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IOS

Vol. 23 No. 05 May 2016/Rajjab-Shabaan 1437 H

Islamic Studies has a rich tradition in India. It dates back to the advent of Islam in the Ramadhan is the (month) O mankind! We created Northern part of the Indo-Pak subcontinent. As is well known, Islam entered Northern YouIn which from was a single sent down (pair) India in a big way with Muhammad ibn Qasim, the conqueror of Sind. This was the OfThe a Qur male-an, and as a guidefemale, time of great Islamic expansion, in fact, the second wave of conquests after the first AndTo mankind, made you also into clear (Signs) ones achieved during the reigns of Umar and Uthman, the second and third rightly NationsFor guidance and tribes,and judgment that guided Khulafa. Historians of the time have, therefore, mainly focused on the Ye(Between may know right eachand wrong). other territorial expansion of the Umayyad empire Khailafa and have paid little attention to (NotSo every that one ye mayof you despise what was happening in the world of knowledge. Indeed the seeds of many branches of (EachWho is other). present Verily (at his home) knowledge that flourished in the Abbasid period were sown during the Umayyad TheDuring most that honoured month of you period. InShould the sight spent of it Allahin fasting, The early Muslims/Arabs, as can be expected, were very fond of knowledge. The IsBut (he if anywho one is) isthe ill, most Quranic emphasis on ‘thinking’, ‘knowing’ and ‘learning’ was destined to instill in its RighteousOr on a journey, of you. first followers a great quest for knowledge. The Muslims were further encouraged by the Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) who considered wisdom as the lost property of TheAnd prescribed Allah has periodfull knowledge believers and urged them to get hold of it wherever they found it. As a result, the early (ShouldAnd is well be made acquainted up) Muslims eagerly acquired the knowledge they could lay their hand on in the (With all things). By days later. conquered territories.

Al-Quran- 2:185 Muhammad ibn Qasim opened the gate of India for Muslim scholars. The early Al-Quran- 49:13 records are not very well known. However, it is quite possible that his army might have included a good number of learned soldiers who might have narrated their observations and experiences of India to the interested scholars living in their home EDITOR towns. The possibility is also that at least some might have known about the intellectual heritage of India much before they came here. Prof. Sanghasen Singh History has recorded Muhammad ibn Qasim’s magnanimous attitude and policies towards his conquered subjects. It has also noted the peaceful preaching of Islam by CIRCULATION MANAGER some pious scholars among the people of Sind. At a later stage when mosques came

Syed Arshad Karim into existence, at least primary education also started, for in those days scholars delivered their public lectures in Muslim places of worship. The tradition of CORRESPONDENCE establishing schools independent of mosques began at a later stage. ADDRESS In fact, it were the Abbasids who first institutionalized education when they opened 162, Jogabai Extension Madaris in Baghdad or elsewhere in their vast empire. This tradition was taken to Jamia Nagar, New Delhi India by Mahmud Ghaznavi (d. 1030) when he and his successors patronized PIN-110025 education in Lahore by opening several scholars. Although much maligned for his India destruction of Hindu temples, Mahmud Ghaznavi was a profound scholar and a great Phone 26981187, patron of knowledge and education. The famous Indologist, al-Beiruni worked under 26989253, 26987467 his patronage. Moreover, there were many great Sufi scholars in this period whose Fax : 91-11-26981104 hospices served as centers of learning. Such a saint scholar was Shaykh Husayn Zanjani who lived and imparted religious education in Lahore in the early years of the th E-mail: 11 century. Shaykh Ali Hujveri who succeeded Zanjani on his death in 1037 is [email protected] regarded as being the author of the first book on Tasawwuf (mysticism), namely Website: Kashf al-Mahjub. www. iosworld.org

