Lucknow – India’s famous Deoband seminary banned Tablighi Jamaat in its campus way back in 2017. The news has resurfaced after Saudi government took strict stance against the group for its link with extremism.
On August 9, 2017, the Deoband administration under Mufti Abul Qasim Nomani announced that any student found involved in Tablighi activity would face punitive action. The ban was imposed after two warring factions of the Jamaat were involved in violent fights over the title of an ‘Ameer’ or leader.
Though Tablighi Jamaat is an official offshoot of Deoband, the decision to ban Jamaat in the seminary was to prevent any untoward situation.
In December 2018, clashes erupted between the two factions of Tablighi Jamaat followers in Tongi, Bangladesh, which killed a 70-year-old man and more than 200 people were injured.
One faction belongs to India-based, Moulana Saad Khandhalwi – grandson of Jamaat’s main founder, and the other faction belongs to Moulana Jubayer. Both the factions argue over the fan-following and whose leadership is worthy.
Deoband and Tablighi Jamaat follow Imam Matrudi in theological matters and Imam Abu Hanifa in jurisprudence. The same ideology is shared by Afghanistan’s Taliban militants.
Interestingly, on December 6, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs directed the preachers of the mosques in which Friday prayers are held, to warn against Tablighi Jamaat group and its misguidance that leads to terrorism. Though the Jamaat was banned in the Kingdom during Mufti Bin Baz’s time.
The preachers were instructed to talk about four major points about the group:
1. Explanation of the misguidance, deviation and danger of this group, and that it is one of the gates of terrorism, even if they claim otherwise.
2. Mention their most prominent mistakes.
3. Mention their danger to society.
4. A statement that affiliation with partisan groups, including (the Tablighi and Dawah Group) is prohibited in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
According to Tablighi rituals, the followers are obliged to give the pledge of allegiance or ‘Bayyah’ to the chosen ‘Ameer’. Technically, the Bayyah is given to the legitimate ruler or government.
Similar rituals are observed by terror organizations like Taliban, Qaeda and ISIS. The militants who join these organizations, break the pledge of allegiance with their respective governments, and give it to the heads of these terror groups.
Though Tablighi followers are not involved in terrorism, the group’s pattern of activities is deemed dangerous to the society.
