When the soil of the Left-ruled state of Kerala is getting stained with blood due to communal violence, a Muslim institution has set an example of linguistic harmony. The Academy of Sharia and Advanced Studies (ASAS), located in the Thrissur district of central Kerala, teaches Sanskrit to its students. Dressed in long white robes, students here recite 'shlokas' and 'mantras' in Sanskrit under the watchful eyes of their Hindu gurus.

Students are sitting in a class. The guru comes and asks a student to recite a shloka in Sanskrit. When a student recites 'Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishnu, Gurur Devo Maheshwara, Gurur Sakshat Param Brahma, Tasmai Shri Gurve Namah', it is difficult to believe that he is a student of a Muslim institution. At the end of the lesson, even the teacher praises him by saying 'Uttam'. At the behest of the Guru, another student also recites the shlokas in Sanskrit. It is not that only shlokas and mantras are recited in Sanskrit in the institute. The communication between the teacher and the students in the class also takes place in Sanskrit only.

Another main reason behind teaching Sanskrit in this institute is the educational background of Principal Faizi himself. He had studied Shankara philosophy. So he feels that students should know about other religions and their customs. However, he also says that a deep study of Sanskrit as well as Upanishads, Shastras and Vedas is not possible in eight years of study.

Purpose to teach students about other religions: Onampilli Muhammad Faizi, principal of this institute run by Malik Dinar Islamic Complex (MIC), says that the purpose behind teaching Sanskrit, Upanishads, Puranas etc. is to give knowledge about other religions in students. and create awareness.

He says that the reason behind teaching Sanskrit is to give basic knowledge to the students. Faizi told that after passing 10th, students are taught Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, and Mahabharata, selected part of Ramayana in culture over a period of eight years. A select part is taught because the institution is primarily a Sharia college and also teaches Urdu and English. Affiliated to the University of Calicut, this institute also offers a degree course in Art.

Pro. KK Yathindran says that when he was called to teach, Faizi asked him if he, being a Hindu, had any problem in teaching here, as it was an Arabic institution. Yathindran had said, there is no issue of Hindu or Muslim here. I come here to teach, so there is no such problem.