Tablighi Jamaat

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Tablighi Jamaat ("Conveying^[1] Group") (Arabic: جماعة التبليغ , also Tabligh) is a Muslim missionary and revival movement. Their activities are not limited to the Muslim community.^[2] the Movement's main aim is to bring guidance to the world's Muslims.

Leaders of Tablighi Jamaat claim that the movement is strictly non-political in nature, with the main aim of the participants being to work at the grass roots level and reaching out to all Muslims of the world for spiritual development. In Britain, the movement gained press attention with its attempts to build the controversial London Markaz, Europe's largest mosque in Newham next to the site for the London 2012 Olympics.^[3]

Contents 1 Organization and Activities 2 History of the Movement 3 Celebrity and Political links 4 The six principles 5 Comments by prominent personalities 6 Criticism 7 Allegations that Tablighi Jamaat has ties to terrorism 8 See also 9 References 10 External links

[edit] Organization and Activities

Tabligh Jamat sees its duty to revitalize the Muslim community, especially those it believes are in danger of losing their Muslim identity. It emphasizes Muslim practice and participation in the Muslim community, which some critics say goes to the exclusion of other communities^{[citation needed]}.It gathers its members in meetings wherever its established and aids in community activities such as mosque building and education. It should be noted that Tabligh Jamaat does not consider its self a sect.But it is indeed a deviant sect that is widely denounced by all the Scholars of Islam. People from The 4 main school of thoughts also attend Tabligh as well as Braelvis and Deobandis.

It recently has attracted much attention for its efforts to build a very large mosque in London near the site of the 2012 Olympics.

Tabligh maintains an international headquarters, the Markaz, in Nizamuddin, and has several national headquarters to coordinate its activities in over 80 countries. Throughout its history it has sent its members to travel the world, preaching its deviant message. It organizes preachers in Jamaats, groups of 10-12, who often work only part-time.

[edit] History of the Movement

The Tablighi Jamaat was founded in the late 1920s by the well known sufi deviant Maulana Muhammad Ilyas Kandhalawi in the Mewat province of India. The inspiration for devoting his life to Islam came to Ilyas during his second pilgrimage to the Hijaz in 1926.^[4] Maulana Ilyas put forward the slogan, ‘Aye Musalmano! Musalman bano’ (in Hindi / Urdu) which translates 'O Muslims! Become Muslims' (in English). This expressed the central focus of Tablighi Jamat, which has been renewing Muslim society by renewing Muslim practice in those it feels have lost their Muslim-ness.

Ilyas was a prominent member of the Deobandi movement and throughout Tabligh's history there has been a degree of association between the two groups, although Tablighi Jamat does not see itself as Deobandi. Tabligh was formed at a time in India when some Muslim leaders feared that Indian Muslims were losing their Muslim identity to the majority Hindu culture.^[5]

In 1978, construction of the Tablighi mosque in Dewsbury , England commenced. Subsequently, the mosque became the European headquarters of Tablighi Jamaat. Ameer or Zimmadar are titles of leadership in the movement. The first Ameer, also the founder, was Maulana Muhammad Ilyas Kandhalawi (Maulana Ilyas) (1885-1944). The second was his son Maulana Muhammad Yusuf Kandhalawi. The third one was Maulana Inaam ul Hasan. Now there is a shura which includes two leaders: Maulana Zubair ul Hasan and Maulana Saad Kandhalawi. In Pakistan the duties of the Ameer are being served by Haji Abdulwahab. Maulana Muhammad Zakariya al-Kandahlawi is also among the prestigious personalities of the jamaat, as he compiled the famous book Fazail-e-Amal. ^[6]

With the ascent of Maulana Yusuf, Ilyas’ son, as its second emir (leader), the group began to expand activities in 1946, and within two decades the group reached Southwest and Southeast Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America. Initially it expanded its reach to South Asian diaspora communities, first in Arab countries then in Southeast Asia. Once established, the Tablighi Jamaat began engaging local populations as well.

