daily wage laborers which leaves children with no choice but to toil away their childhood too.
6. In poor Muslim neighborhoods, housing facility and basic sanitation is lacking to the point where inhabitants develop various communicable diseases.  

Why Masjid One?

If you are wondering how Masjid One can fight poverty, illiteracy and employment hindrances Muslims face, then the action plan of this project will bring around a ray of hope to relax those furrowed eyebrows.
1. Its vision is to utilize masjids as an epicenter for the betterment of the Muslim populace all over India.
2. Foremost, it will organize masjids and Jamaat’s of Masjids. 
3. Through the Masjid One Platform, it intends to collect, document, process and analyze data concerning all Muslims in India.
4. This is done to identify the most destitute, needy and urgent cases of Indian Muslims.
5. Resources will be identified and allocated for the ones in desperate need of it.
6. It aims at finding sustainable, realistic, achievable and permanent solution to raise the dignity and socio-economic status of the Muslim Community in India.

Advantages of Masjid One

1. The data collection via Masjid One Platform will enable the Muslim Ummah to utilize the resources available in ‘n’ number of ways. 
2. The data collected through and through will be subjected to analysis in order to generate a clear picture of the current scenario of Indian Muslims. This will be instrumental in identifying root problems. As per the needs, various short-term and long-term programs will be designed. Also, execution of sustainable programs will be looked into for empowering the less fortunate Muslim masses.
3. Data collection will be segregated family wise. ( all information on a families socio-economic condition will be noted down)
4. The Data collection includes full details of mosques and khazis across India, including the status of mosques, access to resources, and resources.  
5. It will work in a decentralized way. Work and Contributions are expected from each Masjids, rather than one central body doing all the work.
6. It will use technologies like Data Analytics and Web Technology to optimally solve the problems. 
7. This platform will also facilitate Voter ID and Aadhar registry related work enabling the Muslims to be the rightful citizens of India.
8. Information can be helpful to allocate facilities to all Muslims in India.
9. Resource recognition and resources distribution for Muslims and mosques is the first priority.
10. Muslims can use many government schemes through Masjid One.
11. Motivating and supporting the mosques to generate Income through alternative sources and making them self sustainable and financially independent.

The fundamentals that can be achieved through Masjid One

1. It will create system for Muslim families wherein families with excess of resources and willing to help will reach out to the ones in greatest need.
2. It will also create a Systemwhere Masjids with abundant resources, which are self-sufficient and with the capacity to help other Masjids, to help those Masjids that are lacking in basic and fundamental infrastructure and in greatest need.
3. All India Muslim Development Board (AIMDB) will be eventually formed. This board will take initiatives to bring out new welfare schemes and try to tackle problems prevalent in the society.

Masjid One - Why it is the Solution?

1. It aims to generate more than 10 lakh leaders.
2. It will establish 24 clusters in India.
3. It aims at providing at least 2+ Crores of Indian Muslims are with an income source.
4. It will facilitate pooling of nationwide resources of Muslims.
5. It will create commerce, entrepreneurship and establish support structures.
6. It aims at constructing 5 lakh family trusts, construction of schools, colleges and infrastructure for Indian Muslims and encouraging industry throughcouncilors and chambers. 
7. It will bring together Ulemas, Businessmen, Masjids, Organizations and Muslim Politicians.
8. It will provide career guidance and motivation for youth. 
9. It will create larger and greater Sadaqah Network that reaches maximum number of Muslims.
10. It will raise the overall standard of living among the Muslims.
11. It will focus on education, healthcare, Shelter and other basic necessities of Indian Muslims.

Contributions to the country from Masjid One

1. Every Muslim in the country registered under Masjid One Platform will receive announcements, government updates and other important information within minutes, through instant SMS. 
2. Four mosques can join together and start a school and 8-10 mosques can start an Islamic financial cooperative institution. 
3. Platform may alsowork as a News Portal and News Agency. 
4. It will improve the Economic output by the Muslim communities, consequently improving the GDP of the country.  
5. It will increase the literacy rate of the Country. 
6. It will contribute to Swacch Bharat Abhiyan, by keeping Masjid and its Mohalla surroundings clean.

