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Darul Uloom Deoband is an Islamic university and
seminary A seminary, school of theology, theological college, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called seminarians) in scripture and theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as cle ...
( darul uloom) in
Deoband Deoband is a town and a municipality in Saharanpur district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, about 150 km (93 miles) from Delhi. Darul Uloom Deoband, an Islamic seminary and one of the largest Islamic Institutions of India is located ther ...
,
Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh ( ; UP) is a States and union territories of India, state in North India, northern India. With over 241 million inhabitants, it is the List of states and union territories of India by population, most populated state in In ...
, India, at which the
Sunni Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Mu ...
Deobandi Islamic movement began. Established in 1866 by Muhammad Qasim Nanautavi, Fazlur Rahman Usmani, Sayyid Muhammad Abid and others in 1866, it is one of the most important Islamic seminaries in India and the largest in the world. Mahmud Deobandi was the first teacher and Mahmud Hasan Deobandi was the first student. On 14 October 2020, the executive council of the seminary appointed Arshad Madani as the principal (''sadr-mudarris'') and Abul Qasim Nomani as the senior hadith professor (''shaykh al-hadith'').


History

Darul Uloom Deoband was established on 31 May 1866 by Fazlur Rahman Usmani, Sayyid Muhammad Abid, Muhammad Qasim Nanotawi, Mehtab Ali, Nehal Ahmad and Zulfiqar Ali Deobandi. Mahmud Deobandi was appointed the first teacher, and Mahmud Hasan Deobandi was the first student who enrolled in the seminary. In 1982, during the Vice Chancellorship of Muhammad Tayyib Qasmi, administrative disputes occurred in the seminary which led to the formation of Darul Uloom Waqf. The spread of the Deobandi movement in the United Kingdom has produced some criticism concerning their views on interfaith dialogue and values including democracy, secularism, and the rule of law. In September 2007 Andrew Norfolk of ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...
'' published an article titled "Hardline takeover of British mosques" about the influence of the Deobandis whom the author called a "hardline Islamic sect". In February 2008, an anti-terrorism conference organized by the seminary denounced all forms of terrorism.


Program

The school teaches ''manqulat'' (revealed Islamic sciences) according to the Hanafi school of Islamic jurisprudence. In this seminar, Nanawtawi instituted modern methods of learning such as teaching in classrooms, a fixed and carefully selected curriculum, lectures by academics who were leaders in their fields, exam periods, merit prizes, and a publishing press. Students were taught in
Urdu Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...
, and sometimes in
Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
for theological reasons or Persian, for cultural and literary reasons. The curriculum is based on a highly modified version of the 18th century Indo-Islamic syllabus known as Dars-e-Nizami. The students learn the
Quran The Quran, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which ...
and its exegesis;
Hadith Hadith is the Arabic word for a 'report' or an 'account f an event and refers to the Islamic oral tradition of anecdotes containing the purported words, actions, and the silent approvals of the Islamic prophet Muhammad or his immediate circle ...
and its commentary; and juristic rulings with textual and rational proofs. They also study the biography of
Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...
, Arabic grammar, Arabic language and
literature Literature is any collection of Writing, written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially novels, Play (theatre), plays, and poetry, poems. It includes both print and Electroni ...
, and Persian language. The syllabus consists of many stages. The five-year ''Nazirah'' (primary course) teaches Urdu, Persian, Hindi and English. The next level is the ''Hifze Quran''. This involves the memorization of the Quran over two to four years. A few students will then choose ''Tajwid e Hafs'' (melodious recitation). The student is taught the detailed recitation rules of the Quran as laid down by Arabic Hafs. Still fewer will take up the next course, the ''Sab'ah and 'Asharah Qira'at'' (study of all the ten Quran recitations). A post graduate studies equivalent is the ''Fazilat'' course taken over eight years. It commences with ''Arabi Awwal'', in which the basics of the Arabic language is the main aim, and finishes with ''Daura e Hadith'', in which the main books of the sayings of Muhammad are taught. A prerequisite for this course is completion of primary education. Memorization of the Quran is also recommended. Students who complete the Fazilat may use the title ''Alim'' or ''Maulvi''. The ''Daurae Hadith'' (final year) class is taught in the basement of "an under construction seven storied building". In the 2017–2018 academic year (1438–1439 AH), 1664 students attended the Daurae Hadith class. Almost a quarter of the students who complete the Daurae Hadith continue their studies. These advanced courses include ''Takmil Ifta'' (
Jurisprudence Jurisprudence, also known as theory of law or philosophy of law, is the examination in a general perspective of what law is and what it ought to be. It investigates issues such as the definition of law; legal validity; legal norms and values ...
); ''Takmil Adab'' (Arabic literature); and ''Takhassus fil Hadith'' (
Hadith Hadith is the Arabic word for a 'report' or an 'account f an event and refers to the Islamic oral tradition of anecdotes containing the purported words, actions, and the silent approvals of the Islamic prophet Muhammad or his immediate circle ...
). Students who complete the ''Takmil Ifta'' take the title '' Mufti''.


