Jamaat-e-Islami Kashmir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jamaat-e-Islami Kashmir
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| Abbreviation | JKJI |
| President | Abdul Hameed Fayaz |
| General Secretary | Faheem Ramazan |
| Spokesperson | Zahid Ali |
| Founded | 1953 |
| Banned | 28 February 2019 |
| Headquarters | Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, India |
| Ideology | Islamism Islamic fundamentalism Islamic revivalism Social conservatism Pro-Pakistan Secession |
| Political position | Right-wing to Far-right |
| Religion | Islam |
| Colors | Green, white, cyan |
The Jamaat-e-Islami Kashmir (JIJK), also known as Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir, is a group that follows Islamic teachings. It is based in Srinagar, a city in the Indian territory of Jammu and Kashmir. This group is different from another one called Jamaat-e-Islami Hind. The JIJK believes that Kashmir is a disputed area. They think the issue should be solved either by the UN or through talks between India, Pakistan, and representatives from Kashmir.
Contents
How Jamaat-e-Islami Kashmir Started
Early Efforts for Change
The JIJK grew from efforts to bring Islamic changes to Kashmir in the late 1800s. At that time, Jammu and Kashmir was ruled by the Dogra dynasty. One important leader was Maulana Rasul Shah. In 1899, he started a group called Anjuman Nusrat ul-Islam. This group wanted to offer both modern and Islamic education. It also aimed to remove practices that were seen as not truly Islamic, especially those that had become part of popular Sufi traditions.
The people from Anjuman started the Islamiya High School and the Oriental College in Srinagar. Rasul Shah's follower, Mirwaiz Yusuf Shah, connected Anjuman with other Islamic reform groups across India. He set up the Muslim Printing Press and started two weekly newspapers. He also published the first translation of the Quran into the Kashmiri language.
These connections brought the Ahl-i-Hadith movement to Kashmir. Sayyed Hussain Shah Batku tried to remove non-Islamic practices from Kashmiri Muslim society. This movement didn't get wide support, but it set the stage for JIJK's later goals for change.
Founding of Jamaat-e-Islami Kashmir
The first leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami Kashmir came from middle-class families with Sufi backgrounds. They were not happy with the non-religious politics of the National Conference. They also disliked the Muslim nationalism supported by the Muslim Conference. Instead, they chose to follow the Islamic ideas of Maulana Maududi, who founded Jamaat-e-Islami in India.
Key early leaders included Sa'aduddin Tarabali. He influenced many men in Shopian, a political center, like Maulana Ghulam Ahmad Ahrar. These leaders were unhappy with religious practices in Kashmir that they felt were not truly Islamic. They also felt that secular Kashmiri leaders, such as Sheikh Abdullah, were not Islamic enough.
The first big meeting of Jamaat-e-Islami was held in Pathankot in 1945. Four Kashmiris attended this meeting. Sa'aduddin, Qari Saifuddin, and Muhammad Hussain Chishti then started the Jamaat in Kashmir. Sa'aduddin became its first leader, a role he held until 1985.
The Jamia Masjid in Srinagar became the place for Jamaat's weekly meetings. The group shared Maududi's writings. The Jamaat grew from Srinagar to other parts of the Valley. Qari Saifuddin and Ghulam Rasul Abdullah traveled to spread the Jamaat's message. The first large meeting in Srinagar in late 1945 had about 70 to 100 people, including government workers, young people, and traders.
History of the Organization
After the Partition of India in 1947, Jamaat members in Srinagar wanted Jammu and Kashmir to join Pakistan. At that time, most Kashmiri Muslims supported Sheikh Abdullah, who favored India. The group that supported Pakistan became a base for the Jamaat. Soon after, Jammu and Kashmir joined India, partly due to the Pakistani tribal invasion. Sheikh Abdullah became the prime minister of Kashmir.
Between 1947 and 1952, more educated young people and government workers joined or supported the Jamaat. The group started many schools and grew its work in media and mosques.
In 1952, the Jama'at-i-Islami Hind decided to separate its Kashmir branch. This was because Jammu and Kashmir was a disputed area. Under Maulana Ahrar and Ghulam Rasul Abdullah, the Jamaat in Kashmir wrote its own rules. These rules were accepted in November 1953. In October 1954, Sa'aduddin was chosen as the President of the organization.
Sa'aduddin expanded the JIJK's work from the Kashmir Valley to Jammu. He was especially concerned about the Muslims in Jammu. They had faced violence during the Partition and felt unsafe. He warned that Jammu Muslims needed help to keep their culture and faith.
The Jamaat grew a lot in the 1950s. Many Kashmiri young people became unhappy with the National Conference's strict rule. They felt it had given away Kashmir's interests to India. This led them to join or support the Jamaat. As opposition to Indian rule grew, the Jamaat gained more support. This was also because the Jamaat promoted religious devotion and social programs based on Islamic principles.
