Modern Islamic Madrassas


Figure 1.--

There are thousands of the schools teaching millions of students throughout the Middle East and other countries with Islamic populations. Many are financed through charities funneling money from Saudia Arabia and oil rich states. These charities do not assist public education in poor Islamic states, only the madressas. There are an estimated 30,000 medressas in Pakistan alone. Children who canot aford to attend public schools are oftem enrolled in the madressas. These schools vary widely in funding, facilities, and teacher competence. Many are dominated by fundamentalits with ecxtrme views, in many case a hatred of the West and other religions. Some even promote violent actions like suicide bombing. Many promotethe messages of jihad, or holy war and drill into the boys the idea that Islam is under attack by America and the West. Absurd reports at many madrassas such that Jews were behind the World Trade Center attacks are presented as factual and accepted by the pupils. The madrassas are only for boys and the curriculum is very narrowly based: the Koran, the sayings of Muhammad and Islamic Shari'a law. As Government funds are not involved, the governments in most countries, especially Pakistan, have little control over them. Many are boarding establishments where the boys spend long hours in prayer and memorizing the Koran. There are normally no TV or radio and the boys can not go to movies. There is also no contact with girls. The only women the boys see are female relatives on rare holidays, normally during the holy month of Ramadan. It is not only other religions the boys are trained to hate, but also other forms of Islam. Attacks on Shi'ites in Pakistan are believed to have originated in anti-Shi'ite teaching at these schools.

Numbers

There are thousands of the schools teaching millions of students throughout the Middle East and other countries with Islamic populations.

Financing

Many are financed through charities funneling money from Saudia Arabia and oil rich states. These charities do not assist public education in poor Islamic states, only the madressas.

Program

These schools vary widely in funding, facilities, and teacher competence. Many are dominated by fundamentalits with ecxtrme views, in many case a hatred of the West and other religions. Some even promote violent actions like suicide bombing. Many promotethe messages of jihad, or holy war and drill into the boys the idea that Islam is under attack by America and the West. Absurd reports at many madrassas such that Jews were behind the World Trade Center attacks are presented as factual and accepted by the pupils. The madrassas are only for boys. The curriculum is very narrowly based: the Koran, the sayings of Muhammad and Islamic Shari'a law. Attention to other subjects varies, but there are often also classes in math, science, social sciences, and foreign languages (usually English). As Government funds are not involved, the governments in most countries, especially Pakistan, have little control over them. Many are boarding establishments where the boys spend long hours in prayer and memorizing the Koran. There are normally no TV or radio and the boys can not go to movies. There is also no contact with girls. The only women the boys see are female relatives on rare holidays, normally during the holy month of Ramadan.

Countries

Madrassas exist in many Islamic countries. They are especially important in Pakistan.

Pakistan

No one knows precisely how many madrassas there are in Pakistan. They are not regulated by the government and thus no real official account exists. One study reports that there are about 10,000 madrassas, but we have seen estimates as high as 30,000 madrassas. Several hundred thousand children and youths attend these schools. Large numbers of these students come from poor families that oytherwise would have trouble sending them to school or even supporting them. Many attend as boarding students. Children who canot aford to attend public schools are oftem enrolled by their parents in the madrassas. An unknown part of the funding for Pakistani madrassas comes from charities and radical elements in Saudi Arabia and other Arab oil producing countries. These schools vary greatly in size, program, and facilities. Some are quite established local institutions like the Jamiat-ul-Uloom Islamiya in Karachi which was founded in the 1950s and is one of the largest madrassas in the country. [Lancaster and Khan] Instruction at many Pakistani madrassas is in the Deobandi tradituin which is quitec similar to the strict Wahhabi tradition of Saudi Arabia. Both these austere forms of Islan are in the Sunni tradition. Instruction about others religions vary. Almost all include hateful instruction about Judiaism, instruction about other religions vary from madrassa to madrassa. It is not only other religions the boys are trained to hate, but also other forms of Islam. Attacks on Shi'ites in Pakistan are believed to have originated in anti-Shi'ite teaching at these schools. Actions like the Hyderi attack (Shi'ite mosque bombed by a madrassa student) have resulted in ratalitory attacks and a seemingly ebndless cycle of further attacks. The Pakistani Goverment has made no effort to even limit the sectarian and juhadist content of the curriculum. The connection between the Pakistani madrassas and armed fundamentalist groups in Pakistan are shadowy. At the very least the madrassas are turning out religious fanatics which naturally gravitate toward these armed bands. These bands operated openly with links to the Pakistani security services. Since President Musharraf changed Pakistani policy in the wake of the 9-11 attack to support the war on terror, Musharraf has become a target himself of these bands. Musharaf has pledged to bring the madrassas under government control to regulate the curriclum and control the financing. He has not done this, in part concerned about the reaction of the religious parties which along with the army constitute his power base. Governmentb officials and madrassa sokesmen deny that most madrassas promote extremist violence. [Lancaster and Khan] It is clear that teachers at some madrassas promote jihad. Substantial numbers of madrassa students and graduates crossed the border to join the Taliban forces fighting the Northern Alliance and the United States during the Afghan War (2002).

Other countries

No information on other countries available yet.

Sources

Lancaster, John and Kamban Khan. "At an Islamic school, hints of extremist ties," The washington Post June 13, 2004. The authors provide some detailed information on the Jamiat-ul-Uloom Islamiya madrassa.






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Created: 4:46 PM 6/17/2004
Last updated: 4:46 PM 6/17/2004