How a small town in 19th-century India sparked a global Islamic revivalist movement full of contradictions.
In the wake of the Indian Rebellion of 1857, colonial rule was tightening. Amidst a sense of cultural and political loss, a group of Muslim scholars asked a critical question: How do we preserve our faith?
Their answer wasn't a call to arms, but a call to knowledge. In 1866, in the quiet town of Deoband, they founded a small seminary, the Darul Uloom. It was a quiet act of resistance, funded by the people, for the people.
The school's founders, like Muhammad Qasim Nanautavi, championed a return to the pristine Islam of the Quran and the traditions of the Prophet. Their focus was strict adherence to Hanafi jurisprudence and a rejection of what they saw as excessive rituals.
The goal was simple yet profound: create a generation of scholars who could protect and propagate Islamic knowledge, independent of colonial state influence. The curriculum was traditional, focusing on scripture, law, and logic.
While dedicated to piety, the movement wasn't apolitical. Many Deobandi scholars became fierce anti-colonialists. But their vision of the future might surprise you.
Long before partition, key Deobandi leaders championed 'composite nationalism.' They argued that Hindus and Muslims could form a single, united nation to fight British rule, and they actively opposed the creation of Pakistan.
After independence, Deobandi thought traveled far beyond India. From Pakistan and Bangladesh to the UK and South Africa, new communities adapted its teachings to their own realities. But this spread also led to deep divisions.
Within South Asia, a major theological schism grew between Deobandis and Barelvis. They clashed over core beliefs, like the veneration of saints and the nature of the Prophet, creating a rivalry that shapes society to this day.
In the borderlands of Afghanistan and Pakistan, a harder-line interpretation of Deobandi thought took root. This ideology, taught in some seminaries, heavily influenced the rise of the Taliban.
This connection to extremism has since defined the movement for many. Yet, it remains internally diverse. Most followers are apolitical, focused on personal piety and education, far removed from geopolitical conflict.
The movement constantly debates its place in the modern world. Can one use photography? How to engage with secular states? These questions reveal a tradition in constant, and sometimes tense, conversation with its own principles.
The original Darul Uloom Deoband in India has issued clear fatwas, or religious edicts, against terrorism. This creates a complex and often contradictory relationship with its most infamous offshoots.
From its anti-colonial beginnings and its dream of a united India, to the global network of schools and the rise of the Taliban, the Deobandi movement is a story of profound contradictions.
It is a living tradition that encompasses education, spirituality, nationalism, and extremism. Understanding its journey is key to understanding the complex history of modern South Asia and global Islam.
Discover more curated stories