RELIGIOUS EDUCATION: REFORMATION/ SUBSTITUTION OF MADRASA

MUHAMMAD RIAZ
CSA;DMG CAMPUS
1/2/2012

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION: REFORMATION/ SUBSTITUTION OF MADRASAH

Religion is an amazing phenomenon, which plays contradictory roles in the life of human beings. It destroys and revitalizes, puts to sleep and awakens, enslaves and emancipates, teaches docility and revolt. (Lines from Dr. Ali Shariatis book WHAT TO BE DONE (1986) When political and sectarian history of Pakistan is painted, religious influences would find the most prominent place and brightest colours on the canvas. This country was fought for on the basis of religion, as a significant faction of Pakistani society believed so. This notion was also promulgated by the state backed campaigns from time to time. However, another significant number of people would not accept this popular catch word of the Pakistan Movement:

PAKISTAN KA MATALB KIA LA ILA HA ILLALH (What is the meaning of Pakistan nothing other than the meaning that there is no god but Allah?) This second School of Thought declared Pakistan to be a secular state and would readily quote Quaid-e- Azams words from his speech to the first constituent assembly of Pakistan: You are free to go to your mosque; you are free to go to your temple; State has nothing to do with your religion. Thus the line of distinction between theses two schools of opinion regarding the role of religion in Pakistan was drawn from her very inception in Pakistan. Therefore, both religious and predominantly non-religious education institute were established parallel in Pakistan. Madrash became the nerve center for religious education in Pakistan; this was not new for the people of sub-continent as they were already familiar with its name, fame and utility from such other
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institutes as Madrasah Darul Aloom Deoband, Sindh Madarsh tul Islam etc established in 19th centuries by the early Muslaim reformists. However, the purpose and function of such religious centers called Madarasah varied significantly form time to time in Pakistan history.

LITERAL MEANING OF WORD MADARASH:

The term Madrassah is derivative of an Arabic word darsun meaning lesson. In contemporary Arabic the word madrassah means centre of learning (the Arabic plural form is madaris). According to Sadiq N Awann, the history of Islamic schools trace back to medieval Iran, especially Eastern Iran. The schools were called madrassa and the places of higher learning were known as Dar-ul-alum. The word madrassa is composed of two parts: Mad: Rasa: Madrassa means: mind relationship place of mental exercise.

THEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUD OF MADARASAH

The culture of Madrassahs is not new and novel in Pakistan. It dates back to the 12th century A.D. when madrassahs have been the only source of imparting education and when there was no concept of separate secular/worldly disciplines or separate institution.

RELATION TO THE HOLY PROPHET:

According to credible and tangible chronological accounts, the first formal educational sessions in Islam started at the house of Zaid bin Arqam in the valley of the Safa Hills. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), himself worked as an instructor and some of his early followers and companions became his students. After the Prophets migration to Madina, a madrassah, namely

the Ahle-Suffa was established on a site contiguous to the east of the Prophets mosque at Madina.

AFTER THE PROPHET

The institution of madrassah developed further when the Arabs came into contact with other indigenous traditions and languages. It became highly indispensable to make a group of wise and intelligent people who would develop sophisticated and knowledgeable writings and textbooks on Islamic jurisprudence, Prophets traditions, Prophets sayings and the interpretation of the Holy Quran, to cater the needs of non-Arab Muslim populations. According to P.K. Hitti, the first Madaras which made condition for the physical needs of its students and became a model for later institutions of higher learning was the Nizamiyah. It was founded in 1067 AD by Nizam-ul-Mulk the Persian Vizir (Minister) of the Saljuq Sultans Alp Arsalan and Malik Shah. Besides the Nizamiyah of Baghdad the Suljuq vizir is credited with establishing several others Madrassah. Tariq Rehman observes, One of the aims of the madrassa ever since 1067 when Nizam ul Mulk established the famous madrassa at Baghdad was to counter heresies within the Islamic world and outside influence, which could change or dilute Islam.
( Tariq Rehman, Madrassa: Religion, Poverty and the Potential for Violence in Pakistan)

Syllabi of Madarasah in the Medeval Muslim World

The syllabi adopted at the Nizamiah Madrasshs served as a standard and model for madrassahs elsewhere in the Muslim world. Madrassahs in the past served as the only available institutions of formal education for Muslims. Their alumnae would take the responsibilities of becoming administrators, military officers, Imam in mosques and judges in courts. It is pertinent to bring on record that some of the notable and illustrious scientists and sages of the medieval times Muslim world such as Avicenna (Ibn Sina), Averroes (Ibrn Rushd), mathematicians Arzachel (Al-Zarqali), physician like Avenzoar (Ib Zuhr) and Rhazes,( ar-Razi) were product of those Madrassahs. In the word of Ira M. Lapidus: The madrasa served as an organizational base for legal teaching, as a vehicle for providing financial support to Muslim religious scholarship, as centers for the training of religious and administrative cadres, and as bases for the conversion of populations as well as for missionary activity
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MADARASH IN THE SUB-CONTINENET

In the Indian subcontinent, Islam was introduced into an already developed civilization defined by agriculture, urbanization, religions, and complex political regimes. Muslim scholars, Sufis (mystics), poets and intellectuals flocked to India, seeking the patronage of the new regimes, organizing colleges and opening the way for the conversion of Indian to Islam. In northern India Muhammad Ghori established a madrassah in the town of Ajmer, which he conquered in 1191 A.D, thus begins the establishment and development of many distinguished and notable Islamic seminaries in various parts of India. The British after having strong footings in India developed a system of colonial education, its rationale, as Lord Macaulay put it in 1835, was to create a class of persons Indian in blood and color but English in taste, in opinions, in morals and intellect.

