National

M. Burhanuddin Qasmi
In the 20th century, Tablighi Jama’ats had been the most successful Muslim revivalist movement. It was painstakingly established by Hazrat Maulana Ilyas (ra) in 1927. Later it was a polished bunch of scholars like Hazrat Maulana Mohammad Yusuf (ra), Hazrat Maulana Mohammad Zakariya (ra) and Hazrat Maulana Inamul Hasan (ra) during their tenures as amir (leader), or mentor (Maulana Zakariya). Stalwarts like Hazrat Maulana Syed Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi (ra) and Hazrat Maulana Manzoor Ahmad Nomani (ra) were also deeply interested in it and have written in its support.

Hazrat Maulana Yusuf Kandhalvi of Nizamuddin Delhi brief Biography and his scholary work Yousuf Kandhlavi, Hazrat Jee Maulana Muhammad. Jamad-ul-Oola 25, 1335H/ March 20, 1917. Ziqa'ad 29, 1384H/ April 2, 1965. Maulana Ilyas in his Malfoozat,Maulana Yusuf in. Muhammad Yusuf Kandhlawi was born to a family of scholars in 1917 and was exposed to an environment of piety at a young age. He memorized the Quran at the age of ten and continued to study Hadith and the Islamic sciences.He had a deep connection with the scholars of the time and was recognized as one of the great Sufi scholars.

This movement has been playing a central role in spreading Islam and reviving its core values among people professing the Islamic faith, particularly at the grassroots level. It has a door to door approach, contacting from a humble peasant to a high-profile intellectual. The Jama’at said to be subscribed to by, undocumented, more than 200 million adherents in 213 countries, spread across all continents. Maulana Tariq Jamil and likes are some of the present Tablighi preachers who attract thousands across the world from all spectrums of life with their preaching.

Jama’at at-Tabligh or Tablighi Jama’at is an offshoot of Deoband school of thought. The members of Jama’at have always been simple, pious and sincere. They are also called as Allahwale (God’s people) for their down to earth attitude, non-controversial working style, and living for Allah alone. Their aim is to please Allah and make their, and their fellow believers’ lives in the hereafter better. The movement has always been exceptionally peaceful - spreading peace and inviting people towards the Masjid are the principal themes of Tablighi Jama’at. The method of reformation introduced and practised by the movement is unparalleled and close to the ways of Prophet Muhammad (saws).

The Jama’at does not maintain a register, nor a membership receipt or a bank account. However, its members travel from village to village, city to city, country to country and even from continent to continent, and they stay for 3 days, 40 days, 4 months and even one year away from home. They spend millions of rupees as necessary expenses on travel and food from their own pockets. “Apni jaan, apna maal aur apna waqt” (one’s own life, money and time) is the Jama’at motto which means people working in it give it a part of their life, money and time. Nobody subsidises these.

Maulana Yusuf Kandhalvi Malfoozat In Hindi Pdf

The Jama’at functions on the basis of mashwara (mutual consultation). Thus it does not have formal office-bearers as in other organisations. It does not have a president, nor a secretary or a treasurer. It is not a registered body either anywhere in the world.

In the early days, Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Ilyas Kandhlawi (1886 - 1944) being the founder was leading the movement and thus was the Amir-e Jama’at. Prior to his death, he and his close mates unanimously proposed for Maulana Mohammad Yusuf (ra) as leader of the movement. The second Amir-e Jama’at, Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Yusuf Kandhalvi (1917 - 1965) led the movement successfully and in his tenure he compiled the famous book Hayatus Sahabah (Lives of the Prophet’s campanions). In his period, the mission of Tablighi Jama’at reached beyond the shores of Indian Ocean and touched Atlantic, Pacific and Southern shores successfully.

After the demise of Hazrat Maulana Yusuf (ra), Shaikhul Hadith Hazrat Maulana Mohammad Zakariya (ra) (1898 - 1982), the author of many Hadith books including the famous Fazail-e A’mal, following a mashwara and advice from senior members of the Jama’at, appointed Hazrat Maulana Inamul Hasan (ra) as the Amir-e Jama’at. Hazrat Maulana In`amul Hasan Kandhlawi led the movement supremely well from 1965 to 1995 (till his death) and protected it from disputes. Since the work reached far and wide and in every nook and corner of the world, he made a Shura (an advirosy body) in every country where the Jama’t existed for smooth functioning of the mission.

In some countries the Shura was formed with an Amir for the country, and in some other countries the Shura was without Amir due to logistic reasons. Similarly, all local and state workers and even workers from countries where members of the Jama’at were not in big numbers were asked to appoint an arbitrator or Aimr-e Mashwara for their regular mashwara or consultation on Jama’at activity from masjid level, district, state and, in some cases, country level. The Amir-e Mashwara or the local Amir is selected by mashwara, with opinions from all present in the meeting as the first assignment, for a limited time period only. It goes on getting transferred to others by turn.

Hazratji Maulana Inamul Hasan (ra) had also formed a Shura for Tabligh headquarter at Hazrat Nizamuddin Markaz, New Delhi, which consisted of 10 members to observe and promote the growing activities of Jama’at throughout the world.

