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It is time to reclaim the mosque

It is time to reclaim the mosque

The battle for religious reform is not over. Perhaps the battle should begin in the mosque.

Asad Badruddin February 23, 2011

The battle for blasphemy reform is not over. It needs a change of strategy. Currently it has consisted of people demanding a change in the laws but to little effect. There is a need to get various influential lobbies and stakeholders involved. One of them is the mosque.

The mosque, as a center of ideas, has been severely under-utilised by reformist Pakistanis which is unfortunate. I’m sure some of us go to the mosque once a week or so. It is time we should engage our maulvis into debate and discussion. Many of them will not change the way they think but some of them will, and that is how mindsets will start to change.

Find a common platform

Terms like secularism and human rights, will not work because regardless of intentions these seem 'Western'. Urdu must be embraced as medium of communication, because English, besides not being understood correctly by a majority of the people, still gives the impression of elitism.

Principle or power?

Even if one has a progressive agenda, there is an apparent issue of class within this debate, which has been ignored by most commentators. Religion presents a platform where the lower- middle class find themselves for the first time powerful enough to impose an issue on the English speaking, Pajero driving, whisky drinking elite of this country. This is as much an issue of power as it is of principle.

Mosques everywhere unite

This isn’t just a localised battle confined to the conservative Pashtun or Punjabi belt or some hardline madrassas in Karachi. This is a transcontinental struggle that must be fought in madrassas and mosques in the Middle East, Africa, and England and wherever such ideas find home.

In this interconnected world, who knows when the next billionaire sheikh tries to atone for his sins by giving a grant to some firebrand religious organization?

Many of the religious organisations that are supporting the current law are funded by heavy pockets from the Gulf. The Pakistani diaspora today extends throughout the world and needs to take the lead in battling these ideologies. For those of you who agree with me, if you are in Dubai or London and hear people supporting such measures you should take them to task for it.

When the war against militancy started, did people think that there would be no casualties?

People like Dr Muhammed Farooq, Maulana Naeemi and Salmaan Taseer, who have raised their voices against this madness, have been killed and they are unlikely to be the last ones to meet this fate. It is time we braced ourselves for the future because many more lives will be lost before we rid ourselves of intolerance.

We owe it to those who have already fallen to stand for truth and justice for all, regardless of the consequences of our decisions.

WRITTEN BY:
Asad Badruddin A student of economics and international relations at Tufts University in Boston who hails from Karachi. He blogs at octagonaltangents.blogspot.com

The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necassarily reflect the views and policies of the Express Tribune.

COMMENTS (19)

Khalid Rahim | 13 years ago | Reply What is the difference between a Mullah, Mualvi and Maulana. Are they the same or they are different grades of Islamic priests. Why is it that these preachers know only Allah by these seven names and not by the other ninety two names. In their sermons we are constantly told that Allah is: Al Jabbar ---------- The Compeller. Al Qahar--------------The Subduer Al Kafed--------------The Abaser Al Moezal-------------The Humiliator Al Mumit---------------The Causer Al Muntakem---------The Avenger Ad Dahir---------------The Distresser. These names are repeated constantly into the mind of young children and indoctrinated to do the bidding in the name of Jihad. Unfortunately they do not understand that the other ninety two names completely outweigh the above, that is why with all our faults HIs forgiveness comes before our repentence comes on our lips.

Khalid Rahim | 13 years ago | Reply @Asad Badruddin: Thank you I have place that site into my favorites and will listen to their roar.

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Shemrez Nauman Afzal | 13 years ago | Reply @Khalid Rahim: Thank you ever so much for quoting Rabi'a Basri and Dr. Allama Mohammad Iqbal. We have such a fine heritage of great Muslims who were also philosophers, saints, poets, thinkers, and great human beings; and we need to remember that if we are not reminded of it every now and then...

Khalid Rahim | 13 years ago | Reply On this issue there is no diffewrence between the two major political parties both outwit each other as bigots. As for the religious parties each has its own version of Islam which makes it confusing for the growing child and the youth in a suppressed home and a depressed society. We have some good honest politician who need to come together on the same table create a party through real democratic process and present their reformation program to the masses in a manner, which is hard for the bigoted politician to contradict and upset the gullible masses.

Hasan | 13 years ago | Reply @Khalid Rahim: I agree, its a sad situation, what's more sad is the fact that the nation is playing in their hands blindly, they don't even know where they are headed.

Khalid Rahim | 13 years ago | Reply To the bigots who assume that they are the spiritual leaders of Islam and their dictum must be followed; Allama Iqbal had this to say to them- Khuda tuj e kisi toofan seh ash e nah kar de, keh tere moh jo meh ast r ab nahi. Tu kitab kh owan hae magar sahib e kitab nahi. In similar context he said; Aey Musalman! apney dil seh pooch, Mullah sey na pooch, hoga ya Allah keh bandon seh kyon khali harram. Bulle Shah had these questions for those who made mockery of Islam and used the spiritual concept as commodity. You have gone to the mosque and temple, have you ever visited your soul. You are very busy fighting the satan, have you ever fought your ill intentions. You have reached into the skies,but you have failed to reach, whats in your heart. Have any of you read Rabia Al Adawiyya who lived in Baghdad in Middle Ages- '' O my Lord, if I worship you from fear of hell, burn me to hell. If I worship you from hope of Paradise, bar me from its gates. But if I worship you for yourself, grant me then the beauty of your face. The face here is not the one that we see of each other or in photos but the light or nur. Our imagination of the universe/s is limited to our myopic vision and that is the fault of our society where suppression of Thought is prevalent. The cure for the illness is within us, how we procure the medicine depends?

