Unfortunately, several miscreants among the Muslims are found among the Mullahs of Pakistan and perhaps the Islamic world at large. The problem at hand is that these Mullahs have swerved from the actual teachings of Islam and have blemished its image all over the world. And they are also found in various other countries such as Bangladesh, Malaysia and Indonesia etc. Many a time, they are quoted in news related to extremism, sex scandals and militancy.
The sayings of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) make prophecies regarding the Mullahs (many of them are also so-called Ulema) of today. For example, in one saying we find:
“There will come a time when there will be nothing left of knowledge. People will make the ignorant their leaders and will seek guidance from them in matters of religion. These leaders will issue fatwa’s without any knowledge. They will themselves be misguided and will lead others astray.” (Mishkat, Kitab ul-Ilm, Chapter 3, P. 38)
Another Hadith adds to this:
“Their mosques will apparently be full of people, but they will have no soul in them. Their Ulema will be the worst miscreants and they will be a safe haven for discord.” (Kanzal Ummal, Chapter 6, P. 43)
Shah Wali Ullah, the famous scholar of Dehli, declared two centuries ago:
“If you desire to see the example of the Jews, then just take a look at today’s evil Ulema. They only covet the world.” (Al-Fauzul-Kabir, vol. 1, chapter 1, p. 9)
Mullaism is an industry in Pakistan. If the Mullahs reform themselves then their madrassa incomes and Saudi donations would stop. They do not want to be penniless after all. Their influence has been strong even in liberal times. During President Ayub khan’s rule from 1958 to 1968, he wanted to get rid of the word “Islamic” attached to Pakistan’s name in the constitution. This was opposed by the Mullahs who warned the President to refrain from doing so or face consequences. The President cowed down before them. Ayub khan also wanted the role of Mullahs to be restricted to mosques. Sadly, he could not do this.
To sum up, the only survival for Pakistan is to be declared as a secular state. The father of the nation, Quaid-e-Azam delivered this message on 11th august 1947:
“You are free to go to your temples; you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place of worship in the state of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed – that has nothing to do with the business of the state.”
Hence, there is still a ray of hope for Pakistan. Our country can survive and flourish and bring back its glory if this group of people are kept away from the state matters. God Bless Pakistan!