Contd. on page-6

2 IOS NEWSLETTER May 2016 integration, he noted. He explained property and loss of human life. The Activities of the IOS Headquarters that factors like, personal identity, first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal social identity, prejudice, social Nehru had asked Gardener Murphy alienation in the form of socio- from the UNESCO to study the causes Lecture on “Communal Violence economic and educational deprivation, that led to communal violence after and the Identity of Groups” reservation of Muslims, chauvinism of partition. He went into the causes and A lecture on “Communal Violence the majority community in the form of came out with a book titled In the and the Identity of Groups” was self-righteousness and perceived Minds of Men. He said that the identity organised by the Institute of Objective cultural superiority contributed to the of a community was instrumental in Studies at its Conference hall on May eruption of communal violence. communal violence. Identity crisis was 21, 2016. Delivering the lecture, Prof. Besides, identities of the groups were the source of communal violence. Shamim A. Ansari, Professor of responsible for cultivating communal According to him, sometimes, the Psychology at Aligarh Muslim tension and disharmony which feeling of insecurity in the majority University, observed that communal subsequently turned into communal community and need to protect itself violence was one of the most violence. Thus the genesis of a group’s caused communal violence. vulnerable conditions that not only identity was important in analysing the Categorisation of people as good and widened the gap bad at home grew among the groups, but deep among was also detrimental children who took to nation’s growth and another lesson from development. This the school teacher. was the tragedy of the The teacher who Indian sub-continent taught his students that no one realised from school the cost of communal textbooks that violence in terms of glorified one men, material and national hero and economic resources, showed the other in he said. Emphasising poor light. This the need for called for resource controlling communal material in violence for the sake textbooks to be of nation-building, he value-based and said that the positive in approach, so that students identification of L-R: Prof. Shamim Ahmad Ansari, Dr. M. Manzoor Alam and Prof. Z.M. Khan reasons for such a learnt lessons of national social evil brotherhood and reason for communal violence, he communal harmony and respect for all was very important. In this connection, insisted. He also said that there had he cited identity crises as the most religions. been several reasons for group identity important reason adding that it crisis that might be seen in the light of weakened one’s psycho-social make- Prof. Ansari pointed out that the sense historical perspective of groups of belonging to the nation too had a up so far as the perception about residing in a particular society and the oneself and others was concerned. role to play in certain situations. He nation at large. proved his point by saying that the Prof. Ansari held that post- Tracing violence to the killing by output in private sector was bigger Independence scenario witnessed Qabil of his brother, Habil, both sons than that of the public sector. This was frequent occurrence of communal of prophet Adam, Prof. Shamim said due to the pressure on the workers to tensions, usually turning into that violence was an old instinct in the work maximally for the greater profit communal violence in which lives of human being. Partition of India was a of the company. But no such thing innocent people and properties were turning point in Indian history as the happened in the public sector which lost. Such ugly, shameful and inhuman exchange of population between the incurred heavy losses due to non- riots not only posed threat to psycho- two countries led to the killings of performance of its workers. This physiological well-being, but also thousands of people belonging to both showed the need for full utilisation of became instrumental in weakening the communities. The partition brought human resource. As the saying went, inter-community relations and national in its wake large-scale destruction of “An empty mind is the devil’s nest”,

