Komashisha
Necessity of Integrated and universal educational curriculum : Mufti Muhammad Taqi Osmani
Respected and prominent Principal of Jamia, dear audience and expert teachers! My sincere greetings to all.
You participated in this program for a long time. I think that the time you have spent in the program it will be considered as divine food for your soul. Time of meal is very close. So I won’t take much time. However, I want to talk very briefly, about the interface of ‘Hera Foundation School’.
Principal of our Jamia, the Grand Mufti of Pakistan Hazrat Maolana Mufti Rafi Osmani discussed over and over again In this context, in variety of meetings. I also discussed my respected father’s (RA.) valuable opinion in a few places.
My revered father observed the national curriculum of Pakistan and said to the high officials: after the establishment Pakistan we need a new type of comprehensive and universal educational curriculum.
It is noted here that, prior to the establishment of Pakistan, there were three famous educational curriculum in this sub-continent.
One. Darul Uloom Deoband’s educational curriculum.
Two. Aligarh Muslim University’s educational curriculum.
Three. Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulema’s educational curriculum.
Around about the 1950’s, my revered father said, after the establishment of Pakistan we do not need Aligarh Muslim University’s educational curriculum nor Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulema’s educational curriculum. Even Darul Uloom Deoband educational curriculum is not sufficient for us. Rather we need a system of education which is consistent with the educational system of our predecessors. You may be surprised to hear me say that one of the Darul Uloom Deoband Mufti-e-Azam says, “Pakistan has no longer necessity of Darul Uloom Deoband educational curriculum, but It needs a new curriculum for education.”
Akbar Elahabadi – a renowned poet from India- has rightly observed the pre-mentioned Three conventional education system in India and said: “Deoband is as like as awaken heart. Nadwa is the prudent spokesman. The Aligarh is a way to fulfil the stomach with honour.”
Whatever my revered father said, was extremely deep and full of insight. Many people did not understand the reason and it is why they were the victims of misunderstanding. These three educational system which were prevalent in India were the counteracting system or result of the English education system which was introduced in this sub-continent by them. If you observe and study the ancient educational system of Muslim countries for more than thousand years obviously you won’t see the division between school and the Madrasa. There was not a dual system of education as now a day’s prevalent system in our country. You will see that from the beginning era of the Islam to the pre-colonial era, in madrasas and jameas Islamic knowledge and modern secular subjects had been taught simultaneously.
It is not obligatory for each person to be expert and specialist in religious knowledge. It is farje kefaya. In any community or country, If there has sufficient amount of ulema to meet their religious need the other persons will be discharged in this regard. However, to acquire the basic religious knowledge is obligatory for every Muslim. In ancient madrasas and jameas the basic religious knowledge as much as farj-e-ain is taught to each of the students. After that who wants to be a specialist in Sharia faculty. he has opportunity for that and who wanted to achieve specialization in modern science he also had same opportunity.
I went to Morocco a few years ago. My respected elder brother Hazrat Moulana Mufti Rafi Osmani also went to Morocco last year. Fez a prominent and ancient city of Morocco. I went to this city last year. There is an university called Jamia Karwin.
If we search for famous Jameas in Islamic history we can find four of them. This is the first one namely jamia Karwin. The second one is Jamia jaituna in Tunisia. The third one is Jamiatul -Azhar in Egypt. Darul Uloom Deoband in India is the fourth one. Historical serial is also as per we mentioned here.
As per we mentioned the first university is Jamia Karwin. It has been claimed in the history that it is the university of the third century. It has not come to my knowledge yet that any one rejected the claim. It is not the first university of the Muslim world, but the world’s oldest university as well.
In that time which subjects were taught in that university are following: Arabic language, Tafsir, Hadith, Fiqh, medical science, physical science, history, astronomy, etc. That subjects which are considered now a days as modern subject had been taught in Jamia karwin in that time.
Allama Ibn Khaldun (R.), Allama Ibn Rushd (R.), Qazi Yaz, Allama Ibn al-Arabi Maliki (R.) and prominent Islamic scholars like them used to teach there. There is a long list of predecessors who have taught in this university. Their seats are reserved until now.
Primary and secondary level’s Madrasas were everywhere and in every community of Muslim world. But Jamia karwin was as a university. It’s education system was combined. Secular subjects were along with religious ones.
A lot of samples for the scientific discoveries of the third and fourth century (AH) are still saved here. you can see the clock and other discoveries of teachers and students of this university if you visit it.
