Why Have Religious Positions Like Allama, Maulana, Aalim, Mufti, Faqih, Muhaddis Turned Into A Joke, To Be Inherited Or Acquired Without Necessary Expertise
By
Mufti Azhar Ahmad Amjadi, New Age Islam
11 February 2022
Translated from Urdu by Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi, New Age Islam
Main
Points Discussed in the Article:
1.
Just
as an expert in medicine is called a doctor, and a specialist in engineering an
engineer, so the titles of Mufti, Aalim, Allama should be given only to those
who are experts in these areas.
2.
Some
common Muslims have started interfering with religious matters, without first
gaining a thorough understanding of the Religion.
3.
They
appear to raise their eyebrows when Ulama and Muftis discuss Islamic topics and
are developing a culture of wrongly criticising them.
4.
They
accept whatever is advised for personal problems related to treatment and
engineering, but they don't care about discriminating between specialists and
non-specialists when it comes to religious matters.
-----
Every educated class today recognises that
this is the age of specialisation. The necessity of expertise is now recognised
throughout the world. Each specialist is consulted to discuss topics relevant
to his or her field of expertise. Similarly, any human being who is specialised
in a field is defined by the position of that speciality, and his services are
sought in accordance with that designation. For example, if someone has
specialised in the area of medicine and treatment, he will attempt to give his
view about the treatment itself, and the entire world will label him as a
doctor based on his speciality, and he will get employed based on his
speciality.
The medical expert will no longer provide
his opinion on engineering, and the world will no longer recognise him as an
engineer, nor will he accept any employment outside of his field. If somebody
does it, the rest of the world will declare him to be ridiculous. Similarly, if
someone works in engineering, he will exclusively communicate his thoughts on
engineering, and the rest of the world will label him an engineer. This
engineer will no longer remark on the treatment, and the world will no longer
attempt to categorise him as a doctor. If somebody attempted to do so, the
people around the world would not hesitate to label it as the result of his
stupidity.
The same was true of religious issues and
positions for many centuries, fourteen hundred years before and after. The
person with more knowledge or experience in the art would offer his or her view
on relevant themes and, as a result, be allocated tasks. Someone who knew more
about Islamic law and Jurisprudence or was an expert in it used to speak
primarily about jurisprudential issues and was subsequently given the title of
jurist or mufti. Similarly, if he was an expert in the science of Hadiths or
properly knew about it, he would talk about it and be branded a Muhaddith based
on his expertise. It was never the case that a mufti who was not a Muhaddith
would discuss Hadiths and be awarded the title of Muhaddith. If the Muhaddith
had not been a jurist, he would not have expressed his opinion on
jurisprudential questions, and the title of Mufti or Faqih would not have been
bestowed to him.
However, our community has been now in a
very horrible position in the previous several decades, especially in the last
few years, on the basis of which religious issues and titles have been and
continue to be the victims of immense oppression. The unspecialized person has
apparently asserted that it is his right to voice his opinion on Islamic
Shariah matters. Similarly, a person who is not an Allama, Mufti, or Muhaddith
is granted the title of Allama, Mufti, or Muhaddith. However, if a member of
the same society who has specialised in medicine interferes with engineering
matters, the society will claim that he does not have the authority to speak
about engineering because he has not specialised in it. If the same society is
told he is an engineer, the society will raise a mountain on its head, stating
he cannot be an engineer because he did not study engineering but instead
specialised in medicine, calling him a doctor rather than an engineer.
The peculiar thing about members of our
Muslim society is that they are unwilling to entrust their personal problems to
a non-specialist. But in the religious matters, they do not hesitate to refer
to a non-specialist as an expert. That is, they would not like to enter the pit
themselves, but they look to be resting by forcing their community into the
pit!!
In general, common people today appear to
raise their eyebrows when Ulama and Muftis discuss Islamic topics, without
hesitating to wrongly criticise them. However, if people visit a doctor for
treatment of disease and the doctor recommends a medicine or injection, they
will not dare to suggest, “O Dr. Sahib, give this medicine instead of this
medicine or this injection instead of this injection.” Specialization is the
cause behind this. However, the specialisations of Ulama and Muftis are of
little value to them. As a result, they believe it is their right to criticize
Islamic issues outlined by Ulama or Muftis, and they are happy to do so. Why is
that the case?! The speciality of medicine etc is a speciality, but the
speciality of jurisprudence and Hadith etc. is not a speciality?!
