'A Subject Of Scrutiny To Male Eyes'

Aligarh Muslim University is a romantic dream for Muslims all over the world. True that in the late 80's,the university, then, the Mohammedan Anglo Oriental College, revolutionized education for the backward Muslimcommunity. The founder Sir Syed Ahmad Khan envisioned that this institution would educate men and women whowould lead Muslim community to modern thought, liberation and progress. A vision that progressive Muslimsglobally are still trying to achieve.

Whenever I talk about Aligarh Muslim University to its alumni, many have been offended by what they thinkis criticism by a westernized wannabe-feminist Muslim girl, who has forgotten her roots and culture. It hasbeen difficult for me to not express concerns not just as a present student of the institution but also as amember of the Muslim community wanting to uphold the sanctity of an institution as great as AMU. After enoughcontemplation I have decided to share my experiences even if it may raise discontent from any quarters.

When I joined Aligarh Muslim University, I had in mind a grand central university fulfilling internationalstandards in adult learning. An institution that would expose young men and women to radical thinking andaction. Where, the community would find a vent to overcome the backwardness it has been crippled witheducationally and socially. Unfortunately my four years have revealed the reasons why we cannot break throughthe great cultural divide between education and progress. One of the reasons being my gender that predominatescategories for judgment in the still biased university. 

It was only after a month in the university that I discovered that classes in bachelors degrees and coursestill twelfth grade were separate for men and women. Well the question might be "is this a genuine issuethat needs deliberation"? My answer being, yes, it is.

The reasons that women still are restricted in Abdullah Hall, an exclusive hall for women, including allfacilities from classes to shopping to play grounds is succumbing to the so called Islamic view that womenneed to be protected. And since those in authority--every one from the watchman to the Proctor--claim thatAligarh Muslim University upholds Islamic values, they have to cater to women's education within theseso-called values.

These values made it very difficult for the men to accept my presence in the arts center, in the debatingsocieties that were exclusive to men, the drama club that hadn't cast female roles in years and even theuniversity roads and playgrounds. Women were expected to take rickshaws and not walk. And all the while, youare a subject of scrutiny to male eyes examining righteousness and piety in your clothes, actions and speech.

Power has always been a male phenomenon here. They make the rules, to their convenience and enforce it inthe guise of Islam and the need for protecting women. Isn't education about equipping individuals to protectand defend themselves. If the system endorses your cripple status, who will liberate you? Here begins theconcern to take Aligarh Muslim University for the values that it truly upheld at one point in history.

Aligarh Muslim University has never had a female member in the students union. It has never had womenrepresentation in intervarsity sports and games competitions, for thirteen long years, women did not representthe university in the national youth festival. It was in 2000, the year I joined college, the secretary of theliterary club convinced the Coordinator that the girls could be part of the team. After severe deliberation,finally the university took its first mixed group of men and women. Though it was historical and might soundprimitive for an age old institution, the opposition and the criticism and scrutiny the girls had to gothrough can't be stated in words. We are not talking about a team of students here. But a team of men who haverenounced the student status and taken upon themselves to guard women in their university from the clutches ofmodernity and liberal influences. They would watch whom you talk to, the way you talk and tell you when tomove, when to sit and when to eat.

When I am at Aligarh Muslim University, I am quite often reminded that I am a girl and how indecent it isfor me to be moving with men, even if there is an educational cause. Scared of these value judgments, girlstudents restrict themselves to their hostels. Which means a life of only lectures and classes in aresidential university where a student spends on an average at least three years. I see a few of my classmates, girls who had come with ambition and talent who are now silent residents in their respective halls.There is no life beyond tutors and classes in the university campus for women while on the other hand men playfootball and basketball in the playgrounds, learn sitar and tabla in the music club and spend their nighthours in the university's 24 hour Maulana Azad Library. 

Who will take up our cause? Is it that Muslim girls don't deserve quality education? Or is that they aresecond to men and should only live in the shadow of their male members always? Or is it that Aligarh MuslimUniversity for women is only an elitist qualification for a good social marriage? 

Whatever it has been, I don't think I would be one of those to silently accept the majority endorsed statusof segregated education. Our identities can't be crushed within the walls of the university campus. For all Iknow, as the students gain more exposure, they will stand up for themselves. And if the university does notshed its feudal and dictatorial qualities, it is going to go down on quality, both in terms of education andstudents.

We need professors and lecturers who can give us the strength to attend to our minds and the needs ofhigher education. We need guardians who will come out of the 50's mindset and adapt to the changing scenario.We want support from students, academicians, scholars and most importantly from the alumni who share with usthe love for and spirit of our alma mater.

From this short piece, I surely hope that I can draw attention and support to revive a great institutionwhich otherwise might kill its own self because of an identity crisis or an imposed identity. I hope thecoming years spell change and action for this inevitable cause.

Nazia Y.Izuddin is a student of Law, Aligarh Muslim University