Draw an attention, please. It is an university of 3rdhijri. Many scholars on Islamic knowledge were come out from here. Philosopher Ibn Rushd (Rh.) was also graduated from this. A number of prominent scientists were produced by this university. Al the students of this university were taught at first the basic Islamic knowledge as much as Farz-e-ain. Farther if anybody wanted to acquire special knowledge about religion, he also had opportunity to acquire that from here. As well If anybody wanted to become a mathematical scholar, he also could continue his study here. Those who wanted to be skilled in medical science were also studied there. Jamia Jaituna, Jamea Ajhar was run in this way and also till now. These three universities are our ancient universities. Those universities used to give religious and worldly education at the same time.
Allama Kazi Yaz (Rh.) -who was the Imam of hadith and Sunnah, Allama Ibn Khaldun (Rh.) -who was the imam of philosophy and history, look at their dress-up and physical get-up, you will see that both of them are same, there is no difference between them. First one was religious alem and second one was worldly alem. There had no external difference to look at. Their external dress-up, attitude, lifestyle, speaking expression and language all everything were same to same. Our famous scientists such as: Farabi (Rh.), Ibn Rushd (Rh.),Abu Raihan Al Biruni (Rh.) give a external look at them and then to our Muhaddiths and Fakihs, both of them were same to look at externally. If they knew the way to pray to Allah the others also knew that. If they knew the rules and regulations of prayer the other also knew that as much as essential limit. If they knew the rules and regulations of fasting the other also knew that. The basic education of religion -what is termed as Farz-e-ain- was known to all of them. Because, these universities provided the knowledge of all subjects about religious and secular education. But he running differences had been appeared when the English came here and established secular education system. By this they tried to omit the religious knowledge from this sub-continent. In that time, our pre cedes ulemas tried to carry on the responsibility of Farz-e- keyfaya as per need of the Muslims in that adverse situations. They ran such an educational system by their personal endeavour to make such ulemas who can teach others the basic knowledge of religion and also can answer the questions about the religion. It was the government’s job . But they didn’t do that. For this reason the ulema of that time established Darul Uloom Deoband.
Alhamdulillah, this institution carried on a great responsibility and carrying on till now. It is almost impossible to find an example of it.
If Pakistan were a true Islamic country and applied Islamic law righteously, then as per my father’s remark we had no need in Pakistan neither the curriculum of Alighor nor the curriculum of Nadwa. Even the curriculum of Darul Uloom Deoband wasn’t necessary for us . We needed the curriculum of of Jamea Karwin as well Jamia Jiatuna. Where every field of knowledge and science were taught. The students of those universities were coloured by the religious education. Even the engineers, the doctors, the judges and also the government officers were also coloured by the religious education. But it is a matter of affliction that, such an educational system was burden on us by the English colony which made us slave of west in mindset and intellect.
We faced many harms by the colonial educational system that introduced by the English. firstly: Our heritage, inheritance of science and arts have been destroyed. Secondly: this educational system has been divided the education into religious and secular. As a result the Muslim community also has been divided into Molla and Mr. Not only that, the students who are educated by this educational system have no any idea about the basic knowledge of religion.
Thirdly: brain of our students washed and set up in their mind that if they want a reach success he should follow the western culture as a blind man.
Fourthly: The culture of Muslim`s has been changed by that educational system. It is also set up in their brain and mindset, that if they want a success and reaches, they should follow the western culture. All the happiness and success are in their lifestyle. Most of the people who are educated by this educational system criticize the people who are educated by the religious education. They said the ulema who are educated by the Madrasa doesn’t invent anything. They have closed the way of invention and ijtihad. I answered them that: The ijtihad from the Quran, Sunnah and Fikh is complex and complicated method. Various knowledge in Quran and Sunnah is must for this. So it’s not open for all and everywhere. But it is open for all in modern science. Invention in sciences, technologies, mathematics is not close for anybody. By the educational system of Alighor and general governmental system, why don’t you created such scientist who can go ahead from the western scientists. Why don’t anybody prepared himself as a medical scientist to invent new medicines for the newly diseases by these educational system. Why don’t these educational system create any astronaut who can invent new planet. Where the way of ijtihad and invention are widely open there is no news about new invention but where the way of ijtihad is very narrow and deals with many bindings, they have many complains that why there is no ijtihad.
