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.”[1]
(click to view the scanned image of the quote)
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.
[1] Malfoozat Moulana Ilyaas
(Sayings of Moulana Ilyaas), collected by
Muhammad Manzoor Noomani, p.50, incident no.
56.
