Leadership and Representation of the Muslim Community

 

بِسۡمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds

Peace and benedictions upon you, my Master, Apostle of Allah

Though Hyderabad Deccan is situated deep in the south of India, the Hyderabadi Muslims are a community of settlers from the North. We have a distinct dialect of Urdu, but much of our culture and consciousness is Northern. More importantly, we have successfully resisted melting into the hordes of southerners that surround us; populations that are Hindu, Dravidian and speakers of the unintelligible Telugu language. The Hyderabadi Muslims have a proud history, symbolized by the wealthy Nizam and his once glorious princely state that sadly came to an end in 1948 when it was forcefully amalgamated into the Indian Union. Hyderabad means city of Hyder, the epithet of Ali كرم الله وجهه meaning lion. As such, Hyderabadi Muslims have a strong affinity for Mawla Ali كرم الله وجهه the Holy Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم fourth successor, paternal cousin, son-in-law, first male proselyte, and a ferocious warrior of the Faith. His deeds at Khayber are legendary while his Caliphate was a time of unparalleled justice. Our Islamic identity and consciousness is unmatched in the entire Subcontinent. But we must respect all of the Ashrafiya (elites) of the Muslim community, who are best suited to lead us in the political sphere. Some object to the notion, saying that Islam is an egalitarian faith and a universal fraternity with no sense of superiority or inferiority, unlike harshly stratified caste based Hinduism. Theoretically, they are correct in this assertion. But practically speaking, the Ashrafiya, since they have a longer history in Islam, or a stronger connection to the cultural heartland of Islam which is Arab and Persian, or better access to Islamic learning, can be expected to best represent the cause of the Faith and the interests of the community. The so-called “Pasmanda” section of the community, which compose our masses, are not yet psychologically strong enough to confront, counter or take on a political struggle against the increasing bigotry and ultranationalism of the Hindu. Recently converted to Islam, they are still compromised by Hindu customs to an extent and an inferiority complex from having existed for centuries as servile Sudras. It is mentioned that once Abu Dharr al-Ghifari رضى الله عنه expressed a desire to the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to become an office bearer. He was a Companion animated by zeal for the teaching of austerity and justice in Islam. Though Abu Dharr was undoubtedly charismatic and extremely righteous, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم gently discouraged him from the ambition of administration, saying:

يَا أَبَا ذَرٍّ إِنِّي أَرَاكَ ضَعِيفًا وَإِنِّي أُحِبُّ لَكَ مَا أُحِبُّ لِنَفْسِي لاَ تَأَمَّرَنَّ عَلَى اثْنَيْنِ وَلاَ تَوَلَّيَنَّ مَالَ يَتِيمٍ

O Abu Dharr! Verily, I see that you are weak, and I love for you what I love for myself. Do not command even two people, nor manage the property of an orphan (Sahih Muslim)

Leadership of the community is an immense responsibility, and merely possessing the noble qualities of piety, justice and knowledge are insufficient to discharge such an important role. I see the pious and established Sunni scholars of our community as our natural leadership, especially those among them who are high born, of a noble lineage such as the Sadat (Syeds or descendants of the Prophet عليه السلام), and the Sajjadah Nashins who have experience managing vast religious networks—fiefs that are composed of Mosques, Madrassahs and Khanqahs. The ordinary Sunni Muslims already approach the Sajjadah Nashins for religious guidance and leadership, it is only natural that they should take their rightful role in politically guiding the community. We know that, as opposed to the Deobandi Ulama drawn from the ordinary masses of the Muslims, the Sajjadah Nashins and Pirs especially of Punjab but also Bengal, such as the Pir of Sarsina (Pir Nithar ud-Din Ahmad) strongly supported the Pakistan Movement. The leadership of Pir Jama’at Ali Shah, Pir Ghulam Muhiuddin Gilani the son of Pir Mehr Ali Shah of Golara, Khawaja Qamar ud-Din of Sial, and Allamah Shah Abd ul-Alim Siddiqi among others رحمة الله عليهم was instrumental for realizing the vision of Pakistan.

Here in the West (Europe and the Anglosphere) Muslim minorities lack a compelling leadership. Increasingly, our community is being represented by women, whereas the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

لَنْ يُفْلِحَ قَوْمٌ وَلَّوْا أَمْرَهُمُ امْرَأَةً

A people will not flourish that has a woman in command of them (Sahih al-Bukhari)

How can a community, whose interests lay in the protection and persistence of traditional gender roles within its ranks, along with the practice of veiling and seclusion of women, succeed in safeguarding such critical interests when its leadership is composed of women who tend to have feminist inclinations and lack the aggression necessary to do politics? Such a leadership will only serve to undermine the Community further. To a large extent, this unimpressive representation for our Community has been parachuted into its position. We can’t expect such a lame leadership to safeguard our basic interests, let alone issues we may want to eventually bring to the table as our numbers grow, such as the legalization of polygamy, offering animal sacrifices in full public view, establishment of a parallel legal system for civil matters, the use of loudspeakers to proclaim the Adhan from the Mosques, etc. Apart from women, I feel it is not wise for our Community to be represented by individuals that come from sections of the Community that lack confidence and aren’t anchored in Islamic identity and culture. Representation of the Community here in the West where our existence is under threat is just too critical to risk for the sake of political correctness.