Jamaa'ati Islaamiyyah & Sayyid Abul Aa'la Maududi

Asslamo Allaikum,

I wasn't brought up in a religious family BUT for some reason at the age of 13 I picked up the Tafseer of Maulana Maududi (RA) and I finished the entire Tafseer cover to cover without getting bored.

I used to read the columns of Shaykh (Mufti) Yusuf Ludhyanwi (RA) in Jang (Pakistan) and everybody used to consider him a great Scholar and I read so much criticism of Maulana Maududi (RA) that I had to read the Tafseer mysself.

Years went by and I never read anything else Islamic (let alone by Maulana Maududi) and then again I read a lot of cricitism of Maulana Maududi so I went back I actually read the books myself.

I don't like the style of Maulana Maududi (RA) and I personally think that he lacks Adab and needs to watch his language.

Nevertheless this is a balanced view by Maulana Tariq Jameel (HA):

www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2tuJAqMaW0

This is interesting to note BECAUSE Shaykh (Mufti) Yusuf Ludhyanwi (RA) whom we quote in criticism to Maulana Maududi (RA) was Maulana Tariq Jamil's teacher and Shaykh.

STILL everytime I try to read Maulana Maududi (RA)'s book I can't, my heart doesn't agree with it. I have discussed him (RA) over the years with staunch Deobandees, Barelwees and Jamaat-e-Islami and everybody has a view on him.

Allah (SWT) knows best.

Asslamo Allaikum,

Most people won't like my answer but it is the truth to the best of my knowledge and ability so that's fine.

Jaamaat-e-Islami isn't a sect rather, its a party trying to bring Shariah through political means established by Maulana Abul A’la Maududi (RA) who was at one time editor of Al-Jamiat (Magazine for Jamiat Ulamah-e-Hind) and some of the old copies with his name are available still so:

• If someone wants to claim that (Deobandi) Ulamah of India appointed an ignorant (Non-Alim) young person with deviant Aqeedah to be editor of their prestigious magazine, that's fine.

So the claims about him not being qualified are exaggerated to begin with because the evidence is against this and also the fact that major Indian Ulamah like Shaykh Abul-Hasan Ali Nadwi (RA) & Maulana Manzoor Naumani (RA) were friends with him and co-operated with him.

Now, lets discuss this in a rational manner from here on.

Maulana Abul A’la Maududi (RA) agreed with Shaykhul-Islam Hussain Ahmed Madani (RA) and opposed Pakistan, so far so good.

So, what changed?

Maulana Abul A’la Maududi (RA) established Jamaat-e-Islami as a political organisation and that's when the Ulamah left him and criticism started BECAUSE he presented Islam in a political manner (rather then a Shariah/Ibaadah) system and in this he went overboard, he tried to systematically analyse how things went wrong for Muslims and in this he critiqued the Sahaba-e-Kiraam (RA)

The latest edition of his book Khilafat-O-Mulookiyat has been expunged of these matters by Jamaat-e-Islami (itself)

Maulana Abul A’la Maududi (RA) was an extremely gifted individual and he critically analysed a lot of things and that's when things went wrong for him because many many people left him, opposed him because of the tone of his voice and harshness of his pen.

To this day I cannot bring myself to read any of his books because I don't agree with the tone and criticism of Ulamah & Sahaba-e-Kiraam and everybody else.

Jamaat-e-Islami is a poltical organisation:

1. It has Salafees
2. It has Ahl-e-Hadeeth
3. It has Deobandees
4. It has Barelwees (few but does)
5. It has Hanafees

So it is NOT possible to apply a blanket Fatwa on Jamaat-e-Islami and throw them out of Ahlus-Sunnah its like claiming that all Muslim Labour voters are outside of Ahlus-Sunnah, this is also the Fatwa of Shaykh (Mufti) Zarwali Khan Saheb (HA) who is one of the most harsh Deobandi buthis research has led him to the correct conclusion that Jamaat-e-Islami is a poltical organisation.

I don't like the writings of Maulana Abul A’la Maududi (RA) at all (at this stage in my life) but I don't make his Takfeer and don't join him to Shia (give me a break!) I am on record on stating that my ideal Muslim intellectual is Dr Israr Ahmed (RA) and my saying that has made the entire (Deobandi-fraternity of Sunniforum) turn against me and villify me and so be it.

Those who know nothing about these issues (at Sunniforum for example) have been tried to portray Dr Israr Ahmed (RA) as Maududi lover when he:

1. Left Jamaat-e-Islami
2. Refuted Maulana Maududi (RA) in the most harshest manner
3. Remained on his opinion until the last day of his life i.e. Maulana Maududi (RA)  was itelleigent, gifted, analytical and did some good but also made the MASSIVE BLUNDER of getting involved in politics and criticising everybody in a harsh manner

May Allah (SWT) forgive his sins, overlook his mistakes and grant him Jannatul-Firdaus (Ameen).