3 IOS NEWSLETTER May 2016 one must achieve efficiency suited to hold a national dialogue programme in (PBUH) freed the maximum number the job. He said that despite the use of the first week of September in which of slaves. state-of-the art technology in representatives from major religions Earlier, the lecture was preceded by automation where the size of the would be invited to deliberate on the recitation of a verse from the workforce had gone down communal harmony. He said that the Quran by Hafiz Athar Husain. The considerably men were still in a pattern of communal violence had proceedings of the lecture were commanding position. Stressing the changed between 1947 and 1997. An conducted by Dr. Aftab Alam, Asstt. need for proper planning, he said that effort was made to put an effective Prof., Zakir Hussain College, Delhi optimal utilisation of human resource curb on communal violence by University. A large number of must be made. Holding that education bringing the Anti-Communal Violence scholars, university teachers, social and employment were co-related, he Bill in Parliament, but the stiff activists and prominent citizens, opined that the deprived must get an resistance put up by the then main including Ammama Sabri, Prof. Shafiq opportunity to develop. Owing to the opposition party and the complicity of Ahmed Khan Nadvi, Kamal Ahmad, presence of the holy Quran and Hadith, members of the BJP stalled the bill. He Col. (retd.) Abdul Rasool Khan from Muslims had a strong identity. Their said that the communal forces in the USA, Dr. Tariq Ashraf, Mushtaq teachings made the Muslims not to be country used violence as a tool to Ahmad Wani, Syed Ahmadullah, fearful of death which Afroz Alam was not found in any Qasmi, other religion. While Rashiduzzafar, lamenting that the media Abdul Hafiz, had failed to play an Abdul Haq important role in creating Falahi, Nihal an atmosphere conducive Ahmad, Mohd. to peace and harmony, he Minhaj Ahmad, said that the government, Shakeelur too, was found failing in Rahman, Qamar its duty to promote Ashraf, M. brotherhood, communal Shamsuddin, Safi and social harmony. Akhtar, Waseem The Secretary Ahmad Fahmi General, IOS, Prof. ZM and Dr. Bismil Khan held that the Aarfi, were communal violence was present on the multi-dimensional. It occasion. could be studied from the A view of the audience angle of psychology, IOS organises politics and sociology. come to power. They successfully Symposium on Several scholars had studied the polarised Hindus against Muslims in Nationalism Today: Issues and subject and drawn their conclusions. their bid to attain power. They knew Challenge With the advancement of science and when and how to use a person in their A symposium on “Nationalism technology, the reach of social media sinister design to spark off communal Today: Issues and Challenges” was was not bound by country or continent. violence. The rioters took advantage of organised by the Institute of Objective Messages of various sorts on the the fact that the Muslims by nature Studies on April 30, 2016 at the facebook were scanned, studied and were uncompromising on their Deputy Speaker’s Hall, Constitution then spread across the globe. identity. He held that during India’s Club here. Justice Rajinder Singh Islamophobia was such a falsehood freedom movement, the RSS had Sachar, former Chief Justice of the that gripped the world today, he said. advised Hindus not to waste their Delhi High Court, who presided over He felt satisfaction that India was still energies on it and keep their power the symposium, said that nationalism safe from the scale of strife that was reserved for use against Muslims and implied that all citizens of India being witnessed in Syria and other the Christians when the time came. irrespective of their religions, caste, countries of the Muslim world. Calling Islam a religion of peace and creed, etc. were equal. Chairman, IOS, Dr. Mohammad well-being of the entire mankind, he Manzoor Alam in his presidential noted that the Prophet of Islam The Preamble to the Constitution remarks announced that the IOS would too states that India is a secular and

