Student Islamic Organisation, Kalyan city (Maharashtra South Zone) successfully organized Islamic knowledge test (IKT)…Connecting Hearts on 12th Jan, 2013 at a well known LD Sonawane College, of Arts, Commerce and Science, Kalyan. The participants were restricted to above mentioned college campus only due to lack of permission from the college authorities where the event was scheduled.

The test was centered on a well known book “Towards understanding Islam” authored by Maulana Syed Abul Aala Maudoodi (in which he expressed the basic knowledge about Islam and the philosophical issues with solution), and was conducted in three different languages i.e. English, Hindi and Marathi so that the participants get to understand the book thoroughly and through it get to know what Islam offers for all the human kind.

It is the belief of SIO that by getting to understand each other’s religion and performing more and more interactive programs, discussing the issues that are threatening our society will result in better solutions, broadening our minds to respect each other irrespective of which religion we belong. By keeping this view in mind the SIO Kalyan unit decided to carry out the IKT, which was a major success in other parts of the state. At the beginning our target was to approach at least half a dozen colleges but for some reasons the authorities of the college, where the test was going to be conducted, withheld the permission for students from other campuses to participate, if the test was to be held at their premises. Our cadre was present at the college for almost four days which yielded around 150 registrations, out of which 95 students turned over for the test.

The prize distribution ceremony took place al Atre hall, Kalyan which included three speakers, including the vice principal of the Sonawane College, to whom a copy of Holy Quran in Marathi was gifted. The prizes that were given away consisted of cash prizes and medals for the first three rank holders and some ten consolation prizes. The cash prize amounted to 10,000; 7,000 and 5,000 respectively and trophies were given as consolation prizes.

All participants were given certificates for taking part.