Coordination of Islamic Colleges

The CIC made a humble beginning in the year 2000 as an academic coordinating committee of a few Islamic colleges following a standardised curriculum and academic programmes. A precursor of this journey had started in mid 1990s at K.K.H.M. Islamic and Arts College, under Markazu Tharbiyathil Islamiyya, in Karthala of Malappuram District. Later, the CIC came into existence as an academic confederation of the various colleges who had shown interest in this programme and courses of study. The coordination has grown exponentially over a short span of time and became an academic umbrella of 90 colleges.^[3][2]

Registered as an autonomous organisation under the Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860 (Regi. No: 379/04), the CIC has grown to become a multi-layered organisation, with a senate, a syndicate, an advisory board and various sub-committees such as Academic Council, Examination Board and finance committee, directives of which are binding on each affiliated college. At present, Wafiyya Campus, Pang is the headquarters of the CIC.

Wafy is a modified and upgraded version of Al Muthavval course, a part of the erstwhile Nizamiyya Syllabus which had been adopted by most of the traditional Islamic colleges and seminaries in India for centuries.^[3][2] While retaining the spirit of the traditional syllabus intact, modification was achieved by introducing new topics and updating some traditional subjects. These measures were introduced to meet the new challenges and needs of time.

The CIC is currently headquartered at the 'Wafa Campus' at Pang in Malappuram District.

CIC operates two postgraduate campuses, the Wafy postgraduate campus at Kalikavu in Malappuram District and Malik Deenar Wafy postgraduate campus at Thiruvallur in Kozhikkode District.

The Wafy postgraduate campus in Kalikavu launched its first phase in 2016 by opening the academic block.^[11]

The CIC leadership has the following positions and personnel:

• President – Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal
• General Secretary – Abdul Hakeem Faizy
• Treasurer – Ali Faizy Thootha
• Vice presidents
  • K. A. Rahman Faizy Kavanur
  • Muhammed Musliyar Chelakkad
  • Ahmed Mulsiyar Maniyoor
  • Hamza Musliyar Wayanad

The CIC has entered into academic and cultural collaboration, and signed memoranda of understandings to this effect, with several globally renowned institutions such as:^[1]

• Al Azhar University, Cairo
• University of Cairo
• Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization
• Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
• Aligarh Muslim University
• Hamdard University, Pakistan
• Academy of Arabic Language, Cairo
• Ministry of Religious Affairs, Egypt
• National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL) of the Central Government of India

The CIC has been recognised or honoured with:

• Membership at the executive committee of the League of Islamic Universities (Cairo)
• ISO 9001: 2015 certification
• Membership at the General Secretariat of the World Muslim Communities Council (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates)
• Membership at the board of directors of the International Association of the Institutions Teaching Arabic Language for Non – Arabic Speakers (Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation-Morocco)
• Islamonline International education Award (2009)
• Islam.net Award (2011)

The CIC regulated integrated courses for men and women combining Islamic and secular higher education.^[1][3] Known as "Wafy" and "Wafiyya", these courses are currently offered in different modes such as Residential, Day-school and Distance.

Wafy is an eight-year programme in advanced Islamic studies (comprising two-year Higher Secondary, four-year undergraduate and two-year postgraduate courses) coupled with a recognised state university degree in a secular discipline. This course is offered in residential mode only and is exclusive for men.^[2]

The postgraduate programme consists of six departments under three faculties namely Theology, Islamic Sharīʿah and Arabic language and Islamic culture.

"Wafy Arts" is a five-year integrated programme comprising a two-year Higher Secondary and a three-year undergraduate studies with a state university degree in a secular discipline coupled with a preparatory certificate and a degree in Islamic Studies offered by the CIC This course is exclusive to men and is offered both in residential and day-school modes.^[3][2]

Wafiyya is a five-year course in Islamic studies (comprising two-year higher secondary and three-year undergraduate courses) coupled with a recognised state university degree in a secular discipline. This course is offered in residential mode only and is exclusively for women.

An optional two-year postgraduate programme is also on offer for Wafiyya undergraduates, which they can complete either in distance or regular mode, subject to conditions.^[10]

"Wafiyya Day" is a five-year course in advanced Islamic studies (comprising two-year higher secondary and three-year undergraduate courses) coupled with a recognised state university degree in a secular discipline. This course is offered in day-school mode and is exclusive for women.^[3][2]

To ensure the efficiency of the curriculum, the programmes are designed with various continuous evaluation activities such as seminars, debates, collections (portfolio of works), projects, symposiums, album setting, teaching practices, oral exams, essay writing, and field work. Continuous assessment constitutes around 20 per cent of the total marks in some subjects.

The CIC conducts orientation and workshops for students and parents. The workshops include Da'wa workshops, field work, teaching practice sessions, pre- and post-marital counselling training, and de-addiction counselling training.

The CIC conducts many academic events. Recently conducted international conferences and fiqh seminars have received considerable media attention. Wafy and Wafiyya alumni associations and students' federations regularly conduct academic programmes and training workshops.

As part of the syllabus at the postgraduate level, Wafy and Wafiyya students need to organise seminars and debates on different topics. The Examination Board grants grace marks to those attending and presenting papers at national and international level academic events.

Madrasathul Umm (which literally means 'Mother's School') is an exclusive curriculum designed by the CIC to nurture the Arabic language skills of the students, placing more emphasis on Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing (LSRW).

During the period of postgraduate courses, students are required to submit a dissertation in not less than 100 pages on a selected topic approved by the academic council of the CIC. Later, they will be asked to defend and discuss their thesis in a viva voce in front of a select panel of experts from the faculty.

The CIC has put in place an effective mentoring system. Students are assisted by full-time mentors who provide them with customised psychological care and guidance.

The CIC conducts training and workshops for mentors. It also conducts inspections from time to time to ensure mentoring is done efficiently.

The CIC accords top priority to inculcate in students the habit of voluntary services. It has made social service mandatory for all students, aimed at nurturing in them the habit of serving the society and working for the needy and the underprivileged in the society.

Students must complete 192 hours of social service during their degree (Aliya) period. They have to complete 24 hours in each of the eight semesters at Aliya level. Students will receive certificates after their works being reviewed by the guides of their respective institutions and the CIC's CSS Coordinator.

The CIC was the first Islamic institute to introduce compulsory social service as a part of its curriculum. The first project was announced by the former Vice Chancellor of Calicut University K. K. N. Kurup at a meeting held at Shamsul Ulama Academy Wafy College, Vengapally, Wayanad on 18 November 2012.

The activities done by students under the CSS scheme include home building, flood volunteering, Mahal survey, Mahal empowerment, renovation of public libraries, cleaning work of government hospitals and local bodies, volunteering in programmes conducted by the Samastha Kerala Jam'iyyathul Ulama and its sub bodies, blood donation camps, medical camps, religious studies classes, Palliative care, Da'wa activities and relief activities. The Rescue Force formed by the Wafy Students' Federation during the Kerala flood have done some commendable jobs for two consecutive years. Over 400 students had worked in the 2019 flood alone.