Click to play videoDeoband, UP: Deoband's influential seminary, the Dar-ul-Uloom, has distanced itself from the terror tag.
At a confluence of top Ulemas on Monday, the Dar-ul-Uloom, which is one of the oldest seminaries of the country, adopted a declaration declaring terrorism unIslamic.
Coming from the precincts of the Dar-ul-Uloom in Deoband, the declaration acquires a significance of its own. Monday's congregation was represented by 6000 madrassas, with delegates present from all sects – Shias and Sunnis.
The declaration adopted by various organisations also criticised attempts to malign Muslims and madrassas, in general.
“Both terrorism and the state's treatment of innocent Muslims ought to be condemned strongly,” stated the seminary’s Vice-Chancellor, Maulana Karim Mohammad Usman.
Deobandis don't admit it but there was political and administrative pressure on the Dar-ul-Uloom.
As Jamait-e-Ulema Hind President Maulana Arshad Madani says, “Everytime there is a bomb blast, innocent Muslims are suspected. We had to do this to clear our name.”
Deobandis have also been worried by growing incidence of terror even in Uttar Pradesh.
“Young minds are being misguided. This declaration will clear confusion in their mind about Islam's stand on terrorism,” explained Mufti Aijaz Arshad Qasmi.
This is the first time a formal declaration distancing Islam from terrorism been made from such an important Islamic platform.
It's a positive interpretation of Islam that everybody has been waiting for. The message is clear – stop using religion as an excuse to further personal causes.
With inputs from Divya Iyer
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