Wikipedia

Darul Uloom Deoband

Darul Uloom Deoband
دارالعلوم دیوبند
TypeIslamic seminary
Established31 May 1866 (159 years ago) (1866-05-31)
Founders
RectorAbul Qasim Nomani
PrincipalArshad Madani
Location
Deoband, Uttar Pradesh
,
India

29°41′51″N 77°40′34″E / 29.69750°N 77.67611°E / 29.69750; 77.67611
CampusUrban
Websitedarululoom-deoband.com
Darul Uloom Deoband is located in Uttar Pradesh
Darul Uloom Deoband
Location of the seminary in
Uttar Pradesh
Part of a series on
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Beliefs
Practices
History
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Related topics
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Deobandi movement
Ideology and influences
Founders and key figures
Notable institutions
Darul ulooms and madrasas
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Deobandi jihadism
Deobandi jihadism:

Darul Uloom Deoband is an Islamic seminary in Deoband, Uttar Pradesh, India, established on 15 Muharram 1283 AH / 31 May 1866, in the aftermath of the 1857 revolt, through the efforts of Sayyid Muhammad Abid and other local scholars and notables.[1][6][3][4] Muhammad Qasim Nanautawi is later described in historiography as the seminary’s intellectual guide and principal founder (bānī-yi aʿẓam).[5] The institution, which began under a pomegranate tree with the Dars-i Nizami curriculum, later developed into a leading center of Islamic learning in South Asia, after Al-Azhar University.[7] It came to be regarded as a vanguard of Sunni Muslim identity in the Indian subcontinent and gave rise to the Sunni Deobandi movement.[7] The seminary has been described not merely as a madrasa but as a 'center of Islamic culture' and a 'patrimony for the Islamic world.'[8]

History

[edit]
Main article: Foundation of Darul Uloom Deoband
Masjid-e-Rasheed in the seminary compound

Darul Uloom Deoband was established on 15 Muharram 1283 AH, Thursday (31 May 1866[9]), when local scholars and notables including Sayyid Muhammad Abid, Fazlur Rahman Usmani, Mahtab Ali Deobandi, Nihal Ahmad Deobandi, Zulfiqar Ali Deobandi, and Rafiuddin Deobandi gathered funds to open an Arabic madrasa in the Chhatta Masjid, Deoband.[10][11][12][4] Mahmud Deobandi was appointed the first teacher, and Mahmud Hasan Deobandi was the first student who enrolled in the seminary.[13][14]

In 1292 AH / 1875 CE, the foundation of the present campus was laid, with Muhammad Qasim Nanautawi persuading Sayyid Abid Husain to join in the ceremony and place the second brick.[15][16]

In 1982, during the Vice Chancellorship of Muhammad Tayyib Qasmi, administrative disputes occurred in the seminary which led to the formation of Darul Uloom Waqf.[17][18]

The spread of the Deobandi movement in the United Kingdom has produced some criticism concerning their views on interfaith dialogue and values including democracy, secularism, and the rule of law.[citation needed] In September 2007 Andrew Norfolk of The Times published an article titled "Hardline takeover of British mosques" about the influence of the Deobandis whom the author called a "hardline Islamic sect".[19]

In February 2008, an anti-terrorism conference organised by the seminary denounced all forms of terrorism.[20]

On 11 October 2025, as part of his first trip to India, Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi visited Darul Uloom Deoband, the site of the Deobandi movement, which has a significant influence on Afghanistan's ruling Taliban.[21]

Program

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The school teaches manqulat (revealed Islamic sciences) according to the Hanafi school of Islamic jurisprudence.[citation needed] In this seminar, Nanawtawi instituted modern methods of learning such as teaching in classrooms, a fixed and carefully selected curriculum, lectures by academics who were leaders in their fields, exam periods, merit prizes, and a publishing press.[citation needed] Students were taught in Urdu, and sometimes in Arabic for theological reasons or Persian, for cultural and literary reasons. The curriculum is based on a highly modified version of the 18th century Indo-Islamic syllabus known as Dars-e-Nizami.[citation needed] The students learn the Quran and its exegesis; Hadith and its commentary; and juristic rulings with textual and rational proofs. They also study the biography of Muhammad, Arabic grammar, Arabic language and literature, and Persian language.[22]

Almost a quarter of the students who complete the Daurae Hadith continue their studies. These advanced courses include Takmil Ifta (Jurisprudence); Takmil Adab (Arabic literature); and Takhassus fil Hadith (Hadith).[22] Students who complete the Takmil Ifta take the title Mufti.

