Madrassas: Weeds of the Nation

by Mohshin Habib
August 24, 2011

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/1685/madrassas-weeds-of-the-nation

Definitely Madrassa education was not a vapid system in all the times of history as it has been now. Nor the Islamic education! I do agree, was so unreal, dogmatic and bigoted. In the 8th and 9th centuries, as Madrassa education was starting to expand in the Arab belt, rulers like Khalifa Harun al Rashid and Khalifa Al Mamun sent emissaries to the Byzantine Empire to collect ancient Greek manuscripts for Bayt-ul-hikma, the government library. Greek wisdom had been copied into Arabs while the Europeans forgotten them. At that time, in different places, especially in Spain, the Muslim, Christian and Jewish scholars interacted with each other - shared their views (though there were religious brutalities too). The concept of education at that time was based on philosophy, science, geography, astronomy and so on. They brought in knowledge from India and other places as well. Later, this tradition was injected into Madrassa education and the Madrassas explored around the Muslim territory. Madrassa education was indeed influenced by some people who were highly interested in knowledge. In the 11th century, khwaja Nizamul mulk, the Uzir of seljuk empire appointed philosophers and theologians in the famous Nezemiah, the institution named after him. Persian famous poet Saadi was student of Bagdad Nizamyah.

In the Indian sub-continent, Madrassa education was practical, based on knowledge. Students were not solely tied up with 'religious study'. Most of the rulers did not want to blindfold pupils with one-way ticket. In the medieval time, Sultan Mahmud Khalji founded a Madrassa in Sarangpur, where special arrangements were made for teaching arts and crafts to women. Second Mughal emperor Humayun on the bank of river Jamuna built Madrassat uz zainia. Sher Shah Suri did promotion of education in his dominions and visited Madrassas and associated with learned doctors and sheikhs for self-improvement. During the Mughal reign in the sub continent, Madrassas were the ideal places, being institutions, where students from all sects, all religions had been taking part to be educated. Astonishingly Mughal emperor Akbar introduced Sanskrit in madrassa curriculum. The great emperor was sincerely eager to further the education for both Hindus and Muslims alike. Akbar the great introduced changes in the modes of the study. He produced various methods of teaching and learning's. He was in favor of same educational facilities for both the communities.

Unfortunately these trends of Madrassa are completely disappeared. Before British colonial rule, Madrassa education was the most prevalent system. At that time Madrassa graduates had been serving in a wide range of civil service professions including legal, economic and social affairs of the state. On the name of Madrassa education, a weird system is running in the subcontinent and everywhere, which is not appreciable at all. With the establishment of British rule, a western education system became the dominant one. On the other hand, Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanvi, Abu Ala Maududi type orthodox thinkers took the control of Madrassa guideline. Madrassa abnegated itself from secular teaching. The famous deoband, even, is still hanging on 17th century Islamic syllabus known as Dars-e-Nizami. The reform was accused being anti-Islamic and secular. The reformer denied that it is neither secular nor anti Islamic. It means secularism is yet not acceptable in any Islamic Academy. As a result, these institutes now, in a modern age are clearly reluctant to teach non-Arabic languages, science, technology, history, philosophy, arts and culture. Rather it is under domination of Islamic Law and traditional Islamic spirituality. And ultimately it declined to fatal orthodox weapon for the young Muslims. Obviously Madrassa teaching, in the sub-continent, is now a formula to galvanise extremism in a subtle way. In Bangladesh, tens of thousands of students are qualifying themselves to be either a communal person or joining religion based political parties or becoming another machine to produce the next generation of confrontational force. An overwhelming majority of these students come from poor families who cannot afford to send their children to modern schools. It is also a problem.

There are general educations where students have very good chance to learn religion. In general schools of Bangladesh, Islam being a subject is compulsory for the Muslim boys. So I see no reason to promote this particularly vapid system of education, which desperately needs to defy now. It is beyond imagination that millions of young people here are 'learning' in Madrassa meaninglessly. Ok, Hebrew and Arabic word madrassa means school. It can exist, but it must have to be coherent with modern science and technology and religious dominance withdrawn.

The question is - who would bell the ring - Government? I cannot suggest them to take any initiative to stop this, as it has been a sensitive issue in the context of vote politics. I can at least request them not to push fan to puff up this method. What do we see honestly? There is no established politician who put his or her kids in Madrassa. In the contrary, 'the representatives of Muslim majority' do send their kids to Western countries against whom the Muslims fighting. I can tell that, it would have been a very good, competitive working force in the international arena if millions of boys and girls would get computerized general knowledge. What we will do, what we are doing with Madrassa educated millions without having economic output or at least a good knowledge on existing world?

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