Caretakers of Islam: Throwing Caution to the Wind

Author: Muhammad Rafeh

The highest law of our land reads ‘The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan’. In Pakistan, the caretakers of Islam are often called mullahs or maulvis, and they wield immense power. This is not because they are politically or socially well-known, but because they are the flag-bearers of Islam, something they use as a pin in the board for every political, social, or economic move they make.

The founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, claimed, “there is no power that can undo Pakistan.” However, in recent times, one is compelled to wonder that while the founder’s words may hold true when it comes to external attempts of undoing, the same surely cannot be assumed in terms of internal undoing.

The pages of Pakistani history are painted red with the atrocities that its citizens have faced solely because of the power that these self-proclaimed Islamic caretakers hold. From religious cadres sealing off the country’s roads in protest of a woman being legally acquitted of blasphemy to wreaking havoc on the Aurat Marches across Pakistan, these religious fanatics have done everything but take care of the religion that preaches humanity before anything else.

After pondering on the subject, several questions come to mind. Do these people deserve to be called the caretakers of Islam? Are they worthy of being regarded with the reverence this community bestows upon them? Perhaps one can argue that every man who wears a cleric’s cap and grows a beard is not a maulvi, and that the people who engage in such cruelties do so of their own independent will, not because their religion commands it. This was seen following the ruckus caused by TLP earlier this year when members of the party openly dissociated themselves from the protestors clamoring on the streets and claimed that they were members of another party, charged with the task of discrediting TLP. It is easy to wash the blame off your hands in this country, especially when you know the state will never hold you accountable and will always end up caving in to your demands. This is what our incumbent government did by releasing the arrested TLP leader, Saad Rizvi.

Since the beginning of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s term, it has been clear that he secured premiership through the support of the entire country. It was expected of him to not socially exclude any faction if he intends to stay in power. Like his predecessors, Khan knows his politics; when he is to remain silent and when to take action. Recently, however, he has quite openly voiced his opinions on rape which mirror those of the country’s misguided mullahs. Time after time, he has suggested that women are raped because their “immodest” dressing entices men. One is then compelled to believe that perhaps he has the same mentality as those he remains silent for.

Not long ago, one of the Islamic caretakers openly admitted and justified the act of raping a child in a seminary. The video was preceded by another, filmed by one of the students at the seminary which shows the maulvi raping the child. The video rankled many to their cores and offered a terrifying glimpse into what happens behind the pristine, Arabic-engraved walls of seminaries. While the perpetrator has been arrested, the problem is far from solved.

Now that the extent of influence exercised by mullahs is out in the open, is Khan going to address the mounting issue? Is the government going to go back on vitalizing the status of mullahs through the implementation of the Single National Curriculum? Is it reasonable to expect such a U-turn, a concept this government is very familiar with, on the only educational policy this party has produced in its 3 years of power? For how long will these mullahs be allowed to torture, ridicule, and rape children before parents truly become aware of the trauma they inflict on minors within these madrasahs? Perhaps, it is safer to teach the Quran to your child yourself than have a potential predator lurking in your house.

What the common folk needs to consider is that the “caretakers” of Islam enjoy these sin-with-impunity rights because of us. They are made by us. We seek spiritual and religious guidance from them, often forgetting that they themselves are misguided. We put them on a pedestal, revere them as guardians of Islam because of their self-proclaimed proximity to the Holy Book, and blindly trust them with the life and well-being of our children. While Khan may be reluctant to pick a bone with these maulvis in an attempt to secure as many votes as possible for the 2023 elections, we, as a society, need to take more responsibility for the plight of our children under the care of mullahs. At the same time, the PTI government needs to reevaluate its priorities. They need to be aware of the potential consequences of remaining indifferent about a confession that has plunged our society into uncertainty and insecurity.

Whether the Prime Minister cares more about his people or his seat, only time will tell. However, it is about time we learn that while not all maulvis are morally and socially corrupt, it is better to give caution to the wind than have #NotAllMaulvis trend on Twitter.