The problem with faulty religious understanding is that it has the built-in power to tear a person’s intellectual capacity from the domain of what we call “common sense” or “good sense.” A radical self-righteous self slowly ousts the natural humane side of the conscience and, from there, all hell can break loose.
Once this is understood, it must be noted that the worst thing we can do, having in mind the great influence of unrestricted information flow, is to suppress the knowledge flow altogether. That will only worsen the situation. What can prove more effective is to rather facilitate Islamic education for the masses and not restricting it only to the traditional madrasa-going students.
The masses who are receiving secular education (by secular here I mean non-madrasa or non-traditional Islamic education) need to be presented with programs and institutions where they can systematically learn about the cutting-edge research which gives a more purposive, contextualised, nuanced, and “time-travelling” presentation of Islam from its authentic sources.
All the political, social, and religious institutes should come here hand-in-hand to welcome and facilitate such programs where people quench their thirst of spiritual education while not being exposed to radicalised understanding.
It is not in the scope of this writing to immediately go to the details of such a program, but mentioning one of the guiding principles is important. Let’s be frank, these programs must be headed by credible, knowledgeable Islamic scholars, not secular nationalists who do not have the necessary credentials and are only viewed as those infiltrating the ranks of Islam to pollute it with their “propaganda.” The success of such a program fringes primarily on how credibility is established, rather than merely building institutions and structures.
Political institutions, including the government and law enforcement bodies, must help create an environment, often through financial subsidies and mostly by not posing to be obstacles, where people with religious credentials, authorities, and level-headedness can offer religious education to the masses, especially those who are otherwise trained secularly.
Religious entrepreneurs should confidently assume that the strength of religious understanding based on authentic, canonical Islamic texts and scholarly works can keep them upright at the face of any intrusion to their faith
Let us call them “religious entrepreneurs.” Here, both the government and religious entrepreneurs have to feed from a trust that binds both of them. The government has to ensure it doesn’t unnecessarily harass and censor works of religious entrepreneurs as long as they do not pose any real threat.
On the other hand, the religious entrepreneurs must abide by the state decorum and not threaten its security by its teachings and doctrines. I will refuse to believe that such trust can’t be manufactured. Any discussion where Islamic ideas and state politics overlap should take place in a language that is expected from a civilised modern state encouraging freedom of speech.
Those who argue that such an undertaking has the risk of further fomenting terrorism is in the error of mistrusting a historical peaceful observance of Islam by religious leaders and their followers in this country for centuries. This peaceful Islam is older than the hard Bengali nationalism we can see, and has largely guided the pluralistic philosophy of the country more than any other ideology. This common-sense, pragmatic Islam should be given its chance to eradicate the malignant growth caused in its own name.
Creating relevance in religious content
This is a duty of the religious entrepreneurs, regarding whom I have already alluded in the previous section and by whom I mean a mix of scholars, leaders, educationists, academicians, and preachers who care to “sell” the true message of Islam to mass people. This duty entails such people to come out of traditional curriculum, modes, and style of disseminating religious education. It perhaps is not sufficient, though necessary, to have studied in reputed religious schools and universities.
Such traditional delivery of Islam cannot be deemed as quality entrepreneurship in a pragmatic sense. This should be bolstered by relevant training in some secular fields which will help them apply their traditional religious understanding in an ever-changing reality so that the mode of religious understanding harmonises well with the intricacies of modern society.
Modern Islamic scholars must have sufficient knowledge of sociology, economics, political science, international relations, and even the natural sciences.
The fear that in doing so they risk losing touch with a pure Islamic pedagogy devoid of the “pollution” of the uncertainty of human mind and knowledge is unwarranted. Rather than living in a cocoon, they must come out to an open embrace of modern human knowledge.
An open embrace doesn’t mean wholehearted support of it. It is simply an invitation towards logical scrutiny, analysis, discussion, and understanding. Rather than mistrusting the social and natural scientific disciplines based on scientific enquiries to dilute their mind and disintegrate their faith, the religious entrepreneurs should confidently assume that the strength of religious understanding based on authentic, canonical Islamic texts and scholarly works can keep them upright at the face of any intrusion to their faith.
If we are sure of our faith to withstand any intellectual challenge, we should not mind to lay it bare and accept any challenge.
The concluding part of this long form will be published tomorrow.