Part 3: My Response to Asjad Bukhari’s Blog on Hoodbhoy Issue

Being apologetic for a Maulvi! My Stance

Tazeen Hasan 

My Response to Asjad Bukhari’s Blog on my article published in Express Blogs Part 3

Here I would like to reiterate that I have terrible complaints with Maulvi and Madarsa system. In fact, I have deeper and graver grievances with the loudspeaker of the Maulvi than any of you. During the large chunk of my life in Pakistan, I have always loathed and despised the unnecessary use of loudspeakers in the mosques.

I remember not being able to study during my exams in my school days because of the high pitched intersecting Azans from mosques around my house in Hyderabad, Sindh. I also remember the holy month of Ramadan when my father, a heart patient and a philosophy professor in the university, couldn’t sleep because of the masjid loudspeaker delivering Sehri announcements two to three hours before Sehri timings.

But the most terrible issue I have with Maulvi is that he doesn’t understand Quran and consequently what he is uttering in khutba (religious speech on Friday congregation) is a limited and often fabricated version of religion. There are exceptions to this fact but very rare at least in Pakistan. I also believe that because of the lack of knowledge and vision, he is an obstacle to understanding Islam. In my prolific writings, I have not only criticized Maulvi but I have always pointed out the pitfalls of short-sighted Muslim scholars frequently.

However, I do not endorse the blanket statements that Maulvi is solely responsible for extremism, illiteracy or population rise in Pakistan. There are many economic, social and political factors which contribute but have been overloooked................... but this issue will take a full-fledged OpEd at the least.

Criticizing Maulvi and neglecting two major political parties and armed forces who ruled the country for 70 years is an outright simplification of issues. As far as the power of Maulvi is concerned, no doubt he has the loud speaker but don't forget that people of Pakistan will always elect either Bhutto or Shareef family member.

While Khadim Hussain recently shut down Islamabad, we should not forget the power of MQM which has been shutting down the metropolitan city of Karachi since 1986. Hope Altaf Hussain will not be labelled as Maulvi.

Here I would like to add that we cant brush each and every Madarsa and Maulvi with a broad brush. This will be stereotyping. There are exceptions but the problem is that there is a large communication gap between school graduates and Madarsa graduates and there is no dilogue. Both isdes are bashing each other. This maulvi / liberal divide is also an obstacle in eradicating extremism.

Being a school graduate and a University teacher throughout my career, I admit that my exposure with Madarsa student has been very limited. But as a Journalist now I am trying to communicate with every faction of society including Madarsa graduates from every corner of Pakistan. I found the situation pretty disappointing, almost the same as the graduates passed out from school system. But I am not hopeless. There is a silver line on both ends.

I emphasize the need to bring both parties closer on a negotiation table.

I acknowledge that this is a debatable issue. I will be coming back with more statistical and journalistic issues hopefully with my primary reporting from Urban and rural areas of Pakistan.

(Continued part 4)