Saudi Arabia’s ban on Tablighi Jamaat has drawn a strong protest from leaders of the Jamiat Ulema E Hind but the ban is likely to affect the global organisation's position as Saudi Arabia has made it clear that it was imposed as the organisation was following new texts that are not part of the puritanical interpretation of Islam as followed in the Wahhabi school in the country.
“President of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Maulana Mahmood Madani said that those who are opposing the Tablighi Jamaat are either influenced by baseless propaganda or ignorant of facts. The Tablighi Jamaat is at present the largest peaceful religious and constructive movement all over the world,” said Niaz Ahmed Farooqui, Secretary, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, in a statement sent to The Hindu . The Embassy of Saudi Arabia did not respond to The Hindu ’s query about the ban imposed on December 6. The Ministry of Islamic Affairs in a public announcement on social media said, “Affiliation with partisan groups, (including the Tablighi and Da'wah group) is prohibited in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.” The ban by Saudi Arabia which also refers to the organisation as “one of the gates of terrorism” is likely to impact the organisation’s standing in multiple countries where it commands great following. At present, the organisation has active members spread across the world and mainly in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Southeast Asia. The organisation is known to preach Islamic values among fellow Muslims and urges them to adhere to what it believes are the correct Islamic values. A leading Gulf-based author and cultural commentator who chose to remain anonymous believes that though the Tablighis are often referred to as “Islamic proselytizers”, they are in fact known for preaching within the Islamic community and not so much outside. He also believes that this is also the root of the issue that placed the Tablighis into trouble in Saudi Arabia.
“In recent years, the women's wing of Tablighi Jamaat has been visiting Saudi citizens at home seeking adherence to what they believe is the right Islamic path. As a state based on Wahhabism, Saudi authorities probably did not like that an outside group gaining acceptance in the religious domain where the Saudi state has the last word,” said the commentator saying the decision has a tinge of ethnic bias as the Arab states do not like to be taught Islam by others.