Before some days a person showed me a video clip. There I saw a person who is educated by the modern education asking to a alem: Maolana! I don’t deny that the ulemas are serving the religion. But my question is: ‘Why there is not any internationally renowned scientist from the Muslims? Why didn’t any Muslim scientist can explore any notable invention? I want an answer from the ulemas. I answered that you don’t ask this question to any alem but ask yourself that why there is no scientist in our country among them who are educated by the mass education system. Did Islam or any Alem make any obstacle upon this? Is there anybody who stopped the way of invention? The reality is that all the facilities are provided by the government to you. The way of invention was also open. Despite this you have closed the way of invention for your “mental slavery”. You accept all the theories given by the English or western scientists. You are accepting all kinds of information from them without any experiment . If they announce anything as harmful for health, you accept it without any hesitation. Their decision seems to be final in all subjects. Till the yesterday, our doctor used to say that, the yolk of the egg creates cholesterol; it is harmful for the patient of heart disease. But now those doctors say, eat the yolk of the egg. It creates no problem. Why our doctors turned into 360 degree angle. Because this announcement came from the western countries and our doctors have except it. There are many herbal trees and plants in our country. If the modern educated persons investigate and research them! If they invent any kind of medicine of a serious disease that the world astonish! Our prophet (Sm.) said about the usefulness of black cumin. If there is any kind of new experiment with this! How is it possible? They closed the door of experiment. They are watching to the west and their decision. Whatever will come from there that will be accepted without any hesitation. Actually they have closed the open door of experiment and invention, nevertheless they arise the question that why don’t the ulemas do not invent on the light of Quran and Sunnah. Actually, it is consequence of mental slavery. For this reason our modern educational system is remaining on stable motion in our country.
The modern secular education which introduced in our country by British colony keeps us mentally slave for the English. It is one of the bad effects for this type of education. The other bad effect of this educational system that it has diverted our mentality. In the past, the vision of acquiring knowledge was high and humanitarian but now it has turned into shabby and has been economical. It means in previous time, the vision of acquiring knowledge and education was for helping the society, serving the country and the countrymen. This was the major and main objective, but the service, job and economical interest etc were the secondary purpose. But now a days we use our knowledge and education for earn cash. Achieving economical interest is the major purpose and serving the human and the country is secondary goal. He who is more educated, he is more desperate to gain money. Read the brain of them who has completed graduation, Masters or PHD you will find the same picture. They are learning for their better career and job. The main purpose of education has become a way of earning. If any educated person could not able to get a good job or earn enough money, he seems to be a failure man. Generally, it is not taught in modern education system in our country that one should serve his society and the country by the knowledge and education. For this reason the modern educated persons are desperate to earn money more and more. They even don’t think about the country and also the others. They dream only money day round the clock. They are submerged to develop their career or having a job in a multinational company. I concede that there is exception among them. But what is the percentage? How much of the modern educated person comes ahead to serve the country and the countrymen without any deal? Statistically this number will be disappointing. But our Prophet (Sm.) taught us this prayer:
اللهم لا تجعل الدنيا اكبر همنا ولا مبلغ علمنا و لا غاية رغبتنا
‘Oh Allah don’t make the world our main meditation, objective to gain education and our main desired object.”
But what is the upshot of modern education structure? It made the worldly benefit our main goal for our knowledge, wisdom, passion, occupation, hope and dream and also made us self-cantered. As well it sank the so-called educated people in concrete thinking.
The motto of what my revered father said on education system is to retain our earlier socio-economic and mystical state of from the change caused by colonial English education system. Hence we have to follow the pathway showed by Karwin University and Jaituna University and Al-Azhar University at earlier stage. I used ‘Earlier Stage’ for Al-Azhar University because, colonial toxin influenced to distract this institution from mainstream.
After departure of the English from Indo-Pak sub-continent, Pakistan should have had followed Karwin University. But since the government neither followed that nor took necessary steps to save and develop the religious education and knowledge, the esteemed ulemas obliged to establish various madrasas following the education system of Darul Uloom Deoband. The intention was to secure Elm-E-Nabawi alias religious studies. Alhamdulillah, The sacrifices extracted by the esteemed ulemas and the enormous contributions to preserve religious studies at their personal level in adverse situations are really marvellous. We do not have record of such immense sacrifices by ulemas of any region of the world to preserve religious studies. However, until our ruler class and social structure be reconstructed in complete Islamic structure and Islamic government envisages education system with proper combination of here and hereafter as like as Karwin University, we will protect these (Qaomi/Deobandi) Madrasas duly and also uphold the style as established by our precedes ulemas (Akabirs) of Deoband with the best of our capacity. Here we will not allow any intervention. It’s because the safety of Muslims religion has been dependent upon it. Moreover, If the whole education system of the country turns to Islamic way, these institutes will endure as the makers of specialist Alims for religious knowledge.
