Tablighi Jamaat
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The Tablighis follow strict codes of Islamic law. They are bound by the religious dogma, dressing patterns and detailed methods of religious practices.
They usually limit their activities to within the Muslim community itself, their main aim being to bring spiritual awakening to the world's Muslims.
Foundation and Major Personalities
The founder was called Shaykh Muhammad Ilyaas al-Kaandahlawee who was born in Kaandahlah, a village in the region of Sahaaranfoor in India in 1303 A.H. (1887 C.E.) (died 1364 A.H. / 1948 C.E.).
Initially, he sought knowledge in this village, then later travelled to Delhi where he completed his studies at the Madrasah Deoband which is amongst the biggest Hanafee schools in the Indian sub-continent, which was setup in the year 1283 A.H. (1867 C.E.).
He also sought knowledge under the guardianship of his older brother, Shaykh Muhammad Yahya, who was a teacher at the Madrasah Mathaahir al-'Uloom in Sahaaranfoor.
Later, he studied under Shaykh Ashraf 'Alee Thanwee (1280 A.H. (1863 C.E.) - 1364 A.H. (1943 C.E.)), who was known to them as ((Hakeem al-Ummah)).
Likewise, he also studied under Shaykh Mahmood Hasan (1268 A.H. (1851 C.E.) - 1339 A.H. (1920 C.E.)) who was amongst the major scholars of the Madrasah Deoband and the Jamaa'ah at-Tableegh.
As for Shaykh Rasheed Ahmad al-Kankoohee, born in 1829 C.E. (died 1905 C.E.); Shaykh Muhammad Ilyaas actually gave bay'ah (oath of allegiance) to him in 1315 A.H. (1899 C.E.).
He later renewed his bay'ah (oath of allegiance) to Shaykh Khaleel Ahmad as-Sahaaranfooree who was one of the scholars of the Deobandiyyah group.
Shaykh 'Abdur-Raheem Shaah ad-Deobandee at-Tableeghee spent alot of time in organising the affaris of the Jamaa'ah at-Tableegh along with Muhammad Ilyaas and his son Shaykh Muhammad Yoosuf after him.
Shaykh Ihtishaam al-Hasan al-Kaandahlawee married the sister of Muhammad Ilyaas, and spent a long time commanding the Jamaa'ah at-Tableegh whilst in the companionship of Shaykh Muhammad Ilyaas, its founder.
Aims
The movement asks the Muslims at-large to spend their time and money in spiritual journeys (called "gasht" or in Arabic "khurooj") to seek religious knowledge ("Taleem") and promote the faith. During these scheduled jouneys (usually for a specified period of 4 months, 40 days, 10 days, or at least 3 days), members of each travelling group (called jama'ats) learn the basic tenets of Islam from each other. Apart from these, a list of desired qualities of the sahaba are studied and practiced.These are:
- Conviction of faith - Belief in the oneness of God. This is expanded to mean that the creation cannot do anything without the will of God, but God can do everything without the creation. It also has the adjunct of belief that complete success in this world and the hereafter is only achieved in following the way of life shown by Muhammad and every other way leads to failure in this world and the hereafter.
- Humility & Devotion in Salah - Perfection in observance of prayers.
- Acquiring knowledge and remembrance of God
- Good behaviour towards Muslims, and others. Sacrificing ones own needs in order to fulfil anothers needs. Includes respecting ones elders and showing kindness to somebody younger.
- Purity of intention. Meaning that all good actions should be solely for the pleasure of God.
- Inviting to God - Spending ones time and money in the "Path of God", calling people towards God, as Muhammad was the last messenger of God.
Manner of Propogating their Da'wah
A group from amongst them is designated to go to a particular area/town/country, whereby each member of the goup takes with them basic means upon which to sleep and other basic items which shall suffice.
When they arrive at their destination, they organise themselves in a manner whereby some of them begin cleaning the place where they shall be resting during their stay in the area; Whilst others amongst them will go out to the market places and the like remembering Allaah and calling the people to listen to their talk (bayaan - as they call it).
When the time for the bayaan arrives, they all gather together to listen to it. And after the bayaan has finished, they request members of the gathering to come out with them in the path of Allaah. And after Salaat al-Fajr, they divide the group of people who are present into groups where a group leader is appointed for each group. Then the group leader undertakes the responsibility of teaching his group members Soorah al-Faatihah and other small Soorah's of the Qur.aan. They continue in this way day in day out.
Before their period of stay is over, they encourage the people of the area to come out with them to spread their da'wah, such that some people volunteer to join them for three days or a week or a month. Each one according to his ability and circumstances, their giving up their time in accordance with the saying of Allaah:
[Soorah Aal-'Imraan, Aayah 110].
And the preferred time for going out is a day in a week, and three days in a month and 40 days in a year and 4 months in a lifetime.
- They refuse invitations to attend social functions made by the people of the area they have settled in for their period of da'wah; their intention being not to busy themselves with anything other than issues of da'wah and remembrance, and that their actions are soley for the sake of Allaah.
- They do not interfere in issues of forbidding the evil, believing they are at the stage of establishing an appropriate climate for Islaamic living, and that if they were to involve themselves in such issues, then this would place obstacles in their way and turn the people away from their da'wah.
- They believe that if they correct their individuals (members) one-by-one then the evil will be automatically eradicated from amongst the masses.
- That going out and propogating their da'wah da'wah to the people helps in nurturing the da'ee and cultivating his actions, such that he feels he is an example for others to follow and that he adheres to that which he is calling the people to.
- They believe that blind following a madhhab is obligatory, and they do not permit ijtihaad, believing that the conditions of a mujtahid (one who is qualified to make ijtihaad) are not present amongst the scholars of this time.
- They have been affected by the ways of the Soofiyyah, whose da'wah is widespread in the Indian sub-continent. For example:
- It is imperative for every member of the Jamaa'ah at-Tableegh to have a Shaykh to whom he makes bay'ah (oath of allegiance) to, and whoever was to die whilst not having made bay'ah, then he has died the death of those in pre-Islaam. And often is the case that the bay'ah takes place in a public gathering so as to encourage all present to do likewise and give them all an impression that they are all in this together as one group. And the same is done amongst the women also.
- Excessive love and respect is shown to the Shaykh to whom bay'ah has been given, as is excessive love shown to the Messenger of Allaah, that which often takes them out of the fold of displaying appropriate respect to the Prophet.
- Their belief that the way of the Soofiyyah is the closest way to taste the sweetness of eemaan in the heart.
- Their being taught the names of the major personalities of the Soofiyyah such as 'Abdul-Qaadir al-Jeelaanee, who was born in Jeelaan in 470 A.H., and also as-Sahrooree, and Abu Mansoor al-Maatureedee who died in 332 A.H., and Jalaal ad-Deen ar-Roomee who was born in 604 A.H., who wrote the book al-Mathnawee.
- They have been affected by the way of the Soofiyyah, in particular the Chishtiyyah, the Qaadiriyyah, the Naqshbandiyyah and the Sahroordiyyah in India.
- There are some members who claim to have adopted the thoughts of the Jamaa'ah an-Noor of Turkey.
- Their da'wah is based upon the arousal of interest and intimidation combined, and thereby causing emotive and affective feelings. They have, thereby managed to enlist in the name of eemaan, many who have immersed themselves into sins and desires, and have directed them to worship and remembrance.
- They do not speak about political issues, and discourage their members from getting involved in these problematic issues, criticising those who do get involved. They say that politics is to leave politics.
- They misinterpret the ahaadeeth pertaining to jihaad, claiming it means to go out and give da'wah, this being to such an extent that their members quite possibly have forgotten about the real meaning of jihaad in the path of Allaah.
- They are very lenient when it comes to narrating weak ahaadeeth.
- Their main points of reference appear to be the Quraan and the Sunnah, however, in terms of 'aqeedah, they turn to the understandings of their founding Shaykhs of the Indian sub-continent, and that being the 'aqeedah of the Maatureediyyah upon the Hanafee madhhab.
- In the Arab lands they make a point of referring to Imaam an-Nawawee's Riyaadh as-Saaliheen, whereas in non-Arab lands they refer to the Tableeghee Nisaab (Tablighi Nisab) and Hayaah as-Sahaabah (Hayat Al-Sahabah), and this being full of incorrect information and weak ahaadeeth.
Their da'wah began in India, and then spread to Pakistan and Bangladesh, then later spreading to the rest of the Islaamic world, even in Arabia - such that they now have followers in Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, Egypt, Sudan, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
They also have followers in Europe, America, Asia and Africa.
Their worldwide headquarters is in Nizaamuddeen in Delhi, where they administer their da'wah affairs worldwide. Their headquarters in the western world is in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, UK.