Role in the Indian independence movement

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See also: Silk Letters Movement

The political ideals of Darul Uloom Deoband were founded up to ten years prior to its opening. In 1857, Imdadullah Muhajir Makki (a spiritual leader) and his followers, Muhammad Qasim Nanautawi, Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi, Muhammad Yaqub Nanautawi and others gathered at Thana Bhawan to protest against British rule and continue their call for the independence of India.[23] They fought what is called the Battle of Shamli.[23]

In 1926 and 1927, graduates of the school called for Indian independence at Jamiat Ulama meetings in Calcutta and Peshawar. Madani opposed the suggestion of the All-India Muslim League for the partition of India along sectarian lines. He also advocated democratic government with religious freedoms and tolerance.[24][25][26]

On 29 December 1929, Majlis-e-Ahrar-ul-Islam (Majlis-e-Ah'rar-e-Islam, Urdu: مجلس احرارلأسلام, or Ahrar), a conservative Sunni Muslim Deobandi political party was founded in Lahore, Punjab. The founding members of the party were Chaudhry Afzal Haq, Syed Ata Ullah Shah Bukhari, Habib-ur-Rehman Ludhianvi, Mazhar Ali Azhar, Zafar Ali Khan and Dawood Ghaznavi.[27] The founding members were disillusioned by the Khilafat Movement, which had aligned with the Indian National Congress.[28] The party gathered support from the urban lower-middle class. It opposed Muhammad Ali Jinnah, leader of the All-India Muslim League and in the early years of Pakistan wanted Ahmadiyas to be declared non-Muslims.[29]

Fatwas

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A fatwa is “an issue arising about law and religion, explained in answer to questions received about it” by muftis (Islamic jurists).[30] Muftis at Darul Ifta (fatwa department), Darul Uloom Deoband are responsible for giving fatwas.[31]

On 31 May 2008, the seminary issued a significant public “Fatwa against terrorism” after a public rally in Delhi with around 100,000 representatives from nearly 6,000 madrasas across India, including those from different sects. The fatwa was a first of its kind in South Asia and stated that "in Islam, creating social discord or disorder, breach of peace, rioting, bloodsan, pillage or plunder and killing of innocent persons anywhere in the world are all considered most inhuman crimes.”[32][33][34] The edict was signed by Habibur Rahman Khairabadi.[35]

Controversial fatwas

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In January 2012, scholars from a Deobandi school issued a religious decision calling for the author Salman Rushdie to be barred from entering India to attend a literature festival because, in their opinion, he had offended Muslim sentiments.[36][37]

In May 2010, clerics from a Deobandi school issued a fatwa stating that men and women cannot work together in public offices unless the women are properly clothed.[38][39][40]

In September 2013, scholars from a Deobandi school issued a fatwa banning photography as un-Islamic unless it is for an identity card or for making a passport.[41]

In February 2024, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, demanded an FIR against the seminary's alleged promotion of the idea of Ghazwa-e-Hind, claiming that a supporting fatwa was available on their website, in response to a question seeking an answer to "whether Hadith talks about invasion of India or the Ghazwa-e-Hind".[42][43][44]

Entry of women in campus

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Darul Uloom Deoband has garnered attention for its stances on women's rights, including issuing fatwas that restrict certain activities for Muslim women, including watching men's football,[45] and plucking their eyebrows without their husband's permission.[46] Additionally, the seminary faced criticism for its silence on the Taliban's ban on women's education, as the Taliban also aligns with the Deobandi ideology.[47][48]

In May 2024, Darul Uloom Deoband imposed a ban on the entry of women and girls to its premises, citing concerns over social media videos filmed on the campus. The seminary's rector Abul Qasim Nomani, stated that this decision responded to public complaints about the circulation of these videos, which were considered distracting and offensive by supporters of the institution. Prior to this, women were already restricted from entering the Rashidia mosque on campus; this restriction was now expanded to the entire seminary.[49]

In November 2024, the seminary lifted the ban on women's entry with conditions. Women were allowed on campus only if accompanied by a male guardian, wearing purdah, and prohibited from taking photographs.[50] Reports suggested that the original ban negatively impacted nearby businesses, which led to the policy's revision.[51]

Administration

[edit]

The seminary's co-founder Sayyid Muhammad Abid was the first vice-chancellor.[52] Abul Qasim Nomani succeeded Ghulam Mohammad Vastanvi as the thirteenth VC of the seminary on 24 July 2011.[53][54]