4 IOS NEWSLETTER May 2016 democratic society. Referring to the he would lose half of his vision. echo in the writings of VD Savarkar last Haj sermon of the Prophet of Islam Raising the problems faced by the who belonged the Hindu Mahasabha. (PBUH), he said that the prophet weavers of UP he said that during his This idea came into conflict with the (PBUH) emphatically stated that the last visit to Lucknow he had urged the concept of liberty, equality and white skinned would hence have no state chief minister to address their fraternity. He said that the Ayodhya presidence over the black skinned and issues, particularly the difficulty in movement was a flashpoint. Being a vice-versa. There was unequivocal procuring yarn. temple town, Ayodhya had a large message of Islam, he observed. Social activist Harsh Mander number of temples, quite a few of Similarly Jesus Christ said that he expressed concern over the phase of them believed to be the birth place of would not embrace the wealthy. aggressive nationalism India was Shri Ram. But the protagonists of the Holding that Hinduism was not passing through. Tracing the idea of temple movement persisted with their superior to Islam, he noted that any nationhood, he said that gender, faith, view that the place where the Babri government formed on religious basis etc. did not matter when such an idea Masjid once stood was the precise would not last long. emerged. Two ideas, viz, the idea of birth place of Shri Ram. Lambasting the Central Pakistan and the Idea of India They held that it was a matter of government for mishandling the JNU emerged. While the idea of Pakistan their faith and demanded that the issue, he said that it was a disaster. He was driven by lack of security to mosque be removed in respect of the charged the government with a design Muslims, the idea of India then was sentiments of the majority, the Hindus. to destroy the JNU. Commenting on based on confidence among the He said that they treated Muslims as the existing law of sedition, he people, respect for each other’s culture the enemy within. The idea that the maintained that as nation belonged president of the People’s to the Hindus Union of Civil Liberties who were in the he had appealed to all majority was political parties to press contrary to the the government for its spirit of the repeal. He wondered as Indian to why political parties Constitution. At a were not moving ahead time when the to demand withdrawal of RSS had the sedition law. He said completed 90 that due to this years of its obnoxious law, a number existence, it had of Muslims languished in become more jails for years together outspoken and and were ultimately virulent. Though freed for want of there were evidence during the various castes trial. This had badly L-R: Ml. Abdul Hameed Nomani, Mr. Harsh Mander, Justice Rajinder Sachar, within the Hindu affected such youth Mr. John Dayal and Dr. Hilal Ahmad fold, it was the whose precious years Hindutvadis who had gone down the drain. and religion. He explained that the idea declared that they would determine of Pakistan with one religion was Lauding the role of Brigadier who was a Hindu. There was a challenged in several ways. This idea Usman during the Indo-Pak War in difference between Shri Ram of the collapsed with the separation of East 1965, Justice Sachar said that though Hindu nationalists and Gandhiji. On Pakistan and emergence of an the veteran freedom fighter and India’s one hand it was Shri Ram of Nathu independent country called first Education Minister, Maulana Ram Godse who killed Gandhiji, on Bangladesh. Azad was proud to be a devout the other it was Ram of the latter who Muslim, he never spoke for Muslims It was alleged that some three uttered “Ram” while falling to the only; he pleaded for equal rights to million Bangladeshis were killed by assassins’ bullet. Thus the question Hindus, Muslims and Christians. In the Pakistani establishment. Similarly, arose who represented the real Ram, he 1921 Mahatma Gandhi had also Muhajirs (migrants) faced persecution noted. described Hindus and Muslims as his in Pakistan despite professing the same Harsh Mander observed that India’s two eyes. If one of his eyes was lost, religion. In India, Hindutva found an unity lay in its diversity, its different

