Jamaat-e-Islami Hind
Encyclopedia
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind is one of the influential
Sphere of influence
In the field of international relations, a sphere of influence is a spatial region or conceptual division over which a state or organization has significant cultural, economic, military or political influence....

 and hardline
Hardline
In politics, hardline refers to the doctrine, policy, and posturing of a government or political body as being absolutist and sometimes authoritarian. The hardline position is usually extremist and uncompromising....

 Islamic organization and movement within Sunni Islam
Sunni Islam
Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam. Sunni Muslims are referred to in Arabic as ʾAhl ūs-Sunnah wa āl-Ǧamāʿah or ʾAhl ūs-Sunnah for short; in English, they are known as Sunni Muslims, Sunnis or Sunnites....

 in India. It is an offshoot of the Jamaat-e-Islami
Jamaat-e-Islami
This article is about Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan. For other organizations of similar name see Jamaat-e-Islami The Jamaat-e-Islami , is a Pro-Muslim political party in Pakistan...

, a radical party
Political radicalism
The term political radicalism denotes political principles focused on altering social structures through revolutionary means and changing value systems in fundamental ways...

 committed to the establishment of an Islamic state
Islamic State
An Islamic state is a type of government, in which the primary basis for government is Islamic religious law...

 in Pakistan ruled by sharīʿah law
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...

, which split into separate independent organizations in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

, Pakistan, Bangaladesh and Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...

 following the Partition of India
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...

 in 1947. Jamaat-e-Islami Hind was officially formed in April 1948, at a meeting in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. The organization projects Islam as "the practical doctrine and programme that can take the place of the failed man-made creeds of the 20th century". It follows a policy of promoting education, social service, and ecumenical outreach to the community and has involved itself in various humanitarian and relief efforts across many parts of India.

In its early years, it had condemned as haram
Haram
The Arabic term has a meaning of "sanctuary" or "holy site" in Islam.-Etymology:The Arabic language has two separate words, and , both derived from the same triliteral Semitic root . Both of these words can mean "forbidden" and/or "sacred" in a general way, but each has also developed some...

(religiously forbidden) both secularism
Secularism
Secularism is the principle of separation between government institutions and the persons mandated to represent the State from religious institutions and religious dignitaries...

 and democracy but later ideological transformations led to the acceptance of both secularism and democracy in post-colonial India. During the mid-1980s allowed its members to vote in elections in India. On 18 April 2011, it launched a political party Welfare Party of India
Welfare Party of India
Welfare Party of India is an Indian Political party launched on 18 April 2011 striving for Value-based politics in India. Its first National President is Mujtaba farooq for the two-year term 2011–2013.-Office-bearers:* President: Mujtaba farooq...

, under a leadership that included both top functionaries of the organization and members from the wider Muslim community and outside, including a Christian priest.

The Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...

 twice banned the organization though both decisions were revoked later after favourable rulings from the Supreme Court of India
Supreme Court of India
The Supreme Court of India is the highest judicial forum and final court of appeal as established by Part V, Chapter IV of the Constitution of India...

.

History



Jamaat-e-Islami was formed on 26 August 1941 at Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...

 under the leadership of Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi. After the Partition
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...

 members of the organization remaining in what became the Republic of India, re-organized themselves to form an independent party, having its own Constitution and separate leadership and organizational structure from Jamaat-e-Islami
Jamaat-e-Islami
This article is about Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan. For other organizations of similar name see Jamaat-e-Islami The Jamaat-e-Islami , is a Pro-Muslim political party in Pakistan...

, Pakistan. The Indian Jamaat-e-Islami came into being in April 1948 at Allahabad and was officially called "Jamaat-e-Islami Hind". 240 members attended the first meeting and elected Maulana Abul Lais Nadvi as their Amir (leader), and established their Headquarters at Malihabad, Lucknow, U.P. Later, the headquarters was shifted to Rampur
Rampur, Uttar Pradesh
Rampur is a city and a municipality located in Rampur District in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Rampur district is located at Longitude 78-0-54 to 69-0-28 East and Latitude 28-25 to 29-10 North and spans an area of 2,367 km².It also gave its name to a former princely state of British...

 in 1949 and then to New Delhi in 1960.

Jamaat-e-Islami Hind then underwent a process of reorganization, reframing its Constitution and written policy. The new constitution came into effect in 13 April 1956. The organization held an All-India Meet at Rampur (U.P) in 1951 followed by meetings at Hyderabad (1952) Delhi(1960), Hyderabad(1967), Delhi(1974), Hyderabad(1981), Hyderabad (1997) and Delhi (2002). It has also held regional conferences on various occasions in different parts of the country. The state chapters of the organization also hold separate conferences at regular intervals.

