Al-Huda
Foundation, NJ U. S. A
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Newsletter for March 2011
Article 1 - Article 2 - Article 3 - Article 4 - Article 5 - Article 6 - Article 7 - Article 8 - Article 9 - Article 10 - Article 11 - Article 12
Religious Education of the Younger Generation
by Karrar Hussain
At present the problem of imparting religious education to our
children is exercising the minds of many parents and guardians.
Those who are con- concerned about the weal, welfare and
spiritual well-being of our budding youths feel concerned that,
in the absence of proper understanding of the fundamental
beliefs and cardinal principles of religion, our children may
become preys to the skepticism and disbelief which is destroying
the moral fabric of our society—society which is euphemistically
called "permissive society". This concern is felt in all parts
of the world where people hold fast to their religious beliefs
and cherish them as the storehouse of best moral values. In
particular, in countries of the West, where our people are
settled with their families, this concern is more vocally, and
at times vociferously, expressed; and rightly so, because our
children are amenable to extraneous influences which keep on
assailing and undermining their religious beliefs, dogmas and
susceptibilities.
Whilst I fully endorse the proposition that there is a crying
need for impart- ing knowledge of the fundamentals of our
religion and its cardinal principles to the new generation, I
join issue with the proponents of these ideas on the methods to
be adopted for achieving this end. My purpose in writing this
article is to sound a note of warning that religious education
of the conventional type which makes children of 6 to 10
memorize the "Usool-e-Deen" and "Furoo-e-Deen" with the dogmatic
comments on them handed down to us from generation to
generation, will not in the least serve the purpose we have in
view, namely, to prepare our future generations for the
onslaught from various quarters on their religious beliefs and
practices. When I say this, I am speaking from personal
knowledge having attended such a "Maktab" (school) in my
childhood where venerable preachers religiously repeated and
reiterated all that they were expected to impart to their young
pupils and, in fulfillment of what they thought to be part of
their duty, made the pupils memorize them, and even chant them
with all the zeal and fervor the young souls were capable of.
It is said that: "Truth is bitter but its fruit is sweet". I
know that what I am trying to expound may be unpalatable or may
seem to be gall and wormwood to the taste of many who are
steeped in orthodoxy; but in the larger interest of truth it
must be said for whatever it is worth . Present day knowledge of
chi Id psychology has led many advanced countries to modify and
revise their concepts of children's education at the earliest
stage. It is now well-recognized that highly learned, capable
and understanding teachers are required to handle children just
when they embark on their studies because, during their
formative years, they must be given every encouragement and
opportunity to develop their enquiring minds. When we talk about
the religious education of our children, do we have in mind
selection and appointment of persons possessing aptitude and
education of the highest standard both religious and secular,
and capability to mould the character and develop the reasoning
faculties of our children in the best of traditions? Are we not
thinking of taking unction to our souls by entrusting them to
the care of half-baked teachers of theology who accept the
appointments more for earning their livelihood than with the
high motives of inculcating love of religion amongst the pupils
by explaining and expounding the undercurrent of truth and love
of God and His creatures which pervades His universe and which
is the essence of our religion? When we ask the parents to send
their children to religious schools, do we tell them to whose
care they will be entrusted, or are we presuming that it does
not matter a whit who is to be entrusted this sacred duty so
long as he is having a smattering of the fundamental principles
of our religion? I am sincerely of the view that imparting of
religious knowledge in a perfunctory manner will not serve the
purpose and those who receive it will remain as vulnerable as
those who never attend such schools or classes. It would be like
laying the foundation of a house on quicksand—building an
edifice with a tottering base.
It may appear to quite a few that I am overemphasizing one
particular aspect of the matter and magnifying it manifold, but
I honestly believe that, so far, very little has been done to
produce the right type of religious teachers who can handle the
education of our younger generation and equip them with sound
knowledge and beliefs that can withstand attacks of outsiders,
and emerge successfully in later life with unflinching faith and
unshakeable belief in the righteousness of our creed.
