ہک جھٹ میرے کول کھلویا
پھیر پتا نہیں سی کی ہویا
اکھاں پیار دی چغلی کھاون
ہوٹھاں بیج پیار دا بویا
کر کے وضو تیاری کر لے
ویلا فیر نماز دا ہویا
رل گئے وا ورولیاں دے وچ
جنہاں بی نفرت دا بویا
لگدا جھڑک محبوباں دتی
تاں لگدا اے کھویا کھویا
اوہو سار دکھاں دی جانے
جیہڑا ہنجواں نال پرویا
Sufism is the heart of Islam. It is attached with Islam as the human soul is woven within the body. Sufis have always been the center of Muslim society, especially; in the sub-continent, they have firmly imprinted their marks in every sphere of life. Various mystic traditions as Naqshbandi, Chishti, Qadri etc. Are commonly known in India and Pakistan. This study explores the great Sufi, Hakim Mohammad Akhtar, for his unprecedented services in the field of mystic practices, poetry and Islamic literature. In the initial part of the study, his family background and educational account have been described which show that not only he was a passionate follower of mystic legacy from an early age but a true stalwart of Islam. The historical account of Hakim Akhtar reveals that he was a staunch devotee of Molana Rome which resulted in the form of his famous book "Maarif-e-Masnawi". In the latter part of the study, his character and work are unveiled in a chronological order. As the follower of Sufi tradition, Hakim Akhtar was against personal glorification. Through this research study, some astonishing hidden aspects of his life have been discovered which will help his disciples and devotees to follow the path of their mentor perfectly.
This exploratory study is about understanding the notion of becoming a teacher educator in the public sector teacher education institutions in Karachi, Pakistan. It addresses research questions such as: (a) Who are teacher educators and how do they become teacher educators in public sector institutions in Karachi, Pakistan? and (b) What do teacher educators do and how do they construe their role(s) as teacher educators?
The study was carried out in two consecutive phases. The first phase was a survey whereby data were gathered through a questionnaire administered to all teacher educators (N = 136) working in the Government Colleges of Education and Government Elementary Colleges of Education under the Provincial and City District Government systems in Karachi, Pakistan. A descriptive analysis of the data provided a macro (bigger) picture of the teacher educators' backgrounds and their work contexts. This phase also helped in identifying individuals for the micro (individual) level analysis in the second phase which was a life history study of six teacher educators working in the two systems.
Findings showcase differences with respect to teacher educators' profiles as well as availability of resources across and within the systems. It was found that individuals enter into the profession through inspiration from their own teacher educators and considering the role of teacher educators better than that of school teachers. They face challenges during the transition from school teaching to teacher education due to the demands and practices in the culture and context of the institutions. They experience duality and restrictions in their practices and establish a marginalized professional identity due to the nature of their work located in the academia of higher education as well as in the everyday life of schools. In this regard, their knowledge base seems to be tacit, stemming from their experience of teaching in schools.
The study suggests implications for policy makers to bring about changes in the recruitment and professional development of teacher educators, and to equip the institutions with required resources.