Contemporary Muslim scholarship, and the best of it, should now prepare for rising to the occasion and replacing the stories and sermons that characterise our religious thought appealing to, and enough for, ordinary people today with deep thinking scholasticism for reaching out to our educated youth. And this will be a struggle, indeed. I use the word ‘struggle’ here to capture its meaning of difficulty in defending oneself and the emotio-cognitive feeling of effort associated with it. In this article, I will try to present a preliminary framework for analysis of two major challenges that our religious thought will be facing in the near future on an ‘internal’ and ‘external’ level.
While much of our Muslim thought is busy today in its hairsplitting of sectarian non-issues, we have failed to realise how the world around us, particularly in terms of the realm of thought, has significantly changed. Our young ones now, especially for example the generation today learning through foreign qualifications like A Levels and higher studies, have immense exposure of different ways of thinking.
If it is safe to assume that we are not developing the kind of in-depth Muslim thought that can answer difficult questions on religion in a changing world, from a vantage point of social science one can see, it will lead to perplexity and loss of meaning for these precious young ones. Moreover, the widening gulf between our religious theory and its practice, and its real life manifestation in the world today will be far too evident for this generation. We may increasingly see an intellectual struggle between the youth and those who cannot satisfactorily answer their complicated questions.
While noting the existing struggle of contemporary Muslim thought in terms of engaging with radical Islamist currents, one other challenging arena of ideas will consist of thought on Islam and its Scripture coming from ex-Muslims, individuals who left Islam, and now happen to be its critics. The case of works by Ali Sina and Ibn Warraq makes this very clear. While Western Orientalists, many of them, have been critical of the Quran and Hadith literature in the past too, the case of ex-Muslims is different. Their, what is called an ‘insider’s approach’ somehow lends them greater credibility in influencing their audience. Both Sina and Ibn Warraq, among others, have raised a host of intricate questions on the reality of Islam as they have understood it, including very critical views of the Quran, the Prophet (peace be upon him) and Muslim history. These works, even though at times polemical, or reductionist, in their own sense, carry thought that will take a detailed and non-emotional, honest academic effort to engage with.
While mentioning this, it is essential not to miss out figures like Ayaan Hirsi Ali who renounced Islam after 9/11 and is the author of “The Caged Virgin: An Emancipation Proclamation for Women and Islam, Infidel” and “Nomad: A Personal Journey Through the Clash of Civilizations.” Moreover, she authored the screenplay for “Submission”, a controversial film about her views on treatment of women in Islam; for which the director, Theo van Gogh, was killed by a radical Islamist in Amsterdam. Personalities like Hirsi Ali happen to be significant figures at the global media level, their books being bestsellers. Moreover, a diligent reader can notice the subtle way in which Hirsi Ali ‘mystifies’ things, weaving urgent, real issues that contemporary Islam faces today with her own difficult personal journey, at times making extreme, sweeping generalisations yet still managing to make an emotional imprint on her audience; leaving an easier said than done job of understanding complex reality.
In the past, the temperament of our religious groups has been to resort to conspiracy theories, issue fatwas, ask authorities for blocking websites or propagate through literature that asks our people to disengage from reading such ideas. In the coming times, however, such strategies will not work since these will only disillusion the youth further who have access to vast sources of knowledge. And only a logical and lucid discursive mode of peaceful exchange of opinions and interpretations will be appealing to critical minds; something that many of our religious ulema are not yet prepared for.
How our scholars will perform in the changing realities will ultimately define the socio-religious perception of religion as understood by our younger generation. In an already increasing void of meaning, it is important that we save our young ones from being distanced and disillusioned from a religion that is precious to all of us.
The writer teaches Sociology at the University College Lahore (UCL). He can be reached at [email protected]
You have effectively addressed an issue facing every Muslim parent, teacher and mentor. What disturbed me was your conclusion. It was too idealistic. Most of the issues you pointed out are results of missed linkages in parenting to me. Many university students, who seem to be astray by propaganda generating publications like the ones you mentioned above, if cross questioned contextually, turn out to be one of the following cases as per my observations.
