THE END OF AN INTELLECTUAL GAP
One more benefit achieved through religious seminaries was that it prevented the development of what is called an intellectual gap between the elite of the community and the general masses of the nation.
The Quran speaks of a division among the Jews, mentioning a group possessing knowledge and intellect (Quran, 2:75). Here, the term “group” refers to the scholars among the Jews, also known as the “Rabbis”. Following this, it addresses a second category within the Jewish community, the common people, as mentioned in the Quran: “Among them are illiterate ones who do not know the Book, but only wishful thinking” (Quran, 2:78). The word used here, “ummi” (pl. “ummiyoon”), refers to individuals who are unlettered or uneducated, unable to read or write (Al-Jami-al-Ahkam Al-Quran by Al-Qurtubi, p. 5).
Historically, there was no culture of general education within the Jewish community; only select families gained religious knowledge. The scholars, being literate, were responsible for studying and teaching religious texts, while the common masses largely remained uneducated, with limited understanding of their own religious traditions. Consequently, a significant intellectual divide emerged, wherein some families held scholarly status while the majority of people remained part of the general public, lacking access to religious literature or the ability to comprehend it independently.
As a result, an intellectual gap developed between the scholars and the general populace, with the masses being unable to engage with or interpret religious texts. Over time, this separation led the common people further away from the scholars. For many, religion became a matter of superstitions and wishful thinking, rather than a path grounded in true knowledge.
This intellectual gap hindered any meaningful reform within the Jewish community. Reform, after all, depends on guidance rooted in divine scriptures, yet the masses lacked the comprehension needed to grasp scholarly language and interpretations.
In ancient times, many nations witnessed a clear divide between their elite and the masses. A notable example of this is found in India, where for thousands of years, society was rigidly divided between the elite (Brahmins) and the common people. Education and literacy were confined almost exclusively to the Brahmin caste, with no educational institutions available for the general populace. As a result, the majority of the population, approximately 95%, remained uneducated and trapped in ignorance, often perceiving superstitions as religion.
The revolutionary step of breaking this monopoly on knowledge and extending education to the masses was taken for the first time in history by Islam. Muslim scholars significantly contributed to expanding education globally, including in India. During the Muslim period, the establishment of public educational institutions, such as schools, allowed Hindu students to study alongside Muslim students. This integration marked a departure from the exclusivity of education and benefited non-Muslims as well.
When Muslim scholars later began establishing more widespread madrasas in the 19th century, these institutions also became accessible to non-Muslims. A notable feature of these madrasas was that they were located within local communities, making it easier for parents to send their children to study without requiring them to travel far. This inclusivity naturally attracted non-Muslim students as well.
An example of this impact can be seen in the life of Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of independent India, who received his early education at a Muslim madrasa in Bihar during his childhood. This demonstrates how madrasas, by their inclusive approach, contributed to the educational upliftment of broader society, including non-Muslim communities.
Islam was the first religion in the world to address the intellectual gap between the elite and the common people, striving to bridge this divide and eliminate its negative consequences. Indian scholars perpetuated this Islamic tradition by establishing a system of madrasas across the country. This initiative had a significant advantage: it prevented the emergence of an intellectual gap between scholars and the general public. By creating numerous madrasas in villages and cities, they ensured that millions of people could access education.
Furthermore, Islamic books became accessible to the masses, enabling individuals to understand the scholars’ insights and build their awareness accordingly. If the madrasa system had failed to address this intellectual gap, a severe divide might have emerged among Muslims, akin to the rift seen in Jewish history between the Pharisees and the common people, or in Hindu society between the Brahmins and non-Brahmins.
One of the extraordinary contributions of Indian scholars was making religious education free of cost. This decision catered to the financial struggles of most people, who could not afford education on their own. Had the madrasa system been based on tuition fees, a majority of Muslims would have remained deprived of knowledge despite the availability of madrasas. By relying on God’s support, scholars institutionalized free education and sustained it despite numerous challenges.
During British rule, schools and colleges were predominantly urban-centric, leaving about 75% of the population without access to education. In contrast, scholars ensured that religious education reached every household.
For example, I was born in a remote village in Uttar Pradesh, but fortunately, there was a madrasa in the mosque of the village. This madrasa was established by the family of Abdul Ali Khan Sahib on their own initiative. Now, with the support of Janab Yameen-ul-Islam Khan (Engineer) and others, it is undergoing significant development.
According to the general rule, no tuition fee was charged in this madrasa. At a young age, I was enrolled in this madrasa. If there had been no madrasa in the village, my guardians might not have had the courage to send a young child to a distant place.
In this madrasa, I received basic education in Urdu, Persian, and Arabic. Afterward, I went to another place for further education, where I enrolled in a larger madrasa to complete my studies in the Arabic language and Islamic sciences.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, various movements operating under the name of Islam and the Muslim community gained significant popularity in the Indian subcontinent. A large number of Muslims were drawn to these movements. Regardless of how impactful these movements were, their acceptance can largely be attributed to how religious institutions managed to eliminate the intellectual divide between the elite and the common people.
It is a fact that in the present era, any movement that has successfully prepared the minds of the masses has done so as a result of the educational efforts of such institutions. If the widespread dissemination of education had not bridged the intellectual gap between the elite and the commoners, these movements might not have achieved their acceptance.
In such situations, movements launched newspapers and journals to spread awareness, but they failed to garner any readership. They organized meetings, but those gatherings attracted people who, despite their enthusiasm, failed to comprehend the ideas presented. The elites would use words and phrases, both in writing and speech, whose meaning they themselves understood but which were completely alien to the general populace. They continued to use these words and phrases to inform the masses, but this method remained ineffective.
In such circumstances, the ultimate outcome of these movements was predictable.
