Madrassah reforms : Does PPP want to nourish sectarianism?
Here is a well written piece about Madrassah reforms by Saiful Islam Khalid. I found this piece in a weekly newspaper from Islamabad. It was in paper print, which I have composed and edited to post it for LUBP viewers:
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Tags: Jamaat-e-Islami, Madrassah, Reforms, Religious extremism & fundamentalism & radicalism, Sectarianism
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what my proposal would be that Govt must nationalise all the madrissas and mosques and then run them by the state on a standardised manner. other options is that can be handed over a Bord comprises of all the sects in Pakistan. so that they should have a standardised syllabus and stop accusing everyone else as “Kaffirs”
Thank you, Ali, for this hard work. It is a thought provoking article. I agree with the direction of the article, and also the suggestion by Khawaja sahib that all madrassahs must have a standardised syllabus as well as board of management in which all sects and schools of thought are adequately represented.
Words of encouragement from U…
Its my pleasure Abdul, Khalid sb in his article has clearly mentioned the suggestion put on by Khwaja sb….He appreciated the right steps and suggested absorption of these seminaries in the current educational system and has condemned establishment of boards on sectarian basis…
Dear Ali Sahab,
Excellent Post and let me add a post for your post above: To Kill the Mockingbird by Zafar Anjum – Madarsah System in India: Past, Present, and Future by: Amir Ullah Khan, Mohammad Saqib and Zafar H. Anjum [Courtesy: CHOWK Dated, August 5, 2003] http://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2009/05/to-kill-mockingbird-by-zafar-anjum.html
Thanks Aamir Bhai
People are often attracted towards the madrassas due to poverty if one observes. Lack of basic necessaties of life make and education makes parents send their kids to madrassas where sadly they are used attain personal political goals. Extremism must be curbed with parallel efforts of reducing poverty as well.
So we should nationalize all Madris? Well we can! The dilemma however would be a decade down we would like to privatize them and no one would be willing to bid!!!
The religious seminaries need to be directed not dictated, as the state provides them with facilities it should also assist them in reforming their curriculum and giving opportunities to the alumni for better jobs. We can turn millions into a productive workforce if the vision is right.
Rahimullah Yusufzai’s article in today’s The News is worth reading. Its last para is relevant to this thread:
How Indonesia tackles terrorism
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Rahimullah Yusufzai
Another interesting highlight of the visit to Indonesia was to know more about the efforts to streamline religious education and teach students not only about Islam but also science and history, English and Arabic, computer skills and the martial arts. At the Pesantren Darunnajah, the Islamic boarding school established in 1974 in southern Jakarta and now having more than 2,000 male and female students, one met young boys and girls in traditional dress confident about their work and future and proud of their Islamic heritage. The privately-run management of the model pesantren, or madrassa, said they aren’t linked to the large Muslim organisations Muhammadiyah or Nahdatul Ulema, but it was neutral and anxious to chalk out a moderate course for the teachers and students at the huge Pesantren Darunnajah.
Perhaps we in Pakistan too need such institutions, which focus on educating and producing good Muslims and proud citizens.
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=229257
A guy has translated and published the article without mentioning to the source.
http://www.articlesbase.com/politics-articles/strange-secularism-of-pakistan-peoples-party-1839645.html
Rehman Malik recently announced that in the second round of negotiations between government and Tanzeem-ul-Madaris, the two sides are agreed upon certain points. Following are those points.
1) Madrisa Regulatory authority will be under ministry of education.
2) Separate boards will be established for five religious sects.
3) All the Madaris will have to affiliate with any one of the boards.
4) All these boards will follow the same course of study.
5) An audit of Madaris will be compulsory.
6) Foreign students without registration will not be admitted to Madaris.
Before discussing the flaws in this agreement it is important to examine the policy of People’s party regarding sectarianism, terrorism and fundamentalism. People’s Party apart from their slogan of Roti, Kaprha and Makan, also claim to establish liberal and progressive society in Pakistan. Peoples’ Party also wishes to be recognized as secular political power on international level. That’s why People’s Party is against fundamentalism, sectarianism and terrorism.
It is also a fact that all the fundamentalists involved in terrorism are against People’s Party. But still People’s Party in the presence of all these threats, is active and struggling parallel to these forces. But the question is that is it enough that we have such a secular party in our system? Will People’s Party be able to eradicate ignorance, religious suffocation, and get the society free of religious imperialism of these sectarian forces?
For this tuff task People’s Party must play such a role that the desperate people of Pakistan can feel it. Pakistani nation is fed up to live in this world of political slogans and fantasies. The time has given People’s party a chance to accomplish this task and when Pakistani nation will evaluate People’s party, they will look at the practical steps in this direction. We confess that People’s Party is facing severe crises and up till now they are somehow successful. But we were waiting for this time that when People’s party will face this situation and how they will react. Now it is a time of practical test for People’s Party.
Today if we are facing this menace of terrorism, one of the reasons is that our religious Madaris have also played a role in it. But sorry to say that Peoples Party just in second round of negotiations, proved to be a wall of sand. How the government can assure that no foreigner will take admission without registration? The government has convinced the owners and organizers for audit but what about foreign funding? And it is worth mentioning here that in our government budget there is no allocation of funds for religious Madaris. Funds from government side can stop the way of foreign funds. Same course of study is not the solution of eradication of sectarianism but it is the explanation of material that encourages sectarianism. Comparative study of religions and “Fiqa” is the main cause of hatred towards other sects and religions.
The next illogical decision is of establishing separate boards for different sects on sectarian basis. What was the reason to make sectarian boards and the then affiliating them to ministry of education? It means that government supports sectarian divisions even at educational level. People’s party has bowed its head and they admit that sectarianism is reality of our society that can not be eradicated.
If scheme of study is same so is there any need for separate boards on the basis of sects? Moreover People’s Party has admitted the hegemony of these religious pundits on the people of Pakistan. Furthermore any Madrisa not affiliated with one of these boards can not claim to be part of religious education sector. Means that religious education and its explanation will only be authentic if it is approved by these sectarian boards. Isn’t it mean domination of sectarian pundits on religion?
The government has classified these boards in five categories. The nation is well aware about four sects that is Barelvi, Deobundi, Ahl-e-Hadis and Shia. Now what about fifth sect? Is it Jamat-e-Islami? If it is Jamat-e-Islami so the nation must com to know that Jamat-e-Islami is a sect not a political party.
People’s Party must try to establish Madrisa education on such pattern that the hegemony of sectarian classes over religious education can be brought to an end.