Jazakullah Khairun

P.S: Maulana Abul A’la Maududi (RA')s Tafseer has been incorporated into a new Tafseer by Maktabah-e-Deoband and they admit it in the foreword which means that they have revised, edited and published his Tafseer (I can't remember the name of the top of my head at the moment).

Asslamo Allaikum,

I was told at Sunniforum that Dr Israr Ahmed Saheb (RA) as a deviant and Shaykh (Mufti) Yusuf Ludhyanwi (RA) wrote against his deviancy and heresy. Surpised because Hazrat (RA) is one of my favourite Ulamah I actually took the time to read the book and Dr Israr Ahmed Saheb (RA) actually communicated back to Hazrat (RA) wrote letters and I actually read both sides to see what the issue was, instedad of merely being informed that Hazrat (RA) wrote refutation of Dr Israr Ahmed.

I have also actually read Dr Israr Ahmed (RA)'s refutation of Maulana Maududi (RA) and Jamaat-e-Islam.

I have also actually read  Shaykh (Maulana) Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi (RA) and Shaykh (Maulana) Manzoor Naumani (RA)'s refutation of Maulana Maududi (RA) and Jamaat-e-Islam and I then spoke to high ranking Jamat-e-Islami officials in Karachi when Shaykh (Maulana) Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi (RA) came to Karachi and the matter was discussed and Hazrat (RA) took time to answer questions about the matter.

The whole dispute about Maulana Maududi (RA) is that he views Islams very poltically e.g. Hajj is seen as a way of Muslim coming together and discussing their situation etc VERSUS in Shariah Hajj is an act of worship (Ibaadah) first and foremost. Maulana Maududi (RA) seems to view Salah, fasting etc as some sort of political/military training exercise and seconadarily as Ibaadat while we as Muslims see all of these things primarily as Ibaadat and ofcourse it has secondary benefits.

Every single person in the (original) Shura of Jamaat-e-Islami (when it was formed) left the Jamaat within the lifetime of Maulana Maududi (RA) including the two great Ulamah of i.e. Shaykh (Maulana) Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi (RA) and Shaykh (Maulana) Manzoor Naumani (RA)'s and their writings are an eye opener. Dr Israr Ahmed (RA) was a foremost supporter of Jamaat through his Medical School and he left around 1953 but before leaving he thoroughly raised objections and then wrote his incisive book (on Maulana Maududi & Jamaat-e-Islami) after waiting 10 years!

The afflication which Shaykh (Maulana) Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi (RA) and Shaykh (Maulana) Manzoor Naumani (RA) described does exist in Jamaat-e-Islami i.e. they have a very political outlook and this disease seem to exist in Pakistani/Indian/American/British Jamaat-e-Islami members and even in UK when you discuss with UKIM members you can clearly see that their outlook is very political in nature.

These are good, sincere brothers and sisters who want to serve the Deen of Allah (SWT) but our first purpose in life is WORSHIP Allah (SWT) and everything else comes second.

Maulana Maududi (RA) made two monumental errors in his life which affected Jamaat:

1. Jamaat had a superb Tazkiyah program in the beginning and it took a backseat as time went on
2. Jamaat joined politics and then as the Persian proverb goes, "What enters a salt mine will eventually become Salt".

In UK MCB was setup and primarily run by Jamaat-e-Islami.

Nevertheless the acheivements of Maulana Maududi (RA) & Jamaat-e-Islami in the 50's, 60's, & 70's in reaching to youngsters, professionals and specially women has been outstanding

In UK MCB represented Islam for decades and most Deobandi institutes and Ulamah (including Hazrat Maualana Yusuf Motala (HA)) chose to make Darul-ulom Bury its member.

Please keep posting as this is all very useful and beneficial information. Sunniforum has a vast number of members and they come from all sorts of schools. Here, we are mostly all hanafi and we also don't like wasting time with petty posts. SF is more of a debates and argumentative forum. 

InshaAllah it will all be of benefit. (I'm personally learning a lot)

Asslamo Allaikum,

No I meant it in a very positive manner i.e. we should always let people air their views on matters which have differences.

1. SF has loads of threads and books of Deobandi Ulamah who have opposed Maulana Maududi (RA)
2. In defense Mufti Mohammad Sajid Deobandi (HA) responsed to these allegations and defended both Jamaat-e-Islami & Maulana Maududi (RA). Mufti Saheb (HA) was very close to Akabir-e-Deoband such as Shaykhul-Islam Hussain Ahmed Madni (RA) and his students and also taught at Akora Khatak (which is regarded as Deoband of Pakistan), he joined Jamaat-e-Islami after thorough research and wrote this book

I am not a big Maududi fan and much prefer Dr Israr Ahmed Saheb (RA).