Ordinal Name
(birth–death)		 Term start Term end Time in office Reference
1 Sayyid Muhammad Abid
(1834–1912) 		1866 1867 0–1 years [55]
2 Rafiuddin Deobandi
(1836–1891) 		1867 1868 0–1 years
3 Sayyid Muhammad Abid
(1834–1912) 		1869 1871 1–2 years
4 Rafiuddin Deobandi
(1836–1891) 		1872 1889 16–17 years
5 Sayyid Muhammad Abid
(1834–1912) 		1890 1892 1–2 years
6 Fazl-e-Haque Deobandi 1893 1894 0–1 years
7 Muhammad Munir Nanautavi
(1831-1904) 		1894 1895 0–1 years
8 Hafiz Muhammad Ahmad
(1862–1928) 		1895 1928 32–33 years [56][57]
9 Habibur Rahman Usmani
(1860 -1929) 		1928 1929 0–1 years [55]
10 Muhammad Tayyib Qasmi
(1897–1983) 		1929 9 August 1982 52–53 years [58][59][60][61]
11 Marghubur Rahman Bijnori
(1914–2010) 		1982 2010 27–28 years
12 Ghulam Muhammad Vastanvi
(1950 - 2025) 		11 January 2011 23 July 2011 193 days [62]
13 Abul Qasim Nomani Banarsi
(b. 1947) 		July 24, 2011 incumbent 14 years, 90 days [62]

Academic leadership

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The following tables provide an overview of prominent academic figures who have held senior positions at Darul Uloom Deoband, including principals (Arabic: صدور المدرسين) and senior hadith instructors (Arabic: شيوخ الحديث).[63]

Principals of Darul Uloom Deoband
No. Name Term
1 Yaqub Nanautawi 1866–1883
2 Syed Ahmad Dehlavi 1884–1890
3 Mahmud Hasan Deobandi 1890–1915
4 Anwar Shah Kashmiri 1915–1927
5 Hussain Ahmad Madani 1927–1957
6 Muhammad Ibrahim Balyawi 1957–1967
7 Syed Fakhruddin Ahmad 1967–1972
8 Fakhrul Hasan Moradabadi 1972–1980
9 Mirajul Haq Deobandi 1981–1991
9 Naseer Ahmad Khan 1991–2008
10 Saeed Ahmad Palanpuri 2008–2020
11 Arshad Madani 2020–present
Senior Hadith Teachers (Shuyukh al-Hadith) of Darul Uloom Deoband
No. Name Term
1 Yaqub Nanautawi 1866–1883
2 Syed Ahmad Dehlavi 1884–1890
3 Mahmud Hasan Deobandi 1890–1915
4 Anwar Shah Kashmiri 1915–1927
5 Hussain Ahmad Madani 1927–1957
6 Syed Fakhruddin Ahmad 1957–1972
7 Sharif Hasan Deobandi 1972–1977
8 Naseer Ahmad Khan 1977–2008
9 Saeed Ahmad Palanpuri 2008–2020
10 Abul Qasim Nomani 2020–present

Notable alumni

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Main articles: List of Darul Uloom Deoband alumni and List of students of Mahmud Hasan Deobandi

Alumni include:

Publications

[edit]
Further information: Magazines of Darul Uloom Deoband

Darul ‘Uloom Deoband and its alumni publish:

See also

[edit]

