Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Islamic Religious Schools, Madrasas

The Arabic word madrasa (plural: madaris) generally has two meanings: (1) in its more common literal and colloquial usage, it simply means “school”; (2) in its secondary meaning, a madrasa is an educational institution offering instruction in Islamic subjects including, but not limited to, the Quran, the sayings (hadith) of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), jurisprudence (fiqh), and law.

Recently, “madrasa” has been used as a catchall by many Western observers to denote any school primary, secondary, or advanced that promotes an Islamic-based curriculum. In many countries, including Egypt and Lebanon, madrasa refers to any educational institution (state-sponsored, private, secular, or religious). In Pakistan and Bangladesh, madrasa commonly refers to Islamic religious schools.

As an institution of learning, the madrasa is centuries old. One of the first established madrasas, called the Nizamiyah, was built in Baghdad during the eleventh century A.D. Offering food, lodging, and a free education, madrasas spread rapidly throughout the Muslim world, and although their curricula varied from place to place, it was always religious in character because these schools ultimately were intended to prepare future Islamic religious scholars (ulama) for their work. In emphasizing classical traditions in Arabic linguistics, teachers lectured and students learned through rote memorization. During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, in the era of Western colonial rule, secular institutions came to supersede religious schools in importance throughout the Islamic world. However, madrasas were revitalized in the 1970s with the rising interest in religious studies and Islamist politics in countries such as Iran and Pakistan.

In the 1980s, madrasas in Afghanistan and Pakistan were allegedly boosted by an increase in financial support from the United States, European governments, Saudi Arabia, and other Persian Gulf states all of whom reportedly viewed these schools as recruiting grounds for anti-Soviet mujahedin fighters. In the early 1990s, the Taliban movement was formed by Afghan Islamic clerics and students (talib means “student” in Arabic), many of whom were former mujahedin who had studied and trained in madrasas and who advocated a strict form of Islam similar to the Wahhabism practiced in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries.


Beyond instruction in basic religious tenets, some argue that after the ouster of Soviet forces from Afghanistan, a small group of radicalized madrasas, specifically located near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, promote a militant form of Islam and teach their Muslim students to fight nonbelievers and stand against what they see as the moral depravity of the West. To eliminate such doubts Pakistani authorities renewed plans to require all madrasas to register with the government and provide an account of their financing sources. The government had previously offered incentives to madrasas that agreed to comply with registration procedures, including better training, salaries, and supplies. As of January 2007, over 12,000 of Pakistan’s estimated 13,000 madrasas had registered with authorities.

In the recent years and in more impoverished nations, the rising costs and shortages of public educational institutions have encouraged parents to send their children to madrasas. Although some madrasas teach secular subjects, in general madrasas offer a religious-based curriculum, focusing on the Quran and Islamic texts. Madrasas, in most Muslim countries today, exist as part of a broader educational infrastructure. The private educational sector provides what is considered to be a quality Western-style education for those students who can afford high tuition costs.

Currently, the popularity of madrasas is rising in various parts of Southeast Asia. For example in Indonesia, home to the largest number of Muslims in the world, almost 20%-25% of primary and secondary school children attend Islamic religious schools. Indonesian pesantrens have been noted for teaching a moderate form of Islam, one that encompasses Islamic mysticism or Sufism.

U.S and Britain are the most concerned countries regarding the functioning of the madaris in Pakistan, it is recommended that they must understand the functioning and responsibilities of these madaris and stop the practice of labeling them as breeding grounds of extremism and terrorism. These perceptions are absolutely wrong and an attempt to distort the image of madaris.

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Low Morale of Indian Army

Soldiers are suppose to be the symbols of gallantry and dignity. Seems like Indian soldiers lack both of these codes.

The incidents of court of Inquiry has become a matter of routine in Indian Army. Many officers of Indian Army faced Courts of Inquiry on charges ranging from failure of command and control to cowardice and desertion, during service. During Kargil war, an Indian army officer was court marshalled upon his refusal to lead his troops up the Tiger hill. I wonder increase in Indian defence spending would be of any use when soldiers are pulling desperate measures to save themselves from combat and perhaps certain death.

A report in Indian Magazine "Out Look" under the caption of "War and Watch-Hunts" says these army officers include mostly ranks of Major and below, Junior Commissioned Officers and jawans. It says "None of the generals, whose duty it was to conduct the kargil war is facing any official inquiry for their flawed leadership. Instead, two of them have been decorated and awarded with plum posting. This has triggered enormous resentment among the junior officers and men.


The magazine quoted a senior general at army headquarters as saying," It was a foolhardy battle, which sent officers and men to certain death. Junior officers have been made scape-goats since the seniors who bungled are known to be close to the chief."

In Srinagar, officers believe that there has been selective victimisation even of JCOs. "JCOs simply follow the orders of their immediate superiors. By targeting them, the seniors are only demoralising the vital link between officers and ORs (other ranks) personnel.

These resentments and low moral has become the causal factor of suicidal attempts in Indian ARMY.

Miserable plight of Pakistanis in Indian jails

According to Pakistani officials there are over 518 Pakistanis lodged as prisoners in Indian jails, while India acknowledged the presence of only 147 prisoners in its jails, the fate of the rest is uncertain!!!
Having seen off Kashmir Singh at Wagah Border amid joy and laughter, Pakistanis assembled again in the same week at the same point to receive the body of an innocent Pakistani cricket-lover amid tears and grief. Mehmood had visited India to watch the Pak-India cricket series, and was reportedly picked up by Indian secret agencies. Indian media reported that Mehmood had died of severe torture at the hands of Indian jail officials.The arrival of his body in Pakistan puts a question mark over India’s human rights groups. Bhago Begum, the Pakistani citizen who was freed last year from an Indian jail, described as “dreadful” the conditions suffered by Pakistani prisoners. She termed the authorities of Indian jails “heartless”, as Pakistani prisoners remained a target of routine “physical abuse” and verbal humiliation at the hands of Indian officials.There are many other Pakistani nationals who still continue to suffer at the hands of the Indian authorities without trial. Contrary to Indian treatment with Pakistani prisoners, Kashmir Singh, carried memories of humane treatment in Pakistani jails, despite his being a spy - a fact he admitted as soon as he returned to India after his 35-year imprisonment.
While leaving for India, Singh looked physically fit and cheerful after his release, in sharp contrast to the miserable condition of Pakistani prisoners languishing in Indian jails, who unlike Singh do not catch the attention of human rights activists such as MR. Burney. The comparison of his figure and complexion with that of Bhago Begum speaks volumes about the treatment meted out to Pakistani prisoners in India. According to reports, as many as 48 Pakistani prisoners are languishing in jails across Indian Punjab, all of whom have completed their prison terms. Many of the prisoners have not even been granted consular access, which is mandatory under international conventions that both Pakistan and India are signatory to.
The apparent lethargy on the part of the Indian bureaucracy in processing the cases of the 48 Pakistanis in Amritsar Jail is surprising. Ranjan Lakhanpal, a Chandigarh-based lawyer and civil liberties activist, fought for three years for the release of Fida Hussain and five other Pakistanis who had languished in Indian jails years beyond their sentences. By contrast, a jail reformation process is being pursued in Pakistan and the Ministry of Human Rights is taking various initiatives.
Recently, Pakistan and India has exchanged lists of prisoners held in each other's jails as part of measures to expedite their release. Let us hope that both governments will take solid steps to solve this issue. Moreover, Indian government must take suitable measure to improve condition of Indian jails and take notice of the extremely inhuman treatment with Pakistani prisoners including verbal and physical abuse.