Exploring Past And Future Of Madrasas In India
By V.B.Rawat
27 November, 2005
Countercurrents.org
Madrasas have become very popular among the non-Muslim world in these terror times when every act of terrorism or violence is somehow linked to Madrasas. While there are very little known facts about Madrasas and how they became important in Muslim world, it would be absolutely incorrect to blame Madrasas for the rise of political Islam or terrorist violence.
Yoginder Sikand's Bastation of Believers: Madrasas and Islamic Education in India published by Penguin Books therefore reveals hitherto unknown facts about Madrasas. Though I have seen the earlier work done on Madrasas yet I would say with conviction that this reveals much. The reason for the same are two. One, Sikand does his work not only meticulously but also passionately. His passion for unfolding history is unparallel and for this purpose he has been traveling nook and corners of the country, scanning Urdu, Persian and Arabic literature and visiting various Madrasas and related institutions. Secondly, he does not suffer from any prejudice as either glamorizing the entire thing as many Muslim scholars might have done in the past or like a Hindu critique who would demolish the entire argument of the Madrasa system as 'communal' breeding 'terrorism'. He has not gone on the issue as a Hindu critique who find fault in everything that the Madrasas do. However, Yoginder Sikand's work reveals many facets of our social system particularly when ones identity decides the quality of the work. This is simply agonizing as he mention in the introduction of the book the suspicious look he got during his research because being a non-Muslim. These things are true also but they also reflect the grave reality how the work gets relegated to back space while an individual's caste and religious identity become big factor.
It is interesting to note that the Madrasa system in India is as diverse as Indian Muslim. There are various sects and sub sects who impart Islamic knowledge to students. Prior to partition, many of the Madrasas were getting help from the state. Partition was double blow for the Muslims as a majority of their secular leadership has in fact migrated to Pakistan. Secondly, the community was still feeling the burden of the cause of partition. The systematic marginalisation of Muslims in the mainstream of India particularly in government offices, schools etc provided fodder for further ghettoisation. Madrasas became a place where even a poor Muslim could get a space to live with and learn religious education. Yoginder Sikand suggests that it is another propaganda about the Muslims that a majority of them go to Madrasas. Muslims also want better education for their children and send them to modern schools.
After the political campaign of the Sangh Parivar in post 1980s, Madrasas became synonymous to Muslim culture and a den of 'terrorism. Word terrorism became another meaning of 'Islam'. Everyday, newspapers would be full of reports regarding the 'terrorist' activities inside the Madrasas. Their number was always speculated. The right wing columnists, the patriots all started writing about the Madrasas, the Muslims and terrorism.
One point that seems missing and would have given more thoughts is not only girls education in Madras which the author has pointed out but also the about non-Muslim who used to get educated in Madrasas. One must not forget that in the past many Hindus were also taught in Madrasas. Even today, many of the Madrasas are educating non-Muslim girls and have introduced computer education also. In major Madrasas of the Avadh region, we can find space for non Muslims also. Madrasas also want to change and those who blame them for doing things in isolation forget that many of the Madrasas in state like Uttar-Pradesh are under direct supervision of the government. In fact, said a Maulvi to me some years back that these days the CID people continue to visit them for a 'break' news. The problem is the stereotyping of the Madrasas a shelter for 'terrorism'. Many Madrasa people in fact asked the government for more resources and funding so that they can start other subjects also. But that has not happened yet.
The September 11 incident in the United States turn things worst for the Madrasas. Now the focus of the international community became not only the life style of Islam but also its education system. Therefore, growth of Madrasas was linked to growth of Muslim fundamentalism. Pakistan clamp down on Madrasas after the US pressure became an example for India to follow. Talk of modernization in the Madrasas started gaining ground again without any hard work done in practice. The grave fact of the matter is that those who are allegedly involved in terrorist activities do not come from the traditional Madrasas but from 'modern' educational institutions. At the same point of time we must be careful not to deny our children modern education for the fear of painting the community in such a way, as it would be bringing back the entire community to Madrasas. It is important to work among the community rather than putting it on tenterhook of either this or that.
I still remember a dialogue with a principal of a Madrasa in Faizabad when he said that Madrasa education impart religious values like Gurukul and the communities do not go commercialized therefore they needed religious education. However, in a country like India, as Yoginder Sikand points out in his conclusion, isolationist tendencies framed by religious institutions like Madrasas could be counter productive for the community. Sikand emphasise on more interfaith dialogues between different communities and not just Muslims and Non-Muslims.
The author has done justice to his work. Not only he has gone deep into the Islamic education system and traditions of the past but also went in detail to find the evolution of the Madrasa system in the country. He has suggested alternative for reform and debunked many myths about the Madrasas. An interesting book for those who want to understand Madrasa system in India.
Bastion of the Believers : Madrasas and Islamic Education in India
By Yoginder Sikand
Penguin India
PP: Rs 395
Pages: 358
Published: 2005
