دارالعلوم دیوبند | |
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| Type | Islamic seminary |
|---|---|
| Established | 31 May 1866 (159 years ago) (1866-05-31) |
| Founders |
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| Rector | Abul Qasim Nomani |
| Principal | Arshad Madani |
| Location | , India 29°41′51″N77°40′34″E / 29.69750°N 77.67611°E /29.69750; 77.67611 |
| Campus | Urban |
| Website | darululoom-deoband |
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| Part ofa series on the |
| Deobandi movement |
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| Ideology and influences |
| Founders and key figures |
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| Notable institutions |
| Centres (markaz) of Tablighi Jamaat |
| Associated organizations |
| Deobandi jihadism |
| Deobandi jihadism: |
Darul Uloom Deoband is anIslamic seminary inDeoband,Uttar Pradesh, India, established on 15 Muharram 1283 AH / 31 May 1866, in the aftermath of the1857 revolt, through the efforts ofSayyid 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 apomegranate tree with theDars-i Nizami curriculum, later developed into a leading center of Islamic learning in South Asia, afterAl-Azhar University.[7] It came to be regarded as a vanguard ofSunni Muslim identity in theIndian subcontinent and gave rise to the SunniDeobandi 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]
Darul Uloom Deoband was established on 15 Muharram 1283 AH, Thursday (31 May 1866[9]), when local scholars and notables includingSayyid Muhammad Abid,Fazlur Rahman Usmani,Mahtab Ali Deobandi,Nihal Ahmad Deobandi,Zulfiqar Ali Deobandi, andRafiuddin Deobandi gathered funds to open an Arabic madrasa in the Chhatta Masjid,Deoband.[10][11][12][4]Mahmud Deobandi was appointed the first teacher, andMahmud 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, withMuhammad Qasim Nanautawi persuading Sayyid Abid Husain to join in the ceremony and place the second brick.[15][16]
In 1982, during the Vice Chancellorship ofMuhammad Tayyib Qasmi, administrative disputes occurred in the seminary which led to the formation ofDarul 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 2007Andrew Norfolk ofThe 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 MinisterAmir Khan Muttaqi visited Darul Uloom Deoband, the site of the Deobandi movement, which has a significant influence on Afghanistan's rulingTaliban.[21]
The school teachesmanqulat (revealed Islamic sciences) according to theHanafi school ofIslamic 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 inUrdu, and sometimes inArabic for theological reasons orPersian, for cultural and literary reasons. The curriculum is based on a highly modified version of the 18th century Indo-Islamic syllabus known asDars-e-Nizami.[citation needed] The students learn theQuran andits exegesis;Hadith and its commentary; and juristic rulings with textual and rational proofs. They also study the biography ofMuhammad,Arabic grammar, Arabic language andliterature, and Persian language.[22]
Almost a quarter of the students who complete the Daurae Hadith continue their studies. These advanced courses includeTakmil Ifta (Jurisprudence);Takmil Adab (Arabic literature); andTakhassus fil Hadith (Hadith).[22] Students who complete theTakmil Ifta take the titleMufti.
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 atThana Bhawan to protest against British rule and continue their call for the independence of India.[23] They fought what is called theBattle of Shamli.[23]
In 1926 and 1927, graduates of the school called for Indian independence at Jamiat Ulama meetings inCalcutta andPeshawar. Madani opposed the suggestion of theAll-India Muslim League for thepartition of India alongsectarian 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, orAhrar), a conservativeSunni MuslimDeobandipolitical party was founded inLahore,Punjab. The founding members of the party wereChaudhry Afzal Haq,Syed Ata Ullah Shah Bukhari,Habib-ur-Rehman Ludhianvi,Mazhar Ali Azhar,Zafar Ali Khan andDawood Ghaznavi.[27] The founding members were disillusioned by theKhilafat Movement, which had aligned with theIndian National Congress.[28] The party gathered support from the urban lower-middle class. It opposedMuhammad Ali Jinnah, leader of theAll-India Muslim League and in the early years of Pakistan wantedAhmadiyas to bedeclared non-Muslims.[29]
A fatwa is “an issue arising about law and religion, explained in answer to questions received about it” bymuftis (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 inSouth 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 byHabibur Rahman Khairabadi.[35]
In January 2012, scholars from a Deobandi school issued a religious decision calling for the authorSalman 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 ofGhazwa-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]
Darul Uloom Deoband has garnered attention for its stances onwomen's rights, including issuingfatwas 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 rectorAbul 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 amale guardian, wearingpurdah, and prohibited from taking photographs.[50] Reports suggested that the original ban negatively impacted nearby businesses, which led to the policy's revision.[51]
The seminary's co-founderSayyid Muhammad Abid was the first vice-chancellor.[52]Abul Qasim Nomani succeededGhulam 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, 125 days | [62] |
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]
| 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 |
| 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 |
Alumni include:
Darul ‘Uloom Deoband and its alumni publish:
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 theroodad 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]
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