پاکستان کی جامعات میں فہمِ قرآن کی تدریس: حکومتی پالیسی، نفاذ اور فوائد

Teaching of Understanding the Holy Quran in Pakistani Universities: Government Policy, Implementation and Benefits

Abstract

The teaching of the Holy Quran at the university level has gained particular importance in Pakistan because higher education is not only expected to provide professional knowledge but also to contribute to the moral and intellectual development of students. In this context, the Higher Education Commission introduced a new policy in 2025 under which Understanding of Holy Quran-I and Understanding of Holy Quran-II were included as one-credit-hour courses for Muslim students in undergraduate and graduate programmes. The policy was introduced for implementation from Fall 2025 and replaced the earlier arrangement under which Quran education was offered as a compulsory non-credit course. The present study examines the background of this policy, its curriculum structure, implementation in Pakistani universities, faculty training and its possible educational and social benefits. It also discusses the practical issues involved in effective classroom teaching, including differences in students' educational backgrounds, availability of trained teachers and the need for appropriate teaching methods. The study argues that the real success of the policy depends not simply on the inclusion of the courses in university curricula but on whether students are actually able to understand the basic meaning and message of the Quran. The study concludes that meaningful Quran education at university level can contribute to students' moral development, intellectual awareness, social responsibility and better understanding of their religious tradition.