Darul
Uloom Deoband
Deoband: 1866-2010 =
1283-1431 HISTORY
The foundation history of Darul Uloom dates back to the fall of Muslim
Empire in India in 1857 in the hands of East India Company. It was a tragic
turn of history that not only Muslim government was thrown out but multitude
Muslim leaders and scholars were beheaded, gunned down and even hanged to
death. The Muslim monuments, mosques, madrasas and institutions were razed and
pulled down. Nearly, all the Muslim educational places which used to survive on
the donations of Muslim rulers and nawabs ceased to exist and the entire Muslim
culture and Islamic heritage was at verge of destruction and perishing. The
government was bitterly against Muslims and it utilized every means to crush
their first enemies, Muslims. Moreover, the Colonial forces were embedded with
scores of missionaries ready to convert the heartbroken and poverty-stricken
masses to Christianity.
In this critical time, there were few fortunate Ulama who escaped the deadly
reprisal launched against Muslims, particularly Ulama. They did not sit back
quietly. Though, they were defeated at the battlefield of weapons, but they did
not spare hope to preserve the Muslim honour and Islamic heritage entrusted to
them by their elders and ancestors. So, they planned to start a madrasa in
Deoband as centre of their activities with public contributions and
co-operations.
May 30, 1866 (15 Muharram, 1283) Thursday was that blessed and auspicious day
in the Islamic history of India when the foundation stone for the renaissance
of Islam was laid in the land of Deoband. Seeing the simple and ordinary manner
in which it had been started, it was difficult to visualize that a madrasa
beginning so humbly, with utter lack of equipments, was destined to become the
centre of the Islamic sciences in the world.
The head of founding committee of Darul Uloom Deoband was Hazrat Maulana
Muhammad Qasim Nanotavi. The other founding members were: Hazrat Haji Aabid
Hussain, Maulana Mahtab Ali, Maulana Zul Faqqar Ali, Maulana Fazrulr Rahman and
Munshi Fazle Haq.
Fundamental Principles of Darul Uloom
Darul Uloom Deoband was established to fulfil these fundamental objectives
aimed at by their founders:
Imparting and teaching the Holy Quran, Tafseer, Hadith,
Beliefs and other useful sciences
Providing Muslims with complete knowledge of Islam
Nurturing Islamic morals and inculcating Islamic spirit
in students
Propagating, preserving and defending Islam through pen
and tongue.
Keeping Darul Uloom away from the influence of government
and maintain the freedom of knowledge and thought
Establishing madrasas at various places in order to
spread Islamic sciences
With the establishment of Darul Uloom Deoband Maulana
Nanotavi set a bright example before the Indian Muslims. So there was a
continuation of madrasas appearing one after another until it turned into a
strong cobweb of madrasas all across the country. Since it was a new system
that was supposed to be run with help of common people, therefore Maulana
Nanotavi thought it necessary to work out some fundamental rules and
regulations so that this system may not suffer any kind of chaos and failure.
Responding to his thought, he laid down an action plan comprising eight
articles. These articles are known as “Usool-e-Hashtgana” (the eight
principles). They are as follows:
The Madrasa men should always look for the ways to
increase donation and ask others for the same. Well-wishers of Madrasa should
always keep this in mind.
They should always try to carry on giving food to
students and increase their number.
The advisers should always look at the interest of
Madrasa and not to insist on their words. Allah forbidding, if such case
happens the Madrasa will grow weaker and weaker. The advice should be in
time and not be delayed but for the betterment of Madrasa. It is necessary for
the advisers not to be impressed in giving their opinion and the other should
listen carefully with the intention that if he is convinced he would accept
with no hesitation. It is necessary for the Mohtamim (vice chancellor) to consult
in important issues to the advisory board or the visiting guests who are
learned and sincere to the Madrasa. If, by chance, the advisors were not
consulted due to some reasons and the matter was discussed with some others
then the advisors should not get opponent. Yes, if the Mohtamim consulted no
one then the advisors have right to object.
It is also quite necessary for teachers of Madrasa to
have similar views and must not have self-esteem and jealousy. Allah
forbidding, if it occurs the Madrasa will perish.
The teaching materials which are proposed for a year
should be finished, otherwise the Madrasa cannot flourish, and if flourishes it
will not be of any use.
Till the Madrasa does not have any certain source of
income it will, Allah willing, go ahead having trust in Allah. If it has some
specific source of income like industry or business or help from word-keeping
influent, then the asset of trust in Allah will go away. The help from Allah
will stop and the Madrasa men will quarrel each other. In short, assured means
of income should not be kept.
The share of government and the rich also seems
dangerous.
The donations of those who do not wish name and fame seem
more bless-full. After all, good intention of the donor is a cause of
establishment for Madrasa.
