It is their high profile service to the lowest, the
unprivileged the condemned and most impoverished class of the society. It is a
service to the nation, the humanity and Islam. Their students come from distant
places belonging to destitute families who would have otherwise become
vagabonds, dacoits, assassins or just have gone wasted leaving not bit of sign
of their existence behind. Apart from all necessities of life the madrassas
give them assurance and confidence that they too are human beings and deserve
to have all what they are getting. It is neither a favour nor charity. It is
their right.
The second plausible aspect of the system is that
it appeals to the humane side of the society and provides it a channel to discharge
its responsibility in the restoration of the fallen humanity. The response of
the society is invariably encouraging. Consequently the madrassas seldom suffer
the pinch of the lack of funds. They do not become burden on state’s exchequer.
Numerous other needs of the students that have no name are also met adequately
so that they do not suffer from sense of neglect and deprivation. The students
are dressed well and are made to look after their personal hygiene. They
acquire discipline and develop pleasing habits.
Lastly, the kind of education the students are
exposed to highlights the objective of the seminary which is to turn them into
good Muslims by learning the holy Quran, Hadith and Islamic History. Study of
Seerat-un-Nabi introduces them to the principles of ethics and morality and
guides them how to spend their life following in the footsteps of the holy
Prophet (PBUH). They are supposed to become role models for all those who may
come into contact with them in life.
These poor students were in fact the
responsibility of the state. Why the successive governments failed to perform
one of their constitutional duties is due the prevalence of the feudalistic
system in the country. A Jagirdar will not be a landlord of substance if he does
not command thousands of dependent tenants. A Sardar will not be of any worth
if he does not find the whole tribe lying prostrate at his feet. To achieve
these ends the tenant and the tribesman has to be kept uneducated, unaware of
his rights as a human being, kept economically backward to fall back on the
charity of his master for sustenance. With absolute command over physical
resources and manpower the feudal always remained in power politically and
firmly lodged in the seat of power to form governments in provinces as well as
at the centre. He made use of country’s ever growing resources to his own
advantage and kept the vast majority under him poverty— stricken. Since he was
not inclined to come to the aid of these poor people the fulfillment of this good
cause eventually fell to the lot of madrassas who took it up as part. of their
duty for no earthy gains.