Indian Muslim Strategy 2020-2040

1. Get out of
Politics
Social
Work
Skills
Education
Enable
Startups
Masjid
Reform
Societal
Reform
Madrassa
Reform
IndianMuslimStrategy2020-2040

2. The Challenge
To become the MOST
admired, respected and
valued community in India

3. Purpose of this Thoughtshare
1. To address the deplorable situation of Indian Muslims and attempt
to suggest a solution… this is to stimulate action. Not more talking.
2. We have reached a stage where incremental change can’t work. We
need transformational change which will be painful but effective
3. We need to think beyond all internal divisions of every kind and
recognize that good for one is good for all and vice versa
Women must be fully and meaningfully involved
at every stage – no tokenism

4. Get out of Politics
1. We are the target for hate and used by others to win elections
2. We’re politically redundant. Today we’re not even a vote bank.
3. We’re the kiss-of-death for any political party that supports us
4. Politics is dividing us, using our energy and funds in a totally useless
activity that has given us no benefit
Benefit: Get out of the way. Stop being the target. Use time, funds,
energy in beneficial, constructive and positive activity for community
and nation building.

5. Skills Education
1. After literacy and numeracy, teach marketable skills to every child:
Develop entrepreneurship
2. Learn dignity of labor and confidence by working with our hands
3. It needs just two years of part-time training to become skilled at
any vocational skill: Total time in school, 7 years instead of 12.
4. Create jobs for artisans as trainers to train youth
Benefit: Use Masaajid to set up Vocational Skill Training Centers. We
already have the infrastructure. Masjid can use the income.

6. Entrepreneurship: Start-ups
1. Teach the skilled to start small enterprises because SMEs and SMMEs are
the lifeline of society and the economy
2. Set up Venture Capital Funds in each district/city
3. Train students to make: Business Plan, Budget, P&L, Balance Sheet,
Purchasing, Pricing, Marketing and Sales
4. Teach: Presentation Skills, Pitching to Venture Capitalists
Benefit: Change from being unemployed to being self-employed to
becoming employers

7. Masjid Reform
1. Use Masjid infrastructure for Vocational Skill Education
2. Set up Literacy and Numeracy Schools in Masaajid for adult learning
3. Stop the use of loudspeakers outside the Masjid and prayers on the
streets
4. Strict control on what is said in Khutbas. No irresponsible speeches
Benefit: Make Masaajid, Centers of Excellence in all respects. What
needs to be done will be self-evident. Start with your Masjid.

8. Madrassa Reform
1. Create a Central Board of Madrassa Education:
1. Revamp syllabus and curriculum: Compulsory English, Science & Math
2. Central Board of Examinations: to certify all courses of study
3. Get university recognition for Madrassa Degrees
4. Ban corporal punishment and criminally prosecute violators
2. Total transparency, audited accounts
3. Teacher Training mandatory: Must have a recognized degree
Benefit: Over INR 2 Billion is spent per month on Madrassa education
so it is high time that it is systematized and regulated.

9. Societal Reform
1. Ban ostentatious weddings and dowry and get Muslims out of interest-
based banking, alcohol and gambling
2. Ban praying on streets, all loudspeakers, late-night bayans in open
spaces, loud celebration of festivals, street processions etc.
3. Strong focus on Women’s Rights, manners, integrity in dealings, marriage
counseling, becoming Model Citizens.
4. Get out of all cow related businesses totally: dairy, meat, leather
Benefit: Take away all the things that we are targeted for. We need these
reforms anyway. Let us use this motivation.

10. Social Work
1. Focus Professions: Law, Education, Media, Health, Military, Police, IT
2. Initiate projects on:
1. Adult literacy and Vocational Skills Training
2. Public Health Centers: Set up in every locality
3. Water conservation, Rainwater harvesting, Clean drinking water, Solar energy
4. Care of commons: Clean surroundings & Toilets
5. Build low-cost housing, using plastics: Solve two problems
Benefit: Standard of living will improve for Muslims and others who will
also benefit from these initiatives

11. Funding & Organization
1. Funds spent currently on ostentatious weddings and in election
campaigns are more than enough for all the proposed initiatives
2. Executive Organization must be at the District/City level at most.
Information sharing only, can be State and Nation-wide
3. Better use of Awqaf properties and funds
4. Strictly avoid all Organization Structures and Designations and avoid
pointless power struggles (learn from Bombay Dabbawalas)
Recruit workers (not talkers) strictly for demonstrated
competence and desire to contribute – nothing else

12. Challenges
1. Large, diverse, distributed population: To get all on the same plain
2. Present leadership: Leaders must see the need to change urgently
3. Inward looking, self-centered mentality: Present pain is not enough
4. Get over our petty divisions and think of the community & nation
5. Be prepared for the long haul: There are no shortcuts
6. Total commitment to quality in all aspects: Low quality is fatal
Understand that this is not a matter of choice
but of survival

13. May Allah‫ﷻ‬ have
Mercy and help us