What Would You Tell Your Friend Who Wants To Convert To Islam? Asks Class II Text Of This School In Kerala

Peace International school, a school run by an Islamic charity in Kochi has come under the scanner after reports of 'objectionable content' in its textbooks.

A case has been filed against the promoters of the school for spreading hatred.

peaceschools.in

“The case was registered for teaching students objectionable content in the syllabus… what was not secular. Islamic curriculum was being followed and students were being exhorted to lay down their lives for Islam”, an official said.

The school has classes from the LKG to eighth standard.

The incident came to light after a chapter from one of the textbooks of Class II was posted on social media.

It reads...

"Suppose your friend Adam/Suzanne has decided to become a Muslim, among the choices what advice will you give?"

a. he/she has to change her name to Ahmed/Sara immediately

b. he/she is wearing a chain and will need to remove it

c. learn the shahada

d. runaway from home as parents are not Muslims

e. eat halal chicken

Initially the school had denied the reports and claimed that it was fake.

Later Kerala based Islamic preacher MM Akbar, the head of Peace International, admitted to local media that it was in fact a part of the syllabus and its was compiled by child psychology experts.

He then went on to blamed the publisher for the book adding that the same book is taught in a number of Islamic management schools across India.

He however said that six months after introducing the textbook, objections were raised and it was not taught any further adding that there was nothing objectionable in the content, while admitted that it might not fit for a class II student.

Akbar, a renowned Islamic preacher in Kerala has a cult-like status among his followers. Many of his interpretations have close resemblance to another controversial preacher Zakir Naik.

The school had first come under the scanner of the authorities following the mysterious disappearance of 21 youths from Kerala who are suspected to have joined terrorist group Islamic State.

Six of the missing youths had links to the institute, including Merin, a Christian girl who converted to Islam. She was a teacher there.

Other allegations against the school include religious conversion of six students and not including biology in its syllabus as talking about sex is unislamic.

According to some local media another chapter in the same textbook asks students "whether they are ready to die for Islam?"

Peace International which has a network of 20 schools across Kerala has around 300 students, mostly Muslims in the institute which is now in the middle of the controversy.

YouTube

However a faculty member identified as Lita, has refuted some of the allegations.

In a video posted online Lita who claims to be Malayalam teacher at the school said, biology was taught at the school and she was unaware of the allegations of religious conversions of students.

To know the reality of the claims, this correspondent without revealing my nature of work contacted one person via online who said that his son was studying in the school.

"Being a Muslim, I want my son to learn about Islam and the Islamic way of life. The school had promised that their students will be able to by heart Quran by Class X and as a religious man I couldn't be happier," he said.