Apanel of experts at a session of the Lahore Literary Festival entitled ‘From Mazar to Madressah’ explored the role of the two very important institutions based on religion — Mazar (shrine) and Madressah (seminary) — with each having its own dynamics and relation to the state that has been treating them both according to its own political expediencies.

Writer Khaled Ahmad opened the session by highlighting the importance of the two institutions and building a premise that the ‘exceptionalist’ Pakistani state was in transition from one (mazar) to the other (madressah).

Mr IA Rehman said in the British India mazar school of thought used to be inclusive and accommodating and promoted a bonhomie among people of various religions, while the madressah insisted on preserving Islamic identity. He said in relation to the British rulers the madressah’s stance was anti-imperialist. He said in the years to come, mazar retained its inclusive character but madressah went through a drastic change.

He said madressah had always a political function -- supporting Muslim kings and it had been a legitimising force. After the independence it assumed a “directive role” through interpreting Shariah, Mr Rehman added.

He also pointed out a basic difference between the two, saying mazar grew in a non-Muslim population while the madressah grew in a Muslim population.

Khaled Ahmad held globalisation responsible to some extent for transforming madressah’s character and role, resulting in its ‘empowerment’.

Panelist Farzana Sheikh, author of ‘Making Sense of Pakistan’ said that in her book she had tried to explore the relationship of state and language of Islam. She said to her it is mystifying how Sufism that once stood for degraded and corrupt Islam has now panacea for fighting extremism.

“Pakistan was conceived as a modernist project,” she said, adding that all the new state’s forefathers including Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, Allama Iqbal and Jinnah were against the influence of mazar. However, a sea change came in the treatment of mazar after 9/11 when the state embraced Sufism stemming from mazar. Now Sufism was being promoted as basis of a modern Pakistan and all its negative connotations faded away, she said.

Dr Sheikh said even the British think tanks were thrashing the issue that how the language of Sufism could be harnessed to promote modern Islam.

Lawyer and political analyst Salman Akram Raja, however, pointed out that though Sufism and mazar tradition was being considered by many as a tool to fight extremism, it was inherently opposed to rational thinking.

He agreed with Dr Sheikh that to “modernists” of the time like Iqbal mazar represented degraded Islam, quoting from Iqbal’s ‘Iblees ki majlis-shoora’ where the devil asks his disciples to let the Muslims be mired in “mizaj-i-khanqahi” or character of the mazar considering it degenerated.

Khaled Ahmad added a new dimension to the debate by saying that madressah became influential because of need for a legislation for the new state on the basis of religion.

He sought Mr Rehman’s views on the premise that the need for Islamic laws pushed the state towards madressah despite the secular assertions of Jinnah in his Aug 11 address to the first legislative assembly and Iqbal’s sixth lecture.

Mr Rehman said the Quaid’s speech could not revoke what had been done by using religious identity as basis for the new state long ago.

He said the objective of an egalitarian, secular state could have been achieved if Jinnah’s successors had evolved a political system to sustain the ideals.

Khaled Ahmad said the rise of middle class that embraced madressah also strengthened the institution.

Dr Sheikh listed geo-political factors, Saudi-Iranian proxy war and what she called “Sunniaization” under Zia with a view to create a Sunni stat opposed to Shia Iran as factor behind strengthening of madressah and erosion of pluralistic Pakistani identity.

Mr Raja said the question that is needed to be asked and contemplated upon is: “Why can’t a Muslim have personal salvation without indulging in the struggle for an Islamic state or society.”

Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2016