Some gratifying aspects of our Islamic seminaries.
An aspect of madrasas is its intellectual millieu.
We always talk about it, and express our disagreements about it.
But it has another aspect to it too, which is a cultural one.
I wish to talk about this aspect today.
The most agreeable, wholesome, days of my life,
were those I had spent in these Madrasas.
The atmosphere of these religious schools contain in itself
enthusiasm and allurement. The energetic milieu grasps everyone.
As Manzoor Saab had written somewhere, that in the subcontinent,
traditions of civility and 'adab reflect the cultural sensibility of Mughal era.
In Islamic institutions, this culture of reverence is witnessed.
Respect towards the teacher, for the apparatus of education,
conversing in soft voices, giving way to elders,
greeting with Salam first, and most importantly,
diligence and dedication.
This assumption is also wrong that, the atmosphere of the Madrasa
does not allow different mindsets to co-exist.
Until any disaffirmance is carried out against known conventions,
the possibility of voicing one's opinion is always there.
I remember that in my first year, at a gathering, in the Madrasa's Mosque,
I gave a speech on Bhutto Saab's social, democratic, and secular services.
Similarly, I offered my opinion on Mufti Taqi Usmani's swearing on PCO,
in a written column, deeming it to be anti-Islamic,
and opined on armed struggles. I voiced my dissent like this many times.
We had a very kind Ustad, whom I never forget. Mufti Abdul Karim.
O the wonders the affection of our elders has!
When he began the lesson the first day, he said, 'O Students, Ibn-e Hajib wrote
Iyyaka Wal kutub.
Refrain from reading unrelated books, and asking too many questions.
He had not finished speaking that I intervened him with a question.
He smiled and said, 'Ask!' After that, hardly there was a day
when sessions like this did not take place.
He had such a polite and worthy disposition!
Often he got fed up with me and said, 'Go have contestations with your elders,
I have been living my life on this principle of fas'alu ahl al-dhikr in
kuntum la ta'lamun; ask the ones who are learned, if you don't know'
I said that Ustad ji, it been told only to ask and not necessarily to follow.
If I accept it, then I will follow it. He just kept smiling, and said nothing.
If we talk about students of Madrasas, putting aside its intellectual progress,
and focus on their hard work, then the truth is that,
the students doing PhD on an advanced topic, do not work as hard as
the students of the Madrasa.
Meaning, when it comes to struggling with the texts, the extremes in hardwork,
the long sittings, there is no parallel. Despite this adversity, there's
extreme simplicity, sincerity in behavior with no artificiality and show off.
I never felt that the students here boast or are haughty in behavior.
Innamal muminuna ikhwa. Every one cares for each other's well being.
The workers there also feel respected.
Their honesty and truthfulness can also not be overlooked.
The hardships of religion, studiousness with prayers, incessant thankfulness,
patience, and passionate dedication.
The exceptionally able lot of the nation, who rise above differences in castes,
and think about the nation as a whole. A commendable spirit!
The social life of religious Madrasas, is composed of these very attributes.
Teachers lead an interesting life. Some of them are introverted intellectuals.
They themselves do not consider criticism to be appropriate.
However, keep motivating the students to have courage and criticise.
If we see the pay of teachers, it will astonish us.
The money that we spend on a single meal at a restaurant with our friends,
may often be more than the monthly salary of these teachers.
But never did I hear any complaint of this economic deprivation
or witnessed any remonstrance.
And such committedness and dedication towards their work!
Aloof from any desire for glory and grandeur,
and doing their work with no compromise or ill will.
It never happened that the teachers vented their personal spleen in class.
Without any fear, ideas were exchanged.
One day, an Ustad came to class, asked about the lesson, started reading it.
He was perhaps less prepared than usual. A student stood up and said,
'Ustad ji, you continue your revision, I will go and have a cup of tea.'
The Ustad smiled and said, 'Will you not invite me to tea?'
Speaking of tea, I remember a Saheb once told that, Mufti Rafi Usmani,
was one day approached by a Pathan student of a primary class,
and said, 'Mufti Saab I wish to invite you to have a cup of tea, but
you are a busy man, and I do not have time,
so take these ten rupees and get tea for 7 rupees and biscuit for 3.'
Mufti Sahab said that nobody has ever given him such a sincere gift.
The note is still safe with him.
Every deprivation is in reality, foregrounding one's privilege.