5 IOS NEWSLETTER May 2016 religions and languages. There was a Christians had for all practical commitment, the caste system had not community in Arunachal Pradesh purposes come down to 50 percent, he yet been outlawed. Any attempt at which had a population of only 300. said that though there was no caste curbing the freedom of speech must But that survived; their language and system in Islam, Christianity and also be fought. Laying emphasis on the culture where intact. On the contrary, Buddhism. Yet, the people belonging change of public discourse, he said that BJP’s idea of nationalism was to Scheduled Castes lost the benefits access to the media should be exclusive as it called for the they enjoyed as a sequel to their increased. He noted that homogeneity of Hindus. He stressed conversion to these religions. He also fundamentalist forces were formidable that it should be within the four walls raised the issue of fishermen of the and they could be confronted only of the Constitution. He said that the Gujarat coast who were mostly when a united fight was put up against state had a duty to intervene if the Christians. He said that their livelihood them. Constitution was flouted. He called for was threatened by the deployment of Senior journalist and broadcaster, preserving the idea of friendship, trawlers and dumping of nuclear Urmilesh opined that the idea of India brotherhood and mutual caring. waste. He called for urgent attention to had several shades before and after Senior journalist and activist, John this problem. independence. This had now emerged Dayal raised the as a problem with question of language and conversions by economy, its other saying that the constituents. That Constitution did not today’s idea of India prohibit it. But, of was full of late, Christians were contradictions was being accused of obvious from the fact organising forcible that both Sardar conversions. Bhagat Singh and Dr Referring to the BR Ambedkar were persecution of removed from public Christians by the perception. He said Ravi Shankar Shukla that the emergence of government in BJP’s nationalism Madhya Pradesh was the failure of decades ago, he said Gandhi-Nehru model that the first Prime of nationalism. He Minister, Pandit explained that the Jawaharlal Nehru A view of the audience Hindu upper castes had advised him were behind the idea against playing with fire. He held that Prof. Achin Vanaik of Delhi of Hindu nationalism and this found raids were organised against churches University held that nationalism was favour with them irrespective of their in MP and the Christian community comparatively a modern phenomenon. party affiliations. They might be was under extreme stress due to Nationalism was not inherited from the conservative or progressive, but they threats. He said that the persecution of past. He said that nationalism was gave full support to the idea of Hindu Christians was more than that of the more powerful than religious nationalism. He said that it was Kanshi Muslims. nationalism. Nationalism was Ram who for the first time made Dalit Due to the scattered population of identified with the community of assertion a focal point in Indian Muslims, attacks on then were not as citizens. He maintained that the state politics. He brought Ambedkar to life. organised as on the Christians. He had to be secular while dealing with But Mayawati frittered away all gains noted that the Christians were charged different religious groups. It had to he had made. He believed that with receiving money from the West respect the imperatives of religion. He something positive could emerge if the for conversions. Voicing concern over pleaded that there should be a ideas of Bhagat Singh and Dr the systematic undermining of the democratic nationalism. While calling Ambedkar were put together. Stressing independence of various institutions, for the fight for democratic justice, he the need for a better connect with the he said that the Constitution was under said that it should be fought at the people, he said that a big movement threat. Holding that the rights political, judicial and the citizens’ must be launched for the purpose. He guaranteed to Muslims and the level. He deplored that despite also held that a course correction

