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Extremist poison can lurk in the body politic for centuries. The militant hardline Islamic sect that preaches hatred for Jews, Christians and Hindus, scorns the values of British society and incites Muslims to apocalyptic violence against its enemies can trace its roots back to the Indian Mutiny. After the suppression of the 1857 uprising, a group of Muslims set up a seminary in Deoband as an act of defiance against imperial rule. The message was uncompromising: Muslims had to reject any compromise with Western values, cut all contact with nonbelievers and prepare themselves for conflict to establish the global victory of Islam. That Deobandi message of hatred is now, 140 years later, being preached from mosques across Britain. It is a serious threat to civil society, to religious tolerance and to the hundreds of thousands of British Muslims it seeks to ensnare, as we report today.
Few people realise the extent to which the Deobandis have infiltrated mosques, schools and Muslim neighbourhoods across the country. The ultra-conservative movement, with modern roots in Pakistan’s extremist madrassas, now controls more than 600 mosques. It runs 17 of Britain’s 26 Islamic seminaries, and they produce 80 per cent of home-trained Muslim clerics. With tactics as aggressive as their rhetoric, the Deobandis have ousted the more tolerant Sufis, exploited the malaise of many young Muslims and harnessed their alienation to the sect’s own rejectionist message. Charismatic preachers denounce music, art and television, demand the total concealment of women, and urge believers to distance themselves from the corrupting influence of their kuffar (infidel) British neighbours. Young British Muslims are told they should not take pride in being British, but see their loyalty to global Islam. Friendship with Jews or Christians is a “mockery of Allah’s religion,” they are told. Little wonder that some emerge from the mosques with hatred in their hearts.
Official Britain knows little of the Deobandis. Partly this is because the texts are not in English, the sermons are not monitored and the internet links are not policed. Partly it is because the Muslim community is wary of speaking out – either from a false sense of solidarity or because ethnic, family and community pressures are used to silence critics. Particularly insidious is the Deobandi theme that the nonMuslim world is seeking to demonise and destroy Islam. By raising the spectre of Islamophobia and playing on fears of persecution, the politically ambitious sect can portray itself alone as the guardian of Muslim values, ridiculing moderates as appeasers and integrationists as secular compromisers.
Britain is a tolerant society of many religions, but to incite hatred is illegal. Those now promoting programmes of awareness and citizenship among young Muslims cannot ignore the threat. Organisations such as the Muslim Council of Britain and others seeking to represent the spread of Muslim opinion cannot remain silent on the hatred in their midst. Nor can they dismiss the Deobandi message as the unrepresentative extremism of a “fringe”. Zealots who urge apartheid from the majority are as pernicious as those who would pick on Muslims for their beliefs. This newspaper will be denounced by some for “inciting” fear of Islam by publishing the words of demagogues. Moderate Muslims are just as vulnerable as non-Muslims to this virulent, exclusionary, uncompromising extremism. The ideas may be archaic, but the threat is real.
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This is stupid because deobandis are no threat. they are kind, loving, caring, supponting cohision and diversity. Those people who hold the opinion thta that they are extreamists; well, they are wrong, can prove nothing against the deobandis. people of this extream view of the Deobandis are exteamists them selves because they are corruptin the minds of british minds.
Mo Shajj, London,
Hardly ever would a smile strech across my face when reading the news but the utter nonsense of this article sure did. Deobandi's first are not a sect, they are simply Sunni muslims from Hannafi Sect, which makes up the largest group in the Islamic population. They are also the most visible or should we say overt muslims because they actually practice Islam to its teachings ie Islamic dress, men supporting beards, observing fast and you may see them praying salaat at work. Oppossed to 'moderate' muslims who may behave and come across as a Hindus until you are aware of their arabic name. Typically holding traditional Pakistani cultural values and only going to the mosque on Fridays, not praying the 5 times a day. Most of the youth today accepts Sheikh Riyadh-ul-Haq as a mentor because of his efficiency in clarrifying the meaning of this life and giving them direction. His speeches have never meant to distance the British muslim youth from society because they are the culture of today
Amir Mahmood, Coventry, United Kingdom
Those of us who have been watching the situation closely have repeatedly said there is a sinister situation brewing & no one is listening.