Khalid Rahim | 13 years ago | Reply @Hasan: You also forget there are 72 political parties each hoping to acquire the 72 celestial virgins by playing roulette with the 72 sects. How many of these sects by name are mentioned anywhere in the Koran and which Sura describes them?

Hasan | 13 years ago | Reply

Mosques everywhere unite

There are 72 sects in Pakistan.... How many do you want 'united' my friend?

Vin | 13 years ago | Reply Most of the riots start after the Jumma Sermons :).. we all know that.. I wonder if you start going everyday then what hell will break loose :).... You are catching the wrong end... the root of violence in Islam is its contempt for other religions... Kafir idologies, Khatm-e-Nabuwat etc etc etc... dont kid yourselves and the world.

Shemrez Nauman Afzal | 13 years ago | Reply We should also learn from the Imam Hatip schools in Turkey. This has NOTHING to do with secularism - this has EVERYTHING to do with correcting the existence, function and perception of the RELIGION of Islam, accompanied with the realization that the FAITH of Islam, and belief in Islamic concepts, is a subject and individualized characteristic that no monolithic religio-political institution can manage (or ever attempt to successfully manage). The most important thing that flows from Asad's article is that we should start going to mosques more often - at least more than the once-every-Friday ritual - and transform them into a hub of ideas, and if not, at least decrease and stem the hatred that flows from the pulpit.

Asad Badruddin | 13 years ago | Reply Thank you all for the feedback! @T R Khan: the only way we can change attitudes is if all of us don't let what the Militant Mullahs are saying, go unchallenged. By the way for those interested in learning more about this, Mashal Books is making an archive of sermons on various topics: http://imams.mashalbooks.org/

parvez | 13 years ago | Reply Your article makes complete sense. I read somewhere that when Bangladesh decided to do something about its high poputation growth rate they decided to first get the mosque on their side otherwise their campaign would fail. So the idea is good.

T R Khan | 13 years ago | Reply Mosques have been taken over by militant mullas, who know only one kind of jihad .... the militant one. The other main non-issue (at present) is the supposed defense of katam e nabuwat.

S.Haque | 13 years ago | Reply @ AF : Before you embark on the journey to pass on the "knowledge about Islam" to non muslims and answer their misunderstandings, please enlighten the Talibans and their apologists, and the blood sucking mullah about goodness of islam, if there is any!!

anil | 13 years ago | Reply AF - Gist of your comment is non-muslims must be brainwashed into converting to Islam. when will you people understand that Islam is not the begining or end of this world. Learn to respect other faith. the problem of intoelerance and extremism facing islamic world is precisely because the of the fact that Islam does not respect other faith and muslims feel it is their duty to convert as many non-muslims as possible. If Islam is the ultimate solution then Pakistan should have been the most developed nation but fittingly it is down in the pits.because jingoism and living in denial do not take nations or societies further.

Khalid Rahim | 13 years ago | Reply Mr Rahat the mosque has to be reclaimed from persons who think like you. AF you may invite non muslims to the mosque but its not the mosque that would convert them but your postive attitude towards them and their belief. Then presenting them your religion with humilty in their home or as guest in your home is the right manner to help the non muslim take the first step towards the mosque and recite the Kalima.

AF | 13 years ago | Reply Mosques are not only for Worship only, these are the places for propagation of Islam, where Non Muslims should be allowed to visit and gain knowledge about Islam. It is our duty to discuss with non muslims and pass on our knowledge to them. They should be treated well, entertain them with refreshment and soft drinks and answer their misunstanding about Islam. We got Islam from our parents free of charge, whereas these non-muslims have learn with special interest and I have the new muslim are much better than us.

Rahat | 13 years ago | Reply The mosque is a place for Muslims. I do not see any of those anywhere. Who will do the reclaiming?

Khalid Rahim | 13 years ago | Reply The purpose of establishing the Jama or Mosque was not to pray behind a bigot who has no place in Islam. The mosque was established to play three positive roles from Fajr to Isha. After fajr prayers or from sunrise to zuhr the mosque served as a madrassah to teach the young both spiritual and worldly education. From zuhr to asr it was to impart education and place for adult women to discuss and solve their community problems. From asr to isha it was the place for adult males to receive education and discuss their community problems and find ways to solve them. isha to fajr the mosque serves as a sarai to give shelter to traveller/s or homeless till the community finds a permanent place for them. I have often asked the mullah and their ardent followers to show me the Sura and the Ayat where Allah had commanded us to pray behind the Mullah and abide by his instructions. Our anxiety will not end and we will not be able to reclaim the mosque as a spiritual and educational institution unless we completely abolish feudal system, revamp our political system and our educational system. For this we need to pull our heads out of the sand and remove the cocoon that we have spun around our eyes and ears.

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