Sindh Madrassa Tul Islam

When Muslims lost to the British in the freedom fight of 1857, they thought it’s time to focus on the educational and economic condition rather than keep on battling the British Empire. Several personalities rose to the prominence during that time for different reasons, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was one of the personalities who wanted Muslims to focus on their education so that they can achieve peacefully what they have lost to the British. Sir Syed Ahmad Khan established his National Mohammedan Association, the sole purpose of which was to cater the educational needs of coming generations keep religious sanctity and Islamic identity intact.

Under this association, Aligarh Muslim University was founded which inspired other people to establish such institutes in their areas.

 Justice Ameer Ali, the secretary of Mohammaden Association, traveled to Sindh where he met Hassan Ali Affendi (Great Grandfather of Asif Ali Zardari), a well-known personality of Sindh.

Justice Ameer Ali advised Hassan Ali Affandi to open a branch of National Mohammaden Association in Karachi (Provincial capital of Sindh) as well. Hassan Ali Affandi acceded to his request and in March 1882, a branch was opened in Sindh having Hassan Ali Affandi as the head. In the very same year, Sindh Mohammaden Association announced to make an educational institute in Sindh and was called “Sindh Madrassa Tul Islam”. This institute was a beautiful amalgamation of the modern and religious education system. The fulfillment of this dream was due to the untiring efforts of the leaders of Mohammaden Association and generous donations from the People of Sindh and from the princely states of Khirpur, Hyderabad Deccan and from the British Government. This institute was initially established in a small building and was, later on, shifted to a large land which was vacant at that time. This place is called Qafila Sarae.

Sindh Madrassa Tul Islam is not just an educational institute rather it has a historical significance because of the role it played during Pakistan movement. This institute produced some great leaders who were leading Muslim Caravan in the freedom struggle. The founder of Pakistan, Quaid-E-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, studied here from 1877 to 1892. Apart from Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah (r.a), some great people who got their education from Sindh Madrassa Tul Islam included Sir Abdullah Haroon, Sir Ghulam Hussain Hidayatullah, Sir Shahnawaz Bhutto, Muhammad Ayub Khoro and the list goes on.

All of these personalities fought on different fronts for Muslim struggle during the freedom movement which ultimately led to the formation of a separate homeland for the Muslims in the form of Pakistan. The love of the founder of Pakistan for this institute was so much that he nominated Sindh Madrassa Tul Islam as one of the three inheritors of his property along with Aligarh Muslim University and Islamia College Peshawar in his will in Bombay in 1939. In 143, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah (r.a) visited his beloved institute and inaugurated a college which is now known as Sindh Muslim Science College.

This institute truly inspired a generation which proved to be the backbone for the Muslim cause and is still imparting education to many knowledge-thirsty students in the heart of Karachi.