The dilemma of Jamaat-e-Islami in a secular India

Instead of trying to create a Muslim political party, we should spend our energies trying to get religion based parties such as the BJP and the Shiv Sena disqualified by the Election Commission.

I do not appreciate Muslims forming their own political parties.I advocate Muslims should join mainstream parties.

But, if some one ask me that is there any Muslim organisation which has the moral strength to form an inclusive political party, I will suggest Jamaate Islami.

We must encourage Jamaate Islami who can upheld Islam in a multi cultural society without creating conflicts.Otherwise, dangerous groups will emerge and will try to fill the vacuum.As we know, one such Kerala based group is creating problem for Muslim community in Kerala,Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Dear anonymous,
please tell us which is the Muslim group acceptable to all Muslims?.Muslim League?.Please tell the name of any Muslim organization which has all India presence except Jamaate Islami.

Maududi was not follower of Hanbali madhab, but was associated to Hanafi madhab in Fiqh issues.

In Jamaate Islami, people from any madhabs like Hanafi, Shafi,Maliki,Hanbali or Salafi can join.

Deobandis,Barelwis and Salafis associate with and work in Jamaate Islami.

In political party of Jamaat, Hindus,Sikhs and Christians also can join.

Then about the concept of Islamic nation, you know the truth but may be trying to create misunderstanding among the readers of other communities.

We know whome you represent.But Allah will be there with the Islamic Movement.

An organization like Jamaate Islami has many fundamental problems. For one, it is a new religious division - religious divisions in Islam are not acceptable unless they are Madhabs, but the Jamaate Islami followers dont accept it is a Madhab - so it can only be accepted as a sect. Even to be accepted as a Modern Madhab (if they indeed believe Maudoodi is better or at least comparable to other Madhab imams) then they have to stay within the limitations of Madhab, and should limit their activity only to religious domains and never undertake sectarian activities by participating in politics; and should leave politics to groups which have common acceptance of the whole community. But the truth is Maudoodi (himself a follower of Hambali madhab)is neither comparable to other Madhab imams nor his original ideas can be justified - which is the Hukoomate Ilahi or establishment of Islamic rule in a non-Muslim country. Even Prophet was strictly commanded by the Quran not to aim to make any one Muslim, rather than reach him the message of Islam; then how can you aim to convert an entire nation and decide not to cooperate with a non-Muslim government till that is achieved? This exposes the fundamental fallacy on which Jamaat is founded. It is welcome even an erstwhile Jamaat associate like Dr.Wasim is showing the right direction.

There is some confusion among the cadres of Jamaate Islami.There is loss of focus.One organizatiön deals with Daawah,Islah,Tarbiah,welfare works,Education and political activism.This will definitely lead to lack of focus.Another thing is a contradiction in theory and practise.Jamaat claim that it is upholding a moral politics called Islamic politics.It also claim as a religious and political organizatiön.But in practice, it function as an apolitical body.This becomes a contradictiön.To escape from this contradiction there is only one way.Jamaat should start an all India level frontal organisation which will work as a political party and will deal all political matters including election politics.It should not be a party of jamaat alone or Muslims alone, but should include all communities.But should be controlled by Jamaat and led by Islamic values.

The main body of Jamaat should continue welfare,educational activities,Daawah,Tarbiah and Islah.Thus it should be able to betterment of individual Muslims as true Muslims,welfare of Indians in general and backward communities like Muslims in particular.Also spread message of Islam and remove misunderstandings.

Read any secular book written about the midevel history.We can get a picture about the astonishing scientific growth in the Islamic civilization.Europe was in dark ages.

Quran do not teach day-to-day physical sciences.But it encourage scientific research and tell us how to use it in a morally correct way.

There may be some scientific facts in Quran.But it is foolish to boast that every scientific things are there in Quran...that is there...this is there...in Quran 1400years ago.The divine book is sent by Almighty not to teach superficial sciences like Chemistry and Physics.Holy Book is much deeper than physical sciences.We can use the divine values of the Holy Quran to learn how to use physical sciences and other man made knowledges without causing harm to this universe and its creatures.