Role in the Indian independence movement

The political ideals of Darul Uloom Deoband were founded up to ten years prior to its opening. In 1857 (1274 AH), Imdadullah Muhajir Makki (a spiritual leader) and his followers, Muhammad Qasim Nanautawi, Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi, Muhammad Yaqub Nanautawi and others gathered at Thana Bhawan to protest against British rule and continue their call for the independence of India. They fought what is called the Battle of Shamli. In , Nanautawi's pupil, Mahmud Hasan Deobandi was a leader in the independence movement. He incited revolution through a scheme which the Rowlatt committee called the Silk Letter Movement. However, the scheme failed and Hasan and his followers were arrested and exiled. Hasan was returned from exile in
Malta Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...
, and he reached Bombay in June 1920. His group, Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, which included Hussain Ahmad Madani, Kifayatullah Dehlawi, Syed Fakhruddin Ahmad, and later on, Hifzur Rahman Seoharwi, Atiqur Rahman Usmani, Minnatullah Rahmani, Habib-ur-Rehman Ludhianvi, and Muhammad Miyan Deobandi joined the
Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party, or simply the Congress, is a political parties in India, political party in India with deep roots in most regions of India. Founded on 28 December 1885, it was the first mo ...
. In 1926 and 1927 (1345 abs 1346 AH), graduates of the school called for Indian independence at Jamiat Ulama meetings in
Calcutta Kolkata, also known as Calcutta (List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern ba ...
and
Peshawar Peshawar is the capital and List of cities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by population, largest city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is the sixth most populous city of Pakistan, with a district p ...
. Madani opposed the suggestion of the All-India Muslim League for the
partition of India The partition of India in 1947 was the division of British India into two independent dominion states, the Dominion of India, Union of India and Dominion of Pakistan. The Union of India is today the Republic of India, and the Dominion of Paki ...
along sectarian lines. He also advocated democratic government with religious freedoms and tolerance. On 29 December 1929, '' Majlis-e-Ahrar-ul-Islam'' (''Majlis-e-Ah'rar-e-Islam'', , or ''Ahrar''), a conservative Sunni Muslim Deobandi
political party A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular area's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific political ideology, ...
was founded in
Lahore Lahore ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, second-largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi, and ...
, Punjab. The founding members of the party were Chaudhry Afzal Haq, Syed Ata Ullah Shah Bukhari, Habib-ur-Rehman Ludhianvi, Mazhar Ali Azhar, Zafar Ali Khan and Dawood Ghaznavi. The founding members were disillusioned by the Khilafat Movement, which had aligned with the
Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party, or simply the Congress, is a political parties in India, political party in India with deep roots in most regions of India. Founded on 28 December 1885, it was the first mo ...
. The party gathered support from the urban lower-middle class. It opposed Muhammad Ali Jinnah, leader of the All-India Muslim League and in the early years of Pakistan wanted Ahmadiyas to be declared non-Muslims.


