Deobandi movement

The Deobandi movement or Deobandism is a movement within Sunni Islam that adheres to the Hanafi school of jurisprudence and Maturidi school of theology. It was formed at the Darul Uloom madrasa in Deoband, British India after the Indian rebellion of 1857–1858. They opposed influence of non-Muslim cultures on the Muslim of South Asia. The movement pioneered education in religious sciences 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, secular ideas during British colonial rule. 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 Sufi practices such as celebration of Mawlid, the urs of saints and ziyarat to shrines, instead advocating for reform within Sufism. Deobandis uphold the doctrine of taqlid (conformity to precedent) and reject ijtihad (independent reasoning) for regular Muslims. The movement's beliefs and creed is outlined in al-Muhannad ala al-Mufannad authored by Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri. Deobandis also played a major role in modern hadith studies with hundreds of thousands of authoritative and comprehensive commentaries.

Founders of the Deobandi school Nanawtawi and Gangohi drew inspiration from the religio-political doctrines of the prominent South Asian Islamic scholar and Sufi reformer Shah Waliullah Dehlawi (1703–1762 / 1114–1175 AH). In its early years, Deobandi scholars engaged in theological debates with Christian and Hindu scholars; with the objective of defending Islamic faith, and to form a popular struggle to overthrow British colonialism. Deobandi theologians of Jamiat Ulema e-Hind, in particular, discussed multiculturalism and opposition to the partition of India, with a strategic vision to safeguard the religious freedom of Muslims in India whereas Deobandi scholars of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, led by Shabbir Ahmad Usmani, played a leading role in the Pakistan Movement. In response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, Saudi Arabia decided to support the Deobandi movement due to its popularity in the Pashtun regions in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Pakistan also strongly supported Deobandi mujahidin to fight the Soviets in Afghanistan and India in the Kashmir insurgency, owing to their affiliation with the Pan-Islamist legacies of Shah Waliullah and the Silk Letter Movement in the subcontinent. Alongside Jamaat-e-Islami, Deobandi Islamist militias constituted the most committed volunteers for the anti-communist Afghan Jihad.

The movement has spread from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh to the United Kingdom, and has a presence in South Africa. The Pakistani and Afghan branches and the original Indian seminaries have far less contact since the Partition of India, for political reasons related to the India–Pakistan border. Followers of the Deobandi movement are extremely diverse; some advocate for non-violence and others are militant.