Jihad's Stealthy Legions

Jihad's Stealthy Legions
Tablighi Jamaat:
By Gerald Internet Anthropologist Think Tank
3/12.09

Tableeghi Ijtema concludes

Published: October 13, 2008

LAHORE - The first four-day session of International Tableeghi Ijtema of Raiwind concluded here Sunday following a spirited address by Ameer Tableeghi Jamaat Maulana Abdul Wahab and dua led by Maulana Zubair ul Hassan. 

The 82-year-old Maulana Abdul Wahab said that the human being came to this universe through mother’s womb and would end up in the grave but unfortunately the human beings have no concern with the life hereinafter.

He said the success lies in propagation of Islam (dawa’at and tableegh) and it is not possible without hard work and sacrifice. The Ummah is suffering because of its deviation from its primary duties. The Ummah can get rid of hardships if they enforce Islam on them and work for the supremacy of ‘Deen’, the practices of religion of Islam. 

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Tablighi Jamaat:
Every fall, over a million almost identically dressed, bearded Muslim men from around the world descend on the small Pakistani town of Raiwind for a three-day celebration of faith. Similar gatherings take place annually outside of Dhaka, Bangladesh, and Bhopal, India. These pilgrims are no ordinary Muslims, though; they belong to a movement called Tablighi Jamaat ("Proselytizing Group"). They are trained missionaries who have dedicated much of their lives to spreading Islam across the globe. The largest group of religious proselytizers of any faith, they are part of the reason for the explosive growth of Islamic religious fervor and conversion.

Despite its size, worldwide presence, and tremendous importance, Tablighi Jamaat remains largely unknown outside the Muslim community, even to many scholars of Islam. This is no coincidence. Tablighi Jamaat officials work to remain outside of both media and governmental notice. Tablighi Jamaat neither has formal organizational structure nor does it publish details about the scope of its activities, its membership, or its finances. By eschewing open discussion of politics and portraying itself only as a pietistic movement, Tablighi Jamaat works to project a non-threatening image. Because of the movement's secrecy, scholars often have no choice but to rely on explanations from Tablighi Jamaat acolytes.

Tablighi Jamaat's apolitical characterization derives from the fact that the movement does not consider individual states to be legitimate.

The Tablighi Jamaat canon is bare-boned. Apart from the Qu'ran, the only literature Tablighis are required to read are the Tablighi Nisab, seven essays penned by a companion of Ilyas in the 1920s. Tablighi Jamaat is not a monolith: one subsection believes they should pursue jihad through conscience (jihad bin nafs) while a more radical wing advocates jihad through the sword (jihad bin saif).[8] But, in practice, all Tablighis preach a creed that is hardly distinguishable from the radical Wahhabi-Salafi jihadist ideology that so many terrorists share.

While few details are known about the group's structure, at the top sits the emir who, according to some observers, presides over a shura (council), which plays an advisory role. Further down are individual country organizations. By the late 1960s, Tablighi Jamaat had not only established itself in Western Europe and North America but even claimed adherents in countries like Japan, which has no significant Muslim population.

Recruitment methods for young jihadists are almost identical. After joining Tablighi Jamaat groups at a local mosque or Islamic center and doing a few local dawa(proselytism) missions, Tablighi officials invite star recruits to the Tablighi center in Raiwind, Pakistan, for four months of additional missionary training. Representatives of terrorist organizations approach the students at the Raiwind center and invite them to undertake military training.[14] Most agree to do so.

Perhaps 80 percent of the Islamist extremists in France come from Tablighi ranks, prompting French intelligence officers to call Tablighi Jamaat the "antechamber of fundamentalism."[12] U.S. counterterrorism officials are increasingly adopting the same attitude. "We have a significant presence of Tablighi Jamaat in the United States," the deputy chief of the FBI's international terrorism section said in 2003, "and we have found that Al-Qaeda used them for recruiting now and in the past."[13]

Within the United States, the cases of American Taliban John Lindh, the "Lackawanna Six," and the Oregon cell that conspired to bomb a synagogue and sought to link up with Al-Qaeda,[30] all involve Tablighi missionaries.[31] Other indicted terrorists, such as "shoe bomber" Richard Reid, "dirty bomber" Jose Padilla, and Lyman Harris, who sought to bomb the Brooklyn Bridge, were all members of Tablighi Jamaat at one time or another.[32] According to Robert Blitzer, head of the FBI's first Islamic counterterrorism unit, between 1,000 and 2,000 Americans left to join the jihad in the 1990s alone.[33] Pakistani intelligence sources report that 400 American Tablighi recruits received training in Pakistani or Afghan terrorist camps since 1989.[34]

The estimated 15,000 Tablighi missionaries reportedly active in the United States present a serious national security problem.[51] At best, they and their proxy groups form a powerful proselytizing movement that preaches extremism and disdain for religious tolerance, democracy, and separation of church and state. At worst, they represent an Islamist fifth column that aids and abets terrorism. Contrary to their benign treatment by scholars and academics, Tablighi Jamaat has more to do with political sedition than with religion.

