Maulana Samiul Haq is the head of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam. As the head of now famous Darul Uloom Haqqania at Frontier's Akora Khattak town, he has the dubious distinction of being the mentor of many a senior Taliban leader.Maulana Samiul Haq has been in politics for long and has worked with or in opposition to a number of governments. Though his party is a minor member of the religious parties' alliance Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), his views on the government's efforts to reform madrassas and curb extremism heavily influence the opinion of those running thousands of Deobandi madrassas across the country. Following are excerpts of his interview:
The News on Sunday: After every terrorist attack anywhere in the world, why do Pakistani madrassas become a flash point?
Maulana Samiul Haq: This trend has its genesis in September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States. Since then, we have been facing accusations of promoting terrorism and brainwashing students at madrassas for waging a war against infidels. Thousands of foreign journalists and other people have visited our madrassa since 9/11 to find out its role in the terrorist attacks in the United States. They have met with the students but did anyone find a single clue that any of our students was involved in those attacks? It is nonsense that after every terrorist attack, Western countries point their accusing fingers at the madrassas. In fact, Western countries only want to malign madrassas through these accusations.
TNS: Why should they do so?
MSH: Western media is playing a major role in the propaganda against madrassas. In their quest for sensationalism, they are bent upon finding something which can damage the nonviolent and peaceful environment of madrassas. They leave no stone unturned to create nonsense stories against madrassas.
Look at all the terrorist attacks whether in the United States on September 11, 2001, or two weeks ago in London. None of the suspects (for these attacks) was a madrassa student. Apparently, all of them were well groomed people equipped with modern education, operating from their bases in universities in Europe. It has become fashionable to link terrorism with madrassas.
TNS: But Pakistani authorities have confirmed that the three people being accused for carrying out recent bombings in London visited Pakistan. One of them is reported to have attended a madrassa in Lahore.
MSH: This is totally baseless. The authorities of that madrassa have rejected this accusation. Linking London bombing with Pakistani madrassas is only part of a broader campaign against these madrassas. If an expatriate Pakistani comes to Pakistan and visits a mosque or madrassa, it does not make him a terrorist. But neither these visits have anything to do with terrorism nor they get military training during their short visits to mosques and madrassas. Expatriates coming from other countries would do the same thing. They go back to their homelands and visit their places of worship and (yet no one calls them terrorists).
TNS: Generally it is believed that madrassas sow the seeds of hatred in the minds of their students against non-Muslims. The madrassas are also accused of urging the students to take up the path of jihad and martyrdom. Don't you think this hatred and call for jihad is making madrassas breeding centers of radical Islamic militancy?
MSH: This is a wrong assumption. Our doors are open and our curriculum is equally open (for anyone to see). The question of teaching hatred and militancy to students is absurd. They are no part of our curriculum. We only impart pure religious education about the Quran and the Hadith. The majority of the suspected militants who carried out terrorist acts are not graduates of madrassas. They were taught at modern education institutions.
TNS: Madrassas don't need to have their students registered. Should this mean that even those linked to terrorist organisations can easily get admitted, be they foreigners or local?
MSH: We have a tough scrutiny system. Every student has to pass through that system before he is admitted. We don't give admission to any passerby. Checking all relevant documents including reference letters is part of our admission process. Sometime, we go beyond that to delve into the past of a student seeking admission. Madrassas also have an organised examination system to award degrees. As far as foreign students are concerned, before 9/11 there was some sort of flexibility for them. But after 9/11, a foreign student has to pass through many stages for getting admission.
TNS: What about the allegation that your madrassa, Darul Uloom Haqqania, was the launching pad for the Taliban movement in Afghanistan?
MSH: Firstly, at the time (when the future Taliban leadership was studying at our madrassa) the whole world, including the United States and Europe, was supporting Afghan mujahideen against Russian aggression. Thousands of Arabs came here to take part in the Afghan war and the United States fully supported them at that time. Secondly, Afghan students have been coming here for getting religious education since ages. There had been no madrassa system in Afghanistan like the one we have.
