“Terrorism is un-Islamic and there is no place for terror and violence in Islam. No terrorist activity will be tolerated at any cost,” a historical message announced by the Muslim scholars at Deoband’s Darul Uloom in Saharanpur (UP) on Monday.
The clerics denounced terrorism in one voice and said Islam did not preach violence. Instead it preaches the tenets of peace, harmony, brotherhood, and respect for mankind.
At the same time the clerics urged the people not to look every Muslims with doubtful eyes. It infuses pain. Whenever any incident of terrorism occurs any where, every possible attempt is made to link it to Muslim, particularly who have obtained its study in madarsas. The perception is completely wrong, they said.
“Even the faithful and right-thinking Muslims are living in fear because of some who think they are serving the faith by perpetrating violence. Allah will never have mercy on such elements,” said Abdul Khaliq Madrasi, the Darul Uloom vice-chancellor in its address note.
The Deoband declaration was adopted at the India Anti-Terrorism Conference at the internationally acclaimed school of Islamic learning, which said: “Islam is a religion of mercy for all humanity. Islam sternly condemns all kinds of oppression, violence and terrorism.”
“It has regarded oppression, mischief, rioting, and murder among severest sins and crimes. Islam prohibits killing of innocent people.”
The declaration was unanimously supported by different sects of Islam while lambasted terrorists, also called on the government to ensure innocent Muslims, living in constant fear, were not harassed in the name of quelling terrorism.
Though the message was clear and evident: Time has come for the Muslims to wage a war against terrorism.
The declaration have appeared from the most radical school of Muslim thought carries its own significance. In the last six months, Deoband has issued dozens of fatwas (directives). However, the authorities at the Darul Uloom clarified the declaration was not a fatwa.
The vice-chancellor quoted several episodes from the Koran and the Hadith to conclude the mindless violence could never be justified by those who swear by the holy book.
“In the Indian context, the declaration is significant as it reflects the growing anxiety among the clergy over the involvement of some Indians in alleged terror plots,” said political analysts Rasheed Kidwai
The declaration comes after a several incidents of global terrorist activity involving Indian Muslims.
Representatives from about 6,000 madarsas from the entire country, ulemas and representatives of different organisations attended the one-day conference.
Deoband’s philosophy
Deoband is a town in Uttar Pradesh, a hundred miles north of Delhi where a ‘madarasa’ (religious school) was established in 1867. The so-called 'Deobandi Tradition' itself is much ancient than the eponymous Dar-Ul-Ulum at Deoband. The Deoband madarasa brought together Muslims who were hostile to British rule and committed to a literal and austere interpretation of Islam.
The Deoband School from the initial period has sought to purify Islam by discarding un-Islamic growth to the faith. It tried to re-emphasise the models established in the Koran and the customary practices of the Prophet Mohammed. Deobandi are also opposed to the customary practices perceived through Western influences.
The fundamentalist Deoband Dar-ul-Uloom brand of Islam inspired the Taliban movement. Most of the Taliban leadership attended Deobandi-influenced seminaries in Pakistan.
This was also one of the reasons for calling such conference on “denouncing terrorism” as the general perception links deobandis supporting terrorism.
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Comments:
P.J.Jacob
June 20, 2008 at 12:00 AM
P.J.Jacob
Hyderabad 500 004 June 20, 2008
Sir,
This has reference to ?Deoband denounces terrorism in all forms
Jamiat fatwa against terrorism (While the first step taken by the Muslim clergy at the conferences at Deoband in Feb and at Delhi and other cities subsequently, is in the right direction but it must be understood that merely passing a resolution or issuing a Fatwa, (which is only an opinion ) will hardly suffice to scourge the terror by the jihadis, who are trained by Al-Queda and other terrorist organizations proclaiming that what they are doing is in the cause of Islam. The resolution would have had a telling effect had it condemned SIMI, the home grown terrorist / anti national organization, ex-communicated such of those SIMI activists who are indulging in anti-national and terrorist activities. The resolution has maintained silence over the need to expedite the execution of the dreaded terrorist AFZAL for attacking the Parliament The Resolution should have warned Muslims against giving shelter to the terrorists or recruiting locals for anti-national / terrorists activities. Likewise the conferences have not asked Indian Madrasas not to give shelter to the jihadis or persons with dubious and suspicious backgrounds. Muslim leaders should have thought it proper that the excessive pre-occupation with global concerns where Muslims may be involved does not strengthen their voice at home but also weakens their claim of Indian nationalism. Thus, it would seem that the Conferences without taking a holistic approach for zero tolerance on terror involving Islamic / jihadi terrorists, were knee jerk / defense reactions by the Clerics more to safeguard the interests of the suspected Muslim youths and prevent the investigational agencies from targeting them as the suspected terrorists and also to proclaim that Islam is Not a religion propagating terror, as per the general perception.
P.J.Jacob
Hyderabad