MUSLIM REACTION TO THE BRITISH

As a reaction to British educational policy four educational trends developed: The first one was of Dur-ul-Ulum Deoband, which was anti-British, founded by Maulana Mohammad Qasim Nanutwi in 1867 A.D. in Deoband, UP India. The second trend was acceptance of the British system of education and to develop it amongst Muslims with minor modifications. It came in the form of M.A.O collage of Aligarh, founded by Sir Sayed Ahmed Khan in 1875 A.D. The third trend was expression of dissatisfaction both with Dar-ul-Ulum, Deoband and M.A.O collage. Aligarh. It emerged in the shape of Nadwat-ulUlema, Lucknow, in 1894 A.D. The last and the fourth one was Jamia Millia Islamia wanted to give national outlook to Muslim education. It was started in 1920 A.D. at Aligarh and latter on transferred to Delhi in I925.

According to Tariq Rehman: for the Indian Muslim madrassahs were a response to the dominance of the West. The essence of this response was to create a little oasis of orthodoxy in the midst of the heterodoxy created by the colonial sector. The madrassahs saw themselves as preservers of Islamic identity and heritage during the colonial era where secular studies displaced the Islamic texts as well as the classical languages of the Indian Muslims.

( Traiq Rehman, Madrassa: Religion, Poverty and the Potential for Violence in Pakistan)

HISTORY OF MADRASSAHS IN POST-INDEPENDENCE PAKISTAN

MADARASA STATISTICS When Pakistan emerged on the map of the world there were only 137 madrassahs in the country. By 1950 the number reached to 244 and to 671 in 1960. By 2005 the number of madrassahs reached to 14000, serving an estimated one million student.
(Pervez Musharaf, In the Line of Fire (New York: Simon and Schuster 2006)

SYLLABI OF PAKISTANI MADARAS: All madrassahs in Pakistan including the Shias one teaches the Darsi- Nizami which was for the first time introduced by Mullah Nizamuddin Sihalvi (d.1747). The curriculum of Darsi Nizami is not the same as that associated with the madrassah Nizamiah. According to Mumtaz Ahmad, the curriculum thought in Pakistan consisted of 20 subjects broadly divided into two categories. In terms of levels of education, the madrassah in Pakistan are categorized as: Ibtedai (basic), Vustani(middle level) and Fauquani (advanced level). MANAGEMNET OF MADARASA Madrassahs in Pakistan is mainly in private sector, where as few others are managed by the Auqaf Department. Most of the funding is provided through endowments (tithes, gifts, donation by rich, and from abroad. REASONS FOR MADARAS BOOM IN EARLY DAYS The early problems of Pakistan and international scenario of 1950s and 1960s greatly effected Pakistanis future and indirectly helped the cause of the religious groups. Secondly, most of the religious parties were against the very idea of Pakistan. However, as Pakistan was created in the name of Islam, the political leadership of the early years, despite being secular, often resorted to the slogan of religion to create national unity and order. The other reason that helped the cause of the mullahs (Theologists) was the cold war. Western think tanks believed that the religion of Islam if transformed into politics would become a potent force to appose the communist world. Therefore the US government started to develop serious and close relationship with Islamist .Great Britain and France helped USA in this venture.

MADARASA REFORMS BY AYUB

Ayub Khan introduced madrassah reforms in order to enable the madrassah graduates to play more positive and practical role as a citizen of this country. Ayub reforms failed because most of the religious parties with the exception of Jamaat Islami rejected the reform efforts .
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YAHYA KAHN AND RELIGIOUS GROUPS

In 1970 and 1971, the government under the rule of general Muhammad Yahya Khan used the religious groups against the separatist in East Pakistan. In this unholy drama, Jamaat-i-Islami formed an alliance with the army in East Pakistan and played an active part in the military action against what they believed to be enemies of Islam. Its student wing, the Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba (IJT) was transformed into a militant force, willing to meet violence with violence.

THE ERA OF ZULFIQAR ALI BHUTTO:

In 1971, Pakistan lost its eastern wing in a brutal civil war resulted in the emergence of Bangladesh as an independent state. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto became the Prime Minister of the remaining part of Pakistan. He tried to give a new identity to the country for which he needed the support of Islamic parties. Bhutto attempted to rejuvenate national identity by conflating theology with socialism. The Islamic parties influenced the 1973 constitution, declared Islam the state religion. The 1973 constitution commanded the council of Islamic ideology to recommend measures and evolve modus operandi so as to implement Islamic system in Pakistan. In order to accomplish it, religious education was imparted in schools, Islamic/religious education was made part and parcel of the syllabi. Arabic was made compulsory subject at middle and secondary schools levels. The education sector was nationalized; however most of the madrassahs remained independent.