The organization was banned twice by the Government of India during its six decades of existence, the first temporarily during the Emergency of 1975–1977 and then in 1992. While the first was revoked after the Emergency was lifted, the second was reversed by the Supreme Court of India. Issuing its judgement on the ban it remarked about the organization: as "an All India organisation professing a political, secular and spiritual credentials with belief in the oneness of God and universal brotherhood".

Objective

Officially, the organization describes its objective as "Iqaamat-e-Deen" or "Establishment of (Islamic) way of life in all aspects of life" with "achievement of divine pleasure and success in the Hereafter" as the sole motive of the effort. It also defines it core doctrine as “La Ilaha Illallahu Muhammadur Rasulullah”, i.e. "the Divine Being is solely Allah, there being no God except Him, and that Muhammad is Allah's messenger". It also states that the Quran and Sunnah
Sunnah
The word literally means a clear, well trodden, busy and plain surfaced road. In the discussion of the sources of religion, Sunnah denotes the practice of Prophet Muhammad that he taught and practically instituted as a teacher of the sharī‘ah and the best exemplar...

 would be its base, and all objectives would be achieved only through constructive and peaceful methods of propagation.

Organization

Jalaluddin Umri
Jalaluddin Umri
Syed Jalaluddin Umri Syed Jalaluddin Umri Syed Jalaluddin Umri (Urdu: السيّد جلال الدین عمری Arabic: سيّد جلال الدین العمری(Born in 1935) is the present Amir of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind...

 , the current Amir (Leader) heads a central decision making body, called the Majlis-e-Shoora (Central Advisory Council). Country-wide, it is organized into 17 zones each presided over by a regional amir. The JIH also has a women's organization (JIH Women's Wing) and a students' wing Students Islamic Organization
Students Islamic Organisation of India
Students Islamic Organization of India is the students' wing of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind. Students Islamic Organisation was formed in 1982. According to its constitution, it aims at presenting Da’wah before students and youth, promote virtues, and moral values in educational institutions.The...

. It is estimated to have around 7,000 core members, some 50,000 party workers and 300,000 “associates” (as active sympathizers are called) all over India. The organization is considered to have an influence "out of proportion to its numbers" because of "disciplined organization, welfare work, its reputation for honesty and street power".

Jamaat is a major player in national level bodies for the Muslim community in India like the All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, All India Muslim Personal Law Board
All India Muslim Personal Law Board
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board is an organization constituted in 1973 to adopt suitable strategies for the protection and continued applicability of Muslim Personal Law in India, most importantly, the The Muslim Personal Law Application Act of 1937, providing for the application of the...

, and All India Babri Masjid Movement Coordination Committee. It has also involved itself in inter-faith forums like Movement for Peace and Justice (MPJ), and Forum for Democracy and Communal Amity (FDCA). MPJ and FDCA have played an active role in bringing peace to many violence-hit areas across the country and in protecting civil rights.

Women's wing

The organization has had active participation from the women of the community through its women's wing and its feeder organization, the Girls Islamic Organisation of India
Girls Islamic Organisation of India
Girls Islamic Organisation of India is a student organisation in India for girls. It is the daughter organisation of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind....

.
In February 2006, its Andhra Pradesh wing organized a two-days State Women’s conference, the first of its kind at Hyderabad drawing more than 30,000 Muslim women. Speakers at the event emphasised the rights and privileges of women pertaining to education and employment within the framework of Islam and condemned practices like dowry as "un-islamic".
The presence of its women was also notice-able in the recent mass rallies demanding a separate state of Telangana
Telangana
Telangana is a region in the present state of Andhra Pradesh, India and formerly was part of Hyderabad state which was ruled by Nizam. It is bordered with the states of Maharashtra on the north and north-west, Karnataka on the west, Chattisgarh on the north-east and Orissa to the east...

.
In January 2010, the women's wing in the state of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....

 organized its State Women's Conference drawing almost 100,000 women. The conference was inaugrated over video-conferencing by Yvonne Ridley
Yvonne Ridley
Yvonne Ridley is a British journalist, war correspondent and Respect Party activist best known for her capture by the Taliban and subsequent conversion to Islam after release, her outspoken opposition to Zionism, and her criticism of Western media portrayals of the War on Terror...

 as she was denied a visa by the government of India. The conference issued resolutions calling for reforms in Muslim Personal Law, action against dowry and reclaim of family values.

