Indo Islamic Heritage
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Madrasa Azizia in Sherpur, Bihar Sharif, is a century-old Islamic seminary founded around 1910 by philanthropist Bibi Soghra in memory of her husband, Abdul Aziz. Serving as a hub for classical Islamic learning (Dars‑e‑Nizami) through Moulvi and Alim levels, it included a significant library (4,500+ volumes, including manuscripts) and hostel facilities. Its three-acre campus with 22 classrooms and student accommodations was tragically attacked and burned during the 2023 Ram Navami unrest. Believed to be Bihar’s oldest madrasa, it is now undergoing reconstruction supported by a government grant.
Madrasa Azizia, originally established around 1910 by Bibi Soghra of the Soghra Waqf Estate in memory of her husband Abdul Aziz, spans roughly three acres in Bharao Par, Sherpur neighborhood of Bihar Sharif, Nalanda district, Bihar . The institution offered traditional Moulvi/Alim-level education, encompassing a classical Dars-e-Nizami curriculum—covering Quranic exegesis (Tafsir), Hadith studies, Fiqh, Arabic literature, logic, and rhetoric—with formal recognition under Bihar's madrasa education board . Originally constructed with hostel/student accommodation, the seminary provided boarding facilities alongside 22 classrooms and a trilateral library that contained over 4,500 volumes, including about 250 rare manuscripts in Arabic, Urdu, and Persian . It served as a vibrant center for Islamic learning, promoting both scholastic and communal values for generations. On 31 March 2023, during clashes tied to Ram Navami processions, an extremist mob attacked the compound—breaking gates, hurling petrol bombs—and destroyed the library and adjacent structures, burning hundreds of manuscripts, Quran copies, printed books, and damaging classrooms and hostels . Security cameras and staff testimonies confirm around 1,000 assailants chanting slogans, with police arresting 77 involved individuals . The blaze inflicted losses reportedly exceeding ₹10 crore, as per conservation experts . The incident sparked condemnation—including by India's Grand Mufti—and brought attention to the vulnerability of Muslim heritage sites . It triggered a governmental response: Bihar state allocated ₹29.78 crore for the madrasa's reconstruction and heritage restoration . Today, ongoing rebuilding efforts are underway, with structural restoration funded by the state and supported by community advocacy. The aim is to preserve architectural heritage—stonework, archways, library hall—while reinstating educational functions and cultural legacy. Plans include reviving library holdings and enabling resumption of academic programs by the seminary’s board.
Year of Built: Circa 1910 (heritage date cited); foundation tied to philanthropic endowment 1896, with shift/infrastructure built around 1910
Address: Madrasa Azizia, Bharao Par, Sherpur, Bihar Sharif, Nalanda district, Bihar 803216, India
Country: India
State: Bihar
District: Nalanda
Pincode: 803216
Longitude: 85.512° E
Latitude: 25.195° N