The Salafists

                                The  Salafists

By- AHMED NOOR

Ahle-Hadith or Salafism has attracted  attention in present days due to many reasons. In India, the movement of Ahle-Hadith is  attracting   the young generation, while Sunni Muslims   and followers of Deoband and Barveli* seminaries are at loggerheads with  the Salafists for their rigid thoughts.

   Salafism derives from the term the pious forefathers (al-salaf al-salih), the first three generations of Muslims who had the first-hand experience of the rise of Islam. Followers of  Salafism claim that they are best and puritan and oppose Barveli thoughts  and Sufi. They have also some difference with Wahhabism*  which springs Tablique Jamaate and Jamaate Islami. Although  Salafi ideology   has   some extent affinities  with the Wahhabism, they have some differences. As a rule, all Wahhabis are Salafists, but not all Salafists are Wahhabis.

  Salafists   practice Quran and Hadith (traditions of Prophet Muhammad) and  do not believe in taqleed or association. The  Sunnis have  beliefs in compliance with the four schools of thoughts of Sunni jurisprudence whereas Salafis follow only when their ruling is supported by Quran and Sunnah. As a result,  a division  is seen  in practice of   Salah (prayer) and fiqh (jurisprudence).

  Salafists claim  that  they exist with the inception of Islam. However  the  fundamental  of Salafism are rooted in the writing of Ibn Taymiyya*.  Because of sticking   their thoughts, Salafists are  an aggressive attitude towards the Sunni belief and they openly oppose the customs of Sunnis.   They argue that any other sources of guidance the Quran, the Sunna and consensus of the companions will lead Muslims away from the straight  path because  they do not represent the original revelation of the  prophetic model.  They said  the  Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) predicated that Muslims would from other sources, resulting in sectarianism and deviancy. To avoid this, he advised his followers to remain focused on his Sunna and the Qur’an to ensure the purity of Islam: “I am leaving you two things and you will never go astray as long as you cling to them. They are the Book of Allah and my Sunna.”Due to their historical proximity to the  prophet, it is thought that the faith and practice of the  al-salaf al-salih was exemplary, and it is this that the modern  Salafists seek to capture  in their own lives.  Like Wahhabis, they   strongly   condemn  Barveli thoughts or  Sufi Islam as they think, the Sufis Islam   has  corrupted  Islam.  According to them to visit Sufi mausoleums and to pray and invoke intercession (shafa’at) is totally against Qur’an and Islamic teachings.  The Salafists found that Muslims have not understood and implemented the true Islam, deviating from the path of original teachings of the Qur'an and the Prophet Sunnah as seen in their practice of associating the one God with others (shirk) and veneration of the saints and their tombs. In their view, Muslims had lost the true knowledge of Islam and so that they were considered to have been guilty of ignoring and polluting the pure Islam.

 In India, to  protect the purity of Islam,  Salafists   refrain from any political tendency and activities. For them, educating Muslims the true Islamic teachings through da'wah (preaching) is privileged over political activities including those aimed at establishing an Islamic state, the doctrine of  Abul Ala al-Mawdudi of Jamaat Islami  and Sayyed Qutub of Egypt. The doctrine  that governance and sovereignty only belong to the one Allah as the only creator, sustainer, and ruler of the universe. This doctrine has implications that since Allah is the only one who has authority to regulate the universe and human, those Muslims and Muslims rulers who do not implement the laws of God are considered in opposition against His authority and sovereignty and can be declared as unbelievers. Salafists  argue that political activities can cause, conflicts and divisions within the Muslim World.They assert that the doctrine of tawhid al-hakimiyyah (sovereignty only belong to the one Allah)can incite a revolutionary  spirit that encourages Muslims to rebel against their ruler. This obsession with maintaining and propagating a pure understanding of Islam has produced a strong tendency toward isolationism.

According to the Web sites of the  Salafis,  in India, they are 25-30 million. It has 21 branches and 200 branches at district levels and 40 branches are in local levels.  Salafis ulemas  attract Muslims particularly youths  through their speeches and literature.

However, opponents of Salafis  accused  Salafists of   creating  bigotry  and making colonized mosques which further create more divisions in the Muslims. ‘The Salafis supposed ‘greed’ in demanding that ‘all Muslims follow only their school of thought’ says the Sunni ulemas. The tussle among them is seen in many mosques  as they try to wrest control of the administration. It gives them the power to spread their ideology from the mosques.