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Tablighi Jamaat ("Conveying^[1] Group") (Urdu: تبلیغی جماعت), (Arabic: جماعة التبليغ ‎, also Tabligh) is a Muslim missionary and revival movement.Tabligi Jama'at follows Deobandi interpretation of islam.Their activities are not limited to the Deobandi community.^[2]

Leaders of Tablighi Jamaat claim that the movement is strictly non-political in nature, with the main aim of the participants being to work at the grass roots level and reaching out to all Muslims of the world for spiritual development.

The second largest gathering of Muslims after the Hajj (the pilgrimage to Mecca) is known as Bishwa Ijtema, a non political gathering of Muslims from all over the world hosted by the leaders of "International Tabligh Jama'at". It takes place in Tongi which is on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh. The 3rd largest gathering of Muslims after the Hajj is in Rai wind,(Punjab Pakistan). And also many other rignol gatherings in all over the world.

There are many celebrated personalities associated with this movement:

These include the former Presidents of Pakistan, Muhammad Rafiq Tarar and Farooq Leghari (Sardar Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari), and former President of India, Dr. Zakir Hussain who was also associated with this movement. Major General Ziaur Rahman, former President and Chief of Army Staff of the Bangladesh Army, was a strong supporter and member of Tablighi Jamaat, and popularized it in Bangladesh.

Lieutenant General (R) Javed Nasir of the Pakistan Army and former head of Inter-Services Intelligence along with former. Many well-recognized writers and scholars, such as Dr. Nadir Ali Khan (famous Indian writer) and others are deeply related with it.

Many well known and great personalities also include Moulana Tariq Jameel, Moulana Yunus Palanpuri and so many more who know and are very much familiar with the basic Islamic Laws.

Among Pakistani cricket professionals, Shahid Afridi, Saqlain Mushtaq, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mushtaq Ahmed; and the former Pakistani cricketers Saeed Anwar, Saleem Malik are active members. It is also widely believed that Pakistani middle order batsman Mohammad Yousuf embraced Islam with the help of the Tablighi Jamaat. Others include South African batsmanHashim Amla.

This movement also includes eminent directors and producers including Naeem Butt.

Former renowned singer and pop star Junaid Jamshed has close links with Jamaat, and his departure from professional singing career is attributed as the result of his inclination towards this movement.

Many famed actors and models including Moin Akhter, Hammad Khan Jadoon and many others are strongly affiliated with the movement.

Several business men, industrialists, millionaires are actively serving in the movement.

Tabligh in Arabic means "to convey^[1] (the message)" and Tablighi Jamaat strives to revive this duty which they consider as one of the primary duties of a Muslim. They encourage people to follow Islamic principles and the life of Muhammad through his teachings, going out for months or years in the same fashion as the Sahaba (companions of Muhammad).

When an individual goes out in a Jamaat, he tries to bring 6 qualities into his life. These six qualities are:

Firm belief in the Kalimah	"An article of faith in which the tabligh accepts that there is no god but Allah and the Prophet Muhammad is His messenger. and that Allah can do each and every thing without the help of the creation, and the creation cannot do anything without the help of Allah. The only way to succeed in this world and the next (life after death) is to walk on the path shown by Prophet Muhammad."[2]
Concentration and Devotion inSalah	"Five daily prayers that are essential to spiritual elevation, piety, and a life free from the ills of the material world. To build a connection with Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'alaand to gain from his unlimited treasures"[2]
Ilm and Dhikr	"The thirst for knowledge and remembrance of Allah conducted in sessions in which every individual contributes whatever knowledge which one can regarding performing prayers, reciting the Quran and reading Hadith and to gain the remembrance of Allah in every action make Dhikr by reciting 3 Tasbihaat, Third Kalimah, Durood andIstighfaar."[2]
Ikram-i-Muslim	"The treatment of fellow humans with honor and deference, to love the youngsters and respect the elders and have respect for the scholars of Islam"[2]
Ikhlas-i-Niyyat	"Reforming one’s life in supplication to Allah by performing every (good) human action for the sake of Allah and toward the goal of self-transformation"[2]
Dawat-o-Tabligh	"The sparing of time to live a life based on faith and learning its virtues, following in the footsteps of the Prophet, and taking His message door-to-door for the sake of faith. Since Rasoolullah Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wasallam was the last and final prophet, it is our duty to now carry on this work of the prophets, i.e. call others towards good and prevent evil"[2]

The Tablighi Jamaat also sets guidelines for local masjids (mosques) to increase the level of worship and local Muslim involvement in the masjid. These guidelines include having the local Tablighi workers implement these steps: two weekly jawlas/visits to Muslims (one visit to Muslims surrounding the local masjid and another to the Muslims of a nearby masjid); two daily ta`leems/reading of pious books (one ta`leem in the masjid and another in the worker's home); going out in the path of Allah three days a month, forty days a year, and four months once in a lifetime; a daily mashura/council to discuss how to increase Tablighi activity in the area; and spending at least two and a half hours in the masjid a day.

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I welcome rebuttal in comments, will post .

Gerald

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