In recent years I have observed that
frequently when there is a public discourse in India on the
socioeconomic, political and educational issues of the Muslim
community, majority of the Muslim leaders addressing these matters
are clerics.
Again when the community’s representatives meet with Government
officials on the issues of the community, or Muslims organize
public rallies or they discuss the community’s issues with the
national media, those speaking for the community are often clerics
(maulanas). While in some instances these clerics are Islamic
scholars, in a majority of instances they are run- of- the- mill
maulvis with inadequate educational background and inadequate
ability to articulate issues.
This raises the question: why the leadership of the Muslim
community in India is dominated by clerics? Why is the proportion
of the community's leaders from the Muslim intelligentsia or
academia or the political establishment so small?
It stands to reason that when the topics are of a religious
nature, e.g. interpretation of Quran or Hadeeth or religious
edicts (fatwas) or the role of Islamic guidance of the Muslim
personal laws, or matters dealing with madrasas, the leadership
belongs in the hands of the Muslim clerics and Muslim religious
organizations.
However when issues are of a non-religious nature, for instance
Muslim educational institutions, or affirmative action programs
for Muslims in educational institutions and jobs, or the need to
address the socioeconomic and educational uplift, or the political
situation of the community, or the civil liberties, or the
situation of Muslim women, the primary leadership role belongs to
the Muslim intelligentsia, Muslim political leaders and
non-religious Muslim organizations.
Yet it is noticed that in the last few years, when such issues or
even others of over-riding national importance have been discussed
in public – as for instance the upsurge of terrorism in India, the
India-US nuclear accord, the Sachar Committee report on the Muslim
community’s socio-economic status, I have noted with surprise to
find that community feedback has inevitably come from Muslim
clerics.
In fact on these important issues that require expertise in
technical, economic, educational and military subjects, it was
surprising to see some Muslim clerics negotiate on behalf of the
Muslim community with some senior leaders of political parties. In
stark contrast only rarely do I find opinions in the public forums
from Muslim intelligentsia.
This is not an ideal situation for a variety of reasons. First,
most clerics do not have adequate background in subjects like
economics, law, sociology and technology that is needed to
understand and debate today’s complex issues. Secondly, because of
their background, most clerics typically look at even
non-religious issues from a religious perspective. Thirdly, most
of them are not proficient in the English language, modern methods
of presentation and today’s vibrant style of communication powered
by the electronic media.
The net result is that disjointed and sensationalized expressions
from some clerics are displayed in the media as the opinions of
the entire Indian Muslim community. It reinforces in the minds of
the mainstream media and the nation at large a stereotypical image
of the entire Muslim community and its mindset as being
reactionary. Often the entire politics of the Muslim community is
misunderstood as a mirror image of the non-Muslim sectarian
political parties and politicians.
In other words the fact that a majority of non-religious issues of
the Muslim community are being addressed mostly by clerics has
skewed the very perception of others about the Muslim community
and its issues, and has created a stereotypical picture of the
Muslims in the minds of mainstream Indians.
The mainstream's perception is that the Muslim community wears its
religion on its sleeve, looks at most issues from a religious
angle, has hardly any national perspective and does not introspect
on its problems.
Compare that to the Hindu or Sikh or Christian communities. The
number of mahants, sadhus, Gyanis and clerics in the leadership of
the Hindu and Sikh community, or of pastors in the leadership of
the Christian community is very small. Hindu clerics come in the
picture mostly when issues are related to Hindu temples,
seminaries, places of pilgrimage or religious organizations, and
the same is the case with the Christians.
The fact is that most Hindu community leaders are from the
intelligentsia and political background, and this is true of even
those political parties that claim to protect the interests of the
Hindu religion.
In contrast, the Muslim intelligentsia in the country often
remains invisible on the core socio-economic-educational-political
issues of the community. With their more pluralistic background
and their diversified knowledge base the intelligentsia has a
distinctly different and broad based perspective on issues and
this should be the community's dominant perspective on issues, if
the Muslim community wants to claim its due place in today's
resurgent and modernizing India.
The situation is compounded by the fact that when the nation's
mainstream media wants an opinion pertaining to the Muslim
community or even the Muslim view of national issues, it turns to
the clerics – often to clerics who are not well educated, but can
be counted on for provocative, even incendiary comments .
Similarly the major political parties often negotiate with and
give heightened importance to Muslim clerics rather than the
Muslim intelligentsia, in matters that pertain to the Muslim
community.
The result is uninformed opinions, communicated in an archaic
manner that creates an uncalled for stereotypical sectarian image
of the community. The truth is that on the whole, despite large
number of Muslims being depressed in education and economic
status, the community is reasonably vibrant, has a broad
perspective, is usually in synch with the rest of the nation and
is trying to find its place in the mainstream.
Perhaps there is a residual effect here from the early years of
India's freedom movement when Mahatma Gandhi launched the Khilafat
movement in 1920 to protest against the abolition of the Islamic
Khilafat rule in Turkey, as a way of activating Muslims more
enthusiastically in the freedom movement itself. Gandhi's strategy
did make Islamic scholars and Jamiat ul ulema, a major religious
organization of Muslims, become active freedom fighters and later
active opponents of Muslim League's demand for the partition of
the country.
I recall that after the 1992 demolition of the Babri mosque the
Muslim intellegentsia held a well-attended conference in New Delhi
in 1993 where they pledged to take more active role in the
political and socioeconomic affairs of the community. After a few
meetings however, they stepped back and left a vacuum in the
leadership arena at a critical time for the community – and thus,
yet again a golden opportunity was lost to change the direction of
the Muslim community's leadership.
The foot-dragging reluctance of the intelligentsia to get involved
with the affairs of the community at the grassroots level is
alienating them from large segments of Muslim masses, and is
resulting in the Muslims being without a coherent leadership.
If we look at the leadership in various Muslim countries or Muslim
communities in Western countries, we will find that most community
leaders are from the intelligentsia or political background.
Clerics assume leadership role only when issues are of a religious
nature.
Most of the Muslim intelligentsia in India comprises of practicing
Muslims who have a healthy respect for Islamic scholars. Thus, it
should be possible to bridge the wide gap between the Muslim
intelligentsia and the clerics. The need of the hour is not a
leadership contest between the intelligentsia and the clerics, but
cooperation and utilizing the strengths of both segments.
The Muslim intelligentsia can guide the clerics on properly
understanding the broader national perspective and how to present
religious elements in more acceptable modern jargon. The clergy
can assist the intelligentsia with their grassroots contacts at
the street level with the illiterate among the Muslim masses. The
Muslim clerics should focus more on the religious institutions and
organizations and on character-building within the community. They
should leave the rest of the community's affairs in the hands of
the intelligentsia, who should step up to the plate and take
charge.
The mainstream political parties and the media can also help in
improving the situation. The political parties should give much
more recognition to the Muslim intelligentsia in policy making
forums and get them more involved on issues pertaining to the
Muslims, instead of negotiating with the clerics. Similarly, the
print and electronic media should more often seek out the opinions
of the Muslim intelligentsia, and give it prominent coverage
instead of merely going to the clerics for their sound bytes.
The writer is a Washington
based activist. He can be reached at kaleemkawaja@gmail.com
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