Social Activities

The Social Service Wing of the Jamaat coordinates with various NGOs in India under the umbrella of the Human Welfare Trust (HWT) like the Ideal Relief Wing (IRW), Islamic Relief Committee (IRC) and Tamil Nadu Relief Committee (TNRC). The IRW was an active participant in the rescue efforts during the Kashmir earthquake spending almost $200,000 for the relief work and also played important roles in the relief efforts in the aftermath of the Asian Tsunami and the 2008 Mumbai attacks
2008 Mumbai attacks
The 2008 Mumbai attacks were more than 10 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks across Mumbai, India's largest city, by Islamist attackers who came from Pakistan...

. The TNRC built 38 houses for victims of the Asian Tsunami in Tamil Nadu at a total cost of Rs 12.5 million. It also built 160 permanent houses at Nagore, Pudupattinam and Kottakuppam and provided livelihood assistance to hundreds of families in those areas.

The Islamic Relief Committee Gujarat played a major role in rehabilitation of the people of Gujarat in the aftermath of the Gujarat riots and the Gujarat earthquake. It spent almost Rs 40 million for victims of the riots, building 1,321 new homes and repairing 4,946 damaged ones. It allocated another 40 million Rupees for the victims of the Gujarat earthquake . It also lead the legal proceedings against the accused in the aftermath of the riots

Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), an NGO for legal activities backed by the Jamaat works for legal action against human rights violations especially for backward communities and minorities. It has worked along with other NGOs like the PUCL
People's Union for Civil Liberties
People's Union for Civil Liberties is a human rights body formed in India in 1976 by socialist leader Jayaprakash Narayan, as the People's Union for Civil Liberties and Democratic Rights .-The indian emergency:...

 and ANHAD (Act Now for Harmony And Democracy) in contesting the official version of the encounter killings at Batla House, Jamia Nagar in Delhi on 19 September 2008. It has also opposed armed confrontation as a solution to the Maoist insurgency
Naxalite-Maoist insurgency
The Naxalite-Maoist insurgency is an ongoing conflict between Maoist groups, known as Naxalites or Naxals, and the Indian government.In 2006 Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called the Naxalites "The single biggest internal security challenge ever faced by our country."...

 in parts of India.

Political activity
Jamaath formed Welfare Party of India as a separate political party which will be led by jamaath leaders but will cooperate with all those who interested in its developmental policy.
Vision 2016
The Jamaat has also campaigned to create educational awakening and promote human rights among the general public and the Muslim community in particular. In 2006, it launched a 10 year, INR 55 billion ($125 million) action plan named "Vision 2016" to create educational, health and housing facilities to improve the situation of poor Muslims in India. Its first phase is focused on 58 backward districts in India where it plans to establish health care centers, schools, vocational training centers, small-scale industries and low-cost housing and provide soft loans for small-scale trade and other ventures.

Views

On economic issues

In general, Jamaat follows an anti-liberalization and anti-globalization policy on economic issues. More specifically, it has opposed the central government policies on
  • Direct Foreign Investment (FDI)
  • Special Economic Zones (SEZ)
  • Abolition of subsidies
  • Privatization of health care, education and other services.

Underlying its stance on the issues, its policy document asserts that providing the citizens with the basic necessities of life was the responsibility of the government and aspects of profit and loss should be viewed as of the general public collectively. It has also blamed interest based loans for the increasing suicides of farmers in India. As a solution to the ill-effects of economic situation, the organization puts forward economic policies of the Islamic economic system derived from Islamic teachings as the only alternative to achieve economic justice.

On the terror attacks in India

The organization condemned all incidents of bomb blasts and disruptive acts in various parts of the country and demanded an "impartial and honest probe into all such incidents" and formation of "a sensible and effective strategy to check such incidents". It has also voiced its concern on what it sees as a prejudiced approach by the authorities and the media to blame the Muslim community in the immediate aftermath of such incidents. It passed a resolution on October 2008 saying :

Innocent Muslims are ... subjected to police terror and witch hunting and an anti-Muslim hype is created without any evidence or proof. This oft-repeating scenario..created in a section of Muslims a sense of disillusionment and fear, extreme anger and unrest in another section. On the other hand, this ... widens the unfortunate communal divide which encourages the disruptive forces and elements.

It has also condemned the human rights violations on the detainees and suspects and expressed its doubts on confessions extracted in such situations. Addressing the Muslim community, it asks them to "remain calm and not be provoked or get disillusioned but seek the Almighty's help and guidance in these difficult times. They should not bow down to harassment and terror but should resist the tide of injustice with the help of all peace loving citizens of the country."

On global terrorism

The Central Advisory Council of the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind adopted a resolution on 9 November 2001 :
Terrorism is an outright oppressive act...condemnable whether it is committed by an individual or a group or a State, and whosoever is its target. Some people having immoderate sentiments associate terrorism with religion while religion strictly opposes it. As for Islam ,killing an innocent person is tantamount to killing all
human being and saving the life of a person is saving the entire human folk.The September 11 attacks on the two cities of America are highly condemnable.


On Afghanistan
It also condemned the invasion of Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...

 by the US as an action taken without any proof and hence "an oppressive and terroristic act..as innocent persons are being killed".

Communalism and riots
On the issue of communalism and riots, Jamaat has been in the fore front of opposing any sort of imposition of particular religion, culture and language on others by force. It has often said that, creating animosity, hatred in the name of religion among different groups is not acceptable. It has also laid stress on the importance of freedom of faith and religion and would oppose any legislations which violate this freedom.

Political position

Political position of Jama'at-e-Islami is anti-US and so it is taking a pro-Left policy in Indian politics. United States intervention in Afghanistan and Iraq and pro-US policy of the Indian government has created a common platform for Jama'at and the Left to resist them.

National leaders

  • Jalaluddin Umri
    Jalaluddin Umri
    Syed Jalaluddin Umri Syed Jalaluddin Umri Syed Jalaluddin Umri (Urdu: السيّد جلال الدین عمری Arabic: سيّد جلال الدین العمری(Born in 1935) is the present Amir of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind...

  • Mujtaba farooq
    Mujtaba Farooq
    Mujtaba Farooq is the first National President of the Political party, Welfare Party of India. He is also the member of the Topmost decision-making and leadership organ of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, the Markazi Majlis e Shura ....

  • Abdul Haq Ansari
    Abdul Haq Ansari
    Dr. Muhammad Abdul Haq Ansari is an Islamic thinker of modern times. He is the former Amir of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind , the largest organisation in India for Islamic cause. He is presently a member of the Central Advisory Council of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind. He has been associated with JIH since he was a...

  • Muhammad Jafar
    Muhammad Jafar
    Muhammad Jafar is the Vice-President of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind and was the First National President of Students Islamic Organisation of India. He is also the member of topmost decision-making and leadership organ of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, the Markazi Majlis e Shura - Islamic Activism :Mohammad Jafar...

  • K.A. Siddique Hassan
    K.A. Siddique Hassan
    Prof K .A. Siddique Hassan is an Islamic Scholar from Kerala, India. He is the chief architect of Vision 2016 and currently he is assistant Amir of Jamaat-e-islami Hind. He was honored with Islamic online star of 2010 by Islam online.-Life:...

  • Yusuf Islahi
    Yusuf Islahi
    Muhammad Yusuf Islahi is a popular writer on Islam. He is a scholar, writer and an orator. He is a member of topmost decision-making and leadership organ of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, the Markazi Majlis e Shura...

  • H Abdul Raqeeb
    H Abdul Raqeeb
    H Abdur Raqeeb is a member of Central Advisory Council of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Editor of Tamil fortnightly Samarasam and General Secretary of Indian Centre for Islamic Finance.- Biography :...

  • S Ameen ul Hasan
    S Ameen ul Hasan
    S Ameen ul Hasan , renowned Scholar of Qur'anic Exegesis, is the former National President of Students Islamic Organisation of India and Member of Central Advisory Council of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind. He is the Managing Director of Xpro Developers, Bangalore.-Brief Biography:S. Ameen ul Hasan completed...

  • Sadat Husaini
    Sadat Husaini
    Syed Sadatullah Husaini is the former National President of Students Islamic Organisation of India and Member of Central Advisory Council of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind. He also heads the Study and Research Department of JIH as its Director...


See also

  • Maulana Maududi
  • Islam in India
    Islam in India
    Islam is the second-most practiced religion in the Republic of India after Hinduism, with more than 13.4% of the country's population ....

  • Solidarity Youth Movement, Kerala
    Solidarity Youth Movement, Kerala
    Solidarity Youth Movement is the youth wing of the Islamist organization Jama-athe Islami Hind in the state of Kerala in India. The movement's stated objective is to "liberate the generation of youths from moral bankruptcy and debauchery and to transform them in to a radical vanguard fighting for...

  • Students Islamic Organisation of India
    Students Islamic Organisation of India
    Students Islamic Organization of India is the students' wing of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind. Students Islamic Organisation was formed in 1982. According to its constitution, it aims at presenting Da’wah before students and youth, promote virtues, and moral values in educational institutions.The...


External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK