It seems that Deobandis have finally conceded that India is not a pace worthy of Islamic jihad. This is U-turn from their violent ideology since Syed Ahmed Barelvi's violent jihad. However, the question is: truce for Hindus, while Shias are still heretics (kaffir), worthy to be killed (wajib-ul-qatl)?
It may be noted that (extremist) Deobandis represent about 95% of terrorist /jihadi and sectarian activities in Pakistan. The remaining 5% is contributed by the Wahhabis (also known as Ahl-e-Hadith or Salafis). Deobandis and Wahhabis are quite similar in their violent, pro-jihadi, pro-sectarian agendas.
Fatwa declares India ‘Dar al-Aman’
Daily Times Monitor
LAHORE: Challenged by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) to issue a fatwa (religious edict) declaring India a Dar al-Aman (country friendly to Islam), where jihad (holy war) is meaningless, the country’s top Islamic seminary, the Darul Uloom at Deoband, on Sunday did just that.
The fatwa was read out at a large rally in Bhubaneshwar organised by the Orissa unit of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, attended by Chief Minister Navneen Patnaik and numerous other bigwigs.
“The Indian Constitution guarantees equal protection and rights for all communities. Therefore, for Muslims, India is Dar al-Aman or a Muslim-friendly country,” the fatwa said.
The VHP had also urged the Darul Uloom to spell out whether Muslims should regard Hindus as kafirs (non-believers). The fatwa came from the hand and seal of Mufti Mahmood Hasan Bulandsheri of Darul Uloom’s fatwa department, in response to questions posed by Mahmood Madani, who heads the Jamiat.
http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009\03\03\story_3-3-2009_pg7_5
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Compare the Indian Deobandi Mullah's fatwa with the Pakistani Deobandi Mullahs' fatwa:
Writing in daily ‘Pakistan’ (12 May 2004) Tanvir Qaiser Shahid stated that two great Pakistani leaders of jihad and Islam had allowed suicide bombing to Muslims. Former Lashkar Tayba leader Hafiz Saeed had stated that suicide bombing was the best form of resistance for the Muslims. He was supported in this by Mufti Shamzai, the greatest source of fatwa for the Deobandis in Pakistan, who also was in the habit of fatwas of death. The columnist was of the opinion that suicide bombing was not in the interest of the Muslims today and the teachings of the Prophet PBUH did not support it.Islamists have bent the concept of suicide just as they have bent the concept of jihad to suit a certain class of ambitious religious leaders. On suicide bombing people like Justice (Retd) Dr Javid Iqbal have been swayed by Israeli atrocities. Only our Islamic scholar Javed Al Ghamidi opposes it on principle.
(Source: SECOND OPINION: Some generals get away with corruption? —Khaled Ahmed’s Urdu Press Review http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_16-7-2004_pg3_3)
Also read:
6 comments:
There is a need to differentiate between dua bandi politics in India and that in Pakistan.
Though theologically similar and extremely conservative in interpretation of Islam, the Indian dua band have always allied itself with secular progressive politics.
India being a secular democracy have made it possible. In Pakistan extremism is basically a state policy the result is Dua bandis radicalizing. While muslim extremism is non existent in India [all of what is called Indian muslim extremism is ISI sponsored infiltration]
Deobandis are actually hypocrites
they want their brand of Islamic Sharia Laws in Pakistan whereas they favour a secular India !!
Sherry/Socrate, please don't get me wrong but it seems that there is a dichotomy / heterogeneity within Deobandis. Some of them appear to be regular, educated religious scholars, whereas others are what we see in the shape of Taliban and Sipah-e-Sahaba, both of them purely Deobandi organizations. What do you think?
@Abdul
Well, you can find extremists and moderates in every sects. There are militants in brelvis in the form of Sunni Tehrik and in Shias in the form of Sipah-e-Mohammad (but i don't thin it's active any more). You can find moderate scholars in Deobandis such as Javed Ghamdi and Khalid Zaheer, however fact of the matter is majority of deobandis like wahabies have very rigid and extreme views. The problem with deobandies and wahabies is their strong believe in Takfir which leads many extremist among them to pick arms and start killing Kafirs whether they are Christians, Hindus, Jews or Ahmedis, Shias or Brelivis.
Socrates, I agree. So, what is the way forward in your view?
@IMHO
All civilized nations of the world must need to identify this problem and they must need to support moderate muslims in fighting menace of extremism and terrorism.
All autocratic and undemocratic regimes in Middle East especially that of Saudi Arabia (which is basically responsible of spreading Wahabiism + Takfirism ) must be changed with democratic governments and issue of Palestine and Kashmir should be resolved so that terrorists can't seduce youngsters to join them.
Abject poverty in underdeveloped muslim countries adds fuel to fire as millions of unemployed youths can easily become cannon fodder.
The problems are multifaceted and there is no single solution.
However, fact of the matter is dual policies of states like Pakistan are only helping extremism and terrorism. Until agencies like ISI are controlled our future is very bleak indeed !!!
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