Ban on English at Darul Uloom was a Mistake: Officials Confirm

Darul Uloom Deoband (DUD) has clarified that there is no ban on students learning English at their Islamic seminary. The DUD came under fire recently after a notification was issued on June 13, leading to misunderstandings and a perception that the institution was opposed to English education. In a statement to the chairperson of the commission for minorities, Ashfaq Saifi, the education department of DUD stated that the notification was a clerical error and that the seminary offers courses in English, Hindi, mathematics, and computer science. However, students studying at DUD are not allowed to simultaneously pursue a second course of study at another educational institution because that would have a negative impact on their studies. The DUD clarified that, after completing the course at DUD, students are free to pursue a second degree elsewhere, without objection from the seminary. The chairperson of the commission for minorities, Ashfaq Saifi, supported this, stating that DUD runs courses in English, along with other modern education subjects, and has an English library. He added that English is critical for purposes ranging from the judiciary to preparing for civil service positions, and that he expects DUD to continue to provide education in various languages.