There is gross misconception in the Western media and among key communicators that every major act of international terror invariably has an imprint of Pakistan. The Westerners believe that virtually all the participants of the 9/11 tragedy had some links with the Pakistani Madaris. They think that these terrorists had been either trained, resided or met in, coordinated with, or received funding from or through a madrasa.
Amid the growing attacks, former American President Bill Clinton has criticized the Bush administration for “contracting out” US security to Pakistan by putting in its hands the hunt for Osama Bin Laden.
A little perplexed by these criticisms, Pakistan consistently denies giving the militants any type of moral, diplomatic and political support. It has repeatedly said that it was committed in its fight against terrorism and has already played a major role in the global fight against terrorism.
Already, Pakistan has handed over as many as 550 Al-Qaeda members to US, including some top operatives in the Al-Qaeda leadership; consequently the ‘Most Wanted’ list is growing shorter. Pakistan’s commitment, both at domestic as well as international levels, has been near total and they have been actively pursuing the elements connected to the Al-Qaeda networks both within Pakistan and facilitating efforts of international coalition outside Pakistan.
Madrasas viewed by the Western decision-makers as “breeding ground of terrorism”, has some reality as almost all the terrorists arrested had been studying in the madrasas established in Pakistan. It has serious repercussions on two accounts: Firstly, most of the madrasas focused on purification of faith for the purposes of knowledge therefore, branding all the schools involved in violent jihad, maligned the good name of madrasas. Secondly, few odd madrasas involved in violent jihad, have tarnished Pakistan’s sincere efforts to fight the menace of terrorism.
In order to avoid the onslaught of Western decision-makers, a strong need is felt to evaluate the efficacy of our madrasas.
Islamic rule was introduced to the Indian sub-continent in the early 8th century when Arab warrior Muhammad bin Qasim conquered Sindh, in what is southeastern Pakistan today. But the earliest known madrasas (seminaries) in north India were not recorded until the 13th century under the Turks. By the 14th century, Delhi alone had a thousand madrasas. In the 18th century, a curriculum known as the Dars-i-Nizamia, devised by Mullah Nizamuddin, became the standard syllabus. The curriculum was based on the Qu’ran, memorizing it by rote, which was considered the highest scholastic achievement. However, this curriculum did not focus on violent jihad.
There are currently five broad types of madrasas in Pakistan, with four of them belonging to the majority Sunni sect and one belonging to the Shiite minority.
When Gen. Zia ul-Haq took power in 1977, he turned Pakistan into an “Islamic” state. After the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the emphasis in madrasas curriculum was shifted to the obligation and rewards of violent jihad. During the 1980s, radical Pakistani madrasas turned out thousands of Afghan foot soldiers for the US-funded jihad against the Soviets in Afghanistan. After the Soviets were ousted from Afghanistan in 1989, instead of a slowdown, the rapid spread of jihadi madrasas in Pakistan continued. In the 1990s, after US-imposed sanctions following Pakistan’s nuclear program, the economy almost collapsed and the education infrastructure deteriorated rapidly.
For the poor, the madrasas offered a place where their children could get free boarding, food and education, and it turned out to be an irresistible option when compared to government-funded secular schools.
A madrasa plays a complex role in the modern Pakistani society. In addition to imparting instructions to young uninitiated students, these seminaries also serve as sanctuaries for the have-nots. Most of students of these institutions have either lost their parents or belong to very poor families. Though the option of a life of crime is there, many invariably opt for religious education. Seen in this context, these madrasas are playing a positive role in the society by preventing a vulnerable section of the population from joining the ranks of criminals.
President Gen. Pervez Musharraf was referring to this role of madrasas when he identified them as big non-governmental organizations (NGOs). In these institutions those underprivileged members of the society, who have no access to formal education, are educated. In this context their role may be equated with the role of Christian missionaries, whose important role in educating the poor people of South Asia has long been recognized.
Madrasas have played an unprecedented role in preserving the traditions of Islam and reawakening the consciousness of Islamic solidarity and Islamic way of life. Madrasas have been in the forefront of the independence movement in the subcontinent.
Therefore, all madrasas cannot be called factories of terrorism. Over a period of time, some of the madrasas fanned religious sectarianism and extremism to the immature minds of the students, threatening the internal security of Pakistan.
Musharraf’s government, meanwhile, has decided to modernize the religious seminaries, which constitute the Religious Training System (RTS) in the country, under the Madrasa Reforms Program at the cost of 185.6 billion rupees. The program aims at bringing the religious seminaries into the mainstream of educational system of the country through teachers training and provision of textbooks and equipment. Some 8,000 madrasas would be regularized as normal educational institutions of primary, middle and intermediate level. Students of these essentially religious institutions would get the opportunity to learn modern subjects like English, economics and computer sciences.
Some of the key pledges regarding madrasas reforms are: Firstly, the government has registered all madrasas so it has a clear idea of which groups are running which schools; secondly, the government has regulated the curriculum and all madrasas adopted a government curriculum by the end of 2002; thirdly, the government has adopted measures to stop the use of madrasas and mosques as centers for the spread of inflammatory statements and publications — both political and religious; and fourthly, the government has established model madrasas that would provide modern, useful education and not promote extremism.
The expected results of the campaign will be to strengthen lines of communication between madrasas and government, educate about 1.5 million students, provide employment opportunity for 32,000 teachers, provide incentives by helping in getting books, furniture, computers, printers and sports facilities in order to improve the madrasas education system. It will also help in eradicating sectarianism and extremism in the country and thus promote cohesion in the society.
Musharraf has put a stop to the tide of hate-filled messages advocated by seminaries, but the ultimate test will be the Western media’s will to change their perception of the madrasas.
Some of the important factors which has led to the madrasas being labeled as proliferating terror are: Firstly, madrasas is a by-product of Afghan Jihad. Secondly, the abrupt shift of US policy toward Pakistan after the ouster of the Soviets from Afghanistan. Thirdly, the imposition of US sanctions in 1990s. Millions of families, especially those with little income, send their children to religious schools where the children learn to hate American policies. Fourthly, widespread resentment in the Muslim world toward US polices, including invasion of Iraq and the unwavering support for Israel. Fifthly, endemic poverty, widespread corruption and often-ineffective government gave many opportunities to open seminaries in Pakistan. Lastly, misinterpretation of Islam by the pseudo scholars.
The government of Pakistan has religiously initiated madrasa reforms so that these students too become contributory segment of the society. In fact, the whole purpose is to combine Islamic teachings with rational sciences to train the madrasa pupils to become lawyers, judges and administrators.