Shahid Mazari: “The Damage Caused By the Closure of Universities Is Greater Than All Other Damages In a Society”

It is evident that the transformation and evolution of human generations has been achieved as a result of scientific advances and the accumulated and increasing production of knowledge and wisdom of humanity. History and historical experiences testify that societies among human societies have been/are more pioneers than others, who have achieved growth and progress in terms of knowledge and scientific ability and have distinguished themselves from others.
The evolution and progress of humans started exactly when they were looking for a way to provide themselves with more prosperity, facilities and comfort on the one hand, and on the other hand to increase their income to reach their living conditions. In other words, mankind needed science and knowledge to change their life in this world in a positive direction. This science is exactly the new knowledge and technology that mankind has achieved in recent centuries; Knowledge and technologies that have brought about extensive and very basic and fundamental changes in human life and made the world a better and safer place to live.
Ustad Mazari was exactly one of the people who understood the living conditions of people in Afghanistan, the roots of the society’s problems and the basic needs to solve the problems. Therefore, he had a special emphasis on knowledge and universities, because universities and scientific and academic centers are the main source of production and promotion of science and technology and provide the basis for applying scientific findings in the practical life of people. Shahid Mazari, based on his knowledge and experimental findings about the world and the Afghan society, knew very well that one of the main factors of the misfortunes, dark days and backwardness of the country called Afghanistan is the extreme backwardness in the field of knowledge and scientific ability at the world level. He knew that the state of universities and educational and scientific centers in this country throughout history has never been in such a way that it can open the way for the people and the government and provide answers to the issues and reasons that existed and still exist and untangle the blind knots of this country. This is the reason why Afghan people, especially those who have been inside the country, have never had the opportunity to take steps in the direction of acquiring knowledge, producing knowledge, promoting science and practical use of science in their lives. This is how, according to Shahid Mazari, the university is a vital issue of a society, both from a social and political point of view, and from a cultural and civil point of view. In his opinion, the damage of closing the university is more than all other damage in a society and no other damage is equal to the damage of closing the university. The universities should be opened so that the young generation of Afghanistan can study, and the future of Afghanistan is in their hands, and the fate of Afghanistan is determined by the youth, and they should not remain illiterate (Frayad Adalat, p. 220). These words of Shahid Mazari well express his deep and conscious understanding of the importance of the issue, because the closing of universities and the damage caused by this area to the body of society is so heavy and dangerous that it can never be compensated in the future.
During the years when the war was going on in the country, Shahid Mazari never left his attention and focus on the active maintenance of scientific centers.
He spent a lot of efforts to reopen Kabul University, which was closed at that time due to gang wars, and to provide the opportunity for students to continue their studies. In this regard, he has said: “We have never faced the issue of the university as a cultural issue and a cultural resource on which the life of the Afghan people depends, and it is our national and Islamic duty to open the universities so that the young generation can learn.” (Charag Rah, p. 34).
In this regard, Shahid Mazari also made many other efforts. For example, he had formed and appointed a team to prepare textbooks and curriculum for Afghan schools. He established Shahid Balkhi College for Afghans in Iran and concluded an agreement with the Republic of Azerbaijan to send students to that country. He sent a large number of students to other countries as well, who later became scientific and expert staff and were even present in the government cabinet during the last twenty years of government.
Shahid Mazari’s attention and importance to scientific elites and scientists is a prominent proof of his wise thoughts in the field of knowledge and thought. He once said: “Keep in mind the rights and dignity of thinkers, free thinkers and intellectuals” (Chiragh Rah, p. 37), because it is this group of people who plant the foundation of thinking and thought in the mind and consciousness of the young generation and are fruitful. They are building; The generation that in the future will be able to become the founders of change, evolution and transformation in the society and carry the country on their shoulders until it reaches progress and development.
Accordingly, it is up to us to take a step, however small, in smoothing the path of learning science and knowledge by re-reading the enlightened thoughts of people like Shahid Mazari.