The Jamaat especially appealed to young men from lower-middle-class families in towns like Srinagar, Baramulla, and Sopore. These were often the first in their families to get an education. They were unhappy with the popular Sufi practices in Kashmir, seeing them as "un-Islamic." They also found a way to express their political views through the Jamaat. The Jamaat's support for both modern and religious education, and its community work, also attracted new generations. The Jamaat also tried to deal with current political issues. It became involved in discussions about Muslim unity, corruption in the government, helping farmers, Kashmir's disputed status, and Hindu protests in Jammu for the state to fully join India.
Even though the group grew in the 1950s, it also faced opposition. Many Sufis saw the group as a threat. The Jamaat also faced opposition from the Ahl-i-Hadith movement. The Jamaat handled its opponents carefully.
From the 1950s, the Jamaat tried to influence Kashmiri opinion through its schools and by taking part in elections. The JIJK got money from donations, member fees, and properties given by members. By the 1970s, the JIJK became a strong group with members all over the state, especially in the Kashmir Valley. However, it remained mostly a Kashmiri Muslim group. The JIJK was stronger in Anantnag district because of its high literacy rates. This showed the Jamaat's appeal to educated people. Its weaker presence in Srinagar was due to the traditional Sufi leaders there.
The JIJK often disagreed with the Indian government in the 1960s. It questioned India's control over Jammu and Kashmir. It demanded that the issue be solved by a vote, as stated in UN Resolutions.
In December 1963, a holy item was stolen from the Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar. The protests to get it back turned into a big movement for freedom and self-determination. During this time, JIJK spoke out for these demands. It also helped prevent violence between Hindus and Muslims. The Awami Action Committee was formed to continue this struggle, and Qari Saifuddin represented the Jamaat. Indian authorities arrested the Committee leaders, including Qari. Besides the stolen item, corruption, unemployment, and poverty also made Kashmiris unhappy with Indian rule. Because the JIJK strongly and consistently challenged India's control, it gained more support from Kashmiri Muslims.
Views on Sufism
The Jamaat's view on Sufism was more moderate than the Ahl-i-Hadith movement. It even worked within existing Sufi ideas to present its teachings. It aimed to show its teachings as the true Sufism, without added superstitions. Qari Saifuddin was the head of the famous Sufi shrine at Khanyar, Srinagar. He also translated the works of the 14th-century Sufi saint Nuruddin Nurani. Sa'aduddin translated Mir Sayyed Ali Hamadani's works from Persian to Urdu. He also wrote works that re-explained Sufi practices to fit the Jamaat's focus on following Shariah (Islamic law). However, despite its moderate approach, the Jamaat found it hard to gain popular acceptance. This was because people saw its stance against some shrine practices as being "Wahhabi" and "anti-Sufi."
Educational Work
Sa'aduddin Tarabali understood how important education was in Kashmir. The JIJK was one of the first non-government groups to work in this area. The organization set up many schools, including good ones that taught both modern and Islamic subjects. One reason JIJK felt the need to create its own schools was the belief that the Indian education system was threatening Kashmir's Islamic culture.
Over time, the JIJK gained influence among teachers and students in colleges in the Kashmir Valley. In 1977, the JIJK created the Islami Jamiat-i-Talaba (The Islamic Union of Students) for students who were members or supporters.
Taking Part in Elections
Even though the JIJK questioned India's control over the state, it was flexible about joining elections held under the Indian Constitution. This was a smart move because JIJK wanted to use democratic ways to grow its influence. It aimed to slowly gain control of the government. JIJK said its reason for joining elections was to push the Indian government to solve the Kashmir issue.
The JIJK put forward some of its members as independent candidates in local village elections. It also supported some candidates for the 1969 local elections, which were not based on political parties. Some of these candidates won. The JIJK becoming a strong opposition to the National Conference showed that ordinary Kashmiris were becoming unhappy with the National Conference. They felt it was too strict and had worked with India to reduce Kashmir's freedom.
The JIJK took part in the 1971 general elections. It expected to win some seats but did not win any, with claims of widespread cheating. The Central Advisory Committee then decided that JIJK would run in the 1972 State Assembly elections. It aimed to show that politics and religion are not separate. The JIJK wanted to run for all State Assembly seats but only ran for 22 due to money problems. Even though it expected to do well, it did not win as many seats as hoped because of massive cheating. It won only five seats. The JIJK complained that some of its members were bothered after the elections.
The JIJK still saw its election involvement as positive. It helped spread their message to more people. Successful JIJK candidates actively worked in the State Assembly. They opposed laws they felt were not Islamic and suggested Islamic choices. They also brought up the issue of Jammu and Kashmir's disputed status. They argued that India had not held a vote in Kashmir as it had promised. In 1975, the JIJK strongly opposed the Indira-Sheikh Accord. They saw it as a major breaking of UN Resolutions on Kashmir. The group won only one seat in the 1977 election.
