'XX/7 Vernacular Newspapers & periodicals, Extracts from & Pan-Islamism.' [‎15r] (29/70)

ns they have adopted in religious matters. By their efforts thousands of
(religious) schools have been established in which hundreds of thousands of
students are learning religious law and receiving spiritual education. They
should follow the same principle in the civil matters of the nation also.
If ten thousand Persian youths are taught the modern technical science
and are properly trained, they can undertake everything to meet all require
ments. But should the High Priests wish to act otherwise and try to do the
whole work by fatvas and to compete with the other nations on equal terms
without supplying the wants of the people, the attempt will be in vain. In
that case they will not only make a mistake themselves, but will mislead the
people also. Some ignorant people think that all accusations attributed to the
ulema have been removed, but in the opinion of the wise such misguided steps
cannot remove those accusations.
If it is asserted that such matters are not within the sphere of action of the
ulema> the answer will be that it is also out of place for the ulema to give such
fruitless fatvas which only make them the laughing stock of the Muslims and
foreigners. If it is said that the ulema will not be listened to in such matters,
then the reply will be that if this be true such fatvas even will not be listened
to. What then is the use of the ulema making themselves the laughing stock
of the people under the impression of removing the accusations brought against
them. If we go into the matter deeply, it will not be advisable to make such a
statement, as the Persian public are faithful followers of the ideas of their
spiritual leaders, and all other Muhammadans also listen to their orders.
For instance, in former times, the ulema^ according to exigencies of the
times, advised the people to make roads, build bridges and caravansarais, and
repair sacred shrines, and in a short time the Muhammadan countries became
full of such buildings. For some time past the spiritual leaders have been
advising the people to build places of mourning for Imam Hasan and to
hold prayer meetings (in commemoration of the Imams). Now it is observed
that the people have taken up the matter so earnestly that there is scarcely a
household (in Persia) which does not spend a large sum of money for this purpose
every year. A careful scrutiny will show that the Persian nation spends more
monev on this than other nations spend on all charitable works put together.
From'this it is evident that the ulema have great influence in the minds of the
people which they can turn in any way they like. But to give effect to any
idea it is necessary that the ulema should personally take part in it and not
content themselves with words only.
If the ulema devote their attention to improve the material condition of
the people and advise them to acquire technical education with a view to
scientifically carrying on manufactures and agriculture by impressing upon
them that these matters are as important for the political existence of Islam
and the Muslims as prayer meetings of mourning for the Imams and that
expenditure on the latter might be reduced to find funds for the former, in a
short time the nation will become educated and able, and having acquired
technical sciences wall be fit to compete with European nations on equal terms.
Thus the wealth of the Muhammadan countries will be preserved, and the demand
for and entry of foreign goods in Persia and other Muhammadan countries
will naturally decrease and become haram (forbidden); because when Europeans
find that they suffer loss by exporting goods to Muhammadan countries, they
would themselves consider it haram (forbidden) to send any goods to those
countries. Without this procedure if all the Ulema combine and issue a
thousand fatvas a day, the wants of the nation will not be supplied in the least.
Civilisation is daily on the increase : people are becoming accustomed to live in
comfort and luxury and can no longer pass their lives as nomads and savages.
We should speak more plainly perhaps. While fine and soft long cloth
is procurable at a low price, the people will never buy their own rough coarse
and expensive country cloth, and no one can be blamed for it, as it is quite
natural.
If the High Priests wish to provide necessaries of life for the people, they
ought to take such steps as may induce the nation to make their own long
cloth and be able to sell it cheaper, so that loss in importing foreign long cloth
may make the latter’s entry into our country haram (forbidden).