The government has ignored the festering anger among the populace of Britain who are much more aware of the problem.
I feel no sympathy for Muslims, of any sect, the bad feelings toward them is their own doing.
The activists are not only to blame, it's all those silent ones I blame for the situation, nearly 2 million of them.
Those silent ones share the same religion,but they could join us in condemnation of terrorists, they should have supported us , but by being silent they give tacit approval to the babaric acts on nonMuslims.
To be a good Muslim is to believe in Jihad, which means by default 2 million must approve of this & the Imams preachings
maggie millington, Brittany, France
I have muslim associates who say they are willing to integrate but are unwilling to assimilate. I respect that because I feel that if they were to assimilate, they would do so into a 'culture' of pornography, utter scorn of conservative family values, a drunken yob culture. Perhaps we have a lot to learn from their perceived austere life that tries to protect women from being treated as sexual objects, from becoming drunk and disorderly and most important of all finding inner peace. I for one am not in any hurry to embrace the Islamic faith, but there is some substance there.
John Collins, London, United Kingdom
Does the crime of treason still stand in our criminal law? Could some politically correct, over paid and intellectually under powered judge tell us why this movement is not guilty of this crime against our state and nation?
Jake, Witney, UK
Nothing the Deobandi sect says is contradicted by their Koran, so why shouldn't we be as equally concerned by "moderate" muslims as we are by the so-called hardliners? If the Koran is the unaltered and literal word of god, then muslims cannot be considered treu to their faith if they do not carry out its teachings. As a result the terrorism that we are seeing being carried out is a natural and inevitable consequence of Islam, bourne out of a belief its natural superiority. I believe that we should treat this faith and its adherents with the hatred and contempt as it treats others. Continuing to pander to such a faith with constant government grants and multi-cultural days (which will never be reciprocated) is no longer a viable option. These well intentioned measures have clearly been used to successfully support religous fascisim, and if we are not wise we will soon experience "god's law" first-hand.
Craig Marsden, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Once again we have to thank the do gooders.
How can a country tolerate this stupidity and allow
this sedition to continue.
Barry Holmes, Christchurch, New Zealand
What do you mean by 'pick on moslems for their beliefs'? Moslems try to play the victim card yet theirs is the only 'belief' which glorifies terrorism! I certainly condemn wholeheartedly Islam as a cult: it is evil, intolerant, violent, degrading to humanity in general and specifically to women, children, Jews, Christians, Buddhists, Hindus and atheists. If you are a Moslem, you believe in what the Koran says and teaches and you regard a mass murdering warlord, Muhammad, to have been your 'prophet.' I do not and I will resist every attempt by Moslems to restrict my freedom of speech, freedom of conscience and to 'demand' their abysmal Sharia law (which is the real reason Moslem countries and peoples are so underdeveloped, poor and violent). Moslems should be criticised for believing what their so-called 'holy' texts teach. We wouldn't hesitate to criticise Nazis or Communists for all the hatred and slaughter they were guilty of (270,000,000 dead from Islam in 1400 yrs)
Thomas Paine, london,
There is one and only one way to deal with growing Islamic extremism. Disestablish the church, make a declaration to the world that Great Britain is now and forever a nation of secular governance, and make it clear that calls for religious rule will be treated as sedition. Your entangling of government and religion gives you no leg to stand on in rejecting calls for Sharia law. You must disestablish, and do it now.
Victor Purinton, Boston, USA
Any Englishman who is concerned about the survival of his own people once they are driven - intentionally - into minority status should WELCOME overt extremism in Islam. Distance is good for us, and will help us wake up to the grave situation we have, through our complacency and selfish materialism, allowed to develop.
Let us be clear. Our only duty is to ourselves. We are not duty-bound to make multi-racialism in our homeland "work", which means that we will be increasingly dispossessed, deracinated and marginalised.
Disavow those political sentiments that do not accord with our survival. Care again, as your forefathers did, for us before you care for another.
Guessedworker, Lewes, Sussex
Any one who has read the Q 'Ran would be saying so what.! What is the diference between this bunch and the Wahabbi's?
Desmond Taylor, Houston, USA Texas