Another strange misconception which is widespread throughout Pakistan against the Indian ulema, esp. that of Darul Uloom Deoband, is that they were against science and technology. This is a mountainous lie and heinous allegation against the scholars!
Instead of turning historical records, up & down, a recent fatwa issued by the Darul Iftaa of Darul Uloom Deoband may be quoted here:-
Furthermore, on their website, they have made a special section entitled “The Muslims’ Avoidance of the English Education” for this purpose:-
Quote:
This blame has gained notoriety against the Ulema of India, particularly against the Ulema of Deoband, that, by issuing a Fatwa against the acquirement of the English education, they prevented the Muslims from acquiring it, wherefore the Muslims lagged behind other communities in the field of worldly progress. But this blame is baseless, because the Ulema were against only that curriculum which might lead the Muslims towards atheism and irreligion. This danger was being felt in Aligarh itself. Accordingly, to obviate it, an independent Department of Theology was established there, and when Maulana Muhammad Qasim’s son-in-law, Maulana Abdullah Ansari, was invited to head it, Darul Uloom promptly accepted this invitation. Maulana Abdullah Ansari graced this post till the end of his life and after him, his son, Maulana Ahmed Miya Ansari, was appointed on this post. He was also a graduate of Darul Uloom. It is, therefore, obvious that in case of opposition to the English system of education, this thing was not possible.
As regards those students who, after graduating from the Arabic schools, wished to enter government schools, Hazrat Maulana Nanutawi, in his speech delivered in a function of prize-distribution held in 1290 A.H. (1873 A.D.), had encouraged such students in the following words:-
“If the students of this Madrassa join government schools to acquire the modern sciences, this acquirement would more shore up their accomplishment.”
Replying to the objection of certain people as to why modern sciences were not included in the syllabus of Darul Uloom, he said:-
“If this thought is a stumbling block that there is no arrangement here at all for the profane sciences, its answer firstly is that there ought to be treatment of the disease. To take medicine for a disease, which is not there, is futile. The crack in the wall should be filled up; it is necessary to fill the kiln. What is it but silliness to be anxious about the brick that has not yet fallen down? What are the government schools for? If the profane sciences are not taught there; what else is done there? Had these schools been less in number than what are required, then it would have mattered. But it is common knowledge that through the government’s attention, towns and cities apart, schools have been opened even in villages. To make arrangement for the schools of secular sciences in their presence and be negligent towards the religious sciences is not the work of the longsighted wisdom.”
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Its noteworthy that the founders of Darul Uloom Deoband viz. Maulana Qasim Nanotawi were among the ones who signed the edict for the 1857 war. After the 1857 war, 51,200 ulema were hanged with trees and the word 'maulvi' had become synonmyous to a 'rebel'.
My view of things is that I don't follow any particular person or party. I just try to follow the
truth--
the right path--no matter which party or person is following it. I don't support a party or person entirely on all issues, even if, in my opinion, it is choosing the wrong path.
Regards,
Abdul Rehman.