GENERAL ZIA UL HAQ AND THE MADRASSAH BOOM

Zia-ul-Haq had special bent of mind for islamization. This is reflected everywhere during his reign. He went extra mile to implant Islamic culture in Pakisatan. Weighing up the importance of the religious madrassahs, the government offered productive incentives by opening 5000 mosque, schools and by instituting a national committee so as to deliberate in transforming madrassahs into an important part of the educational system. Zia became indispensable to the West as the Soviet attack was launched in Afghanistan. US supported the religious element in Pakistan. More and more young pupils were enrolled in Madrasas from there they were transported to training campus. Thus, a guerrilla force was created on the platform of Jehad. Madrasas played role of safe haven for theses US aimed Jehadis.

HALEPOTO REFORMS:
Dr. A.W.J. Halepota, an eminent academician conducted a national survey, and came out with illustrious and remarkable, proposal to improve the economic condition of madrassahs and modernizing them with the objective of integrating the religious and the formal education sectors while conserving the independence of madrassahs.

MADRASA POSITION IN 1990s

During 1990s a network of madrasas spread with the construction of hundreds of mosques and seminaries producing thousands of graduates.The culmination of Afghan war and the return of Pakistani holy warriors heightened extremism in Pakistan. In addition to the Madaris established to fight the Soviets, sectarian madrasas flourished during the same time in Pakistan in order to safe guard and spread their version of Islam; sectarianism become a grave and serious internal challenge for Pakistan. Therefore, through out 1990s the sectarian violence reached its peak, but the political leadership failed to gather the courage to counter the growing strength of the jihadis mainly getting birth out of Madarasas. In 1996, Bhuttos government was removed from office before it had the chance to impose any of the intended plans it had for the madrasas, which included the introduction of compulsory audits, new curricula and registration. It was in the time of Talibans rule that Madaris in Pakistan mushroomed.

PRESIDENT MUSHARAF AND MADARASAH REFORMS

Soon after 9/11 Pakistani government under pressure from west announced a plan to monitor and supervise madrasas and overhaul their administrative, financial and educational structures. This step was taken mainly to satisfy the international community who were raising fingers towards religious madrasas blaming them to be the breeding grounds for terrorists. In order to deter and check the religious extremism, the government of Pakistan passed two credible laws. President Musharraf, as part of madrassah reform, on August 16 2005, promulgated yet another ordinance by amending the Societies Registration Act, 1860. According to the Ordinance 2005, a new section, titled, Registration of Deeni Madrassahs has been added to the Societies Registration Act, 1860. The main aim of this act was to register madrasas with the government.

The salient features of the project were to prescribe textbooks in formal subjects in madrasas. Examinations will be conducted by the relevant Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) at Secondary and Higher Secondary Levels in the formal subjects.
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ANALYSIS OF MADARASA REFORMS

During the past three decades, the poor socio-economic conditions and lack of good governance in the country, intervention of the then Soviet Union in Afghanistan, tension with India had provided an opportunity to the religious institutions to take advantage of the situation for various gains. The rise of Taliban phenomenon in Afghanistan in 1996 further added to their strengths. The reality is that the need for reform and changes is also felt by a great number of people associated with madrasa . But reform efforts so far have not been successful because of the atmosphere of mistrust and suspicion. The madrasas should not be considered as separate entity. A unified educational system is a must without which all reform effort would have no results.

Given the strong identity of Pakistan as a Muslim state, any reform pertaining to Islamic content will have to be approached with trepidation. Imposed secularization of the curriculum is not likely to work and would be counterproductive. Thus, there is a need to initiate a process of dialogue. The pressure from abroad is going to complicate the issue. The reform processes need time and one should remember that madrasas have strong roots in Pakistani society.

RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Establish a Madrasa Regulatory Authority (MRA) that should: a. Carry out a comprehensive survey of the Madrasa sector fro purposes of mandatory registration and classification within six months. b. Assist the Pakistan Madrasa Education Board in implementing and monitoring curriculum and financing reforms c. Coordinate efforts of the various government departments involved in the reform process d. Work as a focal point for liaison with the clergy, donors, law-enforcing agencies, and international organizations.

2. Institute Curriculum Reforms for Madaras within six months that ensure: a. Vocational training programmes are included. b. Significant time is allocated for teaching of modern subjects c. Recognition for Madrasa certificates and issuance of Madrasa degree be conditional to adherence to new Madrasa reforms.

3. Immediately close all Madarasas related to the banned militant organizations

4. Equire all Madaras at the time of registration to: a. Publish annual income; expenditure and audit reports b. Dissociate from any militant activity or group

5. Create a nation wide Financial Intelligence Unit, as a subsidiary of the banking regulatory authority to prevent money laundering in the formal banking sector and to curb hundi system and other informal financial transactions

6. Keep strict check on foreign students who seek admission to Pakistani Madrasa and permit their enrollment only if such religious education is not available in their home countries 7. Ensure that Madarasa reforms are not confined to Urabn areas only but alos covers small towns and villages.
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