THE ALLEYNIAN 708 | OUT OF THE ORDINARY
THE ALLEYNIAN 708 | OUT OF THE ORDINARY
resulted in the arrest of 350 Muslim youths. However, I felt I needed first-hand evidence to demonstrate to my 16-year-old self what a madrasa stood for. Were they hubs for Islamic learning or for preaching extremist ideology against the West and my community at home? The principal greeted me warmly at BIA College and although his English was limited, he made me feel welcome. He introduced me to Hashad, who was in his last year at the college; luckily for me, he spoke a little English, which I used alongside my limited Sinhala to communicate with him and the rest of the 30 or so boys. Staying with the boys in their dormitory gave me a clear understanding of what went on day-to-day at the college, and of the real purpose of each boy’s attendance there. The whole day is set around the second pillar of Islam, the five daily prayers that every Muslim needs to perform. Every day begins extremely early, at 4:00 am. The waking up process is almost military in fashion: the lights come on, the fans are turned off and then the bell rings. Thereafter the morning prayers are conducted in a group, led by one of the boys. Then the boys rhythmically recite verses from the Quran for an hour. The rest of the day is taken up with further prayers, lessons, rest times and meals. This routine might seem rigid and strict, but this is far from the truth. There is a variety of subjects branching out of the realm of Islam, including critical thinking and debating, and the boys study Arabic and Sinhala, their mother tongue, as well as philosophy, logic and astronomy. The boys themselves appeared at first to be ordinary kids hanging out together, but I came to understand that they were there for a higher purpose. In the UK we educate ourselves to make a living, whereas these boys are seeking greater spirituality and to help the wider community. Most of them planned to be imams and teachers. However, could they be brainwashed when they go to their wider communities? What type of Islam will they take with them: the authentic ways of the Prophet (peace be upon him) or a neo-fundamentalist Islam? It is one thing to preach your religion, but tougher to practise it correctly. It was initially difficult to integrate and to win the boys’ trust and friendship. As an outsider in a tightly knit community, my presence turned heads, but curious looks were always accompanied by a smile. Most of the boys come from modest
THE BOYS STUDY ARABIC AND SINHALA, THEIR MOTHER TONGUE, AS WELL AS PHILOSOPHY, LOGIC AND ASTRONOMY
or very poor backgrounds. All of them were very softly spoken and simple acts of kindness, like bringing me tea and biscuits, were repeated, making me feel embarrassed. The boys tried to follow the Quran as a way of life wherever possible, and I found their kindness humbling, especially given their youth. The older boys were also very accepting when they were not allowed to play cricket on the Galle promenade or venture into town, as the headmaster was concerned that they may be arrested under Emergency Laws. I thought they would have been frustrated and angry against the state and the Buddhist community, with a handful of extremists having burnt down Muslim shops and businesses. However, they vehemently informed me the Islamic terrorists were wholeheartedly to blame for their predicament and that they had an implicit duty to teach the correct moderate Islam to the Muslim Sri Lankan community and change the views of the radicals. Zamrin, a 16-year-old, particularly impressed me. He told me that his goal was to unite all the religions and races of Sri Lanka to live in harmony. I felt he genuinely believed this, as he had no reason to appear pious to me. His attitude was unexpected and took me by surprise, especially with the current Islamophobic climate in Sri Lanka after the Easter bombings. Others did not have such a clear vision for their life. Hashad was less sure of the steps he is going to take but, knowing four languages, he thinks he can work in Qatar. A few of the boys wanted to return to teach in the college after experiencing life as an imam. The boys believe their madrasa is the ‘very best college in Sri Lanka’. My time at the madrasa countered the stereotypical image portrayed by the media and the negative perception of many people. The boys were properly educated and kind and made me want to be a better person. However, I have not been to every madrasa so I cannot comment on the state of all madrasas in Sri Lanka or the wider world. But if they are even shadows of BIA College, they are a force for good. I have great admiration for my great-great-grandmother, who had the vision to set up such a wonderful institution, and for all of her family, who are still ensuring that it runs smoothly. God willing, their good work will continue.
I n the west, there seems to be a general lack of knowledge and understanding of Islam and its teachings. When I went to Sri Lanka last summer, an opportunity arose to visit a madrasa – a school devoted to higher education in Islamic studies. I was surprised to learn that there were many madrasas dotted throughout the small island, where the main religion is Buddhism, and Muslims make up only 9% of the population. The particular madrasa that I was planning to visit, the Al Bahajathul Ibraheemiyyah Arabic (BIA) College, was established at Fort Galle by my great-great- grandmother in 1892. It is one of the oldest and most renowned Islamic institutions in Sri Lanka and, over 127 years, has produced many scholars who have successfully served their country and Islam as Arabic orators, principals of Arabic colleges and imams. Even though I was looking forward to my visit, I was also full of trepidation. This was fuelled by the bombings in Sri Lanka earlier in the year, in which over 250 Christians were killed by a terror group linked to ISIS. This had
OPINION, INTERVIEWS & FEATURES
LIFE INA MADRASA
Mikyle Ossman (Year 12) explains what he learned from spending time at a Sri Lankan madrasa
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