In the 1990's, the official apolitical stance of Tabligh was challenged by a break-away sect which added a seventh tenant to Tabligh's 6-point ideology, "jihad in Pakistan and abroad." In 1995, a group of soldiers belonging to this break-away sect were involved in an attempt to overthrow then-prime minister Benazir Bhutto. Bhutto subsequently sent a number of Tablighi officers into retirement.^[7]

Although the Movement first established itself in the United States, it established a large presence in Europe during the 1970's and 1980's. It was especially prominent in France during the 1980's, although its influence has fallen since then, with many of its members becoming associated with UOIF, although one of its members is still represented in the French Council of the Muslim Creed.^[8] Tabligh's influence has grown, though, in the increasing Pakistani community in France, which has doubled in the decade before 2008 to 50,000-60,000.^[9]

However, Britain is the current focus of the Movement in the West, primarily due to the large South Asian population that began to arrive there in the 1960s and 1970s.^[2] By 2007, Tabligh members were running 600 of Britan's 1350 mosques.^[10]

By 2008 it had a presence in nearly 80 countries and had become a leading revitalist movement. However, it maintains a presence in India, where at least 100 of its Jamaats go out from Markaz, the international headquarters, to different parts of India and overseas.^[11]

[edit] Celebrity and Political links

There are many renowned personalities associated with the movement.

The second largest gathering of Muslims after the Haj,(the pilgrimmage to Mecca which is obligatory to each able muslim men or women at least once in a life time)is known as "Bishwa Ijtema". Which is a non political gathering of muslims from all over the world and is hosted by the leaders of "International Tabligh Jama'at". It takes palce in "Tangi" which is on the outskirts of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.

Former President of India, Dr. Zakir Hussain was associated with the Jamaat. Former president of Pakistan Rafiq Tarar, and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif have been regularly attending the ceremonies. Former head of ISI of Pakistan Gen Javed Nasir and Gen Zia-ul-Haq have also been linked with the movement{fact}.

former Singer Junaid Jamshed has close links with the jamaat. Among professioal sportsman Shahid Afridi, Saqlain Mushtaq, Inzamam-ul-haq, Mushtaq Ahmed and Saeed Anwar. It is also widely believed the Pakistani middle order batsman Mohammad Yousuf embraced Islam with the help of the Tablighi Jamaat.

Dr. Arbab Ghulam Rahim the former chief mininster of Sindh, and Ijaz-ul-Haq have strong ties with the tablighi activities.

[edit] The six principles

Tabligh in Arabic means "to convey^[1] (the message)" and Tablighi Jamaat strive to revive this duty which they consider as one of the primary duties of a Muslim. They encourage people to follow Islamic principles and the life of Muhammad through his teachings, going out for months or years in the same fashion as the companions of the Prophet.

When an individual goes out in a Jamaat, he tries to bring 6 qualities into his life, which were commonly found in all the sahabahs (companions of the Prophet), if one brings these into his life, then following the complete Deen will be made easy for him. These six qualities are:

Firm belief in the Kalimah	"An article of faith in which the tabligh accepts that there is no god but Allah and the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wasallam is His messenger. and that Allah can do each and every thing without the help of the creation, and the creation cannot do anything without the help of Allah. The only way to succeed in this world and the next (life after death) is to walk on the path shown by Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wasallam."[2]
Concentration and Devotion in Salaat	"Five daily prayers that are essential to spiritual elevation, piety, and a life free from the ills of the material world. To build a connection with Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala and to gain from his unlimited treasures"[2]
Ilm and Dhikr	"The thirst for knowledge and remembrance of Allah conducted in sessions in which every individual contributes whatever knowledge which one can regarding performing prayers, reciting the Quran and reading Hadith and to gain the remembrance of Allah in every action make Dhikr by reciting 3 Tasbihaat, Third Kalimah, Durood and Istighfaar."[2]
Ikram-i-Muslim	"The treatment of fellow humans with honor and deference, to love the youngsters and respect the elders and have respect for the scholars of Islam"[2]
Ikhlas-i-Niyyat	"Reforming one’s life in supplication to Allah by performing every (good) human action for the sake of Allah and toward the goal of self-transformation"[2]
Dawat-o-Tabligh	"The sparing of time to live a life based on faith and learning its virtues, following in the footsteps of the Prophet, and taking His message door-to-door for the sake of faith. Since Rasoolullah Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wasallam was the last and final prophet, it is our duty to now carry on this work of the prophets, i.e. call others towards good and prevent evil"[2]

[edit] Comments by prominent personalities

Graham E. Fuller, a former CIA official and an expert on Islam, (author of The Future of Political Islam) characterized Tablighi Jamaat as a "peaceful and apolitical preaching-to-the-people movement."^[12] Barbara Metcalf, a University of California scholar of South Asian Islam, called Tablighi Jamaat "an apolitical, quietist movement of internal grassroots missionary renewal" and compared its activities to the efforts to reshape individual lives by Alcoholics Anonymous.