Constitution and activities
Members of any given Jama'at usually hail from varied backgrounds. Each Jama'at is usually constituted in a village or town mosque. They decide upon a route and time period of the Journey by Mash'wara or group counselling.Each Jama'at has 5 to 20 members with one leader or Amir who is usually chosen by the members themselves before the actual journey. They usually camp in Masjid (Mosque) along the way, and preach to the people who attend the Mosque. During the day, members of the Jama'at visit Muslim houses door to door and roam the markets of the town or village they have camped in and exhort Muslims to lead a pure religious life and invite them to attend a sermon in nearby Mosque after certain prayers. Usually after the sermon, they encourage the attendees to come forward and join them on the spiritual journeys.
Since they encourage other Muslims to join in their spiritual journeys, any Muslim can easily join. There is no strict membership rules to be part of Tablighi Jamaat.
The Jamaat as a missionary organization is popular in South Asia and has many adherents internationally. The main headquarters for Tabligh Jamaat (known as a Markaz) is in Nizamuddin, New Delhi, India. Europe's main Markaz is in Dewsbury, England.east asian'main markaz is in jakarta,indonesia.main african markaz is in derbun,south africa. They have also been seen giving lectures in Al-Aqsa mousque in palestine.
Social impact
Most hamlets in the Indian subcontinent usually have a mosque called the Markaz, or centre, where weekly meetings occur. Preachers during these meetings urge people to go in Jama'at for as many days as their financial condition permits. The recommended period (but not necessary) is four months once in a life-time, a periodic planned tour schedule of 40 days in a year and 3 days in a month.A strong grassroots support for the movement can be found in India,Pakistan, Malaysia, Thailand, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Fiji, Central Asian countries, East Asian countries, North and Central African countries, South American countries and the Gulf countries.
In Pakistan the movement is based in Raiwind, near Lahore. The annual Tablighi congregation in Bangladesh, the Biswa Ijtema, attracts over 3 million devotees from around the world. A large participation in Tabligh efforts are also seen in Europe, North America, South Africa, North Africa and East Asian Muslim countries.
Criticism within Islam
Some groups within Islam, like the Salafists of Saudi Arabia and the Jamaat-e-Islami of India and Pakistan, accuse Tablighi Jammaat for its policy of refraining from warning its followers of activities that could be labelled as forms of shirk (polytheism) in Islam. On the other hand, anti-Wahabi groups like the Barelvis accuse the Jamaat of propogating the Wahabi beliefs and associating with them.The Jamaat adheres and follows to all four schools of thought of Ahlus'Sunnah and has the basic Islamic creed.
Ameers
There have been 4 ameers (leaders) of the Tablighi Jamaat so far. The first one, also the founder, was Maulana Ilyas Khan Dhalvi. The second one was Maulana Yusuf Khandhalvi. The third one was Maualana Inaam ul Hasan. The fourth and present one is Maulana Saad Khan Dhalvi.Allegations from U.S. counter-terrorist officials
Dozens of the Combatant Status Review Tribunals conducted by the United States on their captives imprisoned at their Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, in Cuba. say: [Two prisoners suspected of al-Qaida links appear before review tribunals], Fox News, November 17 2004"The Jamat al Tabligh, a Pakistani-based Islamic Missionary organization, is being used as a cover to mask travel and activities of terrorists including members of al Qaida." [Combatant Status Review Board Letters, final release (.pdf)], Department of Defense - Freedom of Information Office -- see page 4 of the .pdf [Combatant Status Review Board Letters, final release (.pdf)], Department of Defense Freedom of Information Office -- see page 6 of the .pdfThe New York Times reported that a brief stay at a Tablighi Jamaat hostel lead to the decision to capture Guantanamo Bay detainee Murat Kurnaz.[One Muslim's Odyssey to Guantanamo], New York Times, June 5 2005 The Jamaat Tabligh themselves condemn terrorism and are strictly non-political. Their focus is on the spiritual enlightenment of the soul and adheres to the Islamic creed and rituals.[[Citing sources citation needed]]
References
Prose contains specific citations in source text which may be viewed in edit mode.See also
- Deobandi Analysis on the Sect of Deoband
- Islam in India
- Islam in Pakistan
- Islam in Bangladesh
- Biswa Ijtema, the annual congregation in Bangladesh
External links
- [Fiqh of Dawah]
- [Tablighi Audio]
- [Dawah]
- [Scholar’s attachment with Tabligh site in South Africa]
- [Scholar’s attachment with Tabligh site in Chicago, IL, USA]
- [Maulana Tariq Jamil]
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