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the Ta’weel (false interpretations of the ignorant).” 653 And these
scholars purify the religion for the people and anyone who makes
a sincere effort to seek the right path will be blessed by the
guidance because even the night of this religion is like its day.
The Reality of the Call to Taqleed
The Deobandi’s call to Taqleed is just part of the ongoing struggle
between Jamaats and groups for superiority, else the Sunnah is
full of guidelines whereby differences can be resolved and the
truth can be researched. They make adherence to their sect as part
of the religion and impose conditions on the common folk about
which Allah has not sent any authority.
When the Deobandis make Taqleed of a particular Imam, a
necessary condition for Eemaan and say that it is Haraam to change
one’s Madhhab, they have already assured that a large proportion
of the Muslims of the Indian subcontinent are stuck with the
Deobandis or with one of their rival Hanafee groups. In this way,
half the battle is already won. Now what remains is to make the
people believe that only the Deobandi school of thought is in
accordance with the Madhhab. In this regard, the Deobandis have
issued many Fatawas against their co-Hanafees. For example, the
book Kitabul-Imaan mentions the Barelawis (referred to in this book
as grave-worshipers, saint-worshipers and the people of
innovation) and the Jamaat-e-Islami (referred to in this book as
Moududism) under the category of “Deviate Sects and False
Religions operating under Islamic Guise.”
And as we have seen in the previous chapters that the Deobandis
claim for themselves glad tidings after glad tidings as Rasheed
Ahmad Gungohi writes in Al-Baraheen al-Qatiya about the
superiority of the Madrasa (school) of Deoband, he says, “It comes
to my mind that the school of Deoband has an exalted position
near Allah because of the numerous scholars who have passed
out from it and benefited the common folk. Subsequently, a noble
653 Reported by al-Bayhaqee and authenticated by Shaikh al-Albanee
in Mishkat (no. 248).
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