Monday, April 13, 2009

The Deobandis and the Jamaat Tableegh


The inception of the Deobandi School of thought stems from the
differences and disagreements with the Barelawis, and the
subsequent formation of the Darul-Uloom Deoband in 1868 by
Moulana Qasim Nanotwi. The term, Deobandi, is used to describe
all those who were in agreement with the school of Deoband and
its ideology. From amongst the Deobandi scholars is Moulana
Muhammad Ilyas, the founder of the Tableeghi Jamaat.
Moulana Ilyas was much influenced by another prominent
Deobandi scholar – Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi about whom he
used to say, "Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi has done a great
service (to the religion). It is my heart’s desire that the teachings
should be his and the Manhaj (methodology) of Dawah(propagation) be mine, so that this way his teachings become
well-known."(Malfoozat Moulana Ilyaas (Sayings of Moulana Ilyaas), collected by
Muhammad Manzoor Noomani, p.50, incident no. 56.)
So, the Jamaat Tableegh shares the same ideology as the School of
Deoband and may be considered as the Deobandis’s Dawah organ.
Whilst the Deobandis have been constantly bogged down because
of the opposition by the Barelawis, the Jamaat Tableegh has been
instrumental in the spread of Deobandism by hiding its true
orientations and evading controversy.
The Deobandis are followers of Sufism
Elders of the Deobandi school of thought, from among who is
Moulana Zakariyah; the author of Fazaail-e-Aamaal, have testified
to the fact that their Manhaj (way) is that of the Sufis and take
pride in it. Mufti Abdur-Rahim Lajpuri quoted in his book of
Fatawa, the words of Qaree Mohammed Tayyib (the rector of the
Darul-Uloom, Deoband) as, "Religiously, the Ulema of Deoband
are Muslims, as a sect they belong to the Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaah,
by Madhhab they are Hanafee, in conduct they are Sufis,
scholastically they are Maturidi and in Sulook they are Chisti 37 (A Soofi order i.e. Tareeqah)-
rather they combine all Sufi orders... And in nisbat they are
Deobandi."38(Quoted in Fatawa Rahimiyyah, (Eng. Trans.), vol.1, p.9-10 from
Ulama-e-Deoband ka Maslak.)
"In essentials and beliefs, they (the Deobandis) follow
Imam Abul Hasan Ash’aree and Imam Abu Mansoor Maturidi;
and in sub-principles Imam Abu Haneefah. They are initiates of
the Chistiyyah, Naqshbandiya, Qadriyah and Soharwardiyah Sufi
orders."39(Fatawa Rahimiyyah (Eng. Trans.), vol.1, p.58.)
Moulana Mohammad Zakariyah, whose book ‘Fazaail-e-Aamaal’ is
revered and used as a training guide by the workers of the ‘Jamaat
Tableegh’ highly praises this Fatawa collection (Fatawa Rahimiyyah)
of Mufti Lajpuri and approves of the views mentioned in it.40 (Moulana Zakariyah says, "The humble writer prays most sincerely
for (success of) the Fatawa Rahimiyyah. May Allah make it the lot of
the people to avail themselves more and more of and derive benefit
from it and make it a Sadaqah-e-Jariah (continuous charity) for you
(the author), for the printer and publisher and for everyone who may
have in any way endeavored for the publication of this work and
bestow upon you (all) its best rewards in both the worlds." [Quoted
from the first page of ‘Fatawa Rahimiyyah’ vol.1, published by the
Islamic Book Printers, edition: Feb. 1997)
The Definition and Reality of Sufism
The Deobandis claim that Sufism is just another name for
Tazkeyyatun-Nafs (purification of the soul) and Ihsan (the highest
stage of Eemaan). Moulana Muhammad Maseehullah Khan, a
Khalifah (successor) of Moulana Ashraf Alee Thanvi states, "It’s
(Sufism) function is to purify the heart from the lowly bestial
attributes of lust, calamities of the tongue, anger, malice, jealousy,
love of this world, love for fame, niggardliness, greed, vanity,
deception, etc."41 (Shariat and Tasawwuf p.11.)
And, as such, they claim that Sufism does not contradict the
Sharee’ah (Islamic Regulation), rather "It is incumbent for every
Muslim to become a Sufi. Without Sufism, a Muslim cannot bedescribed as a perfect Muslim"42 (Shariat and Tasawwuf p.11. Some also go to the extent of saying that
the Messenger of Allah and his Sahabah were nothing but Soofis.
Especially the group of students who resided in the Prophet’s
Mosque – the Ashabus-Suffah.)
It is also claimed that a Sufi is
someone who strictly adheres to the Sunnah and the Sharee’ah.
But in reality, Sufism is far from the above description.
Purification of the soul and curing the heart from its sicknesses is
part of the religion of Islam and is completely explained by
Allah’s Messenger ..
"Purification of the Soul" as Moulana Muhammad Maseehullah
Khan further explains is just the first part of the journey of Sufism,
and it is referred as journey towards Allah.43 ( Shariat and Tasawwuf p.112.)
The next part of this
journey is called – ‘The journey into Allah’, and "In this high
stage of spiritual development, matters pertaining to the Thaat
(Being of Allah), Sifaat (Attributes of Allah), Af’aal (Acts of Allah),
Haqaaiq (realities) as well as relationships between Allah and His
servants become manifest."44 ( Shariat and Tasawwuf p.113.)
And thus, everything is manifest to the Sufi and nothing is hidden
from him. He accomplishes this by either exaggerating in
prescribed forms of worship or indulging in innovative forms of
worship. This is the real face of Sufism!