Some years back I got an English translation of "Bab-ul-Ahada
Ashara" which is an exposition of the Eleventh Chapter of Allama
Hilli's work on the fundamental principles of Shi'a beliefs by
Miqdad-e-Fazil al-Hilli, one of the foremost disciples of Allama
Hilli. According to the translator, this book is being taught in
a large number of Shi'a religious schools because it explains
and clarifies the fundamental principles of Islam as understood
and applied by Shi'a theologians. The translator mentions that
the Eleventh Chapter of the treatise of Allama Hilli is so
difficult to understand that even scholars of religion cannot
properly comprehend it and, for that reason, the commentator has
expounded and elaborated the matters set out in it so as to make
them easily understandable. With all due deference to the
learned commentator, the book is full of puerile arguments
developed in a laboured manner, reminiscent of the style of
Greek logicians of yore. These syllogistic exercises appear to
be far below the standard to be expected in a work associated
with the name of one of the most respected and learned Shi'a
divines, Allama Hilli. Only very recently the late Agha Mirza
Mehdi Pooya published his "Fundamentals of Islam" in English for
the younger generation to meet a long-felt want. In my view,
every person who wants his children to understand the
fundamental principles of Islam, as enunciated by the Shi'a
School, must make this book available to them. I may hasten to
add that the work is not meant for children of very tender age
but for those who have reached sufficient maturity and are
capable of discernment. To me it seems that religious knowledge,
in the right sense of the word, as distinct and distinguished
from religious jingoism, can be imparted only to children who
have reached such age. Agha Pooya's "Fundamentals of Islam" may,
perhaps serve a far better purpose than the classes conducted by
religious teachers whose scholastic credentials are suspect and
whose own knowledge is strictly limited, and who, more often
than not, are so hide-bound in their approach that they generate
more heat than light in the course of the discussions and
discourses. Lest I am misunderstood, I may clarify that I am all
for selection and appointment of really learned and competent
teachers of religious principles and doctrines, in the true
sense of the term, who can inculcate and develop a taste and
kindle a yearning for religion in their pupils and not merely
teach as a fulfillment of their professional duty during the
appointed hours; persons who can clear mental cobwebs and
aberrations by encouraging questions and arguments and not
stifle them by snubs and scorn, persons who, like Tennyson,
feel:
There is more truth in honest doubts
Believe me, than in all your creeds.
My genuine apprehension is that such dedicated persons are so
rare and difficult to find that, instead of searching for them
far and wide, we may compromise by settling for and selecting
persons who, to us, may seem to be second or third best but who,
in reality, may be the very antithesis of what is needed by the
yearning hearts and inquiring minds of our talented youths whose
appetite for information and knowledge is whetted by the present
day discoveries of science and progress in methods of education.
The topic of religious education cannot be discussed without
mentioning the role of Majalis-e-Imam Husain which have acquired
the status of a religious institution in our society. The
platforms which they provide during the months of Muharram and
Safar can be very effectively used for the purpose in view, but
unfortunately it must be admitted in all honesty that they have
not even touched the fringe of the problem. They have fallen far
short of expectation, mainly due to the fact that many of the
venerable gentlemen who adorn the pulpits and deliver lectures
are so steeped in outworn concepts, wrongly called traditions,
that, if I may be excused the use of the expression in
connection with the performance of these august persons, they
simply get "inebriated by the exuberance of their own
verbosity". More often than not, their sermons are "full of
sound and fury, signifying nothing". Times out of number they
put forward arguments which cannot bear scrutiny, knowing full
well that what they say will go unchallenged because time-worn,
unwritten rules of behavior in such Majalis require the audience
to mutely suffer such travesties of facts. They expound the view
of some of the Ulema of bygone days who, with due deference to
the very valuable work done by them and contributions made in
the course of development of religious thoughts, have made many
patent mistakes and errors of judgment. This is because they
were of earth, earthly. This is because they were fallible human
beings like us. I am not saying these things to denigrate these
learned masters of the past who have earned our respect and
esteem by their voluminous positive contributions. The fault
lies squarely with their successors who have not used their
reasoning faculties, the most precious gift of God to mankind,
and evading and avoiding all research, have adopted a
subservient and even atavistic attitude in using the material
handed down to them by the past generation of religious
scholars. If many of the learned Ulema of the past made
mistakes, they can well be attributed to the circum- stances in
which they were working, to the fact that they did not have at
their disposal all the facilities for research that we have
today. In those days, general knowledge in various fields was
strictly limited, means of communication were scant and meagre.