Fatwas

A fatwa is “an issue arising about law and religion, explained in answer to questions received about it” by muftis (Islamic jurists). Muftis at Darul Ifta (fatwa department), Darul Uloom Deoband are responsible for giving fatwas. On 31 May 2008, the seminary issued a significant public “Fatwa against terrorism” after a public rally in Delhi with around 100,000 representatives from nearly 6,000 madrasas across India, including those from different sects. The fatwa was a first of its kind in
South Asia South Asia is the southern Subregion#Asia, subregion of Asia that is defined in both geographical and Ethnicity, ethnic-Culture, cultural terms. South Asia, with a population of 2.04 billion, contains a quarter (25%) of the world's populatio ...
and stated that "in Islam, creating social discord or disorder, breach of peace, rioting, bloodsan, pillage or plunder and killing of innocent persons anywhere in the world are all considered most inhuman crimes.” The edict was signed by Habibur Rahman Khairabadi.


Controversial fatwas

In January 2012, scholars from a Deobandi school issued a religious decision calling for the author Salman Rushdie to be barred from entering India to attend a literature festival because, in their opinion, he had offended Muslim sentiments. In May 2010, clerics from a Deobandi school issued a fatwa stating that men and women cannot work together in public offices unless the women are properly clothed. In September 2013, scholars from a Deobandi school issued a fatwa banning photography as un-Islamic unless it is for an identity card or for making a passport. In February 2024, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, demanded an FIR against the seminary's alleged promotion of the idea of Ghazwa-e-Hind, claiming that a supporting fatwa was available on their website, in response to a question seeking an answer to "whether Hadith talks about invasion of India or the Ghazwa-e-Hind".


Entry of women in campus

Darul Uloom Deoband has garnered attention for its stances on
women's rights Women's rights are the rights and Entitlement (fair division), entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st c ...
, including issuing ''fatwas'' that restrict certain activities for Muslim women, including watching men's football, and plucking their eyebrows without their husband's permission. Additionally, the seminary faced criticism for its silence on the Taliban's ban on women's education, as the Taliban also aligns with the Deobandi ideology. In May 2024, Darul Uloom Deoband imposed a ban on the entry of women and girls to its premises, citing concerns over social media videos filmed on the campus. The seminary's rector Abul Qasim Nomani, stated that this decision responded to public complaints about the circulation of these videos, which were considered distracting and offensive by supporters of the institution. Prior to this, women were already restricted from entering the Rashidia mosque on campus; this restriction was now expanded to the entire seminary. In November 2024, the seminary lifted the ban on women's entry with conditions. Women were allowed on campus only if accompanied by a male guardian, wearing '' purdah'', and prohibited from taking photographs. Reports suggested that the original ban negatively impacted nearby businesses, which led to the policy's revision.


Administration

The seminary's co-founder Sayyid Muhammad Abid was the first vice-chancellor. Abul Qasim Nomani succeeded Ghulam Mohammad Vastanvi as the thirteenth VC of the seminary on 24 July 2011.


Notable alumni

Alumni include: * Mahmud Hasan Deobandi, leader of Silk Letter Movement * Anwar Shah Kashmiri, hadith scholar * Ashraf Ali Thanwi, Sufi Shaykh and author of '' Bahishti Zewar'' and '' Bayan al-Quran''. * Minnatullah Rahmani, First General Secretary of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board. * Muhammad Shafi, first Grand Mufti of Pakistan * Muhammad Ilyas Kandhlawi, founder of Tablighi Jamat * Hussain Ahmad Madani, author of '' Composite Nationalism and Islam'' * Taha Karaan, former head- mufti of Muslim Judicial Council. *


Publications

Darul ‘Uloom Deoband and its alumni publish: * '' Al-Daie'', Arabic monthly periodical. * '' Monthly Darul Uloom'', Urdu monthly periodical. * ''Aaeenah Darul ‘Uloom'', Urdu fortnightly periodical.'Alwi K. (ed.) ''Aaeenah'' * Darulifta-Deoband.com


See also

* List of Deobandi universities * List of Deobandi organisations * List of Darul Uloom Deoband alumni * List of vice chancellors of Darul Uloom Deoband * Bibliography of Darul Uloom Deoband


References


External links

* {{Authority control 1866 establishments in India Deobandi madrasas Islamic universities and colleges in India Madrasas in India Universities and colleges established in 1866