Deobandi

The Deobandi is a `Sunni Islamic revivalist` movement, which started in South Asia. Now it has spread to other countries like Afghanistan, South Africa and the United Kingdom. Deobandis are the followers of the Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) of Abu Hanifa and are regarded as a part of the Ahlus Sunnah wal - Jamaa`h. The ideology of the Deobandis is to adhere to the Sunnah (the tradition of Muhammad) and the Sharia. The Deobandis are associated with the Sufi Tariqahs of the Naqshabandiyyah, Chishtiyyah, Qadiriyyah and Suhrawardiyyah. The name Deobandi is derived from Deoband, India, where the madrassa Darul Uloom Deoband is situated.

The five main principle of Deobandi thought are: Tawhid(Monotheism) Sunna, Hubbus Sahaba, Taqlid wal- Ittiba and Jihad fi Sabilil-Lah(doing jihad). The Deobandi movement was developed somewhat as a rection to India which they believed that its demoralizing their Islamic belief. Following this a group of Indians led by Maulana Qasim Nanautavi founded an Islamic seminary known as Darul Uloom Waqf and it is here that Islamic revivalism and anti-

British ideology of the Deobandis developed. Some of the early Deobandi scholars are Maulana Hussain Ahmed Madani, Allama Anwar Shah Kashmiri, Maulana Husain Ahmed Madani, Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi and many others. Some of the prominent Deobandi scholars of today are Maulana Saalim Qasmi, MaulanaTariq Jamil, Mufti Rafi Uthmani and many others. The Talibans are said to follow the teachings of the Deoband school.