Madrasahs in Pakistan [untill: 2005]

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks toALLAH* , the Omnipotent, the Omniscient, Who is so kind to mankind and Who enabled me to successfully complete this study, and all the respects for His last andHoly Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) for enlightening me with the essence of faith inALLAH and for all prophets for guiding mankind to the true path of life.*

It was indeed a great honor for me, to haveProf. Dr.  Hugh Van Skyhawk,* Professor of Comparative Religion, Taxila Institute of Asian Civilization, as my supervisor. Without his deep interest and proper guidance this work would have been impossible. He proved to be very cooperative and kind and unswerving in his commitment to see this manuscript through the press. In addition, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) deserves my special thanks because it provided financial assistance to me for this study.*

I offer special thanks to all the staff members of Taxila Institute of Asian Civilization for their full cooperation during my research work and the staff of National Institute of Pakistan Studies library and library of Shiekh Zyed Islamic Center Peshawar University.

*I am also thankful to the staff of the Press Information Department for the help they provided me whenever I visited the department in connection with this study.   *

I am greatly indebted to my friends, especially, Irfan Ullah, Yousaf Zaman, Ismail Khan, Iftikhar Ahmad, and Jamshed Iqbal for their moral support and for helping me because of my weak computer knowledge.

I am also very grateful to all my friends, relatives and well wishers, whose prayers enabled me to complete my research successfully.

Sultan Ali