I, for the first time in my life, actually heard a Pakistani molvi’s interview and now I’m not surprised at the anti-mullah sentiments among educated (anyone who has some brains left) Pakistani people.
I know our corrupt politicians have a big hand in bringing the country down but these molvis are worse as they use Islam to support their evil agendas, all they want is power through controlling masses by keeping them ignorant about the Book, very similar to what the Christians used to do.
So who do you think is a bigger threat to our country, politicians or molvis?
It is sad that a bunch of politicians and molvis control a population of over 180 million people. We should tackle our own brains first. They're ripping us off and brainwashing us because we let them. Bheja khol kar vote do or kisi bhi molvi ki bakwaas manne se behter hai k khud Quran or tafseer parho. Tackling our own ignorance first and foremost will do wonders for the country.
I find it interesting that children in Pakistan read the Quran in Arabic and have no idea what it says unless someone (Molvi) translates for them. I don't care if the Quran/hadith says to read in Arabic, if you can't understand it and interpret it for yourself, you're just being ignorant. People being able to educate themselves is what allowed Christians to break away from the political institution of the Catholic Church. With the invention of the printing press, Christians, for the first time, had access to their own copies of the Bible.
Same thing for politicians. I heard Bilawal Bhutto, or maybe Zardari, claim that only a Bhutto can lead their party. I was shocked that they could say that in public and no one objected. It would be like a Kennedy saying only someone from their family should lead the Democrats.
Right now, I think the people in poverty hold the West and anyone influenced by the West in disdain, and rightly so, since it is a few rich elites who hold the country hostage to international debt. They only outlet they see are the religious groups who offer violence against those who have oppressed them. If people are educated about the history of their country, true history with limited bias of any kind, they will rise up themselves against the politicians. That's the only way to ensure a continued change. These coups by the generals don't last for a reason. I don't believe Pakistani politicians are as savvy as the Republicans in America and it should not take much to send those idiots running.
I think 'molvis' because people trust them, everyone knows to approach politicians carefully but a lot of people will follow anyone with a beard blindly, which is dangerous.
I do wish this wasn't the case, I have seen so many true Shaykhs/Molvis and it breaks my heart when people treat them like frauds, but then again I don't blame the people either when there is so much unrest when it comes to religious people.
It's interesting that you mentioned education. I have two nephews (my cousins' kids) and they both were raised in a similar environment, the only difference is that one went to a high profiled college and the other went to a Governmental institution which is sort of ruled by Jamiat students.
Now they're on FB and I often get to read their views on politics and religion, the one in the private and very expensive college has very balanced views but the other one has the tendencies of an extremist. I think again it comes down to the huge gap between working class and elitists' understanding of the world around them that you mentioned in your post.
I also think people in general have lost the basic ability of questioning and critical thinking.
Well I have to be carefull here, I too have a lot of Molvi friends and was once a learned man of the book as well as the world.
However I think yes bad Molvis are worse than politicians rabble rousers who keep throwing up a new Fatwa every week are dangerous as TNT.
But some of these power hungry megolomaniacs come to power by abusing thier positions in society. Besides like Politicians and any other organised scum the bad apples always feed of our own weaknesses.
Thats why I am always happy to listen to any kind of person who speaks truthfully and speaks with a good heart and mind. There are many top quality scholars that dont earn a penny, they are walking books of knowledge but becuase they dont have the big name or mass following nobady gives a hoot what they have to say.
While these big name Mullahs can act like political giants in thier own right and dominate others, but if the public thought for a minute and just dumped these oafs there would be no problem at all.
Part of the Mullah problem is our own making too... we tend to think the biggest mouths have the most words. Support your local decent scholar and stop following some TV thug.
people are getting lazy, they don't want to find out things on their own, instead they listen to any bearded Taimoor, Danial and Haris on tv or in the papers.
some molvies are fuelled by the people that listen to them, and will continue to do so until people stop being lazy and educate themselves.
unfortunately there are some molvis that do have taqwa and are righteous in their words and actions. But unfortanetly people dont see that.
a lot of these molvis all have different views on the same subjects, which makes the public confuse and probably hate them all even more. But again, they dont bother to educate/reseach on their own.
the best kind of molvies are the ones that want to bring you closer to Allah, not the ones that want your money for their pockets or your vote.
how do u expect people to look up stuff for themselves when people keep saying and again..that only 'learned' people can understand the quran and sunnah......as i said before......
this notion of somehow 'patenting' of understanding/interpretation given to the maulvies/molanaas/sheikhs/aalims etc etc...is the problem
Allah SWT gives wisdom to whom He pleases. He gives certain people more wisdom and insight more than others. For examples, al-Ghazali. He is said to be the Proof of Islam. That is, all the work that he had did for Islam, proves that Islam is the correct path.
Allah SWT also guides whom he pleases as well. If someone wants to educate themselves and become a student of 'ilm that do so. Read the books from these scholars and shaykhs. Be in the company of scholars and shaykhs that they respect and honour.
Its up to the person themselves to walk on the Straight Path. They can do it blindly without having any trust in the person leading them by a string, or with their eyes open and by having complete trust and faith in 'learned person" while holding their hand.
how do u expect people to look up stuff for themselves when people keep saying and again..that only 'learned' people can understand the quran and sunnah......as i said before......
this notion of somehow 'patenting' of understanding/interpretation given to the maulvies/molanaas/sheikhs/aalims etc etc...is the problem
Those who earn their living by selling Holy Scriptures as described in Quran or those who do not understand it themselves or those who have some hidden agenda will tell you that , do not listen to them and put your effort in understanding Quran. You will be highly rewarded. Allah(SWT) says in Quran that there are many clues and cues in Quran for people who have some wisdom. Quran encourages by itself to ponder on its message , Quran did not levy any pre-conditions to understand it.
Shaykh Muhammad al-Yaqoubi
Shaykh Nuh Keller
Shaykh Hamza Yusuf
Shaykh Abdul Hakim Murad
For example...and many many more.....
like I said, read literature and find the one that you relate too or feel like u have a spiritual connection with. If you're in the west or the UK, attend the conferences and meet them first hand.
What i dont understand is that why can't we pick up the Quran and go thru it ourslf and figure it out ourself instead of going by what anybody else says. Yes there wl be few things which mite nt be very clear to u but u can always discuss them with yr trusted ones with rationality and logic.
The thread was about the Pakistani molvis and politicians but let me share my experience with learning about Islam myself in Pakistan.
I tried to read the translation of Quran but honestly speaking I couldn't understand various verses specially the ones with laws. The Urdu translation was very difficult to understand and further there wasn't any footnotes. I tried to read books on masail but that complicated everything even more so. Then someone recommended me Tafsir ibn Kathir and I understood it becuase it was easy to read and it has given related ahadith and backgrounds of surahs but at the end I became a zealous and strict person becuase the books didn't teach me to use any common sense so as a result I became a rigid muslim who loved winning arguments.
In West, we should be thankful that we have some really knowledgeable and sincere scholars but in Pakistan it's very hard and confusing to study Islam specially when you don't know which molvi to listen to. And it's difficult to get your hands on some good Islamic books. The only books I found beneficial were Sufi literature and some authors like Qudratullah Shahab, Mumtaz Mufti and Asfaq Ahmed who concentrated on values and morals instead of arguing on maslay masail.