Contribution of Darul Uloom Deoband
Darul-Uloom Deoband is today a renowned religious and academic centre in the
Islamic world. In the sub-continent it is the largest institution, even the
fountain head of all Islamic institutions, for the dissemination and
propagation of Islam and the biggest headspring of education in the Islamic
sciences. For the last one and half century, the Darul Uloom, Deoband, is
considered an incomparable teaching institution for the religious education of
the Muslims not only in the sub-continent but also throughout the Islamic
world.
As the fame of Deoband reached farther, students began flocking in droves from
this sub continent as well as from neighbouring and distant countries like
Afghanistan, Iran, Bukhara, Samarqand, Burma, Indonesia, Malaysia, Turkey and
the far off regions of the continent of Africa. Within a short time, the
radiant rays of knowledge and wisdom illumined the heart and mind of the
Muslims with the light of faith and Islamic culture. Having acquired the
knowledge of religion from Darul Uloom Deoband, these accomplished scholars, in
accordance with the demands of religious needs of the time, rendered valuable
services in spreading correct religious beliefs and religious sciences in their
concerned areas.
Till last year nearly one lakh ten thousand students got educated there and
went out to represent Islam in the Muslim community. The majority of
personalities, well-versed in the religions sciences who find mention in the
history of post- Moghul era across the length and breadth of the sub-continent
either have quenched their thirst from this very great river of knowledge or
they are related to educational institution by near or far.
Darul Uloom produced countless celebrated and towering personalities who left
matchless impressions in nearly every sphere of life. More renowned among them
are Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Qasim Nanotavi, Hazrat Maulana Rasheed Ahmad
Gangohi, Hazrat Shaikhul Hind Mahmood Hasan, Hazrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi,
Hazrat Allama Anwar Shah Kashmiri, Hazrat Maulana Hussain Ahmad Madani, Hazrat
Maulana Shabbir Ahmad Usmani, Hazrat Qari Muhammad Tayyib etc etc.
Hazrat Haji Aabid Hussain (1250-1331 AH) was the first Mohtamim of Darul Uloom.
Later, Hazrat Maulana Rafiuddin (1252-1308 AH) Hazrat Haji Fazle Haq, Hazrat
Maulana Muhammad Muneer (b. 1247 AH) Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Ahmad (1279-1347
AH) Hazrat Maulana Habibur Rahman Usmani (d. 1348 AH) Hazrat Maulana Shabbir
Ahmad Usmani (1305-1369 AH) also discharged their duties as Mohtamims. Darul
Uloom witnessed extraordinary developments and expansions during Hazrat Maulana
Qari Muhammad Tayyib’s half century long administration.
Today’s Darul Uloom Deoband
Now, Darul Uloom spreads at an area of 1,32,084 sq.m. with its main building of
Darut Tafseer, Naudarah, Dar-e-Jadid, Masjid-e-Rashid and others covering an
area of 33035 sq.m. and accommodating four thousand students. The education
system starts from Primary and Hifz up to Daurah (graduation in Arabic and
Islamic Sciences). After Daurah, there are some specialization courses like
Ifta (Islamic Jurisprudence), Arabic Literature, Tasfeer, Hadith and Islamic
Sciences while some of them have research sections too in which topper students
get enrolled for further studies and training.
Besides, Darul Uloom provides some job-oriented training in Computer
Applications, Calligraphy and tailoring. From past several years Darul Uloom
started a two year Diploma in English Language and Literature where students
are given extensive training in English reading, writing and speaking. Shaikhul
Hind Academy at Darul Uloom offers diploma in Urdu journalism with some other
departments presenting Comparative Studies in Religions and Sects.
Darul Uloom enjoys the oldest Darul Ifta of India which receives questions
related to Islam and Muslim issues from around the globe. Darul Ifta preserves
more than 500 big registers of fatwas containing millions of questions and
answers. Darul Uloom has Internet Dept from where its official website is
maintained and another Darul Ifta database website is run for Muslims around
the world to get their questions answered. Darul Uloom Deoband has two
monthlies ‘Darul Uloom’ in Urdu and ‘Al-Daie’ in Arabic, these two are
published online as well. Darul Uloom has another bimonthly ‘Aaina-e-Darul
Uloom’ in Urdu.
Darul Uloom is headed by Majlis-e-Shura (Advisory Board) comprising of 21
eminent Muslim scholars and personalities from across the country, while the
internal system is supervised by a Mohtamim (Vice Chancellor). The administration
of Darul Uloom is run through its 33 departments and offices with Darul Ihtemam
(VC Office) at the top.
Darul Uloom Deoband is undoubtedly the centre of Islamic revival and
renaissance in the Indian Subcontinent in the post-Moghul era. Such tremendous
and all-round services and contributions offered Darul Uloom has no match in
the Muslim history, as no such single institution brought about such an
encompassing revolutions in the history of any community and country.
May Allah keep this lofty tree flourishing and blooming!
Allah Kabul korun....
Collected from www.deoband.net
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