 Salafis movement is  making an impact in most of the countries. However, it is not a homogenous  movement   and has contradictory tendencies which have sprung up in different countries.

Notes

Barelvi is a term used for the movement following the sunni hanafi school of jurisprudence originating in Bareilly,Utter Pradesh.The movement has to do with the practices and Sufism of Classic Islamic Mystics, it is often referred to as a Sufi movement. The movement was in existence (as is today) under the banner of Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jammat.

Deobandi  are strong proponents of the doctrine of Taqlid. In other words, they believe that a Muslim must adhere to one of the four schools of Sunni Islamic Law.

  The Four Schools-  The vast majority of Muslims give this right of independent reasoning to only four ancient Muslim theologians and jurists who lived in the first three centuries of Islam.Imam Abu Hanifa of Kufa,Imam Malik bin Anas of Medinah Imam Muhammad al-Shafi of Medinah,Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal of Baghdad.

Wahhabism is named after an eighteenth-century preacher and scholar, Muhammad ibn Abd al Wahhab(1703–1792). He started a revivalist movement in the remote, sparsely populated region of  Najad advocating a purging of practices such as the popular "cult of saints", and  shrine and tomb visitation, widespread among Muslims, but which he considered idolatry , impurities and innovations in Islam

 Taqi ad-Din Ahmad ibn Taymiyyah  known as Ibn Taymiyyah (22 January 1263 – 26 September 1328) was a Islamic scholar, theologian and logician.

References

1 -Anatomy of the Salafi Movement-Quintan Wiktorowicz

2-Jihadi-Salafi views of the Islamic State By Joas Wagemakers

3-Salafi Ritual Purity by Richard Gauvain

3-Global Salafism: Islam’s New Religious Movement

Author : Roel Meijer Publisher : Columbia University Press

4- From Wahhabis to Salafis- David Commins

5-Sufis and Salafis in the  contemporary age.-Lioyd Ridgeon.

6) Salafism and Sufisim- is there real conflict- Asgar Ali Engineer. 

Deep Shikha’ an UNICEF project change lives of girls in Jalna dist. 
By-AHMED NOOR
Jalna, Aug 23:
With the support of UNICEF, five Non-Government Organisations have 
undertaken a project ‘Deep Shikha’ to change the lives of 
adolescent girls, teach them their rights, about health and life 
skills. Scores of girls have been prevented by volunteers of the 
UNICEF and have brought back to schools. Child marriage – marrying 
before the legal age at 18 years for girls and 21 years for boys- is 
widespread in the state. Jalna district is no exception. Child brides 
are often forced to drop out of schools, are subject to the risks of 
early pregnancy and are more likely to be exposed to violence and 
isolation. A media co-coordinator of the UNICEF, Vandana Khare 
said the UNICEF has been carrying project Deep Shikha for last 
three years. The project has been working on 6000 girls in the 
district. Thousands girls have changed their lives and getting 
education who have been dropped out due to many reasons. A block 
coordinator ofJafrabad tehsil, Anil Sahane said girls who opposed 
their early marriages, became part of the UNICEF and working for 
change their lives. Vanita Mapari who had been in nine class, her 
parents arranged marriage with a distant relative. Vanita opposed 
the marriage and desire to continue education. Upon hearing that 
Vanita’s parents were arranging an early marriage, members of the 
UNICEF visited and met Vanita and parents convinced them to wait 
until Vanita is both physically and emotionally ready for marriage. 
Now Vanita is studying in BA and has ambitious to join the police 
force. Vanita has became volunteer of the UNICEF and working in 
it.She said under Deep Shikha, girls are learning that marrying 
before they are ready puts them at a higher risk of early 
childbearing, domestic violence and abuse, and economic dependence. 
There are many story stories in rural parts of Jafrabad Seema Gufne 
of Sawarkheda, Jayshree Bhise of Deulzari villages and many girls 
in rural parts of the district who had opposed the marriages and 
now pursing higher education thanks to the UNICEF.Jafrabad tehisl 
is the lowest in terms of Human Development Index. Bad roads and 
absence of state transport bus are major hurdle for girls.There is 
a high school at Sipra village where girls from adjoining villages 
come to the school. Due to absence of state transport bus the girls 
gave up high schooling. Girls had to walk five or six km. A village 
boy, Sarjirao Bhople said we students had staged 17 andolans 
for running the state transport bus. Now a state transport bus runs 
which connects many villages and drop rate of girls from school has 
been decreased. 

