With the upsurge of terrorist activities in the country, madaris (Islamic seminaries) (plural of madrassah) have come under enormous criticism of nurturing terrorists. Since most of the terrorist activities in Pakistan and Afghanistan have their linkage with religious enthusiasts, it has provided ample opportunities for anti-Islamic activists to condemn madaris with ample and tangible evidence. No one can deny the fact that some of the madaris have been proactively involved in training of their students in use of arms, explosives, and have acted as nurseries of producing terrorists. There are yet a few which, apparently have not involved in direct armed training but have indulged in brainwashing young minds to create hatred against those who do not follow their faction of religious beliefs. But it is highly unjustified to object to madaris in totality as they are serving as alternate welfare institutions in the country.
Historically, madrassah has been an institution of formal religious and scientific sciences and its tradition can be traced as back as in the time of Islamic state in Medina. The first madrassah is believed to be established jointly by Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib (companion and son in law of Prophet Muhammad) and Hazrat Abdullah ibn Abbas (companion and cousin of Ali and Prophet Muhammad) - May Allah's peace be upon them. The institution of madrassah has played an important role during the golden times of Islam. Famous early Muslim astronomers, biologists, nutritionists, chemists, economists, geographers, mathematicians, doctors, political scientists, and scholars were the product of madaris of their times. Many madrassah students were employed by the rulers in their courts for statecraft and were appointed to the ranks of prime ministers and chief justices.
As Islam spread in different parts of the globe, the institution of madrassah also traveled with Muslim traders, invaders, and preachers. In subcontinent madaris were established right after the Muslim conquest of Sindh and Multan. Although in the beginning these institutions were informally established by Sufis and preachers on local levels and adopted ways and means suiting local population. Proper madrassahs were later instilled during the times of Muslim rulers of Delhi and later during Mughal rule of India. During the rule of Muslims in subcontinent, state machinery and bureaucracy was based on scholars, statesmen, engineers, judges, doctors, and political scientists, who were graduated from Islamic seminaries. After unsuccessful revolt of 1857 against British rule, British took over the control of India and made it their colony under the viceroy appointed directly by Queen. In British India, all degrees awarded by madaris were declared null and void and the government announced that only those persons, well versed with English language and modern sciences were eligible to get government jobs. This created a clear demarcation between madrassah education and modern schools.
Three of the major types of madaris in subcontinent were established as Darul Uloom Deoband (Devbandi Sunni University, estb 1866), Madrassah Manzar e Islam, Bareilly (Islamic University of Brailvi Muslims, estb 1904), and Bara Imambara Lucknow (where Hawza Ilmiya Lucknow (Islamic University of Shia Muslims) was estb in 1791). At independence in 1947, there were only 189 madaris in Pakistan which grew to 783 in 1971. After Iranian Islamic (Shia) revolution and Russian invasion of Afghanistan during very late decade of 70s, Pakistan was inundated with madaris and training of militant wings became as part of madrassahs education. During this time Pakistani madaris of particular factions; mostly Wahabis and Deobandis, were funded for following reasons: -
Historically, madrassah has been an institution of formal religious and scientific sciences and its tradition can be traced as back as in the time of Islamic state in Medina. The first madrassah is believed to be established jointly by Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib (companion and son in law of Prophet Muhammad) and Hazrat Abdullah ibn Abbas (companion and cousin of Ali and Prophet Muhammad) - May Allah's peace be upon them. The institution of madrassah has played an important role during the golden times of Islam. Famous early Muslim astronomers, biologists, nutritionists, chemists, economists, geographers, mathematicians, doctors, political scientists, and scholars were the product of madaris of their times. Many madrassah students were employed by the rulers in their courts for statecraft and were appointed to the ranks of prime ministers and chief justices.
As Islam spread in different parts of the globe, the institution of madrassah also traveled with Muslim traders, invaders, and preachers. In subcontinent madaris were established right after the Muslim conquest of Sindh and Multan. Although in the beginning these institutions were informally established by Sufis and preachers on local levels and adopted ways and means suiting local population. Proper madrassahs were later instilled during the times of Muslim rulers of Delhi and later during Mughal rule of India. During the rule of Muslims in subcontinent, state machinery and bureaucracy was based on scholars, statesmen, engineers, judges, doctors, and political scientists, who were graduated from Islamic seminaries. After unsuccessful revolt of 1857 against British rule, British took over the control of India and made it their colony under the viceroy appointed directly by Queen. In British India, all degrees awarded by madaris were declared null and void and the government announced that only those persons, well versed with English language and modern sciences were eligible to get government jobs. This created a clear demarcation between madrassah education and modern schools.
Three of the major types of madaris in subcontinent were established as Darul Uloom Deoband (Devbandi Sunni University, estb 1866), Madrassah Manzar e Islam, Bareilly (Islamic University of Brailvi Muslims, estb 1904), and Bara Imambara Lucknow (where Hawza Ilmiya Lucknow (Islamic University of Shia Muslims) was estb in 1791). At independence in 1947, there were only 189 madaris in Pakistan which grew to 783 in 1971. After Iranian Islamic (Shia) revolution and Russian invasion of Afghanistan during very late decade of 70s, Pakistan was inundated with madaris and training of militant wings became as part of madrassahs education. During this time Pakistani madaris of particular factions; mostly Wahabis and Deobandis, were funded for following reasons: -
- Prepare militants to fight against USSR in Afghanistan in the name of Jehad e Islami (Islamic holy war) against paganism - a strategic move by USA to fund and replenish human resource for using them in Afghanistan.
