مدرسه Madrassas

r3boot

This isn't an accusation, it's my opinion based on what I have read and studied. and nothing I have said has not been said before.

however here is a relevant link none the less.

tonyj

I think backing up the "Kill 7 shias and you'll go to heaven" accusation would be quite important to this discussion.

marco murphy

r3boot wrote:

The word medrassa means school in arabic. I'm sure that at some point they were used for that but most of the ones you see today are usually politically motivated schools which teach one form of islam be it salafist, ikwan al muslimeen, etc. I have yet to see any medrassa that teaches the fundementals of interpretation of the quran and Sunnah without being partial to the point of view of the people who fund it.

The only subjects taught in these medrassas is religion and it's only one at the moment.

That being said I'm sure there are one or two places that do try and give a balanced non-sectarian view of things I just haven't heard of them yet.

I agree completely. Unless anyone wants to come to afghanistan with me i cant back it up.

tonyj

Poblachtach wrote:

I agree completely. Unless anyone wants to come to afghanistan with me i cant back it up.

I'm sure eye-witness accounts from Afghanistan would be fine.

When were you in Afghanistan, and what did you see there?

tonyinuae

tonyj, unless Poblachtach is having a laugh, I think what he said indicates he's PLANNING to visit Afghanistan!

Hobbes

Poblachtach wrote:

I agree completely. Unless anyone wants to come to afghanistan with me i cant back it up.

If you can't back up don't post it. If someone tells you a story it is up to you to research it before spreading it as gossip.

R3boot posted a link, and tbh I only skimmed over it (can't be bothered to research more how much is correct or not). I do know that from a brief google that a number of Madrassas are actually normal schools. Labelling them as breeding grounds for terrorists does nothing to help these schools, in much the same way as labelling all muslims terrorists.

Which is why when your applying labels, make sure you clearly define.

marco murphy

I never said they were. Iam sure thats the proper use for them - non sectarian education. I can't back this up at all. But if we were to back up everything we say then i wouldnt be posting much.

Talliesin

Hobbes wrote:

I do know that from a brief google that a number of Madrassas are actually normal schools. Labelling them as breeding grounds for terrorists does nothing to help these schools, in much the same way as labelling all muslims terrorists.

That's the impression I got from the recent reports about the legislation proposed in Pakistan to monitor their funding and hence make it harder for violent groups to fund them.

Is there anyone who can say more on this topic from experience (whether first-hand, or at least deeper research than reading a small number of web pages as I have). Are some Madrassas giving others a bad name unfairly?

philologos

well in Pakistan I believe that they are registering these Madrassas and that this will help to seperate what are seen as extremist madrassas and the legitimate ones. This will help keep Pakistans education away from extremist teachings and I think this is a good and neccessary move

bug

I walk by a Madrass every day.
It never seems to be open and the shutters are always down, yet I see one man appearing every-so-often in the evening from the door.
In the morning between 8 and 10 am no children or teenagers attend or enter and also the only time I have seen the front door open in the past six years of this madrass being open (three years whilst I was living across the road from it) was one evening during Ramadan. There was nothing in there except teenagers, all men. They seemed to be praying alright, but there was nothing else in there, it was an empty room. The door was shut hastily when it occured that it was obvious I was watching.

I would also like to voice my pure opinon, that asking for back up links to support opinions on the definition of a madrass is ridiculous. We know that madrass means "school" in arabic but I think the question being asked is regarding functionality within societies and countries. In which case the only thing you can do is ask people who have been attendant to madrassas. ie first hand accounts.

Blub2k4

Are these the places generally funded by Al-Saud?
I know they tend to fund mosques worldwide hence the spread of wahhabism but is the madarassa then behind this?

marco murphy

yes bug i agree with your last sentence there, i was told accounts from a freind of mine are no good but whos to say wikipedia are correct?

Hobbes

Poblachtach wrote:

yes bug i agree with your last sentence there, i was told accounts from a freind of mine are no good but whos to say wikipedia are correct?

wikipedia is open source. If you don't agree with it you personally can change it. However it gets reviewed by a large number of people so your generally required to back up what you say with actual facts and not hearsay.

That is not to say your friend is wrong, but it is hardly a viable source of information.