Madrasas and Disaster Relief in Pakistan

Madrasas have an enduring presence in Pakistan and anywhere else where Muslims live. The madrassa is not a static institution but one that has continually evolved in response to wider historical transformations, including religious reform, Western ascendancy, nationalism, the rise of the developmental state, and the expansion of mass education (Malik, 2007). Often described by its proponents as one of the largest networks of nongovernmental organisations (NGOs), madrasas, at the very least, provide a “basic education safety net; socialization to certain norms of proper behavior and knowledge, and an awareness of an Islamic identity” (Park & Niyozov, 2008:332). A disproportionate amount of writing on madrasas remains stuck within tired frameworks of terrorism and sectarian violence, which speculate how madrasas serve as a pipeline for both (Hanif et al., 2021; Zaman, 1998). Another set of literature unfairly compares madrasas with conventional schools and universities, framing madrasas as outdated and antiquated education providers that do not result in gainful employment (Etzioni, 2006; Schmidt, 2008; Singer, 2001). These sets of literature are used as evidence to make a case for top-down techno-managerial madrasa reforms (Ali, 2009), which madrasa administrators have largely contested (Bashir & Ul-Haq, 2019; Riaz, 2008). Seen as a whole, this dominant body of literature dismisses the legitimacy of madrasas as worthy cultural and intellectual institutions. Madrasas are seen as archaic arrangements disconnected from national aspirations. They remain illegible to the developmental state.