Lessons to be learnt from the success stories of Janab C Abdul Hakeem Sahib and Moulana M A Jameel Ahmed Sahib

"Our forefathers like Mr. C. Abdul Hakeem Sahib who were not so much educated have done a lot for the educational upliftment of not only Muslims but also non-Muslims. But, unfortunately it is not the case with us – the present generation who are well educated and at the helm of affairs– in comparison with them, of course with some exceptions. It is our duty to recapture their spirit and zeal for the betterment of the community and country," said P. K. Shabbir Ahmed in a function organized by The Tamil Nadu Chapter of the Federation of Muslim Educational Institutions in India (FEMEII) held in Chennai.

When I read these words in a report of the event by V M Khaleelur Rahman in Two Circles I was pleasantly surprised. I have been contemplating in similar lines for the past few years. Especially after the demise of Moulana M. A. Jameel Ahmed, the General Secretary of Islamic Foundation Trust (IFT). Moulana Jameel Sahib too was not a graduate or to put in the words of P K Shabbir Sahib 'not so much educated'. But with his hardwork, vision and foresight he achieved much more than the brothers who have taken his mantle now. In terms of achievements and accomplishments his successors with higher educational qualifications and those at the helm of affairs stand miles and miles behind Moulana M A Jameel Ahmed Sahib.

Why is it so? What made Janab C Abdul Hakeem Sahib and Moulana M A Jameel Sahib click? Is it because 'old is gold'? We have to find an answer. Perhaps the answer lies in the following words of Allama Iqbal:

Kabhi aey, Naujawan Muslim! taddabur bhi kiya tu ney?

Wo kya gardon tha tu jis ka hai ik toota hua tara

Tujhey uss qaum nay pala hai aaghosh-e-mohabbat main

Kuchal dala tha jis nay paon main taaj-e-sir-e-dara

(Meanings: Taddabur = To think; Gardon = Sky (Simile, group of Prophet (PBUH) and his companions here); Qaum = Nation (Muslims here); Aaghosh-e-Mohabbat = Caring protection; Kuchal = Trample; Taj-e-sir-e-dara = Royal crown)

Janab P K Shabbir Ahmed is the most sober person I have ever met. He is cool, calm and committed activist with a mission. He is the moving spirit behind Organisation of Muslim Educational Institutions and Associations of Tamil Nadu OMEIT for the past few decades. He is a man of few words. But when he choses to talk he delivers words of wisdom.

Photo of P. K. Shabbir Ahmed : courtesy : Ko Shafee Ahmed

Shah Faisal is the third Muslim to lead the UPSC list

Shah Faesal is the first Kashmiri to top the UPSC list. But he is not the first Muslim to do so as claimed by this blog. Dr Adil pointed out this error. I did some research and came out with the following details.
In 1987 Br Aamir Subhani of Bihar created history when he became the IAS Topper. Before him another Brother to top the list is Br Javed Usmani. He must have achieved this feat in 1978. He has served the Aligarh Muslim University as Registrar and had been posted as Joint Secretary in PMO and was instrumental in getting the Sachar Report on minorities in place. Probably he is serving in the World Bank in Washington too. Syed Shahabuddin, ex-Member of Parliament and, presently, the President of All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, was the first Muslim from Bihar to get second rank in civil services exam in 1958. That was then the highest rank a Muslim got since Independence. Besides a sister from Bihar Shahla Nigar secured second rank in 2001. Jaza Kallah, Dr Adil bhai. As pointed out earlier, Br Abubaker Siddique of Tamil Nadu secured second rank in 1990's.

But the basic point to be noted is that the percentage of successful Muslim IAS canditates has remained hovering around 2% to 4%. This situation is very pathetic. We cannot remain content with the occasional sweet victories of a Shah Faesal here and a Aamir Usmani there. What we are losing by this insipid state of affairs has been summed up by the legendary Dr Syed Hamid with the following words:

The percentage of successful Muslim candidates over past 17 years has varied between 1.38 per cent and 3.72 per cent. For the first six years, on an average it is 1.75 per cent, and for subsequent 11 years, it works out to 2.87 per cent. There has thus been a slight improvement in results over the last decade but viewed against the 12 per cent Muslim share in the country’s population, these are unsatisfactory. The poor performance deprives the Muslim community of a sense of participation of governance and management of their country. They are in the process denied a role in the existing adventure of national reconstruction and development. Read More

An analysis of IAS results

The importance of IAS in the state structure of the country cannot be underrated. Politicians may come and go but bureaucrats are there forever. On account of its instinct for survival, its rigid posture and rugged resistance to change, it is rightly known as the ‘steel frame’ of the country. Policy decisions are credited to the politicians as legislators, but in practice they are formulated and finalized by bureaucrats, drawn mainly from IAS cadre. 

From Saeed Suhravardy's analysis in Milli Gazette. Read More

Muslim representation in Civil Services - An Analysis

According to Sachar Committee Report, the proportion of Muslim graduates, during 2004-05 was 3.4 per cent. Among the 'General Hindus' it was found to be 15.3 per cent, among 'SC/ST Hindus' it was 2.2 per cent, among 'OBC Hindus' it was 4.4 per cent and among 'other minorities' it was 8.9 per cent. In short, roughly 7.7 per cent of non Muslims were found to be graduates as against 3.4 per cent among Muslims. (Page 67, Sachar Committee Report)

We don’t have detailed data on the above social sections. However, one can broadly conclude that this 7.7 per cent of non-Muslim graduates could corner 96 per cent and 97.5 per cent of seats in the Civil Services Examination in the year 2009 and 2010 respectively, leaving 4 per cent and 2.5 per cent for Muslims in the respective years. That means the ratio of success among non-Muslim graduates was more than twelve times of the ratio of graduates among them, whereas, for the Muslims it was almost at par.

From M Naushad Ansari's analysis in Two circles. Read More.