References

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  1. ^ a b Deobandi 1899, pp. 52–53.
  2. ^ Deobandi 1992, pp. 58–60.
  3. ^ a b Rahmani 2007, pp. 47–48.
  4. ^ a b c Gīlānī 1954, p. 236.
  5. ^ a b Deobandi 1992, p. 61.
  6. ^ Deobandi 1992, pp. 58–61.
  7. ^ a b Bhattacharya, S. (2010). Madarsa Education in India Pakistan and Bangladesh. India: School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University. p. 61.
  8. ^ Singh, David Emmanuel (2012). Islamization in Modern South Asia: Deobandi Reform and the Gujjar Response. Religion and Society Ser. Gustavo Benavides, Kocku Stuckrad. Boston: De Gruyter, Inc. p. 21. ISBN 978-1-61451-185-4.
  9. ^ Khalili Qasmi, Muhammadullah (October 2020). Darul Uloom Deoband Ki Jame O Mukhtasar Tareekh [Comprehensive and Concise History of Darul Uloom Deoband] (in Urdu) (2nd ed.). India: Shaikh-Ul-Hind Academy. p. 74. OCLC 1345466013. The lunar date of the establishment of Darul Uloom is 15 Muharram 1283 AH. In the books its corresponding solar date is mentioned as 30 May 1866, but the correct date is 31 May; because in the roodad of Darul Uloom for 1283 AH it is mentioned that four days after the establishment of Darul Uloom, on 19 Muharram, Monday, the announcement of the founders of Darul Uloom was published, and in it the day Monday is explicitly stated; in this respect the day of foundation, that is 15 Muharram, was Thursday, and in old writings Thursday is also mentioned. Therefore, according to the Thursday, the solar date is 31 May, not 30. [Translated from Urdu]
  10. ^ Deobandi, Nazeer Ahmad (1899). "Haji Sayyid Muhammad Ābid". Tadhkirat al-'Ābidīn Imdadul 'Ārifīn (in Urdu). Delhi: Rozana Akhbar Press. pp. 52–53.
  11. ^ Deobandi, Muhammad Miyan (November 1992). Ulama-e-Hind Ka Shāndār Māzi [The Illustrious Legacy of Indian Ulama] (in Urdu). Vol. 5. Karachi: Maktaba Rashīdia. pp. 58–60.
  12. ^ Rahmani, Abdul Hafeez (2007). Sayyid Muhammad Aabid Hussain: Baani-e-Darul Uloom Deoband aur Tarīkhi Haqāiq [Sayyid Muhammad Abid Husain: Founder of Darul Uloom Deoband and Historical Realities] (in Urdu). Loharasan, Sant Kabir Nagar district: Darul Kitab. pp. 47–48.
  13. ^ Gīlānī, Manāzir Ahsan (1954). Sawānih-e-Qāsmi [Biography of Qāsim Nanautawi] (in Urdu). Vol. 2. Idara Nashr-o-Ishā'at, Darul Uloom Deoband. p. 261–264.
  14. ^ Metcalf, Barbara (1978). "The Madrasa at Deoband: A Model for Religious Education in Modern India". Modern Asian Studies. 12 (1): 111–134. doi:10.1017/S0026749X00008179. JSTOR 311825. S2CID 145793477.
  15. ^ Miyan, Sayyid Muhammad (1947). Ulama-e-Haqq aur unke Mujahidana Karname (in Urdu). Vol. 1. Moradabad: Kutub Khana Fakhriyya. pp. 78–80.
  16. ^ Bijnori, Azizur Rahman (July 1967). Tadhkira Mashā'ikh-e-Deoband (in Urdu) (2nd ed.). Bijnor: Madani Dar-ut-Talīf. pp. 171–173.
  17. ^ Reetz, Dietrich (2009). "2. Change and Stagnation in Islamic Education: The Dar al-'Ulum of Deoband after the Split in 1982". The Madrasa in Asia. pp. 71–104. doi:10.1515/9789048501380-004. ISBN 9789048501380.
  18. ^ Bowering, Gerhard; Crone, Patricia; Mirza, Mahan; Kadi, Wadad; Zaman, Muhammad Qasim; Stewart, Devin J. (2013). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Islamic Political Thought. Princeton University Press. p. 132. ISBN 978-0-691-13484-0.
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  20. ^ "Muslim clerics declare terror 'un-Islamic'". The Times of India. 28 November 2011. Archived from the original on 28 November 2011. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  21. ^ Faisal, C K (13 October 2025). "Muttaqi's Deoband visit and the soft power lesson it holds for India". The New Indian Express.
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  23. ^ a b Thanwi, Najmul Hasan. Maidan-e-Shamli-o-Thana Bhawan awr Sarfaroshan-e-Islam (in Urdu). Thana Bhawan: Idara Talifat-e-Ashrafia. p. 8.
  24. ^ "Islamic Pakistan". www.ghazali.net. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  25. ^ Jaffrelot, C.; Beaumont, G. A History of Pakistan and Its Origins. p. 224. ISBN 1-84331-149-6.
  26. ^ "Barelvi Islam". www.globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  27. ^ Ahmad, Syed Nesar (1991). Origins of Muslim Consciousness in India: A World-system Perspective. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-313-27331-5.
  28. ^ Jaffrelot, Christophe (28 September 2004). A History of Pakistan and Its Origins. Anthem Press. ISBN 978-1-84331-149-2.
  29. ^ Bahadur, Kalim (1998). "Dark Forebodings About President Tarar". Democracy in Pakistan: Crises and Conflicts. Delhi: Har Anand Publications. p. 176. ISBN 978-8-12410-083-7.
  30. ^ Masud, Muhammad Khalid; Kéchichian, Joseph A.; Messick, Brinkley; Dallal, Ahmad S.; Hendrickson, Jocelyn (2009). "Fatwā". The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-530513-5.