Asslamo Allaikum,

Discussing now (2013):

When discussing Maulana Maududi (RA) and Jamaat-e-Islami we need to look at a few factors and also look at the historical perspective and look at now. In addition, we also need to distinguish between Jamaat-e-Islami (India) and between Jamaat-e-Islami (Pakistan).

A good friend of mine is a Jamaat-e-Islam (hardcore) and he humiliated a well known Maulana in UK recently because Maulana hadn’t done his research on the subject and merely repeated what he had heard and it wasn’t pretty at all!

Let’s look at all these factors separately and get the basics out of the way:

1. Maulana Maududi (RA): He is whom the Ulamah of Deoband primarily disagreed with and disagreed with his Aqaid. The Ulamah (initially) cooperated with him and then turned away. Recently, Maktaba Darul-uloom Deoband have republished his Tafseer with amendments and revision and they clearly say that in the foreword so with revision and supervision of Ulamah perhaps his works are of benefit. This information was given to me Shaykh (Maulana) Marghoob Ahmed Lajpuri (HA) of UK but I have not personally read the Tafseer
2. Dr Israr Ahmed (RA): The first error is lumping Dr Israr Ahmed (RA) with Maulana Maududi (RA) and Jamaat-e-Islami. Dr Saheb (RA) is not Deobandi but he also broke away from Jamaat in 1960’s and wrote one of the most comprehensive refutations of Maulana Maududi (RA) and Jamaat-e-Islami. It is ridiculous to put him in the same basket.
3. Jamaat-e-Islami: This is a political movement and some agree with Maulana Maududi (RA) (in Aqaid) and some don’t. The recent crop have neither been brought up under Maulana Maududi (RA) nor had any association with it. In fact the recent crop took their Tarbiyah with (Maulana) Qazi Hussain Ahmed (RA) who was extremely close to Ulamah of Deoband. Jamaat-e-Islami today is vastly different to (original Indian) Jamaat-e-Islami of all those years ago.

All of the above is true for Jamaat-e-Islami (Pakistan) and maybe to some extent for Bangladesh, judging by the way they are being targeted.

Jamaat-e-Islami (India) on the other hand remained on the original course (opposed Pakistan, opposed Jihad of Kashmir, opposed Hijrah) in line with Deobandees of India  (I suppose) and I don’t know much about them except for the fact that Dr Israr Ahmed (RA) was invited by them and in a public meeting he famously said, “Maulana Maududi (RA) made a lot of blunders” and they took offense to the usage of this word VERSUS in Pakistan it is commonly accepted and stated.

Dr Israr Ahmed (RA) refused to apologise to Jamaat-e-Islami (India) in Delhi for his choice of words.

Proof:

You have the right to ask me for my proof and here it is my Shaykh (Mufti) Zarwali Khan (HA) who is one of the strict and hardcore Deobandi Ulamah in Pakistan. The Fatwa is posted by Brother Saad Khan of SF whose Deobandi’ness is also without question!

In summary, the opinion about those who agree with Aqaid of Maulana Maududi (RA) are in the same camp as per the Fatwa of Shaykh (Mufti) Shafi Usmani (RA) of Jawahirul-Fiqh but you can’t put Jamaat-e-Islami (Pakistan) hook, line and sinker in the same category because the (Pakistani) Ulamah clearly don’t!

To further prove my point, the recent killing of Hakeemul-Mehsud (RA) by American drone attack in Pakistan a huge outcry occurred against (Professor) Munwar Hasan (Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami) when he declared him a Shaheed.

(*) What did the Deobandees do? Maulana Fazlur-Rahman (HA) stated in support, “Forget a human! Even a dog killed by American (aggression) ...“

Deobandi Ulamah are 100% with and support the stance of (Professor) Munwaar Hussain (Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami) about the drone strikes and status of Shuhuda etc. The Fatwa of Shaykh (Mufti) Taqi Usmani (HA) is on my blog for all to read.

I suggest that you don't discuss this in public without having an accurate picture of the situation today.

I don't know about Jamaat-e-Islami (India) but like Deobandees (of India) tbut the situation in Pakistan is very fluid, nuanced and different and yes Jamaat-e-Islami is not (Deobandi or Hanafi or Sufi) but they have some strong and common grounds. We disagree but we also agree on a number of things and the common enemies are Secularism, Bidaati Sufees (Dr Tahirul-Padri) and their stance against Jihad & American poodles!

I don't expect either Khala Ummi Talib or Dr76 to agree with the above statement  but most UK and Pakistani brothers familiar with current affairs should easily get it.

(*) Youtube link not given beacause of the interview between Maulana and a Non-Hijab TV broadcaster...