Student and Theft: An Intellectual Fallacy

Student and Theft: An Intellectual Fallacy

Authored by: Muhammad Aadil Arariavi

In human society, attributing the actions of one individual to an entire class or institution is against the principles of justice. History and experience show that every group and class contains people of different temperaments and characters. The purpose of educational institutions is to reform, train, and build character, but even so, if an individual chooses the wrong path due to their weakness or bad inclinations, the responsibility lies with that individual, not with the institution or class to which they belong, especially religious seminaries, which are fundamentally established to teach morality, honesty, and piety.

To clarify this very fact, a highly instructive incident is narrated regarding a student of the seminary of Hakeem-ul-Ummat Hazrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (may Allah have mercy on him), in which an important fundamental point emerges: it is not correct to attribute a person's crime to the entire student body or the religious education system. Once, a student of Hakeem-ul-Ummat Hazrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Sahib Thanvi (may Allah have mercy on him) was arrested on charges of theft, and the crime was proven. The police officer came to Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi Sahib (may Allah have mercy on him) to complain, "Hazrat, students also commit theft?" Maulana replied with great composure, "Students do not commit theft." The police officer then said, "Hazrat, we have proof that so-and-so is a student of your seminary, and he has committed theft." Hazrat replied again in a calm tone, "Students do not commit theft." The police officer then repeated the accusation and proof of theft with more emphasis, so Hazrat said, "Students do not commit theft, rather, thieves are studying." Hazrat meant that the students of religious seminaries are taught about the sinfulness of theft and robbery, etc., and they are forbidden from such crimes. Despite this, if a student is committing theft, then in reality, he is a thief who is studying.

From this incident, it is known that a criminal can be in the guise of a student in a religious seminary, but that crime is his personal one; it is not appropriate to attribute that crime to studenthood. Therefore, in today's era, raids are conducted on some seminaries, and some students are accused of being terrorists. So, if such an accusation is proven true against any student, it will be said that students do not commit terrorism, but rather, some terrorists take on the guise of students.