Deobandi
The Deobandi are Sunni Muslims of South Asia and Afghanistan who follow the fiqh (tradition of jurisprudence) of Imam Abu Hanifa. The name comes from Deoband, India, where the madrassa Darul Uloom Deoband is sited. They consider the Shia sect to be an apostate group.
The five main points of the Deobandi movement are:
- Tawheed: (Monotheism) of Allah, no one shares His attributes.
- Sunnah: Following and loving the methodology of the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad in every small and big matter.
- Hubb us Sahaabah: Love of the companions of the Messenger of Allah, and following their way.
- Taqleed wal Ittiba': Giving preference to the jurisprudence of the pious friends of Allah who were closer to the Messenger of Allah, instead of giving preference to our own fiqh rulings.
- Jihaad fi Sabeelillah: Doing Jihaad in the way of Allah against every evil.
The Deobandi follow Imam Abu Mansur Maturidi, (d.333H) a Hanafi scholar, in Ilm ul Kalaam (Rhetorics) i.e the science of refuting attacks on Islam made using Grecian logic
The Taliban are reputed to follow the teachings of the Deoband school, although some non-Deobandis claim they follow an extremely strict and simplistic version of the school's teachings. Many of the Taliban leadership completed their studies in Islamic subjects at the Deobandi institute Dar ul Uloom Haqqaaniyah at Akora Khattak in Pakistan.
See also: Islam