6 IOS NEWSLETTER May 2016 would have to be made if the RSS had different dimensions of the lives of the Siraj came to Sind in 1236 and served to be marginalised. weavers in Northern India and their as the principal of Dar al-Uloom Prof. Rizwan Qaiser of the JMI struggles for survival. With the advent Firoziyyah at Uch, a famous seminary said that the question of nationalism of new technologies in the growing of the time. When Itutmish occupied was as old as 100 years. Earlier globalised world and the policies of Uch, he took al-Siraj with him and Muslims were dubbed as Arabian privatization, globalization and appointed him as the Qazi of Gwalior. progenies, but it had now changed. liberalization, the weaver community Later on during the reign of Sultan There was no need to prove our has been facing enormous challenges Nasiruddin Mahmud he became nationalism as 95 percent of the to remain afloat and survive. principal of the famous Nasiriyya Muslims were Hindus 4-5 generations The book analyses the impacts of College of Delhi. Due to his deep and ago, he said. various services / schemes and thorough scholarship he ultimately initiatives of the governments for the became Qazi al-Quzat, the Chief Dr Hilal Ahmed from CSDS held Justice of the Kingdom. In recognition that the word Hindutva was first used weaver community. After the assessment of their situation and of his profound learning the king by the Hindu Mahasabha leader Veer conferred on him the coveted title of Savarkar. The BJP put the term into its efforts by the government, the book recommends the areas of policies and Sadr-e-Jahan. Qazi Siraj’s greatest election manifesto after 1996 when scholarly contribution was Tabaqat-e- Justice JS Verma, judge of the intervention programmes to provide effective relief and rehabilitation to the Nasiri which he had dedicated to Supreme Court, defined it in his Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud. judgment. Later, it was used by Arun weavers to handle the adversities that they are facing today. However, Islamic scholarship had Shourie in his book and Narendra started even before the emergence of Modi during the electioneering in Earlier, the Secretary General, IOS, Qazi Siraj on the scene. Mention must 2014. Prof. ZM Khan welcomed the guests be made of the earliest history of Sind, Maulana Abdul Hameed Nomani, and explained the topicality of the Minhaj al-Masalik. The original Secretary, Jamat-i-Ulemae Hind, subject. He hoped that the Arabic text of the book has been lost remarked that nationalism threw up deliberations at the symposium would but its Persian version, Chach Nama, several questions that needed to be send a message which would go far prepared in 1216 by Ali Ibn Hamid answered. Hindu nationalism was and wide. The symposium began with Abu Bakr al-Kufi has survived to our being renamed as Indian nationalism. a recitation from Holy Qur’an by Hafiz time. Nazeerul Hasan. While Asstt. He explained that while Hindu But we shall come to the world of religious texts had no mention of Professor of Political Science, Zakir Husain College, University of Delhi, book later on; for now let us patriotism, the country was being concentrate on the spread of Islamic sought to be divided in the name of Dr Md Aftab Alam conducted the proceedings, Advocate on Record, education in Muslim India. Education Hindu nationalism. This concept of through a chain of well-managed nationalism was based on hatred. He Supreme Court of India, Mushtaq Ahmed proposed a vote of thanks. A Madaris continued to flourish and said that if this nationalism was spread during the Khilji period. positive in its nature then every Indian large number of social activists, human rights activists, social scientists, Alauddin Khilji was uneducated who without regard to caste and creed was a paid little attention even to the nationalist. In order to establish its academics and prominent citizens were present on the occasion. education of his own children. But identity, RSS was trying to divide even in his time Delhi continued to be society by using hatred as a tool. We Contd. from page-1 a great center of learning. Many are still undecided about our strategy However, education through Madaris notables of the Khilji dynasty to counter this move. Referring to on a large scale was organized during championed and patronized knowledge Guru MS Golwalkar’s book A Bunch the Sultanate period that began in by welcoming the scholars from of Thoughts, he said that during a 1206. The slave Sultans of Delhi Baghdad and other major towns of the meeting Golwalkar and Nehru agreed established a good number of Madaris Islamic World. The Khilji era also saw to work towards the consolidation of two of which, Shamsiyya and the establishment in Delhi of hospitals Hindus. Nasiriyya became very famous. The and colleges that imparted Graeco- On this occasion, IOS publication Mongol invasion and sacking of the Arab medicine. The Madaris and based on the research study on Muslim heartland from central Asia to hospitals of the time were host to some “Weavers: Struggle for their Survival” Iran and Baghdad in the first half of great Islamic scholars and physicians. by Ashok Kumar Sinha, Development the 13th century compelled many a Scholars taught and wrote books on Professional was also released. This great scholar to escape to India and such subjects as history, jurisprudence, book objectively looks into the Spain. The celebrated scholar Qazi al- theology, linguistics, Tafsir and Hadith etc.

7 IOS NEWSLETTER May 2016 The rulers of the Tughlaq dynasty kingdom, encouraged scholars to go specially targeted the Ulama for proved to be even greater patron of out of Dehi, spread across the country revenge. Moreover, until then Madaris knowledge. In his book, An and impart education to the students, were financially supported by notables, Intellectual History of Islam in India, both Muslims and Hindus. He also Muslim rulers, even by the British in Aziz Ahmad has said that at one point invited reputed scholars from various some cases. However, after the Delhi alone had over a thousand parts of the Islamic World to rebellion the situation changed as Madaris. Firoz Tughlaq who disseminate knowledge and promote meeting the expenses. Moreover, succeeded the greatly educated education in his kingdom. during the Muslim rule Madaris Muhammad ibn Tughlaq paid special The Mughal emperors from Babur to produced civil servants and military attention to Islamic studies. As a Aurangzeb were great patrons of officers and other components of the result, some great works of knowledge. In his brief reign Babur ruling elites. The onset of the British jurisprudence such as Fatawa Tatar took great interest in building new rule, however, changed all these and Khani were prepared under his Madaris and colleges. However, the the purpose of Madaris now became to personal supervision and care. He disturbed period of his son, Humaun preserve the religious identity of authored his memoir or a kind of saw no progress in this area. It was left Indian Muslims. history of his own kingdom, Futuhat-e- to his son, Akbar who established a The purpose of the above brief Firoz Shahi and hired many scholars to large number of Madaris and colleges summary of Madrasa education during translate Sanskrit works into Persian. whose gates were open both for the long Islamic period is to show how He opened schools, gave them grants Hindus and Muslims. Under him the Muslims popularized education, or made special Awqaf for them. The syllabi underwent drastic changes as specially the Islamic studies. A look at idea was to popularize education he urged to reduce theological content the syllabi of the Madaris would through well-managed Madaris some and include rational science. This trend suggest that Islamic studies, and not of which had separate residential continued well up to Aurangzeb who theology, have been the dominant quarters both for students and teachers. put equal, if not greater, emphasis on component of Madrasa education. The The Sayyid dynasty also continued the theological contents of the syllabi. following passage is worth reading: valued policy of patronizing Aurangzeb helped in establishing two The development of the medieval knowledge. Badaun, a district town in great Madaris, one by Shah Abdur educational curricula can be divided Western UP near Delhi became a great Rahim, the father of famous Shah into three periods. In the first period set of learning during this period. In Waliullah and the other at Firangi that of the Sultanate and its successor fact, the last two Sayyid rulers lived in Mahal in Lucknow. The thinking and states in the provinces until 1500 the Badaun in order to enjoy the syllabi that these two Madaris subjects taught were theology, intellectually rich company of the developed continue to dominate even jurisprudence (Fiqh) and its principles learned. the modern day Madaris. Mullah (Usul), exegesis, Hadith, Sufism, Madrasa education underwent a Nizamuddin who taught at Firangi grammar, rhetoric and logic. The chief landmark change during the reign of Mahal prepare a new syllabi which, emphasis was on the study of the Sikandar Lodhi (1489-1517). He made more or less, is taught even today. The principles of jurisprudence and their it compulsory for his civil servants and Mulla picked up one or two books for application. The second period ranges military officers to acquire a certain any particular subject and included from the reign of Sikandar Lodhi to the level of education. He also made them in the syllabi. Since then one or early period of the reign of Akbar, Persian the official language of two books of a subject are taught in from 1500 to 1575. This is the phase of administration even at lower level. Madaris while the practice before the growing emphasis on the medieval This policy compelled the Hindu Mulla was to deliver lectures and read rational sciences, logic mathematics, subjects of the kingdom to learn and benefit from any number of medicine and astronomy. The third Persian for whom new Madaris were sources. The Mughal Empire fell apart phase begins with the age of Akbar, opened which had a new syllabi that after the death of Aurangzeb. The when there was even greater emphasis contained a great deal of rational successor states, however, continued on rationalism, though this process sciences. In a sense it was a humble his educational policies upto the was reversed to some extent under attempt at “secularizing” the establishment of the British rule in Aurangzeb. Ethics seems to have been curriculum of the Madaris which India. in their early period the British, the chief area of concentration in this reached its zenith under the Great too, continued with the Madrasa period…” Mughal, Akbar, Sikandar Lodhi’s education. It took over half a century The Madrasa education in modern fascination with rational sciences to undermine the Madrasa education. It India has, more or less, followed the forced even the Madaris attached with was the rebellion of 1857 that, in fact, Dars-e-Nizami developed at Firangi mosques to include them in their gave a jolt to the Madrasa system Mahal during the reign of Aurangzeb. syllabi. He opened schools all over his because in its aftermath the British However, with the changing time some

8 IOS NEWSLETTER May 2016 Ulama felt that the Dars-e-Nizami pursued at Dar al-Uloom, Deoband was established and nurtured at Lucknow by a number of scholars including the renowned author/thinker Allama Shibli Nomani (1857-1914). The states purpose was to bridge the gap between the religious and “modern secular” education. At a later period the great scholar of Quran, relative and disciple of Shibli Nomani, Maulana Hamiduddin Farahi, became dissatisfied with the syllabi of Madaris. He felt there was an overemphasis on Hadith, Fiqh, logic and grammer etc. and the primary source of the Sharia, the Holy Quran, was neglected in that its Tafsir was not taught in a sufficient way. He found that instead of thinking (literally Tadabbur) over the verses of the Quran they confined themselves with teaching of Tafsir (commentary) of one or another commentator which was written in the distant past. With such an ideal in mind he initiated what is known as Farahi School of Tafsir at Madrasa al-Islah, Sarai Mir, Azamgarh. From Status of Islamic Studies in India: An Overview published by the Japan Foundation, New Delhi, pp. 19-23.

8 IOS NEWSLETTER May 2016 OPINION The Evil Within by Ishtiyaque Danish The views expressed in the article do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of the Newsletter (editor)

Evil is both, internal and external. evil. It is, therefore, most difficult to not just his enemy, rather they are the Normally people seek and find evil or fight against. Fortunately, man also has enemy of God. This thinking makes its shades in others and ignore its another passion or force in him which him intolerant towards things different. presence in their own souls. Yes some is called Nafs-e-Lawwama. This force Often such a man is overpowered with ignore, and many others are just unable tries from within a man to fight and extreme kind of piety and he starts to see the evil within. Seeing and defeat the false passions that seek to thinking that his mission in life is to fighting against the evil within has destroy men from within. Thus inside correct by force every wrong he sees been described in a Hadith as Jihad-e- every man there is a battle ground, his or comes across. He never thinks that Akbar, the greatest war. This greatest Zameer or conscience where forces of he may also be wrong; he never Jihad is not fought with weapons made evil and good are always engaged in a concedes that others may also have a of iron and explosives. You need will fierce battle to capture his mind and point of view. His worldview is very power to defeat this internal enemy soul. In Islamic tradition, religion and narrow. The world for him is either with the help of your pious deeds. And civilization this battle within is tackled white or black. Obviously he thinks this piety is not a momentary with the seriousness it deserves. A that he is white, the good and those phenomenon; it is a life-long believer or Muslim is always reminded who are not like him are black, the experience; it is always alive, it never that Nafs-e-Ammara is his greatest evil. He doesn’t know that there are dies. The enemy within is powerful, enemy which has to be defeated at any other colours, green, yellow, pink, intelligent and scheming. It corrupts cost. He prays five times a day, so he brown and many more, and all these one’s mind, his or her eyes and also remains God conscious through day colours have their own significance the soul. When mind becomes corrupt, and night. Remembering God and may not see white as good or it orders all the parts of body to strengthens one’s Nafs-e-Lawwama, black as evil. So the man, overpowered indulge in corruption; when your eyes the passion within which continuously with self-righteousness not only sees become corrupt, you become blind to fights against Nafs-e-Ammara. Paying the world in black and white but also truth and when the soul is corrupted, the poor due is also a means to fight thinks that he is duty bound to try to the evil becomes attractive, even against the evil within. Similarly, the eliminate evil. So he becomes the seductive and almost destroys the man fasting helps a man become more God- Warrior with capital W and the rest of surreptitiously. The evil within or the conscious so that he is able to defeat world his enemy. We can imagine that internal enemy appears in many forms. Nafs-e-Ammara. Often man thinks that this kind of extremist thinking is It may be false pride, base, selfish he alone is pious, he alone is right and doomed to failure from the beginning. desire, greed and self-gratification etc. all others are wrong. This evil within And we can also imagine that this But the most dangerous evil is the may be called self-righteousness. This extremist thinking is the most passion within that all the time is a dangerous disease and destroys dangerous form of the evil within. encourages you to do a wrong and find man completely. A man afflicted with a joy in it. This is Nafs-e-Ammara, the this disease gradually develops a very SUBSCRIPTION passion within that overpowers man dangerous feeling or thinking that Annual : Rs. 20/- $ 5 and takes him to the joyful world of those who do not agree with him are Five Years: Rs. 75/- $ 15

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