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Fieldwork results
Lectures
Publications
Project meetings
Workshops
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| The Islamic Missionary Movement Da´wat-e
Islami
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| The Barelwi response to the translocal
activism of Deoband? |
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Fieldwork in Pakistan - November 2006
Thomas Gugler
| Da´wat-e Islami is a Transnational Islamic Missionary
Group, which was founded in 1981 by Maulana Muhammad Ilyas
Attar Qadri in Karachi. The movement has its headquarters
Faizan-e Madina in Purana Sabji Mandi, Karachi. |
Copyright © Thomas Gugler
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The Faizan-e Madina hosts about forty shops,
which provide pilgrims with devotional objects, madani dress
(´imama-sharif, madani chadar etc.) and of course
books. The most important publication of the movement is
the “Faizan-e Sunnat” (Blessing of the lifestyle
of the Prophet) of founder and leader “Amee-e Ahl-e
Sunnat” Maulana Muhammad Ilyas Attar Qadri. |
Copyright © Thomas Gugler
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The Faizan-e Sunnat emphasises the imitation of the lifestyle
of the Prophet to ignite the love to Muhammad and Madina.
The green turban can be called the trademark of DI. It gave
birth to terms like the “parrots of paradise”
(jannat ke thuthe). The female adherents wear the “Madani
Burqa”. |
Copyright © Thomas Gugler
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The main objective of the movement is to propagate Qur´an
and Sunna: “I have to rectify myself and the people
of the whole world.”
For practicing sunna the DI requests their followers to
act according to the 72 madani-in´amat, fill out the
madani-card, attend the weekly gathering (ijtema´)
and travel on qafila. The missionary groups travel by car,
bus, train and also plane: |
Copyright © Thomas Gugler
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Copyright © Thomas Gugler
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Copyright © Thomas Gugler
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Copyright © Thomas Gugler
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Besides the weekly íjtema´
on Thursdays in local mosques the DI holds also an annual
ijtema´ in Multan. With about 1.5 million members
this three-day long gathering is among the largest gatherings
of Muslims around the world. In dozens of tents people are
invited towards good (naiki ki da´wat). |
Copyright © Thomas Gugler
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Copyright © Thomas Gugler
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Copyright © Thomas Gugler
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Copyright © Thomas Gugler
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Among the famous visitors were in November
2006 Faisal Iqbal and Salman Butt, two cricket-player of
the Pakistani national team. |
| During the annual ijtema´ the movement
takes well care of the physical as well as spiritual needs
of the convened: |
Copyright © Thomas Gugler
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Copyright © Thomas Gugler
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Copyright © Thomas Gugler
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Copyright © Thomas Gugler
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Copyright © Thomas Gugler
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The movement is famous for their programs for people
with special needs. There are programs to teach na´at
and lifestyle of the Prophet to blind and deaf people (in
sign-language). |
Copyright © Thomas Gugler
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