Religious Schools: Their Mission and Role (Part 4)
Cold War or Cultural Invasion
A bitter reality that will never be forgotten is the conspiracies of the enemies of Islam in the cultural field within Islamic countries. The famous sociologist Muhammad Qutb, in his book Waqehana Al-Moaser, discusses the beginning of the cultural invasion of Egypt: Mr. Dunlop, who was himself a bishop, was sent to Egypt by the British Minister of Culture, Cromer, to implement Western educational methods. When Dunlop arrived in Egypt, he discovered that the largest scientific center in the Islamic world, Al-Azhar University, was located there. All he did was establish Western-style schools in every corner of Egypt. Gradually, the Egyptian government was forced to require that anyone employed in government offices and cultural centers possess a certificate of graduation from Dunlop’s schools. Previously, such positions were filled by Al-Azhar graduates. However, after the opening of Dunlop’s schools, Al-Azhar graduates found themselves relegated to working in mosques with low and inadequate salaries, and many of them could not secure such positions at all. Dunlop did not limit his work to teaching science and art; he also implemented Cromer’s crusading goals within the framework of scientific education. Similar occurrences also transpired in India and most other Islamic countries.
What Happened in India?
The mission that Mr. Dunlop undertook in Egypt was mirrored in India by Lord Mikali. Lord Mikali destabilized the situation in India through the implementation of cultural programs. Following regular activities, he wrote the following report to the English elders: “This method of education has had a great impact in India, such that there is no one who has not learned the English language and remains loyal and sincere to religious values.” Lord Mikali articulated the aim of his mission in another context: “We must train a group of Indians who are Indian in color and blood, but completely English in intellect and thought.”
To counteract the cultural schemes and conspiracies of Lord Mikali, Darul Uloom Deoband and Darul Uloom Nadwat-ul-Ulama were established. The esteemed scholar Hazrat Mawlana Muhammad Qasim Nanotawi (may Allah have mercy on him) founded Darul Uloom Deoband in India, of which most of the schools are now considered branches in the Indian subcontinent and Afghanistan.
The mission of Darul Uloom Deoband can be summarized in four key objectives: 1. Preservation of the sciences of the Prophet and Islamic thought 2. Propagation and dissemination of the pure belief in monotheism (Tawheed) 3. Following the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and combating innovations 4. Exalting the word of Allah and striving in the way of Allah
History bears witness that Darul Uloom Deoband trained the best and most dedicated scholars, achieving remarkable success in its aims. Some time later, Darul Uloom Nadwat-ul-Ulama was founded by Allamah Muhammad Ali Mungiri, whose motto was “Combining the good values of the past with the useful new ones.” Following this, numerous seminaries and schools were established across various countries, and this trend continues to grow, becoming ever more prosperous day by day.
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