Why Have Religious Positions Like Allama, Maulana, Aalim, Mufti, Faqih, Muhaddis Turned Into A Joke, To Be Inherited Or Acquired Without Necessary Expertise

By Mufti Azhar Ahmad Amjadi, New Age Islam 11 February 2022 Translated from Urdu by Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi, New Age Islam Main Points Discussed in the Article: 1. Just as an expert in medicine is called a doctor, and a specialist in engineering an engineer, so the titles of Mufti, Aalim, Allama should be given only to those who are experts in these areas. 2. Some common Muslims have started interfering with religious matters, without first gaining a thorough understanding of the Religion. 3. They appear to raise their eyebrows when Ulama and Muftis discuss Islamic topics and are developing a culture of wrongly criticising them. 4. They accept whatever is advised for personal problems related to treatment and engineering, but they don't care about discriminating between specialists and non-specialists when it comes to religious matters. ----- Every educated class today recognises that this is the age of specialisation. The necessity of expertise is now recognised throughout the world. Each specialist is consulted to discuss topics relevant to his or her field of expertise. Similarly, any human being who is specialised in a field is defined by the position of that speciality, and his services are sought in accordance with that designation. For example, if someone has specialised in the area of medicine and treatment, he will attempt to give his view about the treatment itself, and the entire world will label him as a doctor based on his speciality, and he will get employed based on his speciality. The medical expert will no longer provide his opinion on engineering, and the world will no longer recognise him as an engineer, nor will he accept any employment outside of his field. If somebody does it, the rest of the world will declare him to be ridiculous. Similarly, if someone works in engineering, he will exclusively communicate his thoughts on engineering, and the rest of the world will label him an engineer. This engineer will no longer remark on the treatment, and the world will no longer attempt to categorise him as a doctor. If somebody attempted to do so, the people around the world would not hesitate to label it as the result of his stupidity. The same was true of religious issues and positions for many centuries, fourteen hundred years before and after. The person with more knowledge or experience in the art would offer his or her view on relevant themes and, as a result, be allocated tasks. Someone who knew more about Islamic law and Jurisprudence or was an expert in it used to speak primarily about jurisprudential issues and was subsequently given the title of jurist or mufti. Similarly, if he was an expert in the science of Hadiths or properly knew about it, he would talk about it and be branded a Muhaddith based on his expertise. It was never the case that a mufti who was not a Muhaddith would discuss Hadiths and be awarded the title of Muhaddith. If the Muhaddith had not been a jurist, he would not have expressed his opinion on jurisprudential questions, and the title of Mufti or Faqih would not have been bestowed to him. However, our community has been now in a very horrible position in the previous several decades, especially in the last few years, on the basis of which religious issues and titles have been and continue to be the victims of immense oppression. The unspecialized person has apparently asserted that it is his right to voice his opinion on Islamic Shariah matters. Similarly, a person who is not an Allama, Mufti, or Muhaddith is granted the title of Allama, Mufti, or Muhaddith. However, if a member of the same society who has specialised in medicine interferes with engineering matters, the society will claim that he does not have the authority to speak about engineering because he has not specialised in it. If the same society is told he is an engineer, the society will raise a mountain on its head, stating he cannot be an engineer because he did not study engineering but instead specialised in medicine, calling him a doctor rather than an engineer. The peculiar thing about members of our Muslim society is that they are unwilling to entrust their personal problems to a non-specialist. But in the religious matters, they do not hesitate to refer to a non-specialist as an expert. That is, they would not like to enter the pit themselves, but they look to be resting by forcing their community into the pit!! In general, common people today appear to raise their eyebrows when Ulama and Muftis discuss Islamic topics, without hesitating to wrongly criticise them. However, if people visit a doctor for treatment of disease and the doctor recommends a medicine or injection, they will not dare to suggest, “O Dr. Sahib, give this medicine instead of this medicine or this injection instead of this injection.” Specialization is the cause behind this. However, the specialisations of Ulama and Muftis are of little value to them. As a result, they believe it is