- There was a threat that Islamic revolution in neighboring Iran might expand in other Muslim countries of the region This speculative expansion was against the interests of USA and Saudi Arabia. Both provided free resources to madaris of Deobandi and Wahabi factions for countering expansion of Islamic revolution. New madaris with grand buildings and ecellent facilities were built, religious scholars were provided with latest amenities of life, transport and protocol.
- General Zia ul Haq had imposed martial law in the country and he wanted to gain public support. He used the name of Islam for this purpose as people in subcontinent are raditionally very sentimental about religion. Through the support of US and KSA funding, he paid high amounts to religious clerics for his nefarious political and religious designs.
Jamaati Ulama Islam ... figured as a fairly minor part of Pakistan's religious scene until the regime of General Zia al-Haq ... who used an Islamic policy to buttress his military dictatorship. Part of his policy to `Islamize` Pakistan was a campaign to expand religious education with funds for thousands of new madrases. Their number grew from around 900 in 1971 to over 8000 official ones and another 25,000 unofficial ones in 1988. With financial support from Saudi Arabia, Deobandi madrasas were part of this vast proliferation in religious education, much of it located in Afghan refugee camps that sprang up in the 1980s. This rapid expansion came at the expense of doctrinal coherence as there were not enough qualified teachers to staff all the new schools. Quite a few teachers did not discern between tribal values of their ethnic group, the Pushtuns and the religious ideals. The result was an interpretation of Islam that blended Pushtun ideals and Deobandi views, precisely the hallmark of the Taliban.
--- The Wahabi Mission and Saudi Arabia by David Commins (2009), p:191-2
This caused sectarianism, hatred, and militancy in relatively moderate and peaceful Pakistani society where Muslims of all sects lived in the past with mutual tolerance and brotherhood. Wikileaks, based on reliable evidence has published a detailed report on Saudi financed Wahabi madaris. The report is an evidence of how different political and religious proxy wars have been fought in pan-Pakistan areas and has left their long damaging impacts.
Beside the clear evidences of involvement in militancy, recruiting terrorists, brainwashing and spreading hate, and training the youth in handling arms and explosives by some madaris, the importance of madaris can not be undermined keeping in view the the socioeconomic situation of Pakistan.
Pakistan is the land of 21 Million people and official reports suggest that only 2.1% of total GDP is being expended in education sector. With deteriorating data of children enrolled in governmental schools, increasing drop out rate due to poverty and limited access to schools/ teachers, lot of children of the school going age; especially in rural areas, are left out of schools. Madaris, under these circumstances, act as alternate and parallel system to share the burden of government. Madaris not only act as seminaries but registered madaris also impart education of science, computer, and other modern sciences. These madaris are run under governmental control and have to submit their syllabi for approval. Such madaris provide boarding and lodging facilities to students as well as financial assistance to the poor families. Thus they are a source of providing support which a welfare state shall provide to its citizen. With the introduction of modern sciences as part of the syllabus of madaris, the degrees awarded to madaris graduates are recognized by HEC and such degree holders are provided with equal job opportunities in all sectors of central and provincial government jobs.
Till the time Government of Pakistan (GOP) is unable to provide food, shelter, health, and education facilities to all of her citizen, the role of madaris is very vital in supporting the poor and middle classes of population. The need is that a prudent monitoring system be employed to ensure that following is ensured to keep madaris free of any anti-state/ anti-Islamic activities:-
Pakistan is the land of 21 Million people and official reports suggest that only 2.1% of total GDP is being expended in education sector. With deteriorating data of children enrolled in governmental schools, increasing drop out rate due to poverty and limited access to schools/ teachers, lot of children of the school going age; especially in rural areas, are left out of schools. Madaris, under these circumstances, act as alternate and parallel system to share the burden of government. Madaris not only act as seminaries but registered madaris also impart education of science, computer, and other modern sciences. These madaris are run under governmental control and have to submit their syllabi for approval. Such madaris provide boarding and lodging facilities to students as well as financial assistance to the poor families. Thus they are a source of providing support which a welfare state shall provide to its citizen. With the introduction of modern sciences as part of the syllabus of madaris, the degrees awarded to madaris graduates are recognized by HEC and such degree holders are provided with equal job opportunities in all sectors of central and provincial government jobs.
Till the time Government of Pakistan (GOP) is unable to provide food, shelter, health, and education facilities to all of her citizen, the role of madaris is very vital in supporting the poor and middle classes of population. The need is that a prudent monitoring system be employed to ensure that following is ensured to keep madaris free of any anti-state/ anti-Islamic activities:-
- Source of funding to madaris to ensure no funding (local or funding) is done to support any sort of proxy wars.
- Regular and professional external audit of accounts of madaris to ensure every penny donated to madaris is accounted for.
- Vigilant supervision to check that madaris are imparting training of peace, brotherhood, and equality on humanity, instead of spreading hate against other sects/ religions.
- Syllabus is prepared to broaden the minds of students and to create a sense of patriotism, loyalty, national integrity and mutual co-existence of society.
- Besides religious education, knowledge of modern sciences and foreign languages like English, French, German, Arabic, and Persian are also imparted.
- All chances of training for militancy, supporting terrorism or extremist approach is curbed with iron hands.
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