The End of An Intellectual Gap

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