  31. ^ "About". darulifta-deoband.com. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  32. ^ Majumdar, Bappa (1 June 2008). "Darool-Uloom Deoband issues fatwa against terror". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2 May 2021. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  33. ^ Dash, Kamala Kanta. "The Fatwa against Terrorism: Indian Deobandis Renounce Violence but Policing Remains Unchanged" (PDF). Radicalisation Crossing Borders International Conference, Melbourne, Australia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 January 2021.
  34. ^ "Coming, fatwa against terrorism". Hindustan Times. 20 February 2008. Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  35. ^ "Deoband first: A fatwa against terror". The Times of India. 1 June 2008. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  36. ^ "Darul Uloom Farangimahal fatwa Rushdie Jaipur visit. Siasat.com
  37. ^ Cleric seeks apology from Rushdie. Kashmir monitor.org 19 January 2012.
  38. ^ "Young Muslim women fume at Deoband diktat." Archived 23 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine News-views.India.
  39. ^ "archive.ph". archive.ph. Archived from the original on 19 July 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  40. ^ "Insurance policy is un-Islamic: Deoband." Archived 21 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine Express India
  41. ^ "Deoband issues fatwa banning photography as un-Islamic – Times Of India". The Times of India. 14 September 2013. Archived from the original on 14 September 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  42. ^ "Child rights body seeks FIR against Deoband's Darul Uloom over Ghazwa-e-Hind fatwa". Hindustan Times. 22 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  43. ^ "Child rights body seeks action against Darul Uloom Deoband over Ghazwa-e-Hind fatwa". India Today. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  44. ^ "Child rights body seeks action over 'anti-India' fatwa on website of Darul Uloom Deoband". The Indian Express. 23 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  45. ^ "Women watching football is un-Islamic, rules Darul Uloom". theweek.in. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  46. ^ "Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Deoband issues fatwa banning Muslim women from grooming eyebrows". Firstpost. 8 October 2017. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  47. ^ "Why Indian Deobandis Are Quiet on Women Education Ban?". Hasht e Subh. 18 February 2023.
  48. ^ "Why Indian Deobandis Are Quiet on Women's Education Ban?; By Manish Rai". www.pakistanchristianpost.com. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  49. ^ Raju, S (17 May 2024). "Darul Uloom bans entry of women, says they made reels; activists say unfair". Hindustan Times.
  50. ^ "UP Islamic seminary Darul Uloom lifts ban on women's entry, veils compulsory". India Today. 10 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  51. ^ "After 6 months: Deoband seminary lifts ban on women visitors, imposes conditions". Hindustan Times. 10 November 2024.
  52. ^ Rizwi, Syed Mehboob, History of the Dar al-Ulum Deoband, vol. 2, translated by Murtaz Hussain F Quraishi, p. 167
  53. ^ Abantika Ghosh (25 July 2011). "Vastanvi axed as Darul V-C for praising Modi". The Times of India. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  54. ^ "Maulana Mufti Abul Qasim Nomani, New Acting Mohtamim of Darul Uloom Deoband". DEOBAND ONLINE. Archived from the original on 1 April 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  55. ^ a b Rizwi, Syed Mehboob (November 1981). "Arbab-e-Ehtemam". History of The Dar al-Ulum Deoband (PDF). Vol. 2. Translated by Prof. Murtaz Husain F. Quraishi (1st ed.). Idara-e-Ehtemam, Dar al-Ulum Deoband. pp. 164–178. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  56. ^ Rizwi 1981, p. 173.
  57. ^ Ernst, Carl W.; Martin, Richard C. (27 November 2012). Rethinking Islamic Studies: From Orientalism to Cosmopolitanism. Univ of South Carolina Press. p. 355. ISBN 978-1-61117-231-7. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  58. ^ Usmani, Mufti Taqi (April 2007). "Qari Muhammad Tayyab". Nuqoosh-e-Raftgaan (in Urdu). Karachi: Maktabatul Maarif. pp. 193–194.
  59. ^ Tayyib, Qari Muhammad (June 1965). Darul Uloom Deoband Ki Sad-Sāla Zindagi [Centenary Life of Darul Uloom Deoband] (in Urdu) (1st ed.). Deoband: VC Office, Darul Uloom. pp. 96, 101.
  60. ^ Qasmi 2020, pp. 583, 585, 747, 750.
  61. ^ Amini, Noor Alam Khalil (June 2010). Pas-e-Marg Zindah (in Urdu) (3rd ed.). Deoband: Idara Ilm-o-Adab. pp. 159, 173.
  62. ^ a b Ghosh, Abantika (24 July 2011). "Vastanvi axed as Darul V-C for praising Modi". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 8 September 2011. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
  63. ^ Qasmi 2020, pp. 748–749.
  64. ^ Ameeni K. (ed.) Al-Da'ee/Ad-Da'ee.
  65. ^ Qaasmi H. (ed.) Maah Namah Darul 'Uloom.
  66. ^ 'Alwi K. (ed.) Aaeenah
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