    Drought hit Jalna dist recorded surplus rain fall this year.

                                       
                                                By-AHMED NOOR

This year,  the   rain God   has shown mercy in Jalna district which  r faced the worst drought condition in the state. The district recorded  surplus rain  fall 153  mm rain fall.  According to the revenue  the  average rain fall  of the district 634 mm , this year the till October 18, the district recorded 787.56 mm. The last year district had  faced the worst drought condition; which was recorded 321, less than 50 percent.  
  Partur  tehsil     has recorded highest rain fall of this season-964 mm., followed by  Jafrabad - 955 mm. However  the Ghanswangi tehsil  has lowest rain fall in the district- 533mm. The Jalna tehsil  has  822 mm. Other  tehsil  Badnapur -618, Bhokardan- 783.75. Mantha- 860, Ambad- 759 mm rain fall was recorded till October 18.  
If we look the figure of rain fall  during last 10 year, the district had registered  highest rain fall in 2010 which was - 839 mm, and lowest rain fall in 2012- 321 mm.   In 2004- 589, 2005- 661, 3006- 763. 2007-578, 2008- 546, 2009- 534,2010- 839,2011-544, 2012 -321  and 2013 -787 mm rain fall recorded. 
 The water reservoirs of small and medium projects have received good rain fall. The water reservoir of Jalna, Partur, Mantha, Bhokardan and Jafrabad are brimming. The Ghanewadi water reservoir which is main sources of drinking water to the town,  is overflowing. The reservoir has reached 17 feet water.   Five months back, when  was reeling under  water scarcity,  traders and members of  business community had undertaken of clearing silt from Ghanewadi. A huge of silt was cleared, which helped in retaining good rain fall.
  Shirpur pattern check dams  have also  been constructed in the town which bore fruitful result. The check dams in the town  retained sufficient rain water which  increased  ground level water. As result bore wells  of the town have sufficient  water. More over  most of residents have adopted rain harvesting   at their homes and percolated rain water in their bore wells.

Unicef prevented 84 child marriage in Jalna

By-AHMED NOOR

The marriage of 13- year old girl was stopped by the volunteers of United Nations Children's Fund Fund  (Unicef) volunteers with the help of police at Salegaon in Partur tehsil recently  ‘Her drunkard   father was forcing  her to marry, we  intervened it  and  succeeded to  persuade the father and relatives  to cancel the marriage ceremony.  The girl has been admitted in Kasturbai school Jalna  as she wants to study further’, said activist of unicef  of Ekanth Raut.
 There are scores of cases of child marriages in the district  prevented by Unicef.     Consultant for the Unicef , Dnyanesh Renguntwar,  we have been conducting  the project  of prevention of child marriage in five tehsil of Jalna district for last three years. He said 84 cases of child marriage in five tehsil Bhokardan, Partur, Ambad, Ghanswangi and Jafrabad  have been prevented so far.The district superintendent of police, Sanjay Mohite    appreciated the  works of the Unicef and  said the police   have registered six offence under Child Marriage Prevention Act.  He said 379 Village Child Protection Committees have been formed in the five tehsil and make  gender awareness, evils   child marriage  and their rights. ‘Child marriage is a violation of child rights.  To prevent child marriages means we give their rights, said  the activist of Unicef. The  committee is comprised by serpanch, police patil, volunteers of Unicef and government  employee. When a case came before the committee, members committee approach parents of girl and  and boy  and tell them  ill effect of early child marriage and  it is against laws. If they did not listen, a police compliant would be lodged against adamant parents. Ruat said in Partur tehsil  itself 425 volunteers have been working for child welfare. He said economic compulsion , lack of education and social customs lead early marriages. Child brides are often forced to drop out of schools, are subject to the risks of early pregnancy and are more likely to be exposed to violence and isolation.   Child marriage affects both boys and girls but impacts girls with higher incidence and more intensity.   Child marriage – marrying before the legal age at 18 years for girls and 21 years for boys- is widespread in the state. Jalna district is no exception. According to the  National Family Health Survey (NFHS)   of  2007-2008,  the district  had  64.4 percent  women were married under age of 18.  In Marathwada  region  Hingoli recorded  largest child marriage 73.7, followed Parbhani 68.1 and Aurangabad 66.4.Beed 53, Osmanabad 50, Solapur 61.7 Latur 58, Nanded 58.4.