Syedna Isa was once asked that why has God made people blind?
He said it is so that one can see with clear vision.
When God lessens privileges, he lessens questions about it too.
The biggest privilege of God on religious Madrasas, is of deprivation.
Whereas this deprivation is often a cause of adversities,
it also rescues people from challenges and tests.
Truth is that, instead of worrying about this deprivation, or becoming a victim,
the wonder is, the truth is not that one weeps over one's afflictions,
or feel inferior. Instead, these adversities serve to free one from
other challenges. There are blessings in such adversities and should be enjoyed.
Also, to not let one's moral self be polluted.
It was summer, and the lesson of Mukhtasar ul Ma'ani was going on
He was gving his usual lesson, but he didnt seem in his usual good humor.
I felt his voice go low, and his colour changed.
He looked and said, 'My heart feels uneasy if anybody has a car, take me to hospital'
I immediately stood, gave him support, and took him to the hospital.
Tests showed that matter was critical, he had to be kept in emergency section.
The nurse told me to deposit the money. I paid an amount of a mere 3000 rupees.
When Ustad's health improved, everyone came back to the Madrasa.
I even forgot about the money that I had given, many days passed.
Later one day, Ustad met me on my way and said, 'Some days were hard, but I got
my salary today.' He handed me an envelope and went away.
When I opened the envelope, it had 3000 rupees in it.
I wondered at the steadfastness of a person to whom such a small
favor was not acceptable. Even if it means giving up half his salary.
With no heed to what may happen in future.
What more could the able doctor treat such a peaceful and contented heart.
When I hear people saying 'O Madrasas survive on our alms',
the soul shudders. This saying is used in society carelessly.
We never stopped and contemplated, on the meaning of it.
Do we dare tell a bureaucrat that you live on taxpayer's money?
Not only that, but you misuse it and take it without consent!
The thing which the society should be proud of, turns into blame.
The ones who study science of life and death are just as important
and are necessary like air and water is for humans.
It is not a favour of society but a duty for their intellectual progress
to give financial aid to these people, who have sacrificed their lives.
And to care for them.
It is very disappointing if we disrespect the ones who have dedicated whole lives
for us. Think about how they would feel! Will their hearts not be disappointed?
In a Madrasa in Lahore, a local bigwig came to the Head Teacher,
and said, 'I have bought a house, which needs to have Quran read; send some kids.'
Maulana said, 'This time is for their rest, they cannot come.'
The man was surprised and said 'Why not? I always supported the Madrasa,
and now that I have work, you are refusing me?'.
Maulana reaffirmed that it is time for rest. The bigshot went away in fury.
The next day it was a Friday, and Maulana, in front of everybody
brought the register of transactions of Madrasa and declared,
'Till now this amount of money has been recieved. I had thought it was
given in the name of Allah, and not considering us as servants.
Bring your receipts and take your donations back.
Students are sent here by parents to study, and not to be your servants.
Yourself you can't even read a verse, and make students read as a favour!
We don't want your money.'
It is said that after that, Allah bestowed such protracted sustenance
that the Madrasa thrived for years without any donations.
It is true that Students in Madrasa come from various households,
but the real brilliance of the Madrasa are the poor and unprivileged students.
Who come from villages with only a suitcase, reach station, load it on
the bus or on their heads, and enrol in the Madrasa.
What are the contents of such a suitcase, a blanket, a pillow, perhaps a kerchief,
a few pairs of cloths, and some hats?
Young people who have a world of possibilities open to them,
are free from any needs. They come with such faith and hope,
as if Allah is calling their names, and the voice has shutted out the world.
I have lived with many such students.
Honestly speaking, their monthly expense was even less than 500 rupees.
But I never heard them lamenting 'Oh, I have nothing.
what have my parents done for me?
Allah has done injustice to me!'.
I never saw them looking at the rich lot with longing.
They were happy with their life.
So satisfied and disposed, their faces reflect thankfulness.
It was the task of the privileged to give religious education
care and support it. But this disregard has given the Madrasas
a precious attribute; and this is the blessing of deprivation.
One opinion also says that Madrasas are free of any national consciousness.
It is so said, because the purported attributes which make a nation's identity
is not reflected in them. But is it so?
They too hoist national flags, celebrate national holidays,
and identify with nation's victories? I think national sentiment
is about passion. Not just expression.
The manner of expression keep changing with changing milieus.
