Syed Khalique Ahmed
NEW DELHI—While several Muslim organizations have expressed their concern over Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs (MOIA) tweets calling the Tablighi Jamaat as “one of the gates of terrorism” and December 10 sermon in mosques (barring Harmain Sharifain and Masjid-e-Nabwai), all over the country terming the belief of the organization as “shirk” (idolatry) and “bidat”
(adulteration) in Islam, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind president Syed Arshad Madani has sent a letter to Saudi Arabia’s MOIA, rejecting the allegations against the Tablighi Jamaat.
The letter was handed over personally to Saudi Ambassador to India Dr. Saud bin Mohammed Al-Sati during his meeting with the ambassador on Tuesday.
Talking to India Tomorrow over the phone on Wednesday, Maulana Madani refused to divulge the exact content of the letter. However, he said that he had given the Saudi government five days to act on his message.
“I will speak to media after five days if satisfactory action is not taken on my letter,” he told this scribe. However, he said that the Saudi ambassador had assured that the result would be positive.
Among many other things, the sermon asked the Saudi people not to associate with the Tablighi Jamaat and its activities because the belief and actions of the organization having its origins in India did not agree with the correct teachings of the Quran and Hadith, that is, the statements and teachings of the Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him).
Commenting on the development, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind vice-president Prof. Muhammad Salim Engineer said that while the government of a sovereign country has full right to frame laws regarding activities of an organization within its geographical boundaries, levelling allegations of terrorism against any group or organization without any evidence was very serious.
And what was more offensive was that allegations were levelled against the Tablighi Jamaat through sermons in mosques all over the country.
As Tablighi Jamaat has its origin in and is headquarters in India, he said that the Saudi declaration would tarnish the image of those engaged in preaching Islam and social reformation activities. “It will help Islamophobes to link Islamic preachers with terrorism. Moreover, it will provide a weapon to hate-mongers to launch propaganda against Islam and its preachers,” Prof. Salim said.
In an official statement, Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind (Mahmood) faction president Maulana Mahmood Madani strongly defended the Tablighi Jamaat.
“Those opposing it are either ignorant or influenced by the malicious and baseless propaganda,” he said.
“During its hundred years of existence, it has guided the misguided youths to the righteous path, brought the astray youths out of the bubs to into mosques, and connected them to Allah Almighty. Therefore, it is very benevolent organizations for humanity,” he stated.
He appealed to Muslims worldwide to come in defence of the organization.
“All the workers of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind should consider the activities of Tablighi Jamaat as their own and stand shoulder to shoulder with it. It is highly recommended in the present scenario,” he pointed out.
Darul Uloom Deoband, India’s biggest Islamic seminary, also issued a statement in defence of the Tablighi Jamaat. The seminary expressed concerns over the Saudi government’s edict against the Muslim organization.