‘Masjid One’ is a large scale utilization of the data collected on the Indian Muslim population. Its desired result is to uplift the Muslims in reduced circumstances. To ensure this, Masjid One will look into utilizing the existing NGO’s and formation of NGO’s under Masjids and Committees.  Sub- committees that can focus on Jamaat wise and city wise social work will be formed. Assignment of social work will be segregated based on underlying concerns such as Women and Child, Economic upliftment and Self-Reliance, Education and Healthcare. 
 

Comments

Saifuddeen P
 - 
Sunday, 8 Jul 2018

can you Please provide the contact detailes of people handling this project. intreseted in implimenting same in our jamath 

 

 

Saleem
 - 
Saturday, 31 Mar 2018

Highly challenging task in this present era, but nothing shall be impossible if the intention is holy & pure.  I personally pray with almighty Allah to bestow endurance and success upon this team. Aameen. 

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News Network
May 8,2020

Bengaluru, May 8: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has announced a special package for those involved in leather works, especially those who work on the roadside, informed the state's Deputy Chief Minister Govind M Karjol on Friday. 

The special package has been announced for cobblers and leather workers, who work on the roadside. 

The government has provided relief to 11,722 families at a rate of Rs 5,000 per family. These beneficiaries will be directly credited to their bank account through Dr. Babu Jagjivan Ram Leather Industries Development Corporation.

This special package will help livelihoods for skilled workers, said the Deputy Chief Minister. He congratulated the Chief Minister on the declaration of this special package on behalf of the Department of Social Welfare.

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News Network
January 26,2020

Udupi, Jan 26: The late seer of Pejawar Mutt Vishwesha Tirtha Swami has been posthumously honoured with Padma Vibhushan for his contribution to spiritualism.

The seer, who passed away in December last, was known as a Hindu reformist spiritual leader.

He was also among the religious heads to be in the forefront of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and was a vocal proponent for the construction of a Ram temple at Ayodhya.

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News Network
April 12,2020

Raipur, Apr 12: As many as 108 out of the 159 people that were quarantined by the Chhattisgarh government last week for allegedly taking part in Delhi’s Tablighi Jamaat congregation are Hindus, according to reliable sources. 

The names of these 159 people, who were said to be in Delhi’s Nizamuddin area when the Tablighi Jamaat congregation was held mid-March, were mentioned in a list issued by the state home department last month. 

The list has been accessed by the many media outlets. But, Raipur Collector S. Bharti Dasan and the state’s Principal Secretary, Home, Subrata Sahu, claimed no such list was issued.

However, a senior state home department official, who didn’t want to be named, said: “Listing of the names was done on the basis of location of mobile phones traced in Nizamuddin in the month of March during the period when congregation of Tablighi Jamaat was held.

“It was subsequently sent to the chief medical officers in the respective districts for further action,” the official added.

These 159 people have either been quarantined at their homes or at government isolation centres. The quarantine exercise took place between 31 March and 1 April.

Interestingly, almost all the people named in the list have denied attending the massive Jamaat congregation, which had seen the participation of over 3,000 people, including foreigners.

Under quarantine “forcefully”, these people alleged they are facing social boycott as they have been “linked to the Tablighi”.

Those placed under quarantine, told media if their phone locations have shown their presence in the Nizamuddin area that didn’t necessarily mean they had attended the Tablighi congregation.

“My neighbours are no longer like my family. After 31 March, I have received more than 500 calls (from relatives and friends) and had to convince them that I didn’t attend the Jamaat event,” Umesh Pandey, a resident of Ambikapur, said.

“People in my area have started saying that some Brahmins took part in the event. I have no objection to being kept in quarantine, but it should be explained why it is being done,” said Pandey, who is a consumer rights activist.

Pandey said, like every year, he had gone to Delhi in March to participate in a consumer protection programme and had stayed at a hotel in Nizamuddin. “I came back on 17 March. After I was quarantined, a false propaganda is being spread about me that I am linked with Tablighi Jamaat activities.”

Pandey said he and his family are now being “looked at as suspects”. 

Kamal Kumar Popatani, a businessman from Bilaspur district, has faced similar problems. Popatani and his family have been living in isolation since 31 March.

“I am completely flabbergasted by this step taken by the state government. I always visit Delhi to procure items for my shop. This time too I had completed my procurement and had returned home on 16 March. Everything was usual till 30 March, but suddenly after 31 March, when this so-called list of 159 alleged suspects was released by the government, we were placed under isolation,” Popatani said.

“My own family members, neighbours and everyone I know are now accusing me that I had joined the Tabligi Jamaat gathering. How can it ever happen? This strange attitude of the government has made my entire family a victim of social boycott.”

Trader Abdul Rahman, a resident of Lutra Sharif area of Bilaspur district, also echoed similar sentiments.

“I returned from Delhi along with my wife on 15 March, but my entire family has been kept in isolation since 31 March. All this is way beyond my comprehension… Blood samples of the entire family were taken. Now everyone is keeping a distance from us and calling us corona suspects,” said Rahman, who had gone to Delhi for a holiday.

“People not only from my village but also in the nearby villages are pointing fingers at me and my family… We are the ones who condemn Tablighi Jamaat and their activities. We have nothing to do with them. The quarantine… has brought…infamy to us,” he added.

In another goof-up, the list even includes names of some people who no longer live in the state but carried mobile numbers issued in Chhattisgarh. One such name is that of BSF sub-inspector Shantanu Mukherjee, who was working in Bhilai about two years ago, but is currently posted in Delhi.

“What kind of list is this? Who released it in the first place? At first, I received a call from the Covid-19 control room in Chhattisgarh and then from the State Police Control Centre. They inquired about my health and current place of posting,” said Mukherjee, whose office is located close to the Nizamuddin area. 

Makkhan Singh Yadav, a sub-inspector with the CRPF, is another case in point. Yadav, who is posted somewhere close to Nizamuddin, had bought a SIM card from Dantewada, when he was posted there five years ago.

“I had received calls from both Delhi and Chhattisgarh police after being marked as a corona suspect. But when I explained the reality to them, no calls were made thereafter. I could not understand how all this is taking place,” said Yadav, who is a native of Rampur, Uttar Pradesh.

A first-year Delhi University student, who belongs to Mahasamund district of Chhattisgarh, has been kept under isolation at a local government hospital.

The student, who didn’t want to be named, said she had gone to Nizamuddin railway station to catch a train for Chhattisgarh.

“I came home immediately after it was announced that educational institutions are shutting down. After returning from Delhi, I spent around 19 days at my own home, but suddenly I was admitted to the hospital on 1 April. Why have I been brought here (hospital) if I have no symptoms? All this feels like some sort of torture.”

“Despite my repeated denial, I was brought here by the health department on the pretext of being associated with the Tablighi Jamaat,” she said. 

Asked about the Tablighi quarantine list, principal secretary Sahu said: “The government has issued no such list. We have received inputs from the social media about three such lists but the state government has not officially prepared any list.

“All those put under quarantine have been done as per the orders issued by the state government. This order states that those who came to the state after 1 March should be kept under isolation,” he added.

Raipur Collector Dasan refused to say anything about the list and added that people have been kept under quarantine after obtaining their “detailed travel history” based on the guidelines issued by the ICMR.

On the allegation of social boycott, Dasan said: “No person or their families placed under home quarantine or isolation should be subjected to any social boycott or misconduct. They also need not have any social inferiority complex in their minds.

“If any person placed under quarantine feels like this (social inferiority complex), the government has arranged counsellors for them. Our counsellors are convincing and assuring such people by reaching out to them.”

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