An emerging generation of socially-engaged Ulema
The book, simply titled al-Jihad, provides an
incisive critique of the arguments about the Islamic concept of jihad put
forward by both hardened Islamophobes and radical Islamists alike. ‘Jihad is
often seen by non-Muslims as anti-human, as akin to terrorism, and as a cover-up
for imperialist conquest. I wanted to critique that impression’, Maulana Yahya
explains. ‘At the same time’, he adds, ‘many Muslims are opposed to ijtihad, to
reviewing some of the rules of classical fiqh that were developed in a totally
different historical context, including in matters related to jihad, some of
which are not in accordance with the Quran. Consequently, Muslim youth in many
countries, inflamed by the oppression suffered by Muslims, have taken to
indiscriminate violence, wrongly claiming it to be jihad. I wanted to counter
their arguments, too’. ‘I wanted the book to appeal to both Muslims and
non-Muslims alike’, he explains. -- Yoginder
Sikand
By
Yoginder Sikand
Reforms in India’s madrasas are a much
talked-about subject today. In discussing the issue, the media tends to give
inordinate attention to the views of the older generation of ulema, particularly
those who are associated with certain large madrasas or Jamias, especially those
that are known to be particularly conservative. Consequently, the voices of
younger-generation ulema, particularly those who have also had a university
education, tend to be completely silenced.
But, given that these men will, in due course,
form a significant section of the Muslim religious leadership, it is crucial to
listen to what they, too, have to say. Their views can be quite surprising for
those who imagine that the ulema are wholly opposed to reform or ‘modernisation’
of madrasa education and to reviewing some deeply-entrenched and controversial
understandings on certain religious matters. In fact, these young ulema are
among the most passionate advocates for madrasa reform and for more relevant and
socially-engaged understandings of Islam in the contemporary Indian
context.
Recently, I had the good fortune to meet one such
young Islamic scholar, the Lucknow-based Maulana Yahya Nomani. I had been in
touch with him for almost a year through email after I had translated a
fascinating book that he had penned in Urdu on the subject of jihad. Although I
had read numerous books on jihad before, I had not come across such a
penetrating and deeply-satisfying analysis. Maulana Yahya was kind enough to let
me translate the book for the benefit of those who cannot read
Urdu.
The book, simply titled al-Jihad, provides an
incisive critique of the arguments about the Islamic concept of jihad put
forward by both hardened Islamophobes and radical Islamists alike. ‘Jihad is
often seen by non-Muslims as anti-human, as akin to terrorism, and as a cover-up
for imperialist conquest. I wanted to critique that impression’, Maulana Yahya
explains. ‘At the same time’, he adds, ‘many Muslims are opposed to ijtihad, to
reviewing some of the rules of classical fiqh that were developed in a totally
different historical context, including in matters related to jihad, some of
which are not in accordance with the Quran. Consequently, Muslim youth in many
countries, inflamed by the oppression suffered by Muslims, have taken to
indiscriminate violence, wrongly claiming it to be jihad. I wanted to counter
their arguments, too’. ‘I wanted the book to appeal to both Muslims and
non-Muslims alike’, he explains.
Some of the salient arguments that the book makes
is that terrorism, proxy war and the targeting of non-combatants is un-Islamic,
as is launching war by any entity other than by an established state or
government. Likewise, war for the sake of worldly conquest and power cannot be
termed a jihad. That is to say, a war does not become a jihad simply because
those who engage in it claim it to be so. Furthermore, the book argues while
denouncing the claims of some extremists, Muslims can, indeed must, befriend
people of goodwill belonging to other faiths and deal kindly with
them.
‘Some radical ideologues claim that armed jihad
is a struggle to end rule of kufr or infidelity, and insist that Muslims must
always engage in such a struggle if they are in a position to do so. By this
they also mean that even if a non-Muslim government allows Muslims religious
freedom they still must engage in violent jihad against it. What they believe is
that non-Muslims have no right to rule any bit of God’s earth’, Maulana Yahya
explains. But he does not agree with this formulation at all, which he terms
‘bizarre’, ‘extremist’, and as not warranted by his reading of the Quran. ‘The
real purpose of jihad’, he points out, ‘is defence or establishing justice, and
not to end non-Muslim rule in any country. If a non-Muslim government is just
and does not oppress Muslims or suppress Islam, there is no justification to
launch armed jihad against it.’
Maulana Yahya is also critical of some aspects of
the received juridical or fiqh tradition with regard to rules governing jihad
that were formulated by the medieval jurists or fuqaha. ‘For instance, there is
no concept of permanent peace with non-Muslims in the corpus of medieval fiqh’,
he notes. Since that position corresponded to the then-prevailing historical
conditions, he says, there is an urgent need to revise and change this
understanding in today’s context, where permanent peace is something that is not
just a widely-accepted concept but is something that Muslims, along with others,
should actively strive for.
In his early 40s, Maulana Yahya is the grandson
of the well-known (and, for some, controversial) scholar Maulana Manzoor Nomani.
His father, Maulana Muhammad Zakariya, was a teacher of Hadith at Lucknow’s
renowned Nadwat ul-Ulema madrasa. Having completed the fazil course at Nadwa in
1993, Maulana Yahya did a Bachelor’s course in Islamic History at Madinah
University, after which he joined the monthly al-Furqan, an Urdu religious
magazine based in Lucknow founded by his grand-father. Besides working as
associate editor of this magazine, he holds regular Quranic classes in mosques
and dawah camps for youth. Recently, he set up al-Mahad al-Ali lil Dirasat
al-Islamiya (‘Institute for Higher Islamic Studies’) in Lucknow, which provides
a two-year course to madrasa graduates to, as he puts it, ‘make them aware of
modern issues, concerns and challenges'.
The Institute seeks to familiarize madrasa
graduates with subjects that they have had little or no exposure to in the
course of spending several years studying in madrasas. These include research
methodology, English, computer applications, and basic sociology, political
science, law and economics. Till date, almost fifty students have completed the
course. Some of these have gone back to teaching in madrasas, where they are
expected to impart their new knowledge and thereby promote change in the
madrasas from within. Others have enrolled in universities for higher
education.
Maulana Yahya argues that the ulema must have a
good grasp of contemporary issues and conditions in order to express Islam in a
relevant manner, to provide the community with a socially-engaged leadership,
and to come up with contextually-appropriate Islamic responses to various
questions and challenges. This is why his Institute places particular focus on
developing its students’ research skills, something that is left ignored in most
madrasas. Students are expected to do research not just on theological or legal
or fiqhi matters but also on issues related to Muslims’ social, economic and
educational conditions and problems.
The Institute, Maulana Yahya tells me, has set
for itself an ambitious publishing programme. It plans to assign particular
topics of contemporary concern on which there is paucity or complete lack of
well-grounded published works to its students to work on as projects, which
would later be brought out in the form of books. So far, the Institute has
published two books, one Maulana Yahya’s book on jihad, and the other a classic
historical treatise by the late Maulana Abdul Majid Dariyabadi. A third book is
due to be out soon—on women and Islam, critiquing the views of both some
ultra-conservatives, who completely rule out any public role for women outside
their homes, as well as ultra-liberals, who argue for complete sameness between
men and women.
Like Maulana Yahya, I have met scores of other
young ulema over the years who are engaged, in their own ways, in promoting
inter-communal harmony, in articulating more relevant understandings of Islam
(including on a host of controversial issues such as jihad and women’s rights),
and in facilitating reforms in the madrasas. Their voices cry out to be heard.
They can no longer continue to be ignored.
Source: TwoCircles.net
2:46 AM
Sultan Shahin
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