This is with reference to the article of Iqbal Ahmed Sheriff and others on Jamaat-Islami.
The Jamaat-Islami, founded on 25.8.1941, is five decades old with a membership of just about 4,000. It is divided into 14 zones for administrative convenience connected with Dawah, social service and publications in different Indian languages. The late Moulana Moduli, the greatest Islamic scholar of the present century, nurtured this organization and wrote several books and removed misconceptions about Islam.
The Jamaat undertook relief works after anti-Muslim riots at Jabalpur, Rourkela, Jamshedpur, Ahmedabad, Assam etc. When the bread-winner is butchered, women raped and killed, what is the use of relief work? Prevention is, therefore, better than trying to cure. This is my experience as a medical practitioner.
The Jamaat should, instead of working on the intellectual, academic and statistical level, should descend to the grassroots and visit slums in cities like Bangalore, Calcutta, Madras, Bombay etc. where the Dalits live side by side with Muslims.
Common oppressor: The anti-Muslim hatred launched by the Hindu Nazis has perturbed the Muslim masses whose distinct culture and identity are being threatened. SC/ST/BCs are also persecuted by these very same Hindu Nazi forces. So, the Jamaat leaders should unite Muslims and SC/ST/BCs as both are persecuted by the same Hindu Nazis.
Some rich Muslims have started engineering, dental medical and other technical colleges. But I am sorry to say that only about 20% of the seats are filled up by Muslims who are affluent. Poor Muslim students from rural areas cannot get admission to these colleges as they can’t afford the capitation fees.
The Tablighi-Jamaat opens madrasas where only religious education (qur’anic) is imparted. These madrasas are run out of donations received from the public and this is not sufficient to cover the necessary expenses. And hundreds of those trained by these Madrasas are unemployed since new mosques are not coming up. Jamaat-Islami leaders and other religious leaders should sort out the difference in the best interest of the Muslim masses who look only to god and the Quran for their guidance. A majority of them are illiterate to know the injunctions of Quran. It is the duty of the educated to guide the uneducated.
