Friday, May 27, 2011

Darul Uloom, Deoband, India

Deoband city

Darul Uloom, Deoband
http://www.hamarivani.com/blog_post.php?blog_id=1218


Darul Uloom, Deoband’s brilliant character of approximately one-and-a-half hundred years is like an open book. This institution never indulged in any act of treason against the country and the nation; rather, it always gave birth to loyal and peaceful men of character who lit the torch of knowledge and learning everywhere in the world and enriched the country and the nation with the wealth of knowledge and intelligence.

Darul Uloom, Deoband is not an institution but a living movement and embodiment of truth and loyalty whose services of the highest order are indelibly written in letters of gold in history. This movement of educational awakening did not confine its light to bustling cities, towns and settlement but spread to and thrived in far off villages, mountains, valleys and deserts as well. The sons of this institution even reached difficult and inaccessible places and illuminated the minds and lives of children of poor and backward communities who were not considered worthy of attention of civilised nations of the world. The soul rising from the hearths and houses of Darul Uloom glitters like gold for the country and the nation. The products of Darul Uloom are not burdens for the destiny of the nation but are crowns of its glory.

In Darul Uloom, Deoband and Islamic madrasas lessons of humanism, tolerance, dutifulness and faithfulness are taught. Products of these institutions are guardians of national honour who, without taking even a single paisa from the national exchequer, are rending selfless services to the country and nation in the field of education and training from their own national funds and doing great favours to them.

(a) the syllabus being taught in Darul Uloom, Deoband and other Islamic madrasas is quite open. There is not even a single lesson or article which preaches hatred or intolerance or incites against followers of other religions. Rather, their syllabi teach and preach respect for other’ religions, tolerance for neighbours and fulfillment of promises.

(b) Doors of Darul Uloom and religious madrasas are always open to all. Any one can go there and see from his own eyes the activities being undertaken there. No secret programme except religious education, training, duties etc is undertaken there at any level.

(c) All large and influential madrasas are registered under Societies Act and their annual accounts are sent to government departments after being audited by government auditors. The accounts contain details of income and expenditure and all these are done in accordance with laws of the nation.

(d) In many madrasas along with higher Arabic education, compulsory modern education in Hindi, Urdu, Mathematics etc is also imparted in primary or elementary classes (Maktabs).

(e) In many madrasas computer and high level education in English is also being imparted. Similarly, attention is also being paid in the fields arts and crafts.

(f) Without any exaggeration it can be said that almost 70% of minor and even major madrasas are financially in a very tight position and the responsible authorities of these madrasas have to work very hard and run here and there for collection of funds to meet their necessary expenses. Hence they cannot think of devoting their time and energy for any other kinds of activities.

(g) Darul Uloom Deoband and other madrasas are under close and constant scrutiny of government’s secret agencies for years. Every action and movement of madrasas is being recorded and pressured secretly but till date none of their activities have been found anti-national or in any way harmful for the country.

(h) Every one observing or inspecting Darul Uloom, Deoband has openly admitted that all accusations against this institution are totally baseless and false propaganda and have no relationship with reality. Just a few days back first secretary of the German Embassy had stayed in Darul Uloom Deoband for one and -a- half days and had observed the conditions prevailing there with his own eyes. He met and talked the responsible authorities, students and teachers of the madrasa directly. While leaving the madrasa, he wrote in the inspection book: ‘I had the opportunity of having detailed discussions with responsible authorities, students and other members and employees etc of this institution. The atmosphere of openness and transparency in which the talks and discussions were held was very encouraging and full of optimism for me. Through these discussions and conversations I received guidance for solving international disputes with reference to religion’.

In the same way all the journalists who came to review the activities of Darul Uloom went away with the same impression that here in this institution there is nothing objectionable from national point of view.

Every individual of this country should be thankful of Darul Uloom, Deoband and religious madrasas for their spotless character and in view of the fact that things which could not be achieved by government departments and agencies so nicely is being achieved and done by these madrasas in spite of scarcity of resources. On the contrary, taking advantage of the international situation, the worst fascist organisation of the country, RSS and its side-bick organisations are indulging in all kinds of absurd, false and nonsensical canards against Islamic madrasas and particularly Darul Uloom Deoband. Every three or four days highly provocative statements of Praveen Togadia Ashok Singhal and Sudershan against madrasas are being published in newspapers in which characters of madrasas are unnecessarily being badly damaged. Also, non-Muslim youths in RSS training camps at different place are being brain-washed these days so as to create hatred against madrasas.

The question is what after all is the fault of Darul Uloom Deaband and Islamic madrasas? Is their establishment and existence against the Constitution of India? Are the subjects being taught there a danger to the country’s security? Are their sources of income illegal? Are the persons associated with them involved in anti-national activities? Are the madrasas in any way blocking the progress or development of the country? Do the education being imparted in these madrasas harm or injure the feelings of the followers of other faiths in the country? If the answers to all these questions are 100% in negative, as is also the fact, what is then the reason or basis of character assassination of madrasas? The truth is that all such suicidal acts and canards against madrasas are totally baseless. Nothing is objectionable in any degree whatsoever from the point of view of national laws and activities of madrasas.

The main reason, however, is that these madrasas are biggest handicap in the way of fulfillment of plans of these fascist organisations. The plan of these fascists organisations is that the relationship of Muslims of the whole country should be cut off from their religion and then to Indianise them. In other words, their Islamic identity and their culture, civilisation and tradition should be suppressed and finally destroyed altogether and mythological and Hindu mentality should encompass their entire life and thought. They should not believe and talk about Qur’an and Hadith.

The biggest handicap in the dangerous plans of these communal forces are these very religious madrasas whose head or leader is Darul Uloom, Deoband. The communalists very well know that as long as religious or Islamic madrasas are there in this country, Muslims of this country cannot be made apostates. Hence they are after these madrasas with all their might. Their being anti-national, anti-Hinduiism or being centres of terrorism are just lame excuses. Real danger being faced by them is from the religious character of these madrasas because the communalists have no antidote to the religious and spiritual diet being provided by these madrasas to Muslims. Therefore they are trying to coin excuses after excuses in order to blame these madrasas and to present them in bad light. Their mischievous efforts are in no case expressions of their patriotism and love for the country but these represent only their hidden malice and enmity towards Islam and Muslims which is worthy of severe condemnation from every angle.

The communalists who are today directing the campaign of hate probably have no idea of how dangerous game of fire they are playing. If this fire, God forbid, spreads further it will not be confined to any particular community but will engulf the whole country and those who are trying to set and spread this fire today will also be burnt and will become an exemplary chapter of history. Hence the activities of these mischievous and dangerous elements need to be taken serious notice of. The journalists and authors community should come forward and fulfill their responsibilities to protect the country. (Translated from Urdu)