The 1970s helped the Jamaat grow politically, but the organization faced problems in 1979. In April 1979, General Zia ul Haq took power and executed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. Many people thought the Jamaat-i-Islami of Pakistan was behind this. As a result, there were big protests against the Jamaat all over Kashmir. JIJK offices and members' homes were attacked. These riots lasted three days, and property worth a lot of money, belonging to the Jamaat and its members, was destroyed or stolen.
The Jamaat believed that left-wing groups were behind these attacks. They thought these groups were using Bhutto's execution to make the Jamaat look bad in Kashmiri society. The Jamaat also blamed some religious leaders who were against the Jamaat for encouraging people to attack it.
The Jamaat later ran in the 1983 State Assembly election. However, it failed to win any of the 26 seats it ran for, again due to claims of massive cheating.
The last time the Jamaat ran in elections was in 1987. It was part of the Muslim United Front. This group campaigned on the idea of establishing rule based on the Quran and Sunnah (teachings of Prophet Muhammad). These elections were also rigged.
Separatism and Conflict
In the 1980s, more protests against India happened in Kashmir. The fight against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan and the Islamic Revolution in Iran inspired many young Kashmiri Muslims. The government tried to talk about economic issues, but some groups turned to violence. Both the pro-independence Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) and pro-Pakistan Islamic groups, including JIJK, encouraged the growing anti-Indian feelings among Kashmiris.
Even though the Jamaat believed Kashmir was disputed, it insisted on using talks, not armed fighting, to solve the issue until the late 1980s. In 1979, Qari Saifuddin said that the JIJK "has always wanted the Kashmir issue to be solved through legal means and discussions."
In 1980, the Indian Supreme Court sentenced JKLF leader Maqbool Butt to death. Large protests happened in Kashmir against this decision. While Butt became a hero to many Kashmiris, the JIJK urged calm. JIJK leaders believed Butt should be allowed to defend himself. But they also said they followed the Constitution and wanted to solve issues democratically. The Jamaat did not approve of Maqbool's use of weapons. It did not call him a 'shahid' (martyr), but it did show some respect for him.
In 1986, some JKLF members went to Pakistan for weapons training. But the JIJK did not support the JKLF movement. This was because the JIJK saw Kashmiri nationalism as going against Islamic unity and its own wish to join Pakistan. As late as that year, Jamaat member Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who later supported Kashmir's armed revolt, urged that the Kashmir issue be solved peacefully and democratically.
By 1990, the JIJK and many other Kashmiri groups had changed their minds about peaceful struggle. They joined the JKLF in supporting an armed revolt against India. Reasons for this included more repression by the Indian government. They also realized that if they did not join the armed struggle, they might lose popularity to the JKLF. The Jamaat was banned in 1990. The Falah-e-Aam Trust was created in 1988 to run JEI schools after the JIK was banned. Students from these schools were often recruited for weapons training in Pakistan. In 1989, Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) was adopted as the group's "militant wing." In 1990, a chief commander of HM called HM the "sword arm of the Jammat."
By the mid-1990s, Pakistan stopped supporting the JKLF. Pakistan increasingly supported pro-Pakistan Islamic groups, including the Jamaat. This pushed aside the Kashmiri nationalist groups. Taking part in the armed struggle was costly for the Jamaat. The organization lost many members in operations by Indian security forces. Because of this, the Jamaat is now calling for a political way to solve the Kashmir issue.
Ban on the Organization
As of February 2019, the organization has been banned for five years under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The government said that the Jamaat was in close contact with groups involved in violence. It was expected to "increase its harmful activities," including trying to create an Islamic State out of Indian territory.
Before the ban, 300 members of the organization, including its leaders, were arrested. Raids were also carried out. The Jamaat leaders said they were "mystified" by the crackdown and claimed their work was "in the open."
A special court set up by the Home Ministry supported the ban. The judge agreed that the organization had been involved in illegal activities that threatened India's unity. The Inspector General of Police stated that the organization had started following directions from Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan. It had also supported the banned group Hizbul Mujahideen. The police said it was closely linked with the United Jihad Council, a Pakistan-based group of violent organizations.
On February 27, 2024, the Ministry of Home Affairs in India extended the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) Jammu and Kashmir for five more years. The organization was called an "unlawful association" under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) 1967. This was because of activities seen as harmful to national security and India's territory. The Indian government listed 47 cases against the Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir (JeI J&K). This included a case by the NIA that showed the organization collected money to promote violent and separatist activities. The NIA also found that this money was used by members of groups like Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Taiba. They used it to cause public unrest and spread tension between communities. The government stated that JeI J&K has close ties with violent groups. It actively supports extremism and violence within Jammu & Kashmir and other parts of India.
