Religious Schools: Their Mission and Role (Part Two)
When the World Was Inspired by Religious Schools
When the world was inspired by religious schools and the caravan of humanity continued its path of life in the light of the teachings of Islam, peace and security, prosperity and ease reigned throughout the world. Justice and fairness were observed throughout society. The younger ones respected the older ones, and the older ones were compassionate and kind to the younger ones. Every person in society was familiar with his rights and respected the rights of others. The relationship between the ruler and the condemned was based on sincerity and trust, and no one was afraid of oppression against his rights. The Eastern world was considered the cradle of civilization and the center of science and knowledge. European princes and children of the Western world came in groups to the scientific centers of the East to study science and knowledge and returned to their countries with hundreds of honors and privileges.
However, since Westernization has cast a shadow over the world of humanity, intellectual and political leadership has shifted from the East to the West. All values have changed. Despite the unprecedented growth and progress of industry and technology and the abundance of inventions and discoveries, humanity’s depression and anxiety have increased. In the words of Allama Iqbal (may Allah have mercy on him), who addresses the West:
“It is not surprising that you have a miracle of the messiah.
But it is surprising that your patient is sicker.”
Man-made systems have added to the misery of humanity. In the words of the great Allamah, the Imam of the Islamic call in the twentieth century, Hazrat Sayyed Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi (may Allah have mercy on him):
“Since Western intellectuals did not find the right way to solve problems, they tried to solve the problem with the problem. To solve economic problems, they took the path of false income, colonialism of weak nations, exploitation of the oppressed, and instilling individual ownership. And to solve political problems, they replaced party tyranny with individual tyranny, increasing the number of tyrants and oppressors. In fact, they treated oppression with oppression, extravagance with extravagance, ignorance with ignorance, disease with disease, and weakness with weakness, which in this way not only did not solve the problem, but the problems multiplied.”
The Islamic World Following the West
Unfortunately, since the Islamic world weakened or completely severed its connection with its scientific centers, namely religious schools, and instead chose the Western method of education, it did not content itself with adopting the good things in this regard; rather, it placed itself at the mercy of Western methods. Since then, we have seen that the Islamic world has lost its real importance and fundamental role and has become a follower of the West.
The great thinker Allamah Sayyed Abul Hasan Nadwi (may Allah have mercy on him) said the following about the effects and fruits of the Western educational system:
“It is obvious that among such a nation (the Muslim nation), if another educational system is found whose foundations are based on another ideology and does not have Islamic characteristics, there will undoubtedly be a deep and widespread conflict among them, which will always be faced with the approval of one and the destruction of the other, and each individual of that nation will affirm one and deny the other. It is obvious that the good intentions and expressions of interest of fathers and ancestors cannot prevent this situation from occurring. These secondary and external cares can only delay the emergence or manifestation of this situation a little; but they can never create a barrier against it; just as if a tree is grown on the system of nature, it will bear its fruit in its due time. Man can only help it with his care, but he can never force the tree to bear another fruit. The Western educational system has a spirit and mentality that reflects the thoughts and spirits of its originators, and it is the natural result of the knowledge and insight of the people of the Western world for several thousand years, based on Western standards.”
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