By Dr Wasim Ahmad,
For a while we have to discuss the collective spirit of Qur’an. Our speakers and writers will have to adhere to this norm. This is probably the only way to hold the Book in the Right Hand. We have quoted it a lot and have not tried to reach out to its heart. And we quote it selectively. Various schools of thought and different groups quote only those verses which supposedly suit them the most. The exposition of the collective spirit of Qur’an may take some time and there may be a variety of opinions about it. We should, however, be ready to wait until the cumulative spirit of the Book transpires clearly in due course.
The exposition of the collective spirit of Qur’an will help in holding it in the Right Hand. After we have figured out the collective spirit we need to contrast it with the current situation of Indian Muslims. We have to see how much of it is aligned with the Book and how much is not. On the other hand, our ‘Ulama have to start talking about specific issues and what guidance Islam provides about them – in a coherent manner. For example, just as we invoke Sharee‘ah in the case of Babari Masjid we have to see what Islam offers in the case of Kashmir.
Our concept of knowledge as a people is mistaken. Steps 1, 2 & 3 cannot skip this all-important question. Until we get a better definition we can continue with the following: developing a well-organized body of ideas and creatively reaching out to the unknown with the power of critical and scientific thinking. It will be useful to popularize this concept among our students at a very early stage. Doing so early we might see the results in the long run. In this context we have to very clearly articulate what we want from those in whose education we invest a lot. After figuring out what we want from them we have to see what we are getting currently. How much we are concerned about this aspect may help us in identifying and describing the steps (1, 2 & 3).
We have crushed the individual out of existence through our Institutions and Organizations. His creativity is suppressed. His individuality is subdued. Our educational institutions do not promote it much. The Organizations thrive on conformism and strict regimentation. How can we have spiritually liberated people if we do not have spiritually liberated individuals in the first place? Rescuing the individuals, therefore, is a major task. All those Institutions and Organizations which do so will have to rethink about it. Our writers and speakers have to sustain the struggle of rescuing individuals and individualities. If we don’t do so and aren’t alert about it as a people then we will not be able to achieve the lofty goals – if we decide to achieve any.
As has been argued earlier we have to change our discourse. Many expressions that we are used to now we have to find a different meaning of them and discontinue using some of those. For instance, ‘minority’ and ‘minority character’ have to be reconsidered. We have to outlive our current mind-set as regards many issues. We need to have a clear goal in view that we need to achieve in this world. One critical task is to see the investment of our resources in the right places and be vigilant about those areas where the resources, material and human, are not being used at the optimum level.
A part of the change in discourse is doing away with the division between dunyaa and deen. As has been argued earlier, al-dunyaa actually means al-hayaat al-dunyaa, the nearest life. Qur’an does not use al-deen as the counterpart of al-dunyaa. The counterpart of al-dunyaa is al-aakhirah which means the later life, the delayed life – the Hereafter. Hence, it is wrong to consider al-deen (the way of life) as the opposite or counterpart of al-dunyaa. It is farther from the reality. Hence, Iwonder from which aspect and part of our life (al-dunyaa) we can detach ‘the way of life’ (al-deen). What we can do in this regard is to be alert to any divisions being carried out in speeches or writings and point it out as much as we can.
The division between dunyaa and deen will continue as long as we keep dividing the knowledge into the categories of deeni and dunyaawi and we keep two separate types of institutions. We should teach whatever we want to under the same roof. The division of knowledge into ‘secular’ and ‘religious’ is misplaced and unjustified. The existence of two separate streams of institutions, however, will not allow us to realize that knowledge is indivisible. It will perpetuate the self-doubt among ‘modern’ educated and inapplicability of most of what is taught in the ‘traditional’ institutions. Hence, just as we should find out the ways to do away with the duality (which mainly exists in minds) we should teach Arabic language to our kids as a necessary part of the curriculum. This is a must and it will end our dependency on a priestly class. It will take us closer to the heart of the Faith – so dear to us.
The Colleges and Universities are often described as ‘asri jaami‘aat’ – contemporary Universities. It unmistakably gives an impression that what is being taught in the contemporary or modern Universities has relevance with this time and age – ‘asr. Conversely, the institutions which are not ‘contemporary’ have little relevance with the same time and age. Why else should we call the former ‘asri and remove this adjective from the latter type of institutions? This is an expression of truth, though. The only problem with this is that we don’t realize this truth to the core. If it is realized then such expressions will not be used and the division of knowledge will cease to exist.
As a people we are not aware of what we stand for. We are not clear about what we want to do. This is why we will get ten different answers from ten different persons on this question. Those who say something in this regard they normally do not relate it with the life in its entirety and without stalling the process of progress. They, instead, reinforce our markaz gureziyat (‘centrifugality’). So we want to do something and don’t want to do it. Both at the same time. The psychology of markaz gureziyat is visible in our love for a separate and exclusive arrangement in almost everything that we want – from educational institutions to political parties.
Steps 1, 2 & 3 will include a scrutiny of the issues that we discuss on our Forums. We have to very meticulously figure out how many of those are issues and how many are non-issues. Apparently and arguably a lot of time is being wasted on non-issues. We ramble from one subject to another and have not developed the habit of staying with the problems longer. Hence the problems stay longer. A case in point is the Aligarh Muslim University related matters. It is next to impossible to wean the alumni of the AMU from it. It is, however, far easier to communicate with the Aligarh fraternity or the ‘modern educated’ than it is with the ‘traditionally educated’. This is very much appreciable and it deserves all respect and acknowledgement.
As regards the “service” of Islam, I would say that if we are insistent on serving Islam then let us educate the people with the lofty ideals of Islam which will ultimately help them (and not Islam – as we perceive it). The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and all other Prophets educated the people. They were educators in the real sense of the word – because they had the whole picture. They – all of them – were able to explain all the phenomena coherently and scientifically – i.e. without self-contradiction. They were rescuing humanity with the beautiful and everlasting ideals of faith. Not the other way round. They did not raise the slogan of “deen ki khidmat” to entrench themselves and justify an increasingly unjustifiable position in the society.
Our main task is to change our outlook. This is not an easy task. This is not an easy task because it involves changing our ways of looking at things and our patterns of thinking. We have to revisit our preconceived notions and the conditioning effects of our specific backgrounds. If we are able to change our thinking as a people and come out of certain misconceptions that have developed over a long period of time it will be a new beginning and it will be full of good prospects for the humanity at large. This is nothing but a renaissance. A rebirth. And this is precisely what we need.
In conclusion, if we think that steps 1, 2 & 3 are going to be a short-cut we are gravely mistaken. We have to come to terms with the fact that the longest is the shortest.
(The writer is Dept Head of Islamic Studies, Preston University Ajman, UAE)