Darul Uloom Deoband and the Ghazwa-e-Hind Narrative

By New Age Islam Staff Writer

28 February 2024

True, The Ghazwa-e-Hind Narrative Agenda Propagated By The Pakistani Media Has Been Debunked By Several Indian Ulama. However, Given That the Obscure Response Posted on Darul Uloom Deoband's Website Has Already Confused the Matter, Darul Uloom Deoband Must Provide A Thorough Response, Particularly In Disproving The Pakistani Narrative Of Ghazwa-e-Hind.

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Recently Darul Uloom Deoband made headlines due to an old response regarding Ghazwa-e-Hind. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) voiced serious concerns over the “anti-India fatwa” that was purportedly posted on the website of Darul Uloom Deoband. The Senior Superintendent of Police and District Magistrate of Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, received a notification from the National Commission to look into the matter and file a formal complaint. The NCPCR letter claims that Darul Uloom Deoband's fatwa may 'incite hatred against the country' and justify the 'invasion of India'.

Following the commission's letter, the heads of multiple Hindu organisations have demanded that Darul Uloom Deoband be shut down, causing fury in Indian media and on social media.

Nevertheless, the commission noted in its letter that it had discovered more offensive content on Darul Uloom Deoband Madrasa's website. The invasion of India (Ghazwa-e-Hind) is referenced in the fatwa, and the one who is martyred in it will be known as the greatest martyr [Shaheed-e-Azam].

Since then, Darul Uloom Deoband has been trending on social media, with some demanding a bulldozer attack on the institution and others quoting Deoband principal Maulana Arshad Madani regarding the Ulama's services and involvement in India's freedom struggle.

Maulana Arshad Madani, the principal of Darul Uloom Deoband and the former president of Jamiat-e-Ulama-i-Hind, responded to the media representatives over the phone that he was currently in Delhi but that he was aware that Darul Uloom had been contacted by the authorities regarding this and that they had received a written response. According to him, “Darul Alam Deoband provided an answer to a question posed in 2009, therefore this is not a recent incidence.  This does not constitute a fatwa or a response to any religious inquiry. According to reports, he stated that when someone inquired about hadiths about the "Invasion of India," Deoband responded by saying that there was one and that it was found in the so-and-so book.” He said, “It is just like when someone inquiries about the platform where the train is arriving, you might respond by telling them that information about it has been displayed on the TV screen.”

Darul Uloom Deoband Vice Chancellor Maulana Abul Qasim Nomani is claimed to have reacted in writing to the authorities' contact, but he was unable to make it public then.

He countered that the written reply clarified the objections and stated that Muhammad Bin Qasim's invasion of India (712 AD) fulfilled the hadith's description of the "Invasion of India." It also states that this has nothing to do with the future and that children are not being encouraged in this way.

In this context, Maulana Arshad Madani's previous statement, "We first fought for the country's freedom, but it appears that we now have to fight for the protection of freedom," is also being repeated.

Dr. Shoaib Jami, the chairman of the Indian Muslim Foundation, tweeted his stance, saying, "Ghazwa-e-Hind is a propaganda which is spread from time to time by Hindutva organisation and Pakistani media. The circumstances of Darul Uloom's fatwa have been misrepresented. Pakistani media is mostly responsible for the Ghazwa-e-Hindi narrative.”

What Is the Actual Text Posted on the Darul Uloom’s Website?

Question: “Is there any reference in the Hadith to the Ghazwa-e-Hind, a battle that will occur on the subcontinent where the Ghaazi [victorious] will go to Paradise and those who are killed will be considered great martyrs? Please respond.”

Darul Uloom Deoband provided the following answer to the question:

Answer: “In the famous book of Hadith “Sunan Nasa'I”, Imam Nasa'i has made a permanent chapter on Ghazwa al-Hind, under which he has narrated a hadith from Hazrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him):  The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) promised us about the Ghazwa-e-Hind [invasion over Hindustan]". If I survive to witness that, I will give up both my wealth and myself. I will be among the greatest martyrs if I am slain, and Abu Hurairah Al-Muharrar if I survive.”

[Sunan an-Nasa'i 3174: Book 25, Hadith 90]. This prediction is about the same Ghazwa-e-Hind.” [End of answer. Translated from Urdu]

Upon scrutinising the query and its response in great depth, we are unable to identify any clear phrasing that would indicate that it refers to the future or that it occurred during the time of Muhammad Bin Qasim. According to reports, Maulana Abul Qasim Nomani, the vice-chancellor of Darul Uloom Deoband, said, “Muhammad Bin Qasim's invasion of India (712 AD) fulfilled the hadith's description of the "Ghazwa-e-Hind and that this has nothing to do with the future and that children are not being encouraged in this way."

In an attempt to clear up any misunderstanding regarding the response posted on the Darul Uloom Deoband's website, Abul Qasim Nomani asserted that the prophecy pertaining to Ghazwa-e-Hind had been fulfilled and had nothing to do with what was going to happen in the future.  Even so, it is odd that a website would now respond ambiguously to such a sensitive subject at this juncture, given that it is widely known that Pakistani media has been promoting the Ghazwa-Hind narrative to achieve its political objectives and enrage the youth.

True, the Ghazwa-e-Hind narrative propagated by the Pakistani media has been debunked by a number of Indian Ulama. However, given that the obscure response posted on Darul Uloom Deoband's website has already confused the matter, it is necessary to provide a thorough response, particularly in disproving the Pakistani narrative of Ghazwa-e-Hind.

Mr. Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi wrote a detailed article titled Pakistan's Fake Ghazwa-e-Hind Narrative Violates the Fundamental Principles of Islam. This article challenges the Ghazwa-e-Hind narrative agenda of Pakistan by looking at two types of connected Ahadith, the bulk of which are rejected Ahadith. Even if some of these Ahadith are claimed to be Sahih or Hasan, there are several arguments and convincing evidence to decry Pakistan's fake Ghazwa-e-Hind narrative. 

 

URL:      https://newageislam.com/islam-politics/darul-uloom-deoband-ghazwa-hind/d/131814

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