Olivier Roy, a prominent authority on Islam at Paris's prestigious Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, described Tablighi Jamaat as "completely apolitical and law abiding."^[13]

Cllr Alan Craig, the Christian Choice candidate for Mayor of London complained after his Party Election Broadcast was censored by both the BBC and ITV. The broadcast initially referred to Tablighi Jamaat as "a separatist Islamic group", but the word separatist had to be replaced by "controversial" on the BBC and was removed entirely for broadcast on ITV.^[14]

[edit] Criticism

The Tablighi Jamaat has received criticism from other Muslim groups. Known Salafi scholars have criticised the group for not addressing the important issues related to Aqidah and instead focusing on the peripherals like Dhikr. The group is also accused by the Salafis of mis-using the statement of Shaykh 'Abdul-'Azeez ibn Baaz (which he made about the importance of 'such' religious gatherings when he was not made aware of the beliefs of the group). Shaykh 'Abdul-'Azeez ibn Baaz later gave "The final fatwa" which denounced the group for it's religious innovations. Another Salafi scholar, Abu Muawiya wrote a detailed account of the various, "Polytheistic" (see Shirk) stories mentioned in the group's book "Fazail Amal"(Part 1,Part 2, Part 3). Also, the Salafis have circulated books and articles against the group over the internet. For good reason, as the tablighi-sect tends to deviate from the true teachings of Islam.

[edit] Allegations that Tablighi Jamaat has ties to terrorism

Dozens of the captives the USA holds in extrajudicial detention in its Guantanamo Bay detention camps, in Cuba, had their continued detention justified through their alleged association with the Tabligh movement. Other nation's counter-terrorism agencies also suspect the movement, or some its members, of ties to terrorism

Main article: Allegations that Tablighi Jamaat has ties to terrorism

The American counter-terrorism analysts who prepared the allegations against Yasim Muhammed Basardah wrote:^[15]

"The detainee was recruited by Jamaat Tablighi (sic), a group that recruits young men for Jihad in Afghanistan. Many of these young men are poor and on drugs. The detainee attended meeting sponsored by Jamaat Tablighi (sic) for two months."

The allegations prepared for Saad Masir Mukbl Al Azani's Administrative Review Board hearing, stated:^[16]

"Jama'at Al Tablighi (sic), a Pakistan-based Islamic missionary organization, is becoming increasingly radicalized, and is being used as a cover to mask travel and activities of terrorists including members of al Qaida."

Fayad Yahya Ahmed asked his Personal Representative to provide him with a document explaining how al Qaida was related to Tablighi Jamaat.^[17]

His Personal Representative replied:

"We searched for a document to show that there is a connection but did not find one."

Murat Kurnaz's lawyers prepared a long dossier for his Administrative Review Board hearing, that included letters from three American professors of Religion, who assured his Board that the Tabligh movement was founded on a principle staying out of politics. However, it is often said that one thing deviants have in common, is the sword.

Qamar-ul Huda	"From the very beginning the Jama'at al-Tablighi has deliberately distanced itself from politics, political activities, and political controversies."[18]
Barbara D. Metcalf	"I will also attempt to explain why it is implausible to believe that the Tablighis support terrorism or are in any way affiliated with other terrorist or 'jihadi' movements such as the Taliban or Al Qaeda."[19]
Jamal J. Ellias.	"I must emphasize this last point, that the Tablighis formally and actively believe that traveling to engage in missionary activity fully discharges any religious obligation to engage in Jihad."[20]

[edit] See also

• Deobandi Analysis of the Madrassah Darul Uloom, Deoband.
• Islam in India
• Islam in Pakistan
• Islam in Bangladesh
• Biswa Ijtema, the annual congregation in Bangladesh

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• The Beginnings of Jama'at Tabligh
• Fiqh of Dawah
• Dawah
• Scholar’s attachment with Tabligh site in Chicago, IL, USA
• Maulana Tariq Jamil
• Andrew Gilligan on Tablighi Jamaat's role in the building of a new East London supermosque
• Article in Daily Times
• Islamist Networks: The Case of Tablighi Jamaat U.S. Institute of Peace Audio, August, 2006
• "Suspected Islamists Detained In Kazakhstan", Radio Free Europe, July 27, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-7-9. 
• Yoginder Sikand. "Plane 'Plot': Media Targets Tablighi Jamaat", August 19, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-07-10. 
• Dominic Kennedy, Hannah Devlinhe is very good.. "Disbelief and shame in a community of divided faith: High Wycombe is coming to terms with notoriety", =The Times, August 19, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-07-10. 
• ITV & BBC Censor London Mayoral Election Broadcast "in Fear of Radical Islam". The Christian Choice (2008-04-28).

Coordinates: 31°15′25″N 74°13′22″E / 31.25694, 74.22278