Two ambitious youngsters, Mohammad Jabir PK and Mohammad Basith M were among five students who won the State level Ramayana quiz held in coastal Kerala.
The online quiz regarding in-depth knowledge of Ramayana was organised by Kerala’s publishing house DC books and was held from 23 to 25 July 2022. The other winners of the quiz include Abhiram MP, Navneeth Gopan and Geethu Krishnan.
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Both 23-year-old Jabir and 20-year-old Basith are students pursuing Islamic studies at KKHM Islamic and Arts College, Markaz Valanchery. Speaking to TNM, Jabir a senior theology student at the college expressed his joy at the results saying Religion is meant for peaceful living, and that all other tensions around them are man-made.
“Ramayana shows Rama as the Ideal King and how better governance, justice, virtues and duties can be implemented in the country. This should happen in the world ideally. There is no mention of hatred in the holy book, no religion promotes hatred ” Jabir added.
Basith on the other hand shared how he was intrigued to learn and understand the Ramayana after being exposed to stories of Chithrakathas as a child.
The students also said that their library has holy books of various faiths and as part of their studies they get access to in-depth knowledge of different faiths. They also added that they carry on their regular studies along with Islamic studies.
“We get a certificate for this course only if we receive a university-approved degree. Apart from that, we need to learn about all other religions and cultures. We are taught to know our country in a broad-minded way and become better citizens ” Jabir added.
Jabir and Basith hope to be peacemakers after completing their studies.
