Ulema are considered as inheritors of the prophets. Ulema themselves explain their exalted position by saying that this is so because prophets didn’t leave behind any wealth except wealth of knowledge and ulema as a group have over fourteen hundred years preserving and propagating this prophetic knowledge. But what has been the role of Ulema in recent years?
If we go back hundred years, we will find a very active ulema group, active in politics and social activities. In fact, it was the Khilafat Movement that gave birth to India’s independence dreams. Till independence, we find ulema guiding and helping the community and the country in different spheres of life.
Flash forward to present times and you will see ulema who are related to each other through blood and marriages are fighting among themselves for their piece of Jamiat, to control Darul Uloom Deoband, or to gain some political benefits. All this is going on when just a few years ago Sachar Committee report put numbers on Muslims’ socio-economic backwardness.
Imam sahib of Kotla Jami Masjid.
Though no authentic information is available but it is safe to assume that thousands of madrasas produce at least tens of thousands of graduates every year. In recent years, some new sectors have opened up but still most end up serving as imams in mosques, teaching in other madrasas or starting their own maktabs. In all these cases, they live and work among the community and some ulema rightly point out that they are more connected to the people than Muslim intellectuals. But then I failed to understand how is that even after spending large part of their day among Muslims and some of the poorest one they are unable to comprehend their problems?
How is it that imam of a masjid do not see that Muslims are going through difficult financial condition or most of them are illiterate or that there are no good schools, hospitals, and other civic amenities around his masjid? I have seen lot of imams of small times mosques having a very good relations with local Muslim elites to secure regular funding so why not for other purposes that will benefit the community?
I can’t say that “modern educated” Muslims has better track record in helping their community but I will blame madrasa education for failing to develop critical thinking among its students. Modern discoveries and lot of literature (in science, social science, etc.) is not accessible to them and I am not sure how many can benefit even if it becomes accessible.
There are very few madrasa graduates that are able to get to modern universities like JNU, JMI, and AMU but madrasa authorities, instead of being proud of their alumni who have made a mark for themselves in the secular world, look down upon them as the ones who abandoned the mission.
Now, someone should tell me what is the mission? If Muslims position has deteriorated in the last 60 years then why can’t we blame our “ulema hazraat” for having an ostrich mentality?
To the “modern-educated” Muslims, my message is simple- if you don’t engage with the community, then don’t blame ulema for taking active role in social services and politics. They are doing the best they can given their limited world view.
What we need is actually an equal partnership between ulema and the “modern-educated “both balancing out each other’s skewed world and Islamic view and learning from each other.
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Kashif,
How much did we invest in religion to expect solutions to the ills you pointed out. We should not expect solutions to ills while insisting not to follow Islam. To start with, many so called educated Muslims(unfortunately their tribe is increasing exponentially) are so ill educated that they treat religion as a mere ritualistic practice. To them interest by/from bank is not the ‘sood’ but a mere ‘return’. We find the sporting beard and skipping no salaat!! Islam is a way of life and if people talk of things like not offering namaaz behind Shaikh Sudais being sign of being anti -Wahhabism, being anti-something just because you dont like it is intolerance. The many who claim to be Sufi followers live a life which is a total disconnect to the people at large. Sadia Dehlvi et al, how much they contribute to the involvement of common man. They take a position which a poor man cant take because they feel whatever the have needs to be preserved. Kashif, just like the West and India suddenly want Afghan’s to be like what they are, we forget that the West and India too are still evolving. Muslims as reported by Sachar are poor because we, the people who have something, always spent where we wished, followed the wish of thing contemporary like having a pet but never bothered to pay and administer our tax, the 2.5% zakaat. Look back and see what was the response of the ‘civil society’ of Pakistan to Zia’s imposition of zakaat by the administration. Had there been any implemented system post 1947, the problem of Gen Zia forcing it on the ‘haves’ might not have arrived. What the ‘civil society’ does in Pakistan or India? They prove to be not more than the agents of the people weilding power which currently is the West. How many protest indiscriminate drone boming of ‘suspected’ militants. How many expeditions have the ‘official’ system in Muslim countries carried out to oust grabbers? It is very easy to preach or criticise. I am leaving my job just to do what is needed. It is an uphill task to take your ‘educated’ family in confidence to come out of cozy and secure (all perceptions) life and do something to the society. The ‘civil societies’ are the new tools to perpetuate ‘neo-colonism’ and this is the very reason Bahrain is treated differently from Libya. I am not condoning anything wrong with these countries. Instead of being only inward looking and self-condemning, we need to undertake a Jihad against all the ills. Mere blaming some people will not suffice.
An aalim(ulema being plural) need to be having knowledge. There is not wedge between religion and world. They are the same in Islam. Once we remove the tainted glasses we realise it. Your contention shows ignoring the people who are suffering without being Muslims. Islam cannot be blamed for non-Muslims at the receving end. We need to think of all and not only the Muslims. Unfortunately there are billions who are not Muslims but suffer. Why to ignore them?
@M Naqqaad
“Instead of being only inward looking and self-condemning, we need to undertake a Jihad against all the ills.”
What is the jihad and against whom are you advocating the jihad. Neither america nor europe can influence any country beyond the extent the country wants it to be influenced.
When pakistan is not bothered for the droning and ready to take blood money to release david whom are we to be inbetween.
Please read the history of pakistan, it is zia who started the self destruction program of pakistan by encouraging islamic fundamentalism. If islamic fundamentalism is right why is the pakistan army fighting against taliban which was created by usa / isi togather.
Why suddenly there are revolution in all the gcc countries as all of them are following shariah rule with a caliph / sheikh as the head. ???????????
Civil socieites are the only hope of the world which otherwise will enter into major war in the name of religion.
Self correction is the first step to correct a malaise rather than blaming others. Muslims are yet to solve their problem locally or internnationally where are they going to offer solution to the non mulsim.
I just stumbled upon this blog and got to read some of the views of Muslims and non-Muslim as to what exactly happening in the world of Islam, which is inhabited by a billion muslims or so. Islam and Muslims are two different entities that cannot be clubbed together for the purpose of debate. Everything that some deviant muslims are doing in the name of Islam cannot be attributed to Islam–same as every other adherent of other religions of the world. Recently homosexuality and gay marriage act has been leglized in NY–that doesn’t mean that religion of Christianity is going to be taken to trial for this abhorrent travesty of church and religion by some psychologically twisted and convoluted minds. So please keep a defined line between religions and its’ followers when you want to debate about the present day situation. Muslims are no exception to this rule. There are black sheep in every community that represent a totally wrong and misguided picture of their religion or faith. You need to study very closely the scriptures, revelations and historical data of a particular religion before you base an opinion–sure we don’t have time or luxury to study and ponder other religions let alone our own–then I say you do not have the right to criticize or condemn any of them. As was said earlier in this blog–it is very easy to criticize and hard to practice the same principle when it comes upon yourself. For e.g. satwagunam–from the sound of the name–looks like he is follower of Hinduism–which has so many problems of its own which he can relate to–like caste system, (which is still being preached and practiced in many parts of the Indian Suburbia) dowry demands & kilings, etc. But the scriptures of the ancient Hinduism strongly oppose all these malpractices–but the present day clergy of the Hindu community expunged all these from their sacred books and Brahmins are still considered to be the highest on the chain of command as far as religion is concerned. And their population is dwindling by the minute–because they cannot marry anyone outside their caste.
So we need to focus on ourselves and be the best we can and follow the right path of truth and the path that resonates with the nature and not with a few individuals.