Science for Survival & Whither Pakistani Americans?
By Basheer A. Khan
CA
Your editor’s article ‘Science for Survival’ (Pakistan Link March 5) makes an interesting reading. Together with his article ‘Whither Pakistani Americans?’(Feb 26), it is a complete manifesto for retrieval of not just Pakistan but the entire Muslim World which is in an abyss because of its inability to keep a proper balance between scientific and religious education as pointed out by Mr. Faruqui in these articles.
Hector Bolitho in his biography of the Quaid-i-Azam has chronicled Jinnah’s fight with British Raj for Universal Education. Jinnah accused the British of ignoring the responsibility of educating their Indian subjects for the fear that Indians don’t become enlightened and empowered through education to force them out of India.
Unfortunately those who got to rule Pakistan in the name of the Quaid-i-Aazam did worse on this count for the same reason. They deliberately neglected education to keep the people powerless so that they don’t become a threat to the authority of corrupt and inept ruling class of waderas, jagirdars, Army and bureaucrats. Few educational institutions that were established during the British Raj, and some new ones established by the Christian missionaries and Muslim philanthropists, have helped Pakistan by providing the required functionaries to the government for its survival. In one of the recent Frontline documentaries it was disheartening to see the state of public schools in Pakistan in contrast with the desired passion of Pakistani children for learning. The same scenario is replicated in the entire Muslim World.
While governments were ignoring proper education of their citizens, religious scholars were establishing madrassas through generous aid of both local and foreign donors. The movement of madrassas flourished because of a religious injunction that permitted Zakat money to be donated only to children getting religious education. A mass spurt in the number of ulemas produced from these madrassas created a class which was in conflict with the convent educated youth filling up public jobs and thus creating a civil strife in our societies.
The solution to this problem is that our governments and well-to-do persons take up the task of educating our masses in a balanced way so that the dichotomy between religious and mundane life created in our societies by the aforementioned causes is stalled, and a harmonious society is allowed to emerge from the rubble of past neglect and strife. A huge base of scientifically trained manpower is essential to take care of the need of our agriculture, poultry, dairy, hospitals, sanitation, communication, transportation, education, etc. If we are not able to produce them, then we will never have a functional society with just the ulemas.
Many ulemas are now amenable to incorporate modern education into their syllabus and this should open up the flow of zakat money to modern education as well.
Mrs. Clinton’s call to rich Pakistanis to contribute more in taxes in Pakistan to promote education and provide other amenities is timely. If people like Shahid Khan of Flex N.Gate Corp in Urbana Illinois, who has been generous in his donations to his alma mater in US and is now intending to buy St. Louis Ram for $500 million (PL Feb 19), takes up the cause of education in his motherland with the same gusto, things will change much faster.
Corruption and security are a problem in the Muslim World, but this should not deter one from taking up good causes. We should remember the hostility which the settlers faced when they first came to America. We should get our inspiration from their saga and respond to the cry of our motherlands and strive to the best of our ability to ameliorate pain and suffering. This will be a great service to America too.
The North is mired in its own problems. To expect that it will come to the rescue of the South to erase the consequences of its own inaction and ineptitude is not realistic. The South will have to help itself before it is too late. Self-help is the best help.
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