South Asian Journal of Religion and Philosophy (SAJRP)

Lived Experiences of Minority Teachers and Students in State and Private (Christian) Schools: A Case Study from Pakistan

Ashar Johnson Khokhar — 2026-06-24

Pakistani public and private schools, emphasizing the complex interaction of identity, workplace dynamics, classroom interactions, and institutional policies. The literature review highlights how Pakistan's education system, shaped by national policies that stress Islamic values, uses textbooks to influence students' identities, often reflecting political compromises and potentially marginalizing non-Muslims. Using a qualitative research approach and a case study method, this study concentrates on teachers and students from five major cities in Pakistan. Data was gathered through focus group discussions, with participants divided into groups from government and Christian schools. The results show that religious identity is vital for teachers and students, who frequently face subtle and overt discrimination, especially in government schools where they encounter social exclusion, promotion obstacles, and pressure to adopt Islamic cultural expressions. In classrooms, teachers and students self-censor to avoid blasphemy accusations, which limits dialogue beyond Islamic topics and hampers students' critical thinking and social development. Institutional policies and societal fears of blasphemy further restrict their teaching freedom and lead to biased assessment practices that disadvantage non-Muslim students. The study suggests updating textbooks to include positive stories of minorities, providing anti-discrimination training for school staff, creating merit-based promotion systems, and offering legal protections against blasphemy accusations to build a more inclusive education system.

Gender and Faith: A Comparative Study of Religious Pluralism and Women’s Empowerment in Pakistan and Indonesia in Pursuit of SDG 5

Dr. Tatheer Zahra Sherazi — 2026-06-24

By utilizing the framework of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5, which calls for achieving gender equality, the article is an attempt to analyze the intersections between religious plurality and gender equality in Pakistan and Indonesia, the two largest Muslim-majority nations. The purpose of the comparison is basically to evaluate the difference between the approaches adopted by both states related to women's empowerment. It contrasts the ways in which the legal systems, governmental values, and civil society endeavors of each nation influence women's access to political engagement, education, and leadership in public and religious life. According to the report, Pakistan is among the countries with the lowest gender indices worldwide because of its long-standing patriarchal laws, growing religious radicalism, and restricted pluralism, all of which impede the country's progress toward gender-inclusive development. More women's empowerment and interfaith cooperation, on the other hand, have been made possible by Indonesia's pluralist government model, which is founded on its national ideology of Pancasila, legal quotas, and thriving faith-based groups. The article concludes, based on case studies of feminist movements and policy reforms that Pakistan can gain from Indonesia's integrated approach, which combines gender-inclusive policies, decentralized decision-making, and strengthened women's leadership with religious pluralism to promote equitable and sustainable development.

The Sermon on the Mount and Punjabi Sufi Voices

Naseer John — 2026-06-24

This research paper explores parallels between Jesus’ teachings in the Sermon on the Mount and selected Punjabi Sufi poetry to illuminate them in a Punjabi context. These teachings share themes with Punjabi Sufi saints and poets, including poverty in spirit, heavenly treasures, meekness, purity of heart, returning good for evil, trusting God, undivided love, light of the world, the heavenly Father's care, holy pearls, suffering for righteousness, flaunting in charity, judging others, loving enemies, universal brotherhood, heartfelt seeking, daily bread, and grapes from thorn bushes.

The Role of Educational Institutions in Reducing Extremism and Promoting Religious Tolerance in Pakistan

Neelum Javed — 2026-06-24

Religious extremism remains a significant challenge in Pakistan, and it is fueled by intolerance, sectarian divides and misinformation. Educational institutions hold a powerful position in shaping the beliefs, values, and attitudes of future generations. HEC recent initiative to enhance spiritual learning and to combat extremist mindsets through authentic and value driven interpretation of religion. This article examines how educational institutions play a crucial role in forming the minds and attitudes of young individuals and can act as powerful tool in countering religious extremism and promoting religious tolerance in Pakistan. One of the central highlights of the article is the Higher Education Commission’s (HEC) recent initiative to introduce a two-credit-hour course titled “Fehm-ul-Quran” starting in Fall 2025 at both undergraduate and graduate levels. This course aims to instill Quranic values such as honesty, justice, tolerance, and social responsibility, aligning with national efforts to curb extremism through value-based education. The study emphasizes the importance of curriculum reform, teacher training, interfaith engagement, and active student involvement as key strategies to promote religious harmony and critical thinking.

Role of Libraries as Agent of Interfaith Harmony and Peace Building

Dr. Muhammad Naushad Sabzwari — 2026-06-24

The role of libraries and information centers is very crucial as cultural heritage, knowledge disseminator, learning and skill development center, research promoter, and a space for spending leisure time in a positive way. Reading is the best way to spend leisure time and to avoid all types of worries and negative thoughts, while enhancing knowledge and skills. The current era is multi-dimensional in the sense of cultural mix. Libraries and information centers are the hub for all levels of persons without any discrimination of sect, breed, color, race, or community. Even though an illiterate person can also use libraries by listening audios, watching videos, films, and many more. The present study is qualitative in nature and a systematic literature review related to the function of libraries in promoting interfaith harmony. The study focuses on an insight into the literature on how libraries are playing their role in promoting peacebuilding in different sites. The present study explored the activities of libraries in organizing reliable information for the promotion of dialogue and ways to facilitate universal interfaith harmony. Firstly, it elaborated the points of view of some of the largest religions of the world on equality, brotherhood, living in peace, and the lesson of toleration to their believers. Secondly, the functions and duties of libraries in the light of international organizations such as UNESCO, the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA). Thirdly, the libraries play their roles in different situations in different countries for the promotion of interfaith harmony.

The Divine Female Imagery in Amir Khusrau’s Medieval Islamic Poetry Reimagining Spiritual Diasporas for Musically Dialogical Pathways of Love

Dr. Tehseen Nisar — 2026-06-24

Within the Islamic tradition, Sufism is a form of Islamic mysticism that emphasizes dialogue as the love for fellow human beings and for God, referred to in Sufi literature as ‘the Ultimate Beloved.’ In Sufism, one of the vehicles of spiritual dialogue between Man and God is poetry set to music, particularly in the form of ‘Qawwali.’This research focusses on the work of Amir Khusrau as an historian, mystic and especially as a poet whose poetical oeuvre leads to the birth of the musical tradition known as Qawwali. Examining Khusrau as historian, poet and mystic, the research assesses the broader influence of Sufi-Islamic (mystical) footprints on socio-cultural, political, and religious/spiritual traditions in the Indian subcontinent. Khusrau’s use of the Sufi mystical imagination of divine love with its female poetic imagery set in the medieval Indian Islamic tradition is also briefly discussed.