In an address to the nation in
March earlier this year, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif spoke at length about the
direction in which his PML-N government wanted to take the country’s education
policy. In this regard, he announced that a committee would be set up to
streamline the role of the languages – or rather language – in building the
young minds. The focus would be on how to teach English to the younger
generation. While that is laudable, there was almost no mention of any of the
other languages spoken in Pakistan. In particular, as a teacher, I take strong
exception to the lack of mention of Urdu and Arabic.
Speaking as a teacher, it is Arabic, along with Urdu, which should be right
alongside English as the main medium for education. Now I understand this will
perturb a number of our cultural police – they bristle at what many among them
have pointed out is the growing Arabisization of Pakistani society. To this
section of our intelligentsia, I would simply counter that this is akin to the
argument that teaching English is going to spread western cultural values
amongst our youth.
That argument falls flat as there are more English speaking people in the Indian
Subcontinent – and have been for the past hundred years – than in the rest of
the world. While their accents may differ from the classical pronunciation, the
fact that children from Pakistan and India continue to top examinations wherever
English is the medium of education. Yet the change in values, despite the
rhetoric from a few ill informed religious leaders and scholars, has been
minimal. Even the general change that has taken place has been a mixture of the
best values from the west and the east, although of course there are exceptions.
This is increasingly evident in the fact that our young and educated generation
is now making a conscious choice of leadership on the basis of performance
rather than rhetoric or lineage.
The case against Arabic though is somewhat different and much more insistent.
Simply, it’s believed that its mass dissemination will give rise to what’s
labeled Islamic conservatism, extremism and militant thought. This is perhaps
the biggest and most fallacious contention against it. It is the learning and
understanding of the Arabic language that is the biggest bulwark against the
subversion of the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah to the sort of exclusionary
interpretation that is used by radical militant groups espousing the cause of
what they call holy jihad across the world.
But the critics would say that, if this were true, then our madarassas would not
be churning out mullahs with a medieval vision in an increasingly modern world.
While one cannot find fault with the latter half of the statement, it is
factually incorrect to put the blame on the teaching of Arabic or even just
Quranic Arabic. The reason for this is that 99 percent of our madarassa
teachers, and 95 percent Ulema (scholars) can’t even understand regular Arabic,
let alone the classical tone of the Quran.
This is not a well hidden secret, its open knowledge and often commented on
within the madrassas. Two episodes that come to mind would best illustrate this.
The first concern the famous Mufti Jamil Khan – a Pathan only in name. Once, a
new acquaintance asked him if he was fluent in Pashtu. Mufti Sahib jestingly
replied that he was as adept in the language as most Pakistani maulvis were in
Arabic.
The other concerns a very well known scholar and leader who shall be referred to
as Mufti Pharoah. Mufti Pharoah runs a well known madrassa in Karachi with a
number of foreign students; as such he is often invited to diplomatic functions.
But its also well known that he avoids going to those from Arab countries. Once,
a friend related how he took Mufti Pharoah with him to a dinner hosted by a far
eastern country. By chance, the consul general of a prominent Gulf state was
present and was introduced to the Mufti Pharoah. Ah, said the dignatory, its
good to have someone to talk to in Arabic to an blank Mufti P, who mumbled Ahlan
Wasahlan before summoning his son, who attends a top private school in the city,
to translate in English.
Given that this is the state of affairs with the top scholars, what can one
expect from those who are not so qualified. What it means is little and poor
Arabic learning being disseminated to the young minds. Frankly, a vast majority
only learn to read the Quran and the classical Arabic text, not understand it.
In the name of understanding, the cultural values and worldview of the teachers
are foisted on them, most of whom come from poor rural backgrounds. These are
then passed on as Islamic values, when they are anything but such.
This also means that a vast majority of the muftis and maulvis who are
approached for all sorts of fatwas hand out ones which are incorrect, illogical
and have dangerous consequences as evident in our society today. While its not
the subject of this article to discuss such fatwas, it should make common sense
that just as it is not possible to give a critique of Christianity without
understanding Latin, how can someone explain an Islamic argument or reason
without understanding the language of the Quran and the Ahadith.
One of Islam’s fundamental differences with other religions is the abolition of
an informal priesthood to interpret religion. Allah says in the Quran (verse
needed here) that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has brought the final message of
God to man, and that it is pure and unadulterated and easy to understand, and
directly addressed to his creation thus ending all intercession.
Unfortunately, this intercession, which is strongly discouraged in Islam, has
again crept in for practicing the most basic tenets of the religion. Its also
led us to be unsure of who we are and where we are coming from….the educated
amongst us can talk on any topic under the sun, but if the conversation turns to
Islam there is either silence or arguments based on hearsay and superstition
rather than solid facts. This leads to doubt, especially in our younger
generation who then end up asking fundamental questions from the people usually
most unqualified for the job – madrassa teachers or khateebs in mosques.
Thus it is necessary to educating our children in Arabic in regular schools so
that they can read understand Islam on their own, while english and the sciences
should be taught in madrassas so that those children having a talent in that
direction may get guidance. Its also necessary to improve the quality of Arabic
teachers madarassas.
The government should think about this and hopefully take these measures as soon
as possible.They will help increase understanding between the so called liberal
and right wing divide. It will also help decrease extremism, by decreasing
dependence on Islamic interpretations by those who seek the world rather than
the hereafter.
As technological advances continue at breakneck speed, barriers to all kinds of
information are being torn down. With the introduction of 3G / 4G spectrum in
Pakistan, the resources of thousands of universities and their libraries around
the world are available in the palm of every citizen’s hands, if he so chooses.
In such an environment, the basic language skills and values children learn will
determine the course their lives and our future societies will take. As Islam’s
form will definitely be a part of this world, it is of utmost importance that
its soul be along for the ride.