Barelvi – Deobandi unity under the scanner of RSS think tank

New Delhi: Undoubtedly the visit of  Barelvi Scholar Tauqeer Raza to Deoband was the most significant move towards Muslim unity in the modern history of Indian Muslims.  More significant was the reaction of Maulana Raza to those who opposed his Deoband visit  when Maulana  categorically   said “For the good of the community, to solve its problems and for its unity I will travel to Deoband again and again.” Maulana insisted. He further said that because of disunity Muslims are suffering and its youths are being incarcerated in false cases.

But his attempt to unite Muslims is not a good sign for RSS and its affiliate organizations and its being observed by them very minutely.

RSS think tank India Policy Foundation has published the English translation of the reportings and editorials which appeared in different Urdu dailies about the Maulana Tauqeer Raza’s visit to Deoband.

Under its permanent feature  ‘Urdu Media Review’ the IPF portal has given the translation of the coverage related of Maulana’s visit in prominent Urdu dailies which is being reproduced here for the interest of  readers.

Notably while other dailies wrote very positively about Maulana’s  visit and appreciated his efforts for unity among Muslims , Dainik Jagran owned Inquilab daily gave prominence to  those who  opposed his Deoband visit.

Below is the comment and English version of the reporting on Maulana’s visit which was covered by IPF.

*************************************************************************************************************

From the past 150 years two Islamic sects Deobandi and Barelvi are at the loggerheads. Both these sects call each other as non-believer. Doors of mosques of both these sects are closed for each other even the dead body is not buried into each other’s cemetery. In the recent International Sufi Conference organized in Delhi, Deobandies and Barelvies were alleged to be responsible for terrorism in India. Considering growing confrontation between both the sects, their masters sitting in the foreign countries are trying to have unity between both the sects.

Akhbar Mashriq in its editorial on May 10 expressed happiness to the fact that after the arrest of several Muslim youths by the Delhi police for having links to terrorist organization Jaish e Mohammad, chief of Barelvi sect Tauqeer Raza unexpectedly reached Deoband. He contacted the family of Shakir Ansari and reached his house. He emphasized that Muslims must unite burying their differences. He claimed in a press conference that the RSS and its affiliate organizations were trying to divide Muslims into different sects and defame them. After meeting the family of Shakir, Tauqeer Raza reached Darul Uloom, Deoband to meet its chief Abdul Qasim Naumani. In the past 150 years this is the first incidence when any person from the Barelvi sect entered Darul Uloom. Deobandis gave him a grand welcome. Tauqeer Raza expressed satisfaction to the fact that due to pressure from Deobandies the police had to release Muslims arrested on terror charges. Maulana accepted that there was ideological difference between Deobandis and Barelvis but it was important for Muslims to get united by setting aside their sectarian differences as environment was being made in the country against the community at the moment. The newspaper emphasized that different sects of Muslims must unite to fight Hindu communalism. President of Jamiat Ulama e Hind and famous Deobandi leader Arshad Madani welcomed efforts made by Maulana Tauqeer Raza. All Urdu newspapers published several write ups and newspapers in which satisfaction was expressed that Muslims were getting united forgetting their differences.

Sahafat on May 10 published a report expressing happiness that Maulana Tauqeer Raza visited Deoband for the interest of Muslims and he was trying to unite both the sect. The newspaper reported that earlier Jamiat Ulama led by Mahmood Madani organized a convention. It was emphasized in this convention that Muslims and Dalits must make a front.

Inquilab on May 10 reported that several ulamas of Barelvi sect opposed this unity. Vice president of Ulama board Maulana Nooruddin said that visit of Maulana Tauqeer Raza to Deoband was violation of ideological stand. He said that this was the same Maulana Tauqeer Raza who opposed Sufi Conference. Principal of Jamia al Rizvia Maulana Kamarul Jama Musbahi called it unfortunate. He said that we had old differences with Deobandies and still there was no change in our stand today. Therefore Maulana Tauqeer Raza visiting Darul Uloom, Deoband was an unfortunate step.

Hamara Samaj on May 10 published a special editorial welcoming efforts made to unity between Deobandies and Barelvies. According to Hamara Samaj (May 15), Maulana Tauqeer Raza, who is trying unity between Barelvi and Deobandi, said that organizations like RSS and the BJP were trying to make India a Hindu nation therefore Muslims must oppose it vehemently. He said that a formation like Bihar would be constituted for the 2017 UP Assembly elections so the BJP does not come to power. He claimed that he did not do any un-Islamic act so people were opposing and those who were opposing his move were actually enemies of Muslims and not friends.

According to Roznama Rashtriya Sahara (May 14), Maulana Tauqeer Raza said he was not going to apologize anyone because he did not do anything wrong. He said that Muslims were not harmed by the RSS rather they were more harmed by Muslims.

Courtesy: Muslim Mirror