Islam-Being generous  

                                                       By-AHMED NOOR 

Generosity is a common virtue of all religions as it is human trait. Human development can not take place without sharing, caring and giving. It is a virtue, a habit that shapes and governs a way of life. 

Generosity is considered is the best quality among good Muslims. Prophet Muhammad saying: “The believer is simple and generous, but the wicked person is deceitful and ignoble.” Islam encourages this concept of generosity so much so that it is embedded in one of the five pillars of Islam as Zakat. In Arabic, the term zakat literally means purification of the heart however; it is also the payment, from surplus money, of an obligatory charity designed by God to provide for all the needy and the poor. The Quranic word Zakah not only includes charity, alms, tithe, kindness, and spiritual as well as moral motives. There is also another form of generosity in Islam called sadaqah (optional charity).

Muhammad Yonus, banker to the Poor of Bangladesh, says generosity means that you give only when you have lot or after fulfilling all your needs, but in fact you can still give when you yourself is struggling. A generous man will share what he has with others, thinking about other people as he thinks of himself. He benefits by helping others and solving their problems. He makes people happy and prevents them from doing wrong, which is often a direct result of poverty. The true measure of persons is not what they own or have consumed, but rather what they have given to others- in time, treasure and talent. 

Generosity is the opposite of stinginess, as stinginess is a disease of the heart. A stingy is never happy and he can not relax, he never enjoy because enjoyment is in sharing and caring. Giving is a beautiful experience. The more we give the more we receive. It can bring you more meaning , fulfillment , and happiness. The Holy Quran says ‘ And whatever you spend in good, it will be repaid to you in full, and you shall not be wronged.”

Being generous in Islam.

Excellent education can stop exodus of talent students from Jalna.

Excellent education  can stop exodus  of talent students from Jalna.

                       By-AHMED NOOR

A decent education is a passport to a good, comfortable and secure life. The thread of the growth of society depends upon the quality of education that is being imparted. The better the quality education makes the better people, better economy and better living.

As far as concern the education scenario in Jalna district , the quality of education is improving  slowly. However picture of government schools is dismal. Despite of expending large chunk of funds for spreading literacy and enhancing quality of education in government schools, they could not get fruitful result. Education standard   government schools are deplorable. That is why parents prefers to send their wards to privates schools, that is too in English medium schools.

If we look at the statistics of literacy of the district we find, there are some growth but quality  is not maintained.  Average literacy rate of Jalna in 2011 were 73.61 compared to 64.42 of 2001. If things are looked out at gender wise, male and female literacy were 85.25 and 61.28 respectively. For 2001 census, same figures stood at 79.15 and 49.07 in Jalna District. Total literate in Jalna District were 1,234,433 of which male and female were 735,402 and 499,031 respectively. In 2001, Jalna District had 870,399 in its district. The Jalna Zilla Parishad runs about 1400 schools in which 33 are high schools which spread in rural parts of the district. The Right to Education which has been introduced by the government showed new era of education sector. However there is much confusion and hurdles of its implementation. . 

More over 500 private schools  aided and non aided  are being run in the district. The district has engineering college, polytechnic colleges. It has also been making leaps and bound in higher education sector too.

Mushrooming non-grant schools and colleges lead degrading education standard. Unaided schools and colleges face paucity funds as result of lack of infrastructure and low salary to teachers are major hurdles in maintaining  good education. Though  there are  large numbers of education institutions, very few education institutions maintain quality and excellence education-that is too English medium schools. That is why an exodus of talent and cream of students  to other cities particularly  Aurangabad and  Pune. Principal of   Saint Mary' School, Fr. George said  the government is only spending money on education, it  is needed  sincere  efforts and dedication  from    teachers and  education department  in improving of education in government schools. If these  things are maintained, poor of strata of class  can good education in government schools.

. Educationists feel that if the district has improved standard quality of education, the large number of exodus of talents can be stopped. The director of Scholars' Career Academy, Kailash Pawar said  the  quality of education of a student depends on various factors like the teaching to which he is exposed, the educational facilities and environment available in the institution.  If these things available  in a small town, like Jalna, migrating  of the toppers  can be stopped