A Thousand (Missing) Imam Abu Haneefahs

When anyone asks me which school of thought I (blindly) follow I am speechless. I have no answer to this question like, of course, millions more. It immediately makes me think of the economic principle, “the price of any commodity in short supply tends to rise”. On the surface of it, the existence of a few Imams is now the source of sectarianism or division on petty issues. In reality the absence of many more like them is. In reality the absence of many more like them is. I don’t know how to say it in a clearer way and stress upon it more. We know the art of turning blessings into curse and learning wrong lessons from right (factually correct) stories.

Do we ever complain that there are too many stars in the sky? If we add a few more bulbs in a room will it be a point of dispute between the already existing bulbs and the new ones? Or the lights of all of these will intermingle seamlessly without necessitating the exclusion of some in the presence of some others? But it seems to be the case with our luminaries because we idolize them and consider them mutually exclusive. Many among our luminaries are (mis)appropriated by their followers. We idolize a few rare ones because they are rare. The rarity is the problem. Not the commonality.

Therefore, the strategy should have been to put that education system in place wherein we produce leaders who are able to visualize the future as different from merely reacting and reacting very late – to only existing situations. But instead of producing more Imam Abu Haneefahs, we aim at producing the followers of Imam Abu Haneefah (rahimahullah), as an example. What a paradox?! It clearly indicates that something is seriously wrong somewhere. There is some problem somewhere. And that we need to stay with that problem a bit longer if we don’t want that problem to stay longer.

Education was to spiritually liberate the individuals but it actually conditions and enslaves them – just the contrary! Our institutions have to facilitate the grooming of self-concentrated dignified individuals. We don’t need legions of those who get lost in details and get submerged in the flood of information. We need those who develop a coherent body of ideas and creatively reach out to the unknown with the power of critical and scientific thinking. This is the only way to get more of Imam Abu Haneefahs (i.e. leaders) as different from the current breed (i.e. followers).

What is the solution? First of all there is no short-cut. Nor can we overlook the glaring problems. We have to face those problems head-on. And discuss them threadbare. We have to overhaul our entire education set-up. We have to define in very clear terms what we need from our students and graduates. All our educational institutions have to have a clear VISION. We have to brainstorm on this point. We have to have some civilizational goals. And then we will need to align everything with those objectives.

What we are teaching in our institutions is extremely important. The Boards and textbooks are very important. But how we are teaching and who is teaching is even more important. The teacher is the actual syllabus and the main curriculum. Everything else is secondary. This is why our job is tougher. It does not end with the identification and procurement of reading materials, textbooks, teaching aids and the latest technology etc. It actually begins from there.

We certainly need to develop a mechanism of communication with the ‘Ulama. This communication we have to start as soon as possible. We have to make our ‘Ulama understand the GAPS in OUR thoughts. This communication is a very painful process. It will require a lot of straight talk. Issues have to be discussed threadbare. Hence, we will need a higher degree of tolerance and patience from all concerned. There is a hope behind the straight talk, though. We do not talk straight or otherwise to walls. It will be enlightening to hear more on this issue from the learned members.