ULEMA AND THE MODERN AGE — Misguided Politics

themselves as ‘lovers of Islam’ repeatedly claim. The real reason for this is the blunder committed by the so-called flag-bearers of Islam who, without properly preparing Muslim societies for this sort of governance, went about stirring up campaigns for the enforcement of Islamic law. The Pakistani example very well exemplifies this point. In that country, what are called ‘pro-Islamic’ forces have, on more than one occasion, won the chance of ruling the country, either partially (as in the case of Mufti Muhammad Mahmud’s winning control of the Frontier Province in the 1970s) or completely (as in the case of the rule of General Zia ul-Haq). Yet, in no way have they succeeded in enforcing the Shariah there. A narrative of Aisha, the Prophet’s wife, provides a very appropriate commentary on this matter. It is a long narrative, in Sahih al-Bukhari and a portion of it reads as follows: The verses of the Quran which were revealed in the beginning contained details about Paradise and hell. Subsequently, when the people embraced Islam the verses regarding legal and illegal acts were revealed; which, had they been revealed earlier, would not prevent people from pursuing the illegal, as they would not yet be aware of Eternal reward and punishment. In Muslim lands, the ulema involved in movements for the enforcement of Islamic law simply assumed that because the majority of the inhabitants of these countries were Muslims, they were, by definition, in favour of Islamic law. This was a complete misreading of reality, however. The fact is that the present-day generation of Muslims is actually a communal aggregate, and not, in the real sense, a truly religious collective. Hence, it is wrong to assume, even about people who pray and fast and perform Haj or Umrah, that they want that political power should be wielded by the ulema, who should impose Shariah laws on them. The unrealistic politics of the ulema in Muslim countries have produced a situation which we can properly appreciate in the light of the Hadith referred to above. Without preparing the populace to welcome and accept Islamic laws, the ulema seek to impose these laws, including with regard to the consumption of liquor and adultery, while at the same time, large sections of the populace react to them, saying, “We will never let these laws of yours be imposed on us.” In January 1827, Sayyed Ahmad Barelvi and his companions had established what they termed as an Islamic government in the Peshawar