Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, March 28th, 2024

The Historic Mission of Intellectual Community in Afghanistan

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The Historic Mission of Intellectual Community in Afghanistan

Historically, the intellectual community played very constructive role in development of culture, economy and social integrity in national and global level. If we look at the history of European countries, it was the dynamic role of intellectual community that transformed a dark medieval society, to a modern and rational society. In the medieval age, when a scientist invented or discovered something in that society, he might face with unknown fate. Similarly,  If we look at the history of American society, we see comparable situation where the black people had no right to vote and for years they were socially and even legally accepted as lower class of human in that society.  With devoting their precious lives, the intellectual community succeeded to break the strongest chain of slaveries, and inequality after years of fights. After centuries of enlightening efforts of intellectuals, now the door of meritocracy has relatively opened to everyone and the black men and women are seen in the highest social and political positions such as presidency, vice presidency and secretary of defense as we see in the current or recent era. Despite extremist elements everywhere and every time, the flag of humanitarianism blows higher than racism .
The intellectual community have also played very liberating role in some historical period of Afghanistan. During Habibuallah Khan and Amanullah Khan, although there were very limited intellectuals in country such as Mohmood Tarzee with his few friends and followers, they brought widespread changes in the country which finally led to independence of the country, establishment of Afghanistan s first constitution, freedom of expression, modernism and many more. Although the number of them was relatively few among a predominantly illiterate population at that period of history, they were confident, compatriot and committed and so made deep changes.  Based on historic narratives, Seraj al-aḵbar provided a forum for the Young Afghans who finally awoke a big nation. Whereas, in current era, despite thousands of professors, scholars and writers while thousands of whom graduated from well-known university of the world but they are the followers of ethnical racist leaders and accordingly divided on the basis of ethnical and lingual criteria. If we look around the country, there are hundreds of newspapers, public T.V with thousands of educational centers yet a large number of people are not sure whether to follow the way of terrorist or republicans. Hence, the modern intellectual community has not fulfilled their historic mission in modern Afghanistan. They are not busy in doing their historic mission which is fighting against racism, extremism, violence, injustice, corruption, superstitions, environmental pollution and other social and political challenges. Today, the best writer is the one who ate the food of cultural work as a writer, teacher and professor but not faced any risks; it means he or she never seriously stood against these vices otherwise how it is possible to endanger the position of corrupt elements but they keep silent. Therefore, there seems no serious commitment for sacrifices and no strategic approach to get out of this situation If there is a little effort in this field, it is more for promoting of their social and political position rather than having serious concern about critical state of the country. For example, there were many intellectuals in recent years who seriously criticized against current situation but after reaching their desired position they have quickly changed as if the world were rebuilt and all problems resolved overnight. However, it does not mean we should have a hostile position against ruling system, it means we must theoretically support our government and society with providing fundamental suggestions and solution to get out from the ongoing critical condition. Although 20 years have passed from age of new Afghanistan, still we are faced with racism, extremism, violence, injustice, corruption, superstitions, environmental pollution and other social and political challenges.Unfortunately, a number of intellectuals began escaping instead of being ready for any types of sacrifices in the course of freedom awaking the deceived compatriots. Although a large number of the deceived compatriots fight for individual interests, there are many youths who really deceived and so they need to rescuers. The terrorist groups constantly destroy schools and educational centers so as to prevent from enlightenment of the new generation. Given the low level of literacy in most war stricken provinces, they are vulnerable against propagations of terrorist groups. However, the good news is that the government has decided to prevent the youth and juveniles from going to learn religious subjects in the madrassas (seminaries) outside the country. Although this decision after 20 years of war and violence are too late, it is warmly welcomed. The government previously shared confessions of people arrested on charge of terrorist attacks with the media who had accepted to be taught suicide attacks in the seminaries of the neighboring countries. According to reports, there are hundreds of seminaries in neighboring countries that host mostly Afghan students misusing them for reaching illegitimate goals. Therefore, the ministry of Education is responsible to provide facilities for our teachers in both Islamic and general education inside the country. Accordingly, the intellectual communities of Afghanistan including religious scholars have to accomplish their responsibility enlightening the people and vulnerable groups in the country .
The government should also support the honest and committed thinkers ensuring their security as they are the greatest capital of this country. The government should also make sure that the youths are treated on basis of meritocratic criteria during distribution of opportunities; otherwise the culture of blandishment is promoted instead of culture of constructive criticism and creativities. Unfortunately, some of the political leaders are largely influenced by the ruling ethnocentric atmosphere or smooth tongued of blandishers. We must not forget that social peace, social justice and social unity are not realized with word and void promises .

Mohammad Zahir Akbari is the permanent writer of the Daily Outlook Afghanistan. He can be reached at mohammadzahirakbari@gmail.com

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