As far as the Taliban movement is concerned, it came into existence in the backdrop of Russian aggression against Afghanistan. (At that time) not only madrassa students but also students from other modern educational institutions went to Afghanistan for jihad. I do admit that a majority of Taliban have studied either at my madrassa or in other madrassas in Pakistan but is there any proof that Taliban are involved in any act of terrorism? Can the United States or any other country produce even a single Talib who masterminded or took part in any act of terrorism? Taliban leadership has time and again denounced terrorist attacks.
TNS: What is your opinion on the notion that some people are trying to mix up jihad with terrorism?
MSH: There is a clear distinction between jihad and terrorism. They cannot be mixed up. Jihad is something which is fought in the open field with enemies while terrorism is an act of cowardice which deserves condemnation.
TNS: Why then people resort to the extreme step of committing suicide attacks?
MSH: Though acts of terrorism are condemnable but this is a fact that the disgruntled and desperate youth in the Muslim world find it as the only way out (of their plight) as they see no end to their sufferings otherwise. There are about one billion Muslims in the world, constituting one-fifth of the whole global population. But they have been facing extreme injustice and unfair treatment at the hands of big powers. In this milieu, it seems impossible to control the emotionally charged young segment of the Muslim society. (Even) their parents don't know about their activities. The only way out of this situation is a dialogue between the West and the Islamic world. There should be practical steps for redressing the grievances of Muslims.
TNS: Curriculum taught at madrassas is mainly focused on the life hereafter and offers little insight into worldly affairs. Teaching otherworldliness is thought of as the promotion of martyrdom. The students seem to see little charm in the life here and now....
MSH: This is all a cock and bull story. Islam gives as much importance to the worldly life as to the life after death. Our curriculum is aimed at making a nice and polite human being who does good and noble work so that he gets a happy life after death as a reward. It is true that we mainly focus on life after death but we also know the fact that we can have a better life after death only if we do good deeds here in this world. Morality, human rights and good conduct with fellow human beings are part of our curriculum. Our graduates are practical models of what we teach.
TNS: Education is not totally free in Pakistan but religious madrassas offer totally free education. This make the operation of madrassas suspicious. Who takes over their financial burden?
MSH: Instead of praising and appreciating (what the madrassas are doing), it is strange that imparting free education is being viewed suspiciously. Imparting Islamic education is like worship. Taking money for it is haram (illegal). There are many missionary organisations in Europe that are run by people's donations. Same is the case with our madrassas. The Muslims from around the world generously donate for running these madrassas. This criticism shows the hypocritical face of the West. On the one hand, they have been campaigning for the spread of education and literacy and that too cost free but on the other hand when we do exactly the same thing, then they not only criticise us but also defame us.
TNS: To keep pace with time, do you think that the centuries-old religious education system of Pakistan needs any reformation?
MSH: We have been reforming our system through our main regulatory body, Wifaqul Madaris, which is responsible for all the affairs of (Deobandi) madrassa system. Similarly, we have been reviewing what new things are needed to be introduced in madrassas. We always welcome new things which suit our system of education. Besides religious education, now our students have also access to computer education. Some social subjects are also part of our syllabus.
TNS: If you welcome reforms in madrassas, then why do you resist the reforms programme initiated by the government?
MSH: We welcome only those reforms which bring about positive improvements in our system of education. But we reject the entire reforms package announced by the Musharraf government. This US-sponsored reform package is aimed at taking control of the madrassas and damage the true spirit of our religious institutions. There is no need for taking any aid from the government for the reforms of madrassas. Time and again we have said that running madrassas has noting to do with money and financial aid. We strongly believe that all madrassas are functioning through divine help. The much-touted slogans of reforming madrassas and enlightened moderation are nothing more but attempts to appease the United States and the West.