Thahreeke Islami does not mean Thahreeke Jamat-e-Islami. May Allhu swt save the community from bias and factionilism. Only when there is harmoney and unity among UMMA there will b progress and prosperity. Otherwise we have to stuggle for reservation till Khiyama

So what is your problem?

Dr.Wasim Ahmed is quite right when he says that the purpose of education is to help an individual develop his/her power of critical thinking. Knowledge is knowledge. It has no religious labels.

“Acquire knowledge", our Prophet said in one of his sermons, “because he who acquires it in the way of the Lord performs an act of piety; who speaks of it praises the Lord; who seeks it adores God; who dispenses instruction in it, bestows alms; and who imparts it to its fitting objects, performs an act of devotion to God. Knowledge enables its possessor to distinguish what is forbidden from what is not; it lights the way to Heaven; it is our friend in the desert; our society in solitude, our companion when bereft of friends; it guides us to happiness; it sustains us in misery; it is our ornament in the company of friends; it serves as an armour against our enemies. With knowledge, the servant of God rises to the height of goodness and to a noble position, associates with sovereigns in this world, and attains to the perfection of happiness in the next ....The ink of the scholar is more valuable than the blood of the martyr". [The Spirit of Islam]

The result of this preaching was an outburst of learning which led to the foundation of a great philosophy and of a great University.

The article shows that jamaat-e-Islami Hind is on right tracks. At least there is "one" (and there are hundreds more) who has not lost his individuality and uniqueness. I had the opportunity to study in the same Madarsa and luckily with the writer as well, who was my senior there. Dr. Waseem was an active member of SIO(Student wing of Jamaat) and anybody can guess that he is well into his senses, and has not lost his identity.
Students in Jamiatul Falah are never forced to follow a particular idealogy. Infact they are encouraged to have different views, and hold healthy discussions. Thats is why passouts from there are spread all over the world and engaged in various fields and walks of life like any modern day college/university passout.
As far as Dr. Waseem's comments on the objective of Education is concerned, it's debatable. What purpose this "immense possibilities of human creativity" will serve apart from serving the individual, if it is groomed?
The write should come up with something concrete for implementing his "VISION".
I wish him all the best.

Islam demands the complete submission of the believer with all his faculties to the superior Will of God!He has made it clear :"follow Me and My Last Messenger!"In matters of difference of views His verdict is :"Hold fast , all of you together, to the Rope of Allah (Holy Quran) and do not get separated!(HQ :3: 103).The early Muslims followed that dictum and achieved many glories and made many strides in scientific discoveries and researches during 7th to 15th centuries!Then came the decline,Local leaders became very powerful and people looked to them for guidance in every thing!Under such circumstances Mowdudi Saheb surfaced and established Jammate Islami he dream t of a World Govt. of MuslimsAnd fully endorsed "Jihad"!that organisation thrived during early part of 20th century.Thanks to his controversial
views, Govt. of Pakistan kept him in jail for long years.
Education means identifying the "potentialities " of an individual and developing them to full hilt!SO any educational institute must folow that line. On the other hand mass-scale producing factory concentrates on "stereotypes"!thanks to the reactionaries in Islam the madrasas branded cookies and sent them out!
Deoband came with a fatwa against "Jihad " very late in 2008!
There is no meaning in crying over spil t milk!T
The intellectuals have a moral responsibility to wean the youth from the hold of the reactionaries and expose them to the challenges muslim society faces today in the contextof secular state.

So how is the contradiction in the two hands going to happen is the billion dollar question.

Reading your interesting article written by Dr. Wasim Ahmad, I am forced to post this link about 1001 Muslim "inventions and discoveries" that changed the world. Watch this interesting short video clip about an exhibition that's underway at Istanbul, Turkey:

http://www.1001inventions.com/

I'm sure most readers will be amazed to know many facts, which are hidden under rubble of history pages.

Kindly don't forget to "click" and learn more about Muslim Civilizations contribution to world, under "Latest News" on the web-site, posted above.

An Indian

If any of the institute managed by Jamaate Islami is getting limited to training of party workers, it is bad and it is against the spirit of Jamaate Islami itself.