Religious positions and titles are now
deemed cheaper and lower than all other positions of the world. It has become
normal practise to assume that because so-and-so is the son of a Maulana or
Mufti, he would be a Maulana or Mufti, even if he is unfamiliar with the
basics. Even though he does not stand on the terms of the spiritual guide
[Peer], he is called to be the spiritual guide if he is the son of a spiritual
personality [Peer]. And if he is an orator, it is no surprise then that he is
awarded titles like Allama, Mufti, Faqih, Qutub etc. In other words, it appears
that there is no need to specialise in jurisprudence, hadith, or mysticism in
order to get a religious position in Muslim society; all that is required is to
be the son of an expert or to be an orator. Then each title will be delivered
to you automatically.
It is not simply the uninformed,
flatterers, and those who only look out for their own pockets that are
responsible for making these positions cheaper and insensitive, but also the
desire to gain undeserved reputation and worldly respect. Those who are not
Maulanas are declared Maulanas, while those who are not Muftis are given the
title of Mufti and those who are not Allamas are given the heavy title of
Allama.
O beloved, this is Din [religion]. The Din
is not your property, and you are not authorised to transmit its titles to
anybody you want. Rather the Din is more important than the worldly affairs.
While the ignorant cannot be called a doctor and the doctor cannot be called an
engineer, why can you call the uneducated an Aalim or Hafiz? So why only Aalim,
Maulvi, or Hafiz be called Mufti, Faqih, Muhaddith, or Allama?!
Are education and training required
exclusively for modern positions, but not for religious positions?! Of course,
there is a need, but what can be done about the society which has struck such
an axe in the feet of its own religious positions that they have lost all
meaning and significance and have become nothing more than a source of title,
reputation, and honour?
Religious matters, particularly religious
positions, have devolved into a farce nowadays. What is the state of our
community and people as a result of our insensitivity? We are unconcerned. We
say anything we want and give whatever we want out of good and bad titles. Is
this something we inherited? Do we have the right to interfere with sensitive
issues of the religion without first gaining a thorough understanding of the
religion? Have pity on religious matters for the sake of God. Similarly, defend
religious viewpoints from oppression and pay attention to their importance, as
well as call others' attention to it, so that no one, especially the general
public, makes incorrect criticisms about any Islamic topic.
Those who are not experts or schooled in
jurisprudence, for example, should not be referred to as Mufti, Muhaddith,
Faqih, or Allama. Only those who are deserving of these important positions
should be identified as such; otherwise, one day, no true Maulvi or Hafiz will
be visible, and all ignorant or less educated individuals will be referred to
as Mufti and Allama. Then everyone will refer to himself as Mufti and Allama.
Today, whatever little respect is still left for these issues and positions
will also be obliterated.
Recognize your limitations, and, just as
you explore specialisation in worldly affairs and constantly seek the advice of
an expert in every field, consider seeking the advice of a religious specialist
in matters of religion. Only pay attention to the person who is an authority on
the topic. Respected titles such as a Mufti, Faqih, Muhaddith, Aalim, or Allama
should only be bestowed on those who truly deserve them, not on those who are
simply an orator, a son, or a grandson of a well-known figure. These titles are
reliable. If these titles remain with the trustee, he will safeguard them; if
they remain with the incompetent or traitor, he will abuse them and strive to
prove himself even if he does not deserve them, which will only lead to
destruction.
-----
Hazrat Maulana Hafiz and Qari Mufti
Azhar Ahmad Amjadi Misbahi Azhari is the successor of Faqih-e- Millat Mufti
Jalaluddin Ahmad Amjadi (may God have mercy on him). He completed his Aalimiyat
and Fazilat at Al-Jamiatul Ashrafia, Mubarakpur Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, as
well as his graduation and post-graduation at Jamia Azhar, Cairo, Egypt. He is
the founder of Trust Falah-e-Millat and performs religious and training
services at the Markaz-e-Tarbiyat-e-Ifta [Ifta Training Center] and Khaanqaahe
Amjadia. He is from Ojhaganj, Basti, Uttar Pradesh.
Urdu
Article: Why It Is That
Religious Issues And Positions Are Persecuted? آخر دینی مسائل اور عہدے ہی مظلوم کیوں؟
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/debating-islam/religious-issues-islamic-law-jurisprudence/d/126349
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