Deobandi movement

The Deobandi movement or Deobandism is a Sunni Islamic revivalist movement that traces its origins to the founding of the Darul Uloom madrasa in Deoband, British India, in the late 19th century. The Deobandi movement's Indian clerical wing, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, was founded in 1919 and played a major role in the Indian independence movement through its participation in the pan-Islamist Khilafat movement and propagation of the doctrine of composite nationalism.

Deobandis are adherents of Sufism and the movement encompasses a variety of Sufi orders. They oppose folklore-based practices which they regard as superstitious and advocate for reform within Sufism. In terms of jurisprudence, the Deobandis uphold the doctrine of taqlid and adhere to one of the four Sunni madhahib (schools) – Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali. Deobandis opposed the influence of non-Muslim cultures on the Muslims living in South Asia. The movement also contributed immensely to the revival of hadith studies, and many Deobandi hadith scholars wrote numerous authoritative and comprehensive commentaries.

The founders of the Deobandi school drew inspiration from the Sunni scholarly tradition of Madrasah-i Rahimiyya and were influenced by the teachings of the South Asian Sufi refomer and Islamic scholar Shah Waliullah Dehlawi. The movement pioneered religious education through the Dars-i Nizami associated with the Lucknow-based ulama of Firangi Mahal with the goal of preserving traditional Islamic teachings from the influx of modernist and secular ideas during British colonial rule. Politically, Deobandis were deeply connected to the pan-Islamist movements of Shah Waliullah Dehlawi, Sayyid Ahmad Barelvi's Tariqat-i Muhammadiyya, and the Silk Letter Movement in the subcontinent. The contemporary strands of the Deobandi movement are highly diverse, with many engaged in peaceful preaching and educational efforts, while others are militant. After the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, several Deobandis volunteered to fight the Soviet military forces in Afghanistan and joined the Afghan mujahideen.

In its early years, Deobandi scholars engaged in theological debates with Christian and Hindu scholars with the objective of defending Islamic faith and advocating for the overthrow of British colonialism. Deobandi theologians of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, in particular, discussed multiculturalism and opposition to the partition of India, with a view to safeguarding the religious freedom of Muslims in India. On the other hand, Deobandi scholars of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, led by Shabbir Ahmad Usmani, played a leading role in the Pakistan Movement. Today, the movement has spread from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh to various parts of the world.