Present Grave Situation and Role of Our Ulama

Our Ulama deserve and relish a great respect in Muslim society. Millions of the people gather behind them in five times daily prayers and on Fridays for a bigger congregational prayer. Almost 95% of the people, not only the ‘traditionalists’ but modern also, want matrimonial rituals carried out through Ulama. They are called to lead funeral (Janazah) prayer. Even an ordinary custom, calling Azan in the ears of a newly born baby, very easily can be and should be performed by common Muslims, is supposed to be executed by any maulvi sahib. This is only because we are going through a condition of religious stagnation. Gaining necessary knowledge for all the activities mentioned above is the duty of every Muslim without drawing a distinction line of the religious and non-religious persons. A division of being ‘religious’ and ‘non religious’ is not the concept of Islam but a result of blindly following hypothesis popular in the western countries. Unwise following of the west is only because the Muslim societies have become politically, religiously and socially declined and decayed. Most of our revered Ulama also lost interpretative and creative quintessence and became subject to a moral and mental filthiness.

Unconscientiously they have accepted this division. A Persian proverb says: ‘khanahe khali ra devan mi geerad’ (an empty house goes in control of ghosts). Free and figurative meaning of the proverb is that if a vacuum is not properly filled some inappropriate filling happens. When we divided ourselves in two parts, separating Dunya from Deen, on both sides there emerged a vacuum. There were the times when religious leaders, in spite of their inaptitude in their worldly life, emerged as paragons of honesty, piety, courage and contentment. Unfortunately high standard of sharp wisdom, contentment and selflessness lasted not for a long time. Vacuum developed and with our fall in worldly life a dearth of spiritual and moral strength also increased. Some lofty characters of high morality renowned for their religious erudition rose, not from the ranks of traditional religiosity, but only with their own research, innovation and originality. Traditional religiosity is still confined to its madrassas with an outmoded system of education and an oft-repeated syllabus having a little from the Quranic wisdom and light of Hadith.

Islam is a complete and perfect code of life guiding both in earthly as well as moral and spiritual spheres of life. It does not accept dividing the life in parts and then seeking its guidance only in some rituals mentioned above. Its fruitful impacts are seen only when it is taken as a whole and not sometimes, somewhere and somewhat. Immensely harmful situation is inevitable if a proper dose of a medicine at the proper time and in the light of consultation of the doctor not taken. The case of Muslim Ummah is not different. It needs an accurate medication advisable in the light of the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah but what is given to it is imperfect and fragmentary. If entire individual and collective life is not built on Islam’s architectural guidance and not led on its disposal, then acting upon some of its teachings brings no positive implications. Muslim Ummah has been experiencing excessively unpalatable consequences of separation of Dunya from Deen. Political tyranny (Chagezi) and economic exploitation (Qarooniat) is one sad aspect and ‘Deen-e- Mullah Fi Sabeelillah Fasad’ is another ugly facet of the picture, as a fatal impact, both are the bitter results of division. Religiosity in tribal areas of FATA got its vacuum filled with local tribal values and traditions and a spiritless religiosity of modern class filled its gaps with western ideas and cultural traits. And that is one of the root causes of Fasad at the both sides. The clash presently seen everywhere is actually of two shapes of religiosity.

Entire nation is in the grip of stirred up situation of Fasad (troubles and turbulences). Innocent lives are being lost in bomb blasts and suicide bombing. No day goes without a carnage and bloodshed. Dreams of peace and safety are shattered. Terrorism is at its high. But if a class of society seems at its ease and unperturbed, is of our Ulama. Is this not the time for them to come out from their madrassas and unanimously, without any ifs and buts, condemn the terrorists? Is this not the time to disown the elements, playing in the hands of Islam and Muslim Ummah? Cursing the ruling elite is another job not to be connected with rising against the wave of terrorism.

OK, right that the rulers are cowardice and senseless. Conceded that they are American puppets. But what about Maulvi Fazlullah, late Baitullah Mehsood and now Hakeemullah and others who have waged a war against not Zardari and Yusuf Raza Gilani but against people of Pakistan. Fasad is worse than Qatl(killing). If the flames of Fasad are not quenched at a proper time and in a proper way its eventuality is Qatl, Qatl and Qatl. And we see everywhere around us massacre in result of terrorism. The Ulama should know that een hama awurdahe tust (all this is brought by you). The vacuum left by Ulama,is getting filled by an ignorant religiosity, causing a big Fasad. Ulama still enjoy a respect but if they pay no heed they will rightly be subject to a harsh criticism and loss of respect. They will have to take a side, either wholeheartedly with the nation or openly with the terrorists. Now their remains no middle way open for them. It is particularly must for the Ulama of Deobandi school of thought to go to the troubled areas where Tehreek-e-Talban, having affiliation with Deobandi school of thought, is combating our military forces. If they courageously come in the field and openly refute and determine to fight against terrorists and even then Fasad continues then the people will be fully convinced that all the heinous acts of terrorism are of Black Water, Raw and CIA. So respectable Ulama! Please make the people convinced of it.