Mosques and Madrasas are part of our religion.

• Madrasas are our religion, not the world

• These madrasas are our identity and we will not let this identity be erased

• These madrasas are where the first voice to free the country from slavery came from: Maulana Arshad Madani

  
  

New Delhi: 2 June 2025

"Madrassas are not our world; they are our religion. They are our identity, and we will not allow this identity to be erased." These are the words of Maulana Arshad Madani, President Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, which he spoke on the night of June 1st in the town of Saraimeer, Azamgarh, UP while addressing the 'Tahaffuz-e-Madaris (Protection of Madrassas) Conference. He said that this is not an ordinary gathering, but a significant one, held to seriously deliberate on ensuring the protection of madrassas in the current circumstances and to formulate an effective plan of action for the future.

He said that these madrassas are not merely educational institutions; their purpose is not limited to teaching and learning. They have also played a vital role in shaping the minds of young children for the service of the nation and the country. Today, the very madrassas that are being forcibly shut down by labeling them as illegal are the same institutions from which the first call for freeing the country from British colonial rule was raised.

Maulana Madani said that the real tragedy is that those in power today neither wish to learn nor understand anything. Instead, they want to distort history and give it a particular color. We want to tell such people that in 1803, when the British had fully taken control of the country, a great religious and spiritual figure of that time, Shah Abdul Aziz Muhaddith Dehlvi, sitting on a worn-out mat in his Madrasa Rahimiyyah in Delhi, declared that the country had fallen into slavery, and therefore, it had become a religious duty to do jihad for its liberation. As a consequence of this declaration, his madrasa was completely demolished, and unimaginable oppression and cruelty were inflicted upon him.

He said that this is history, and it cannot be denied. Just look at the 1857 uprising, which the British labeled as a 'mutiny'. In retaliation for that rebellion, 32,000 Islamic scholars were killed in Delhi alone. These sacrifices did not stop there—they continued without pause.

It was through the 150-year-long struggle and sacrifices of our elders and ancestors that this country finally gained independence. We are stating this openly, if anyone has doubts, they should open the pages of history and read for themselves. Darul Uloom Deoband was established with the very purpose of producing new freedom fighters for the struggle for the country's independence. Maulana Madani said that today, people ignorant of history are labeling these very madrassas as hubs of terrorism.

He said that another allegation often made is that madrassas teach extremism. He added that from Uttar Pradesh to Uttarakhand, Assam to Haryana, actions against madrassas and mosques are being taken purely on a religious basis. The question is why this discrimination and injustice in a democratic and secular country? Especially when the Constitution guarantees equal rights and equal powers to every citizen? The answer is simple. Under a specific ideology, a deliberate effort is being made to create a divide of hatred between the majority and the minority. This is a planned conspiracy meant to secure power by rallying the majority against the minority.

He also said that this is a secular country, and therefore, no injustice or discrimination against any particular community on the basis of religion can be permitted. But sadly, the harsh reality today is that open discrimination is taking place against a specific community on religious grounds. There is a deliberate attempt to make this community feel as though their civil rights have been taken away

Maulana Madani further said that no matter how grave the situation becomes, we must not lose hope. Rather, such circumstances should be faced with determination, courage, and steadfastness. Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, both before and after independence, has continuously strived to establish peace, unity, and stability in the country. At the same time, it has persistently fought against all forms of injustice, discrimination, and oppression, and it will continue to do so with full strength in the future as well.

He also said that our fight is with the government, not with the people. Madrasas are the lifeline of Muslims, and now there is a conspiracy to cut off this very lifeline. The recent campaign against madrasas under the pretext of being illegal is equivalent to contempt of the Supreme Court's decision. Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has once again begun its legal struggle against this conspiracy, because the protection of madrassas is the protection of religion. We will continue our legal and democratic struggle for democracy, the supremacy of the Constitution, and the protection of madrassas.

Encouraging the madrasa officials, he said that Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind stands with you and will provide you with all kinds of support and legal assistance. Additionally, Jamiat Ulama-i-Uttar Pradesh has formed an architect panel that will assist you in getting approvals for mosque and madrasa constructions and help resolve issues like compound problems. Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind already has a legal panel that is fighting hundreds of cases, from High Courts to the Supreme Court.

Maulana Madani also advised the madrasa officials that before constructing madrassas and mosques, it is very important to first verify the nature of the land designated for construction.

He further said that we do not need anyone else’s help or cooperation for our madrassas and mosques. We should ensure that the land selected for building new madrassas and mosques belongs to us. Ideally, this land should be dedicated or donated in the name of the madrasa or mosque as Waqf.

In conclusion, he said that despite the deliberately created situation we face, there is no need to panic or lose hope. Instead, we must continue our legal and democratic struggle to overcome these challenges. Allah is our protector and helper.

It is noteworthy that this conference was organized by Jamiat Ulama-i-Uttar Pradesh, and importantly, leaders of madrassas from all school of thoughts participated in it. In this respect, it can be said that the conference was historic in terms of unity of schools of thoughts.

It should be also noted that the conference was chaired by Maulana Ashhad Rashidi, President of Jamiat Ulama-i-Uttar Pradesh, and the proceedings were managed by Mufti Ashfaq Azmi, Vice President of Jamiat Ulama-i-Uttar Pradesh. Mufti Syed Masoom Saqib, General Secretary of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, and Maulana Kaab Rashidi, State Jamiat Ulama Legal Advisor, were also present at the conference.

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