Thus he firmly established the Shura a consultative system of functioning, in Tablighi Jama’at in his lifetime. All Shura bodies from masjid level to country level smoothly kept on working under his patronage. '

Maulana Yusuf Kandhalvi Malfoozat Pdf

Following the sad demise of Hazrat Maulana Inamul Hasan (ra) in 1995, this Shura system went on fulfilling the noble responsibility of dawah and tabligh across the globe on the lines set by the three predecessors till 2015. However, during this long period between 1995 and 2015 most of the members of the Shura passed away.

In the meantime, following the death of Hazrat Maulana Zubairul Hasan Kandhlawi (1950 - 2014), one of the most senior Shura members, controversies among his followers and the followers of Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Saad Kandhalawi, another seniormost Shura member, started to surface in public. Therefore, all senior members of the Jama’at from around the world held a meeting last year on 16 November, 2015 at Raiwind Markaz, Lahore, Pakistan to fill up the eight vacant places in the worldwide Shura Body.

The meeting at Raiwind passed some important resolutions, (a copy of which is available with us) for the smooth functioning of this great revival mission worldwide. Most importantly, the Tablighi Mashwara or the meeting at Raiwind emphatically resolved to continue its business on the Shura (consultative) system only and negated a particular amir or leader for future.

As per the mashwara and following opinions and suggestions from seniors of the Jama’at present, the meeting resolved that the present Shura body would consist of 13 members. (1) Haji Abdul Wahab from Pakistan, the most senior member alive, who has been working with Tabligh ever since its inception, (2) Maulana Mohammad Saad, India, (3) Maulana Ibrahim Dewla, India, (4) Maulana Ahmad Lat, India, (5) Maulana Mohammad Yaqoob, India, (6) Maulana Mohammad Zuhairul Hasan, India, (7) Maulana Nazrur Rahman, Pakistan, (8) Maulana Abdur Rahman, Pakistan, (9) Maulana Ubaidullah Khurshid, Pakistan, (10) Maulana Ziaul Haq, Pakistan (11) Qari Mohammad Zubair, Bangladesh, (12) Maulana Rabiul Haq, Bangladesh, (13) Janab Wasiful Islam, Bangladesh. International Tablighi Shura body thus comprises 5 each members from India and Pakistan and 3 from Bangladesh.

The meeting also resolved that these members would follow and protect the noble method of the functioning of the Jama’at and if they need to add any member in the Shura or make any changes, whatsoever, they would do it with mutual consultation and no major decision in the policy matter should be taken in Nizamuddin Markaz, India, Raiwind Markaz, Pakistan or in Kokrail Markaz, Bangladesh in autonomy without the mashwara with existing Shura body. The meeting also resolved that in future when any member of this Shura passes away, a new member would be selected by the opinion of two-third members of the present Shura – thus making 2/3 as quorum of the present Alami Tablighi Shura (International Executive Body of Tablighi Jama’at). The minutes also noted that the meeting was deliberating and passing these resolutions to protect the Shurai Nizam (consultative system) of the work and to keep this noble mission collective one for whole of the world.

Maulana Mohammad Saad of India allegedly did not accept the above resolutions and thus not singed on the document. Sadly, he disagreed with that Shura and declared himself as Amir-e Jama’at, an audio clip viraled on social media reportedly from him, at least confirms this. As a consequence, Jama’at members at Hazrat Nizamuddin Markaz, India divided into two – some supporting Maulana Mohammad Saad and some others supporting Maulana Mohammad Zuhairul Hasan, a supporter of Alami Shura and son of former senior member Hazrat Maulana Zubairul Hasan.

The followers of both the individuals are taking extreme views. The situation is worsening each passing day. They are even taking law into their hands and resorting to violence. All peace talks, sacrifices for each other, love and respect for fellow humans, let alone your own brother in the work of dawah, seem to be the stories of past. All the bad news is continuously coming from inside Nizamuddin Markaz for last several months.

Common followers, friends and well-wishers of Tabilighi Jama’at are very anxious over this adverse situation at their world headquarters. Intellectuals, media and local administration, initially ignored it, as trivial rifts are common in every organisation, but on 19 June 2016, (13th Ramadhanul Mubarak) this rift took an extremely serious and ugly turn when some supporters of one of the individuals attacked their opponents with lethal weapons following a short argument on a petty issue over Iftar mat. Fifteen people were reportedly injured. Some of the seriously injured were admitted to AIIMS, New Delhi. Some of the senior members, who support Alami Shura, have received death threat; their rooms were reportedly vandalized. They left Nizamuddin Markaz putting the blame on Maulana Saad’s supporters. The letter addressed to Maulana Mohammad Saad dated 19 June, 2016 by Dr. Sanaullah Khan with sorrow and anguish indicates this:

“It is time, rather it is a clarion call for ulama of Deoband, Kandhla, Mazahir, Nadwa and senior members of Jama’at from Aligarh and across the world to come forward and settle the dispute before it is too late. The most successful movement of 20 century Islam – Tablighi Jama’at is at crossroads. It is here, it may take a serious but ugly turn.

The author is Editor, Eastern Crescent and Director of Markazul Ma’arif Education and Research Centre, Mumbai. He may be contacted
at manager@markazulmaarif.org