What would Abussabah say?

I am writing this, sitting in the courtyards of Al-Azhar university in Egypt. The university where Mawlana Abussabah, the founder of Farook college graduated from. Walking through its corridors, I can’t help but lament the sad route our campus is moving towards.

Al Azhar University Admission Preparatory Program | Studio Arabiya Egypt

I know this is going to get a lot of hate. But what needs to be said, should be said regardless of criticisms and opposition. Call me an extremist, a ‘Moral police’, a 14th-century religious dogmatic, I don’t really care nor give two cents about the labels you put on me. What matters to me is the Haqq and I will speak it as long as blood flows through my veins.

I am a graduate of Farook college. Studying at FC played a pivotal role in my development inside out. Its corridors molded me and its courtyards formed my perspectives. I spent my time from early mornings to late evenings in college, involved in academic work and extracurricular activities. I have observed the current affairs in the college very keenly with a lot of introspective interest. Having worked in almost all the mainstream organizations and student bodies of the college, I am aware of most of what goes on in the college from top to bottom. From the staff room discussions to the student body pulse, I had the opportunity to observe it all.

Based on these experiences, I can clearly say that I have been very disappointed in how demoralized the college has become and how this has affected the students. Liberal filth has become rampant and its toxic effects can be clearly observed.

This is not just about FC. It’s a common trend seen across universities all over India. I am not singling out FC, but feel more concerned as it’s the college I studied. It’s a social cancer that’s more malignant than we think. I have seen its direct social effects during my travels through the Arab and African Countries including the Levantine regions (Trans Jordan states). Even in Palestine, its effects were visible. Having returned from Jerusalem last week, I am still in shock from seeing firsthand, the effects of how deeply our society has become liberalized. It’s a demoralizing diabolical force that needs to be addressed with moral awareness and value-based education.

Farook college was founded by Mawlana Abussabah Ahmed Ali. My grandfather, Abdul Hameed Madeeni, who served as the principal of RUA, was Mawlana’s student. He used to tell me the stories of Mawlana’s sacrifices. The hard work he undertook to establish Farook college as an institution that will serve a pivotal role in the development of the Muslim community. He dreamed of an institution that would act as a pillar of the ummah, supporting it with graduates of high morals and ethical codes. He spent years in working for this one vision.

Now, looking at the state of the college, I wonder how Mawlana Abussabah would react to the kinds of activities and programs that are carried out all in the name of ‘College fun and vibes’. My grandfather used to echo, in lamenting melancholy, words that I carried in my heart as I continued observing the college. “What will Abusabbah say?!”

What is more ironic is that, the programs are conducted mostly by Muslims, many of whom are cleary aware that this is wrong. While being in college, I had conversed with the ‘student leaders’ who organized such programs, only to be answered with irrational justification-petty excuses that contradict their own value systems.

What is the meaning of dancing in hijab, on stage, without an ounce of haya, to songs that are beyond vulgar? DJ party ambiance with free mixing and other vulgarities including drugs (most people are unaware of this). Why are they being cheered on by the audience who consist largely of Muslims? Why is this even given a general social moral sanction? And most sadly, why is no one even questioning this? Have we become so spineless and spiritless that we have lost the essence of basic faith?!

The irony is that these same people, who organize these large-scale ‘fun’ programs, are also at the forefront of protests pertaining to Muslim identity politics and religious rights. Why this hypocrisy? Why stand for something you don’t even value let alone practice? Why raise slogans for something you consciously undervalue and look down upon?

How can we expect divine help while we play this double game? This is certainly not the model that was set by our salaf. This is certainly against all codes set by our beloved prophet Muhammad (ﷺ).

These statements may seem fanatic and extreme to some people with half-baked awareness on jurisprudence and it’s sociological implications. Some may even raise questions such as “Come on! Don’t make a big fuss about this, it’s all part of college fun”. “If we need to enjoy college life, we need to have all this”, “Stop being an extremist. Islam has no problems with these activities”, etc…

I can assure you one thing, no scholar of deen, who is sincerely rooted in the Quran and the Sunnah would ever sanction any of these activities. If you truly believed in Allah and the Final Messenger, then why do the exact opposite of what they said? or are you liberals with a Muslim mask? Wolf in a sheep’s clothing?

Who will take responsibility on the Day of Judgement for initiating and cordinating all of this?

Before traveling to Egypt, I met many of the teachers in college and had constructive discussions. Before walking out of college for the last time, I met the principal and asked him this question that had been reverberating in my mind throughout my college life. “How could you let this happen fully knowing that it was against the very vision of its founding father? Doesn’t it make you sad to see the situation?”

He replied by saying that change can only come from the students. Any action taken by the management against such programs will be seen as moral policing and will ignite a controversy putting the college at risk.

What he said was and is true. A change can only come from us, the Students. A transformation can only happen if we revive ourselves and turn back to our faith. Until then, all we can hope for, is that the situation doesn’t worsen, deeply knowing that this will continue inevitably.

The more I discussed with the teachers and the staff, it was clear that most of them were against these kinds of programs except a small minority who were mostly having a liberal outlook on life and faith as a whole. Many teachers who wanted to interfere feared the opposition of the ‘liberal activist’ type students who just make a huge dramatic fuss about it on social media rather than accepting a sincere kind advice. Many of the students I talked to had criticism of the programs, but were participating out of peer pressure. The liberal vocal minority had managed to paralyze the large majority through liberal intoxication and social media activism.

The change needs to come. Not later, but now. Not from them, but from us. From within ourselves. This internal change will manifest into external changes, reverberating through generations. As long as we strive towards this, we have a positive future to hope for. الله المستعان