Too many priests
Why do clerics dominate the nation’s Muslim leadership?
BY KALEEM KAWAJA
Whenever I look up news reports on the issues and problems
concerning the Muslim community, I find
that often the Muslim leaders addressing these matters are clerics. The
question arises, why is the politics of the Muslim community in India
dominated by clerics, many of whom are not even Islamic scholars? Why is
the proportion of the community’s leaders from the Muslim intelligentsia
so small?
Obviously, when the topics are religious issues concerning
the Muslim community, for instance, interpretation of Shariah laws or
Hadith or fatwas or personal laws or matters dealing with madrassas, the
leadership belongs in the hands of clerics and religious organisations.
But when issues are of a non-religious nature, for instance, Muslim
educational institutions, or reservation for Muslims in educational
institutions and jobs, or the need to address the community’s
socio-economic and educational uplift, or the political situation of the
community, or civil liberties, or the situation of Muslim women, the
primary leadership role belongs to the Muslim intelligentsia and Muslim
political leaders.
Firstly, most clerics’ background in subjects like
economics, law, sociology and technology is not up to date for today’s
issues. Secondly, because of their background most of the clerics often
look at even non-religious issues from a religious perspective. Thirdly,
most of them are not very proficient in English language usage and oral
communications with modern electronic media journalists. Altogether it
reinforces in the minds of the mainstream media and the nation at large a
stereotypical image of the entire Muslim community and its mindset as
overtly religious. Often the entire politics of the Muslim community is
painted as a mirror image of BJP-style religion oriented politics.
The fact that a majority of non-religious issues
concerning the Muslim community are being addressed by clerics has skewed
the perspective of the community and has created a stereotypical picture
of Muslims in the minds of mainstream Indians, the Indian media and the
majority Hindu community. The mainstream’s perception is that the Muslim
community is obsessed with religion and looks at most issues from a
religious angle. Compare that to the Hindu community and you find a stark
contrast. The number of mahants, sadhus and Hindu clerics in the
leadership of the Hindu community is rather small. Hindu clerics come into
the picture when issues are related to Hindu temples, seminaries, places
of pilgrimage or religious trusts. Otherwise most Hindu community leaders
are from the intelligentsia and political background. This is true of even
the BJP which is a Hindu fundamentalist party.
In contrast, the Muslim intelligentsia in the country
often remains invisible on the core socio-economic-educational-political
issues concerning the community. With their broader and more pluralistic
background, the intelligentsia has a distinctly different perspective on
issues, which should be the dominant perspective on mainstream issues if
the Muslim community wants to claim its due place in today’s resurgent and
modernising India. Often when the media wants an opinion on issues
concerning the Muslim community, it turns to the clerics. The result is
frequent not well-informed opinions communicated in a manner that creates
a stereotypical image of the community. Whereas on the whole, and despite
a large number of Muslims being depressed in education and economic
status, the community is reasonably vibrant, has a broad perspective and
is trying to move ahead in the nation’s mainstream.
I recall that after the demolition of the Babri mosque the
Muslim intelligentsia held a well-attended conference in New Delhi in 1993
where they pledged to take a more active role in the political and
socio-economic affairs of the community. But after a few meetings they
stepped back and left a vacuum in the leadership arena at a critical time
for the community. The overall foot-dragging by the Muslim intelligentsia
to get involved with the affairs of the community at the grass roots level
is alienating them from large segments of the Muslim masses.
Most Muslim intelligentsia comprises practising Muslims
who have a healthy respect for Islamic scholars and learned clerics. Yet
there is a communication gap between these two sections of the community
that must be bridged. The need of the hour is not a leadership contest
between the intelligentsia and the clerics but cooperation and utilising
the strengths of both sections. The intelligentsia can guide the clerics
on how to present Islamic elements in more acceptable modern jargon. The
clergy can assist the intelligentsia with their grass roots contacts at
the street level.
If we look at the leadership in various Muslim countries
or Muslim communities in western countries we find that most leaders are
from the intelligentsia or political background. Clerics assume a
leadership role only when issues are of a religious nature. So why should
the situation in India be different?
(Kaleem Kawaja, an engineering manager at NASA’s Goddard
Space Flight Centre in Washington, DC, led the formation of the
Association of Indian Muslims of America, AIM, an NGO that continues to be
focused on the uplift of India’s Muslim community.)
www.indianmuslims.in
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