Preserving the socio-religious perception of Islam is not just the responsibility of the scholars. Consider the following cases:
1. Families with Secular lifestyle vs. Religious Actions
Hina was an attractive fifteen-year-old with a slender, attractive figure. She attended the Islamic weekend classes on a regular basis, wearing short skirts and skintight sweaters. The teacher mentioned to her mother that she might want to encourage her daughter to dress more Islamically because her way of dressing would attract the undesired attraction of the boys at school.
“Hina, you have to change the way you dress. It’s non-Islamic. No more short skirts and you have to wear overlarge sweaters to hide your shape!” scolded her mother.
“Who are you to say anything?” responded Hina angrily. “Look at yourself, your dress is up to your knees and I can see everything regarding your shape!”
Hina’s mother has a split personality when it comes to religion. On one hand, she performs her prayers and fasts during Ramadan. On the other hand, she likes to be ‘fashionably’ dressed when she interacts with non-Muslims. She reads the Qur’an most evenings, but spends her afternoon gossiping with her friends. What can her daughter learn from her?
2. Facts vs. Behavior
We expect the masjid (mosque) classes to teach our children how to read the Qur’an in Arabic, but not to understand what it means. We expect the masjid to teach our children how to pray, how to fast, etc., but NOT HOW TO LIVE, how to behave.
Islam is a complete way of life. The facts (the 5 pillars, the biography of Prophet Muhammad (SAW)) are useful when they help the person learn how and why they should do something. The fact that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) lived 1400 years ago is true. By itself, that fact is worthless. The fact that he lived as a Muslim in a city where Muslims were few and persecuted is worthless until it helps us realize that if he and the early Muslims could flourish in that setting, then so can we. When we are teaching our children about Islam, we need to teach them how to behave, not just to memorize facts. Instead of giving them lists of facts to learn, set them an example and mention the Islamic connection while you are doing it. You visit someone who is sick; mention that this is an Islamic requirement, discuss with your child why it is good to do so. Make sure you visit the sick people, who are not part of your cultural group, and non-Muslims as well. One important lesson for your child to learn is that Islamic behavior is good for everyone, even for non-Muslims.
3. Acquiescence vs. Critical Thinking
Many parents grew up in areas where colonizing rulers maintained schools for acquiescence including the Pakistani school systems. Where we are taught to repeat exactly what the teacher told them. If the test question asked for 3 reasons why it is good to brush your teeth, the answer had to be the exact three reasons that the teacher had told them before. The colonized pupil was not supposed to think; he was supposed to accept everything without questioning. This is too often the way we teach our children about Islam. Do this action because Islam says you have to. Do this exactly the way I say because every other way is haram (forbidden). Our children need to learn that there are two kinds of knowledge, that which is revealed and that which is humanly acquired. Knowledge revealed in the Qur’an and hadith is unchanging and unarguable. Knowledge that is derived from our five senses and our own thinking is subject to error and can and should be questioned. Lack of stress on critical thinking is the culprit.
We should expect your youth to honor and obey you because Islam requires obedience to parents, but you must also explain and discuss why you are asking for their obedience. Our youth should be required to pray, because Allah orders them to pray, but you must also be open and willing to discuss why Allah would ask us to do so. What are the possible benefits of praying, what you should do if you feel like the prayer is empty of meaning to you, and so on. These questions do not mean your youth are turning away from Islam; they mean that your youth are thinking seriously about their religion. One of the most wonderful things about Islam is that because it is the truth, it can stand up to the most critical of questions.
Parents must also learn to admit that they make mistakes, and they are ignorant of certain answers. Your child does not have the right to expect you to be able to explain every Islamic injunction. He/she does have the right to expect you to give an honest and open response to their questions. When you tell your youth, “That’s an important question. I don’t know the answer. Let’s see if we can find out what the Qur’an says about It.” you have created an open, honest exchange of thoughts with your youth.
Amir al-Mu’minin (AS) said: The child has a right on his father while the father too has a right on the child. The right of the father on the child is that the latter should obey the former in every matter save in committing sins. While the right of the child on the father is that he should give him a beautiful name, give him good training, and teach him the Qur’an. (Nahjul Balaghah Saying no. 409)
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