Revival Of Muslim Intellectualism Is a Staggering and Cumbersome Task; University and Madrasa Scholars Are Always at Loggerheads With Each Other
By Mushtaq Ul
Haq Ahmad Sikander, New Age Islam
27 May 2024
Decadence of
Muslim Intellectualism: Reasons, Ramifications, and Remedies
Author: Tauseef
Ahmad Parray
Publisher: Viva
Books Private Limited, New Delhi
Year of
Publication: 2021
Pages: 2021 Price: Rs 995
ISBN:
9789390054930
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The factual reality
about the decline of Muslims in every aspect of life, has been probed by many
intriguing studies. There are variegated responses both indigenous and imported
while analyzing this fact. Some shift the blame on West, Colonialism and their
hypocrisy in promoting plutocracy and democracy as and when suited for their
interests in the Muslim world. For others, it is the systematic and
institutional closure/stagnation of Ijtihad, that is responsible particularly
for the decline of Muslim intellectualism. Very few hold the view that the very
roots of Islam are anti-intellectualism, so decrying about its decline is a
futile exercise. The upholders of this view mostly have left Islam, while
taking pride to introduce themselves as Ex Muslims.
The current work, by a
young brilliant scholar of Kashmir, Dr Tauseef Ahmad Parray, probes the
vagaries of Muslim Intellectualism holistically, as the title of the work
suggests. However, he fails to contextualize the term intellectualism and
intellectuals. The reader, finds it difficult to define who is an intellectual
and who is a scholar (Aalim). These terms have been used
interchangeably, whereas they express and stand for different public roles.
Were all Muslim scholars (Ulema) intellectuals? Did intellectuals and Ulema
co-exist or were antagonistic in the Muslim world? What were the
characteristics that distinguished them from each other or were they an
amalgamated lot? Did the Ulama play the role of intellectuals in the Muslim
world? These all pertinent and allied questions have not been dealt by our
worthy author.
However, the Preface
of this work informs the reader that the author is trying to understand the
loss of intellectual legacy of Muslims, while probing its causes and issues,
informing the context of the study. “The present work, focusing exclusively on
the Decadence of Muslim Intellectualism-makes a modest attempt and substantial
effort to find answer(s) to these (disturbing) questions.” (P-xii) This work
deals with the concept of Ilm (knowledge) in Islam. It involves understanding
the Muslim intellectual contribution, that was quite great, then downfall and
decline of the same, as the doors of Ijtihad (critical reasoned
reflection and response to contemporary challenges in the light of Quran and
Sunnah). The retrograde of Caliphate to monarchy, resulted in the declining
role of caliphs as law makers, while passing the baton to Ulema, most of whom
were associated with the courts of caliphs, that trimmed down their
independence of standing for Ijtihad. Most of them could not take
independent decisions, that were in contrast against the official policy. It
was one of the biggest reason for stifling the independent thinking in Muslim
world, resulting in subsequent decline of Muslim intellectualism. The rational
school of thought in Muslim world (Mutazilites and allied schools) were
decimated by the Ulema with the patronage of monarchs, which had a diverse
impact over staggering world of Muslim intellectualism.
The debate around
madrasas and their contribution in the decline of the Muslim world, as they
bifurcated knowledge into worldly and religious, is deliberated in the work.
This division was unislamic, but it continued and even now it is a sad and grim
reality. Unless, Muslims do not take bold steps of standing for holistic
concept of knowledge and bridging this divide, the revival of Muslim
intellectualism is a staggering and cumbersome task. The scholars that are
produced by universities and those who are from madrasas, are always at
loggerheads with each other.
The colonialism of
Muslim world, by the imperial European powers is also responsible for a
plethora of problems confronting it. But now even the post-colonial Muslim
world too is mired with number of issues. Parray, as a versatile scholar explains
the reasons for them, as Muslims not investing in science, while allocation of
very little GDP is done on education. The revered author introduces and
demarcates thirty Muslim institutes and centers, that are playing their roles
as Think Tanks to understand the Muslim malaise as well as respond to the new
challenges confronting Muslims. The good sign is that Muslim Think Tanks are
growing exponentially, but the dearth of funds, quality of research and impact
on public policy is very dismal. Although, journals and books are being
regularly published by these think tanks, still they are unable to make a
diverse impact. It maybe because Muslim masses, policy makers and politicians
are not interested in coming out of the morass of subjugation, patriarchy,
irrationality and oppression.
A brief region wise
detail and description of each research institute and think tank is given by
Parray. This book offers a reader quite a quick glance if interested in knowing
the world of prominent Muslim research institutes. As, the book progresses the
reader gets conscious of the fact that this work is more of a review of
literature and views from different scholars and intellectuals, about the title
of the work. The author, has gathered their views, while ignoring the illiteracy,
sectarianism, corruption, structural violence and grip of redundant patriarchal
Ulema over the masses, that are the obstacles confronting the resurgence of
Muslim intellectualism. Although the author has tried to come out with his own
Theory of 5Ds, but it certainly fails to explain the indigenous reasons for the
decadence of Muslim intellectualism today. “Having a look on the whole
scenario, it becomes evident that the major issues faced by Muslims, as far as
the grim situation, in academics is concerned, can be summarized in (what I
call as) the Theory of 5Ds: Disunity, Disagreement, Distraction, Doubt and
Duality/Dualism (in theory and practice.” (P-174) The book also offers a huge
bibliography in the end.
This book is a maiden
and unique attempt by the author to understand the reasons for the muslim
intellectual decline, and offers a kaleidoscopic view of the Muslim think tanks
and research institutes working all over the world. The author, needs to be
congratulated for this feat, with the hope that more holistic view at
understanding this pertinent research question needs to be undertaken in the
near future, with more poignancy and brutal honesty.
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M.H.A. Sikander is Writer-Activist based in Srinagar,
Kashmir
New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism