The madrasas in South Asia have been regarded as sanctuaries of learning since centuries providing free religious and basic education to millions of children, whose parents are not able to get them schooled especially orphans and those born in low income families. The madrasas are the schools that have preserved the Quran, maintained the Muslim scholarship and offered shelter, discipline, and spiritual foundation to students in infinite villages and towns. Their contribution to the nation-building, especially in the case of those who are economically marginalized cannot be overestimated. Madrasas, however, being the institutions, which are charged with responsibility to raise their students spiritually and morally, have to be held to the highest standards of care and compassion. When in such holy places the abuse takes root, it defaces the purpose in which they were constructed. On 21 st July 2025 a heartrending sad incident occurred in Chalyar, Khwazakhela in District Swat where where a young student lost his life after being brutally beaten by a Qari. The child had taken leave to attend a family wedding an innocent act. However, on returning, he was punished fatally by the person who was meant to have brought him a moral upbringing.
This is not an exception. Punishments and the violence in madrasas in Pakistan have been going on with an alarming frequency all over the country. Although, madrasas have a significant contribution in preservation of Islamic knowledge, most of them are well outside the jurisdiction of the authority, child protection regulations or standards of moral education. So much worse are even the reports of what they call torture cells within some madrasas. Students are supposedly hung by their arms, in the dark rooms or replicated before others as an example. Such cruelties are uncouth and pathetically not in demeanor with the fundamental values of Islam. Most conservative societies trust religious instructors without any hesitation and assume that disciplining the children harshly is a very holy means of teaching. However this blind trust by lack of involvement or accountability subjects children to abuse, traumas and as this case indicates permanent loss. Islam strictly prohibits such cruelty. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “He is not one of us who does not show mercy to our young ones.” (Tirmidhi, Hadith 1919). In another Hadith, he instructed“Do not cause harm or return harm.” (Ibn Majah, Hadith 2340)
The Prophet (PBUH) never ever struck a child. His teachings were full of kindness, compassion and support. Eminent researchers such as Imam Ibn Qayyim stressed that learning should be conducted on the basis of gentleness, and not on compulsion. Leading scholars like Mufti Taqi Usmani have strongly condemned all forms of violence in the name of religious instruction. Such abuse is also prohibited by the legal system of Pakistan. The Constitution Article-25-A guarantees every child a free and safe education. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Child Protection and Welfare Act (2010) and Islamabad Capital Territory Prohibition of Corporal Punishment Act (2021) make corporal punishment at all educational establishments a criminal offense. However, in distant regions the law is enforced loosely and the victims are voiceless.
The tragedy in Chalyar is a wake-up call that necessitates immediate and comprehensive reforms at different levels of society and governance. First, every madrasa should be registered and comes under a single regulatory system. This will ensure that no religious educational institution operates without oversight or accountability. The regulatory compliance should incorporate the minimal safeguards on the protection of the child, infrastructure and the conduct of the teacher. Second, before start of the teaching all madrasa teachers must complete manadatory training in chid psychology, nonvoilent teaching methodology and ethics. This training shall be provided by the concerned board like Wifaq ul Madaris, Tanzeemul Madaris etc. No person must be left to teach the children without portraying a desire of working with safe and compassionate pedagogical procedures. There should be disqualification of teachers who have been found guilty to abuse and should be held responsible to the existing law of child protection. Third, parents must be vigilant and empowered through awareness campaigns, especially in rural and conservative communities where there is no check and balance on teachers of madrasa system of education. These campaigns should guide parents about their children’s rights, signs of abuse, and the importance of remaining actively involved in their child’s religious education. Responsible engagement should be demanded from the parents or guardians of the students studying in Madrasas. Fourth, local governments must establish a proactive monitoring system in consultation of respective board. Committees should be constituted by the concerned Deputy Commissioner of each district, to conduct anonymous weekly visits to madrasas of the area. These inspections should be discreet yet effective, and findings must be reported directly to the Deputy Commissioner and concerned board for immediate disciplinary action against any abusive educators. Fifth, the district administrator must strengthen and fully operationalized the child protection units at the district level. These units should consist of educated professionals who can respond quickly to complaints, conduct surprise visits, and facilitate victims. A toll-free helpline shouild be launched which should be available 24/7 to facilitate reporting without fear of retaliation. The Controlling Boards make it mandatory for all registered madrasas to install CCTV cameras in every classroom of the Madrasa. These recordings must be stored for atleast six months period and shall be made available to monitoring committees for periodic review. This measure will ensure deter abuse, transparency, and support investigations whenever needed. Finally, Ulama and Madaris must take a principled public stance. Ulema boards, Wafaq-ul-Madaris, and other governing bodies must declare that corporal punishment is un-Islamic and must not be tolerated at any level. Religious scholars should use their influence in the society to promote a culture of accountability and kindness in line with the teachings of the Prophet (PBUH).
This innocenty child’s life was taken by human cruelty. A punishment meted out for attending a family wedding became a death sentence. Being responsible citizens we must ensure that such tragedies are not repeated. It is our religious, legal, and moral responsibility to protect children. Let the madrasa be a safe house of learning again not one of fear. Let us speak, act, and reform Now.
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