Imam Faijullah Aman
In Bangladesh, people respectfully call religious teachers and scholars "huzur". I spent seventeen years of my life as a madrasa student, and then taught for sixteen years. In all that long time, I never witnessed anything as abhorrent as what we are hearing today. My teachers were the very embodiment of taqwa, the fear of Allah. They loved their students like their own children and guarded them as a sacred trust. But for some time now, news has been coming from certain mushrooming, unregulated institutions that makes us bow our heads in shame and makes our hearts tremble.
A cap, a beard and a robe do not make someone a huzur. A true huzur is one whose heart is filled with the fear of Allah. Allah the Exalted says:
إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمَاءُ
"Only those of His servants who have knowledge truly fear Allah." (Surah Fatir, 35:28)
One who has no fear of Allah in his heart is not a scholar, however large his turban. One who betrays the trust of an innocent child is not an heir of the Prophets; he is an enemy of the faith. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
كُلُّكُمْ رَاعٍ وَكُلُّكُمْ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ
"Each of you is a shepherd, and each of you will be asked about his flock." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)
A teacher who wrongs his student does not only destroy the life of one child. He plants hatred for the faith and its scholars in the hearts of thousands. His crime is twofold: against a person, and against the religion.
So I want to say clearly:
One. These criminals must not be shielded. Trying to protect anyone under the excuse of "preserving the honour of the scholars" or "the madrasa will get a bad name" is itself a grave injustice. The honour of the scholars is preserved by punishing criminals, not by hiding them. Let them face the fullest justice under the law of the land.
Two. We must stand beside the child victims and their families. Their words must be believed at first, they must be given courage, and legal help must be sought when needed. Standing with the oppressed is a demand of faith.
Three. Parents must be vigilant. Before enrolling your child anywhere, verify the institution's identity, management and the qualifications of its teachers. Talk with your child regularly, so that they can tell you about any hurt without fear.
Four. A request to madrasa boards and those in authority: be strict with unapproved and unregulated institutions. Introduce character checks in the hiring of teachers and clear rules for the protection of students.
Five. And to those who use these incidents to blame all scholars and all madrasas together, a humble request: in thousands of madrasas, hundreds of thousands of scholars are serving the faith selflessly. Placing the guilt of a few criminals on their shoulders is not justice. When someone commits a crime while wearing a doctor's coat, we do not blame medicine; we blame the criminal.
The word "huzur" stands for honour, love and trust. Before anyone else, it is we, the scholars, who must raise our voices against those who are disgracing it.
May Allah protect our children, preserve the dignity of true scholars, and save the faith and the Ummah from these criminals who hide behind religious garb.