their right to criticize Islamic issues outlined by Ulama or Muftis, and they are happy to do so. Why is that the case?! The speciality of medicine etc is a speciality, but the speciality of jurisprudence and Hadith etc. is not a speciality?! Religious positions and titles are now deemed cheaper and lower than all other positions of the world. It has become normal practise to assume that because so-and-so is the son of a Maulana or Mufti, he would be a Maulana or Mufti, even if he is unfamiliar with the basics. Even though he does not stand on the terms of the spiritual guide [Peer], he is called to be the spiritual guide if he is the son of a spiritual personality [Peer]. And if he is an orator, it is no surprise then that he is awarded titles like Allama, Mufti, Faqih, Qutub etc. In other words, it appears that there is no need to specialise in jurisprudence, hadith, or mysticism in order to get a religious position in Muslim society; all that is required is to be the son of an expert or to be an orator. Then each title will be delivered to you automatically. It is not simply the uninformed, flatterers, and those who only look out for their own pockets that are responsible for making these positions cheaper and insensitive, but also the desire to gain undeserved reputation and worldly respect. Those who are not Maulanas are declared Maulanas, while those who are not Muftis are given the title of Mufti and those who are not Allamas are given the heavy title of Allama. O beloved, this is Din [religion]. The Din is not your property, and you are not authorised to transmit its titles to anybody you want. Rather the Din is more important than the worldly affairs. While the ignorant cannot be called a doctor and the doctor cannot be called an engineer, why can you call the uneducated an Aalim or Hafiz? So why only Aalim, Maulvi, or Hafiz be called Mufti, Faqih, Muhaddith, or Allama?! Are education and training required exclusively for modern positions, but not for religious positions?! Of course, there is a need, but what can be done about the society which has struck such an axe in the feet of its own religious positions that they have lost all meaning and significance and have become nothing more than a source of title, reputation, and honour? Religious matters, particularly religious positions, have devolved into a farce nowadays. What is the state of our community and people as a result of our insensitivity? We are unconcerned. We say anything we want and give whatever we want out of good and bad titles. Is this something we inherited? Do we have the right to interfere with sensitive issues of the religion without first gaining a thorough understanding of the religion? Have pity on religious matters for the sake of God. Similarly, defend religious viewpoints from oppression and pay attention to their importance, as well as call others' attention to it, so that no one, especially the general public, makes incorrect criticisms about any Islamic topic. Those who are not experts or schooled in jurisprudence, for example, should not be referred to as Mufti, Muhaddith, Faqih, or Allama. Only those who are deserving of these important positions should be identified as such; otherwise, one day, no true Maulvi or Hafiz will be visible, and all ignorant or less educated individuals will be referred to as Mufti and Allama. Then everyone will refer to himself as Mufti and Allama. Today, whatever little respect is still left for these issues and positions will also be obliterated. Recognize your limitations, and, just as you explore specialisation in worldly affairs and constantly seek the advice of an expert in every field, consider seeking the advice of a religious specialist in matters of religion. Only pay attention to the person who is an authority on the topic. Respected titles such as a Mufti, Faqih, Muhaddith, Aalim, or Allama should only be bestowed on those who truly deserve them, not on those who are simply an orator, a son, or a grandson of a well-known figure. These titles are reliable. If these titles remain with the trustee, he will safeguard them; if they remain with the incompetent or traitor, he will abuse them and strive to prove himself even if he does not deserve them, which will only lead to destruction. ----- Hazrat Maulana Hafiz and Qari Mufti Azhar Ahmad Amjadi Misbahi Azhari is the successor of Faqih-e- Millat Mufti Jalaluddin Ahmad Amjadi (may God have mercy on him). He completed his Aalimiyat and Fazilat at Al-Jamiatul Ashrafia, Mubarakpur Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, as well as his graduation and post-graduation at Jamia Azhar, Cairo, Egypt. He is the founder of Trust Falah-e-Millat and performs religious and training services at the Markaz-e-Tarbiyat-e-Ifta [Ifta Training Center] and Khaanqaahe Amjadia. He is from Ojhaganj, Basti, Uttar Pradesh. Urdu Article: Why It Is That Religious Issues And Positions Are Persecuted? آخر دینی مسائل اور عہدے ہی مظلوم کیوں؟ URL: https://www.newageislam.com/debating-islam/religious-issues-islamic-law-jurisprudence/d/126349 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism