Editorial

The so-called Muslim leadership in Delhi believes in mounting spectacles.


But it does nothing to move a thing to really uplift the illiterate and unwashed Muslim multitudes in the capital’s slums. Last month, these leaders once again took out a Taleemi Caravan from Delhi to Orissa, ostensibly to promote educational awareness. While how much awareness it could promote remains to be guessed, it did indulge in big showbiz and tamasha. Had this pack of leaders just looked at the surroundings, they would have identified more opportunities to light the lamp of knowledge and combat the illiteracy and diseases in Delhi’s slums and jhuggi jhopdis than fluttering banners on the bonnets of their cars across the Gangetic basin.


Recent survey reports from the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) paints a grim picture of Muslim education in Delhi. According to the report, no student has passed the 10th standard Board examination from the Zeenat Mahal High School located in the vicinity of Jama Masjid. Vacancies of teachers are not filled for years together. Girls do not attend Government high schools in Yamuna Vihar in the Trans Yamuna area as the school has no toilet facilities. Boys could relieve themselves in the open, but girls cannot withstand the immodesty. Moreover the post-puberty girls of high schools need separate toilets. The study found that several girls who attend the school despite the deficiency, avoid drinking water, lest they have to look for toilets. Less intake of water in Delhi’s torrid heat, often leads to either kidney ailments or fainting in classrooms during humid seasons. The school in Jaffarabad has 1,200 girls, but only male teachers. This leads to Muslim girls staying away from schools which appear insecure. In yet another Muslim settlement, i.e., Welcome Colony, the Muslim girls stay away from Government schools as they have to cross the Balmiki Colony. In the post-Babri Masjid riots in Delhi in 1992-93, it was this colony where Muslims were massacred.


Sadly enough, the Delhi leaders consider it infra dig to address such local issues and problems and are always on look out for opportunities to fan out to the distant corners of the vast country at the flimsiest pretext. One is appalled at their deficient understanding of problems that plague the Muslims in the capital itself. They can roar when it comes to rhetoric, can wax eloquent on emotive issues of Personal Law or Babri Masjid and inflame raised passions, but are found total wanting when it comes to getting down to action in their immediate neighbourhood. Indeed, the national tag attaches to them merely because they live in the capital. Nothing else. Nothing really lends substance to their claim of the pan-Indian leadership. With no following, no infrastructure and virtually next to nil understanding of the diversity or issues and problems, they best lead themselves, no one else.

One of the most important factors that people use to inactivate their conscience is their seeing themselves self-sufficient in everything.


For instance, when asked about their observance of Islam , most people would say that it is enough not to harm anyone and to try to be a good person. However, this is pure self-deception. What is important is to be a slave to God and to live as He wishes. What makes someone see his actions as good and attractive is the belief that his own judgement is flawless. Those who consider themselves to be kind-hearted and generous in the sight of God are such people. The truth is in fact quite different from what they assume. In a verse it is stated that one’s seeing himself self-sufficient is the greatest reason for his deviation from the truth. The linguistic meaning of the word ‘mustaghni’ (self-sufficient) is ‘without need, satisfied’. Its meaning as referred to in the Qur’an is someone’s seeing his nearness to God, his fear of God and the hereafter, his good actions and his piety as sufficient and therefore not striving for the better. Most people deviate from God’s way for this reason.


Although people see themselves as self-sufficient, they actually know in their conscience how incomplete they are, and what they fail to do to please God. This is why they avoid talking about subjects such as death, doomsday and the hereafter. When one raises the subject, they try to close it because it is ‘depressing’. The reason they become depressed is because they are resisting their conscience, and dwelling on the subject causes them to feel restless inside. It is not possible for someone who listens to his conscience to feel self-sufficient. On the contrary, he looks for the better and tries to do the better in everything. For man’s conscience always reminds him of the Day of Account. Someone who knows that he will give account to God about the life of this world will never see his deeds sufficient. He practises what he is commanded by his Creator with great attention.