Thursday, Mar. 08, 2001

'We Don't Teach Terrorism Or Hatred'

By HANNAH BLOCH

Thursday, Mar. 8, 2001 | Maulana Sami ul-Haq is one of Pakistan's most outspoken religious leaders. Head of the Darul Uloom religious seminary in Akora Khattak, he claims his school produced 90% of the Taliban movement, which rules Afghanistan. Among the school's stated aims is "to work for the enforcement of Islamic laws" in Pakistan. He spoke to TIME Islamabad correspondent Hannah Bloch recently about the rise of extremism in the country. Edited excerpts:

How would you assess relations between Pakistan's religious leaders and the government?

Everybody was expecting a lot from this government but it hasn't really performed well. But we don't want a confrontation because we know the government is facing economic difficulties and so many other problems. Foreign powers want us to; an unstable Pakistan is in the interests of the U.S, India and other powers. We want peaceful, democratic change through elections. The government should be democratic and Islamic.

Is it possible to have a government that is both democratic and Islamic? Has that combination succeeded anywhere else?

We don't have any country as a model. Egypt and other Muslim countries are being run by the West, but one country is trying to become independent, and it is being punished. That country is Afghanistan. It is being punished not because of Osama bin Laden (the suspected Saudi terrorist) or the Taliban's policies, but because it wants to introduce a system of government which in their view is fit for their country. In those Islamic countries where Islamic forces are strong, like Algeria and Turkey, their attempts were foiled.

What do you think accounts for the rise of Islamism in Pakistan?

One reason people have become more religious is because they are aware of the trouble spots in the world. In Indonesia, Chechnya and Bosnia, Muslims are on the receiving end (of violence). All this creates an awareness of Islam and how people suffer because they are Muslims.

You defied a government ban on weapons displays by hosting a gathering of religious leaders who brought gunmen with them. Why?

The gunmen had been given permits by the government, who could not provide security to the Islamic leaders. We have threats of terrorist attacks and we have to protect ourselves. We don't threaten anyone; we are the victims of terrorism. I told the interior minister in a lighter moment, that if I had an atomic bomb, I'd display it too. We don't want to behave like Palestinians being killed by Israelis.

Why has there been an increase in sectarian violence in Pakistan?

I don't think there is any Shia/Sunni sect dispute. We have been able to coexist for 1,400 years. It is foreign elements who have been trying to destabilize the country and weaken Muslims in Pakistan. Those elements have been infiltrating both groups, killing people, and giving the whole community a bad name. The problem is compounded because the judicial system cannot decide cases promptly, and doesn't punish people. People think they can get away with things.

Some people say madrassahs (religious schools) help encourage sectarian violence by teaching intolerance for other sects.

We don't teach terrorism or hatred in our madrassahs -- not even against the West. There is also no military training. All this is propaganda. Islam teaches love and peace. If the Afghans had not followed Islamic teachings and the glory of Islam, they would not have defeated the Soviet superpower. So the West should thank us.

The Afghan fighters also had a lot of aid from the West, especially the U.S.

Yes, America was sending bags full of dollars. Back then, Osama bin Laden (who fought with the Afghan mujahedin) was a hero. Now they dub him a zero.

What do you envision for Pakistan's future?

We remain hopeful, and all trends are positive. We feel there's a bright future for Islamic movements in this country. People have tried the other system; the politicians have failed the people over the past 53 years. We don't want to return to those days of corruption and misrule.