Bilal Ahmad Khanday
Shalabugh, Ganderbal
Alhamdulillah, I was born into a Muslim family and opened my eyes in an environment where darasgahs (religious schools) were in vogue. Fortunately, I developed a keen interest in Islamic learning and knowledge; my first lessons were in Nazira of the Qur’an (Qur’anic recitation). My contemporaries, as well as our elders, will be well aware of such local darasgahs, which were in every nook and corner of the valley in the eighties and nineties, aiming to make the local populace aware of the Qur’an and its allied fields like Hadith, Fiqh, and Tafseer (Exegesis). Destiny then took me to pursue a master’s in religious studies, though I am also a graduate in science and education.
Having said this, I am deeply concerned by the ideologies and methodologies of present-day religious preachers who consider their version of Islam to be the true and ultimate one. They seem to have forgotten the universal and basic principle of Islamic learning: that a person remains a learner up to the grave. Claiming, and having the faith, that only my version is the true version is a flawed and myopic vision that has caused immense damage not only to Islamic fundamentals and teachings, but has also tarnished the image of Muslims throughout the length and breadth of the globe.
In such circumstances, it becomes imperative not only for religious preachers to use logic, intellect, reason, and revelation in a proper way, but also for the patrons of Islamic seminaries to include scientific and rational learning in their curricula, so that there is no further divide in an already fragmented Muslim Ummah.
There are many points to highlight here that need to be addressed on a priority basis, else things will go from bad to worse. However, due to the limited scope of this theme, I will highlight the key points that preachers as well as religious seminaries should ponder over for the betterment of the Muslim Ummah. The primary points are as follows:
1. Religious preachers should deliberate and discuss the basic fundamentals of Islamic teachings, such as Tawheed (Oneness of God), Risalat (Prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ), Aakhirah (the Hereafter), and so on.
2. They should preach lessons pertaining to basic familial, social, political, economic, and ethical issues, without trespassing the boundaries laid down by these fundamentals.
3. They must advocate for unity, fraternity, equality, and justice, taking reference from the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ.
4. They ought to emphasise the importance of relationships, social bonds, and connections among the various sections of society.
5. They need to understand that Islam is a cementing force which binds not only hands and heads, but also hearts together.
6. They should refrain from verdicts and venomous orations that mar the basic social, ethical, and religious fabric of society. Instead, they should prioritise social harmony, pluralism, unanimity, brotherhood, and fellow feeling in their sermons and preaching.
7. They must first understand and introspect upon what to say and where to say it, keeping in view the ground realities of the particular society they are addressing. Islam, too, considers basic ground realities; if we ignore them, things will turn worse by the day.
I am optimistic that the preachers will reconsider their approach to preaching, and will always strive to make social bonds stronger — which is the need of the hour.