We are trying to ensure the task of combining religious studies (as much as Farz-E Ain) with general education by our Madrasas since it is not being applied by the government. We do attempt to teach the modern science in color and odor of religion in atmosphere of our madrasas. Alhamdulillah, the number of religious institutions in Pakistan is well proportionate. But these madrasas are involved in dissemination of teachings of Farz-E kifayah.
It was found in a survey that only 1% of the students are going to these Madrasas. The rest 99% are attending education under such a system where they are turn out to be slaves (intellectually) of the west. I mentioned and still mention this to the teachers of Hera Foundation School: “your main objective is to protect our new generation from intellectual slavery of the west. Install this in the mindset of our children that we are a free nation and we have right of free and independent thinking. We are faithful to our beloved prophet’s thinking and ideal.
The west spread and installed upon our intellect that their thought, studies and researches are the venue of everything and also they are key to development and advancement. For the sake of Allah, eliminate this idea from the mind and intellect of our present and future generation. Flourish an Islamic spirit and discrete feeling among them. We established Hera Foundation school with a view to implement this dream. “Every western aspect is evil”- I shouldn’t be saying like that. Indeed, the west has many evils simultaneously some blessings. Therefore, receive the blessings and reject the evils. The observation of Allama Iqbal (Rah.) regarding the western philosophy, management and thought may be considered a worthy asset and lamppost for the Muslim nation. Allama Iqbal (Rah.) said:
“The development and advancement, power and influence of the west as we observed are not achieved by its orchestra and dancing of naked ladies. Rather they attained those by tireless labour and endeavor in researches in sciences. The light of their development has lit with the flame of their perseverance for studies. Researches are not implied in special shape of dresses (Shirt-pant). Science and research are meant to be achieved with perseverance. Long dress and turban are not hurdles to the way of science and research.”
In fact, the west ascended the worldly development and advancement and the immeasurable peak of power and influence by the virtue of its centuries long effort. Withstanding our tradition, culture and religion if we could deploy ourselves freely in research of sciences we would also be able to reach the zenith of advancement. Worldly science and research are not merely dependent on secularism. They don’t impose any obligation of west-like dresses and lifestyle. Many of us became victim of such thinking. They assume that restructuring of own lifestyle as western is a must for achieving modern knowledge and sciences. This thinking enslaved us to the west and resulted in disability of free and liberal thinking on science, research and philosophy. This true reality is portrayed in writing of Allama Iqbal. His narration is assessed to be enough to open our drowsy eyes. While discoursing the western education and their intellect he mentioned:
“You merely achieved knowledge of others and became content as felt them true knowledge. Nonetheless, with that knowledge you coloured your top to bottom. You are proud of attiring their dresses. I wonder- are you truly you or somebody else in you? Your brain and wit is handicapped by thoughts of others. Your respiratory organs are borrowed. Your articulations are delivered with language of others. Nevertheless, the dreams and wishes arouse in the core of your hearts are copied. You are not the suns, you are the moons, slightly lighted with borrowed light. The Arab prophet made you the suns. If he happens to arrive the earth again, he would say: “you are not my men”. Regrets to our misfortune and deterioration.
To protect our present and future generation from this dire consequence we need some science teaching institutions which will provide the highest grade teachings of science and technology in a way that the learners will not become the intellectual slaves of the west; moreover, they will grow with a combined mindset of own culture, heritage, civilization, religion and spirit.
Sensing this necessity, Jamia Darul Uloom Karachi established an Urdu Medium school inside the compound of Darul Uloom. That took place during my father’s lifetime. And now an English medium school named ‘Hera Foundation School’ has been established. Its syllabus and education curriculum have been designed keeping the religious necessities of the Muslims in mind. We consider the mother tongue to be the medium of children’s primary education. But we are so influenced by slave-like mentality that we set knowledge of English as the standard of merit. This spread among us like epidemic. The higher class of the society are rushing toward English medium schools. Generally children of these classes are growing up to be the leaders of the country and the society. So, we established an English medium school with a view to educate them with religious knowledge simultaneously. Alhamdulillah, alongside religious studies our English medium school offers Hifz to the eager and the meritorious pupils. You witnessed everything a little bit ago in the exhibition.
You know my son Imran Ashraf Osmani. I won’t speak much about him. Alhamdulillah, he is managing this branch of Darul Uloom with high reputation by his tireless labour. His colleagues are supporting him. Specially Maolana Nazib worked from dawn to dusk for the development of this institute. May Allah reward all with the best.
May Allah Rabbul Alamin consent purity in our aim and justify our style. May He protect us from all danger, adversity and deviation. Let this endeavour be directed as per his satisfaction. Ameen.