If our present day religious scholars fail to do research in
various aspects and facets of religion and take shelter behind
the works of past scholars, placing them on pedestals which
facts and circumstances do not warrant, who is to be blamed for
it? It is such un- questioning attitude that is likely to
alienate our younger generation from religion and all that it
stands for. We find that in sermons delivered from the pulpits
often there are glaring contradictions which create not only
credibility gaps but also lead to the impression, albeit wrong,
that what are narrated as facts of history are fibs, mere myths
and figments of imagination. If sweeping statements are made in
the course of these sermons which, on the face of them, are
patently illogical and untrue, and they go un- challenged, many
of our intelligent and discerning youths may begin to doubt and
question the veracity of other facts and principles which are
placed in juxtaposition with them. Such sermons prove
counter-productive.
It is true that to the vast majority of people who attend the
Majalis-e-Aza whatever is preached from the pulpit is the
essence of truth and they just keep on gaping with admiration,
unmindful of the correctness or otherwise of the utterances in
the tradition of the admiration of the young pupils of Goldsmith
for their teacher about which he has said:
And still they gazed and still their wonder grew
How one small head could carry all he knew.
But it is not what these majority of simple souls think or
believe that really matters. It is what the thinking, brooding,
reflecting intelligentsia amongst our younger generation think
and believe that counts. It is these intellectual elites who can
really mould and influence the future generations of our people
and so it is our religious duty to cater for their spiritual
needs and to ensure that they get ample opportunity to challenge
all assertions and averments made in the course of the
perorations. This can be possible if we divide the time of our
1l/lajalis into two parts—one for delivery of the lectures as at
present and the other, immediately following it, for discussions
on various aspects of religion, including questioning of facts
and principles enunciated during the harangue but not
necessarily confined to it. Such symposia can be held with two
or three participants, including the speaker of that day, with
some learned man presiding as compare to regulate the
proceedings and ensure that the discussion is held at an
intellectual level and there are no frivolities. Such
programmers must, at the same time, provide utmost freedom to
the participants to air their views without any recrimination
and rancor, subject, however, to maintenance of standards of
decency and decorum associated with such solemn functions. Out
of such functions and discussions, more often than not,
considerable benefits are likely to accrue to the audience as
well as the participants. It is possible that some of the other
participants may be more knowledgeable than the main speaker of
the day and the latter may himself gain the most from such
discussions. At least, when he knows that he will not be able to
get away with his "terminological inexactitudes" he will think
twice before taking liberty with facts and common sense. Has not
Firdausi the immortal poet of Iran, said:
I have heard from the wise man that there is a lot of wisdom (in
this world) But it is scattered amongst a very large number of
people.)
Unless we convert our Majalis-e-Aza into forums of such
religious discussions, of course, retaining the essential
characteristic of it by allocating a reason- able time for
Azadaree-e-Husain, one of the most important purposes of it will
be lost and frustrated.
I have made bold to say several things which may be unpalatable
to many because I feel that truth transcends all other
considerations. I am reminded of the verse of Sadi:
Sadi do not tread the path of formality
If you know the truth, speak it up and be done with it
Speak out what you know as the truth for it is better that way
Neither indulge in graft nor in blandishments.
Courtesy: al-Serat, Vol IV No. 1, 1398 A.H.
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