Madrasas express their sentiment in a different way.
For them, that nationalistic sentiment be prior to everything else, is a prejudice.
They believe that religion should be given this importance.
Even if here is no need to take a certificate for one's patriotism,
still, one's identity is important. They consider themselves to be true Pakistanis.
One convincing aspect of this is the interest of these Madrasa neonates
in Pakistani cricket. We should look into this interest.
The lesson was going on in class, and a match was being played on the field
A Student had a hankerchief tied around his head, to hide his earphones,
and to listen to the match on radio. Ustad Saab was talking, when suddenly
a loud voice was heard in the class exclaiming: 'OUT!' And held out hands
akin to that of an umpire.
Everybody started looking at him. He held his head down with innocence,
and hesitated, the Ustad was surprised to see what had happened suddenly,
but eventually continued the lesson. The students near him asked in a whisper,
'Who was the one out?' The news went from one student to another
and so the whole class was informed.
In our world, the variety of nations, creates tolerant and inclusive diversity.
But in our country, there is huge problem, and that is intolerance.
Our provinces here accuse each other of prejudice,
our institutions have this division. Every where, different affiliations
have silent prejudices against each other and this issue has reached
our educational institutions too.
There exist bodies based on linguistic divisions
But the Madrasa did make me feel even a whiff of this.
Intolerance and prejudice is far away from it. Sindhi, Punjabi, Balochi,
Pakhtun, Saraiki, Mahajir, every body lives with each other
like people of one nation.
When one believes in ideals and true descent, then one does not get involved
in these petty issues.
Maybe these ideals are the cause that students,
inspite of living in Karachi, are deprived of witnessing the ocean.
And why a mere bitter gourd gives them the taste of chicken's leg.
It is not as if the Ustads themselves enjoy delicacies.
This is only heard in stories, reality is far different from it.
This equality is seen on every level and not just in specific matters.
Even though I belong to a family with religious background,
and Ustads had special relations with elders of my family,
but a mere error in composition, I had to stand in the corner of the class
holding a dictionary, as a punishment. Like other students, I too wasn't spared.
This was the case with every one.
Due to this, an atmosphere is created where the student have no complexes.
Ustad and students used to play together in the grounds.
Moreover, in many Madrasas, old Masters of Hadeeth
are seen standing in lines for food, and have their lentils with the students
and feel content.
Even after serving for their whole lives, I never saw in them any tension
regarding pension after retirement.
Or regret over the value of a whole life of dedication.
All this hard work they did was not for a self centered purpose.
Instead, it was for society and Allah.
The reward for which, society could anyway not provide.
Can a man make himself independent of one's anxieties?
Berkeley says yes. A man sees things the way he wants to see it.
If a man believes with conviction, then fire and thorns will seem
as if they were flowers, and where dreams and pleasure exist.
Religious Madrasa should be seen as a living reality. Humans live there.
People of this very society. When we make critiques of the army,
we are not talking about the brave soldiers on the borders.
Instead, we are criticizing tyrannical Generals and the violations.
Similarly, criticism on religious matters, does not mean that students
or dedicated teachers of the Madrasa, are made the target of criticism.
The passion of these Madrasas is commendable. Their motives are blessed.
What they consider the truth, they follow it.
It has its inherent culture, which makes the society alluring.
Human characteristics are found in them too. They too get worried.
Things have their affect on them. They also work hard.
They also suffer from price inflation, as deprivation of electricity affects them.
They also smile sometimes. On a social level, we keep reminding
that they have the obligation for a nation's intellectual training.
And we even affirm that we are under this obligation.
But with such love and good will, as that of filial relations.
The Madrasas should also think, that we have spent time in its atmosphere,
we empathize with their sacrifices, and passions.
If because of contentions on knowledge, you may call us any names,
We will always have respect for your service, and hard work.
We only differ in some aspects of knowledge, but for your rights to dissent,
we can even sacrifice ourselves.
A Muslim never lives in an island, We exist because of you,
And you because of us. We believe in Allah and his Prophet.
The nation wants us to hear us talk of Allah, wants to see
us achieve new heights, our dispositions are a cause to bring
us closer to religion. To hug each other. To have tea together. Exchange thoughts.
There is no incarnate ill will in the world.
Empathize with the condition to listen with respect
and to express opinions with civility.
Our religious seminaries. Some gratifying aspects.