Tanzeem-e-Islami

The Tanzeem-e-Islami is an Islamic religious organisation based in Lahore, Pakistan. Founded in 1975 by religious scholar Dr. Israr Ahmed, it advocates the establishment of an Islamic Caliphate in Pakistan and worldwide. The Tanzeem was created after Dr. Israr Ahmed split from the Jamaat-e-Islami in 1957, when it enter electoral politics in Pakistan. Currently, Hafiz Akif Saeed (Dr.Ahmed's second son) is the ameer of the Tanzeem.

Among Jamaat-e-Islami's other leaders in Denmark is the former journalist Mohamed Saddique, who was for many years a correspondent for the party's paper in Karachi, "Jasarat". He has also written for the Jamaat weekly "Takbeer", which is also published in Karachi but has readership in Copenhagen."Together with another local Pakistani, Farooq Rathore, who edits Tanzeem-e-Islami's Danish homepage [www.tanzeem.dk] , Tariq Askari has been leading a so-called "study circle" in Nørrebro, Copenhagen. Here it was possible to borrow practically all of Jamaat-e-Islami's publications."

Objectives of Tanzeem-e-Islami

The obligations of a Muslim as ordained by the Qur'an and Sunnah, can be understood as having four levels:

A Muslim is required to develop real faith and conviction (iman) in one’s heart A Muslim is required to live a life of complete submission to the will of Allah A Muslim is required to propagate and disseminate the message of Islam to the entire humanity A Muslim is required to try his utmost in establishing the Just Islamic Order The fundamental objective of establishing IONA is to assist the Muslims in North America to uphold and implement these obligations first on themselves, next on their families, inform their friends and then to invite the non-Muslims to Islam. The ultimate goal is to seek Allah's pleasure and salvation in the Hereafter.

Ideology of Tanzeem-e-Islami

The fundamental goal of IONA is to assist its members to please Allahin order to gain salvation in the Hereafter. IONA believes that this can only be achieved by fulfilling the pre-requisite duties ordained in the Qur’an and Sunnah. Consequently, the primary focus of IONA is to help the individual Muslim fulfill the following four basic duties of a Muslim in light of the Qur’an and Sunnah.

"1. Conviction of the Heart: Iman"

The first duty of a Muslim is to develop Iman (conviction of the heart). This can be achieved by believing, reciting, understanding and pondering the ayat of the Qur’an and behaving accordingly. In short, one must establish an intimate relationship with the Qur’an in order to increase one’s Iman.

One must wage a constant struggle (jihad) in order to fulfill the duty of attaining and increasing one’s Iman. This struggle is fulfilled through the following three levels:

Remembrance through the Qur’an (Tazakkur ): To grasp the most essential and basic meanings of the Qur’anic ayat through constant recitation.

Pondering over the Qur’an (Tadabbur): To ponder deeply over the Qur’anic ayat in order to understand its wisdom (hikmah). Learning the Arabic Language: An intimate relationship with the Qur’an can only be genuinely established if its message is understood in its own language. Translations are not sufficient. 2. Complete and Loving Submission to the Will of Allah: Ibadah

To become a genuine slave (‘abd) of Allah, one must willingly, completely and at all times submit to His commands with a sense of love and gratitude. This submission is not to be limited only to the five pillars of Islam; it is also required in one’s economic endeavors, political conduct and social behavior. Thus, the total submission to Allah must encompass all of our individual and collective affairs.

In order to fulfil this duty, a struggle (jihad) must occur through the following three levels:

Jihad against one’s own soul – nafs (the impulses of the self) Jihad against the whispering temptations of Satan Jihad against the wrong trends of society 3. Bearing Witness unto Mankind: Shahada ‘alan-Nass

Since there is no prophet after Muhammad, it is the duty of the Muslim ummah to collectively deliver the message of Islam to humanity for all times to come. The message has to be delivered through words and actions.

There are three levels of jihad to fulfil this duty:

Call with Wisdom (Da’wah bil Hikmah): To spread the message of the Qur’an in the highest intellectual idiom of the day, so that its knowledge and wisdom is understood and acknowledged by the intellectual elite of society Admonition (Da’wah bil Mawa’izah Al-Hasanah):To spread the message of the Qur’an with the utmost sincerity in simple language. This sincerity should be reflected by the exemplary behavior of the message-giver Debate (Mujadalah): To respond to the confrontational and evil spirited propaganda against Islam in the best manner through debates and arguments, 4. Establishment of the just socio-politico-economic Islamic Order: Iqaamat-ud-Deen It is only by establishing a just socio-politico-economic order, as outlined in the Qur’an and Sunnah, that Muslims will fulfill the obligation of Shahada ‘Alan-Nas (witness unto mankind). Struggling to establish the Deen is an obligatory duty on every Muslim, a duty that the ummah has practically neglected or forgotten.

IONA believes that the three initial steps mentioned above are necessary to fulfill this most important duty, Iqaamat-ud-Deen.

The struggle (jihad) required to fulfill this duty can only be accomplished through a well-structured and disciplined organization (jama’ah) and must pass through the following three phases:

Passive Resistance: The members must endure with steadfastness and perseverance (sabr) any oppression, slander, torture or opposition directed against the Islamic movementActive Resistance: Upon achieving a sound infrastructure, critical mass, and moral credibility to confront the shortcomings of the present corrupt system, the organization (jama’ah) will engage in active resistance by means of a non-violent mass movement to promote its goal of establishing the Deen of Allah Disciplined, Non-Violent Mass Movement: Through active resistance the movement will use all constitutionally sanctioned means to bring about just changes in social, political, and economic practices. This includes non-violent direct action and civil disobedience

IONA is an organization dedicated to reviving the Qur’an into the hearts of Muslims, bringing its message to non-Muslims while struggling to promote and establish the Just Social Order of Islam.

Methodology of Tanzeem-e-Islami

In our attempt to establish the Deen of Allah, most Islamic movements have chosen either the ballot (electoral politics) or the bullet (armed confrontation) as the basis of their methodology. Keeping in view the failure of the ballot and bullet approaches, IONA seeks guidance from our primary sources (Qur’an and Sunnah) to gain fresh insight into proper methodology. The methodological principles used by IONA are derived from the biography (seerah) of the Muhammad, interpreted in light of the contemporary social and political context.

An objective study of the seerah of Muhammad reveals that his struggle was revolutionary in nature and dynamic, consisting of six distinct phases:

Call to the oneness of God, Tawheed (Da’wah) Organization (Tanzeem) Purification and Training (Tazkiyah & Tarbiyah) Passive Resistance (Sabr) Active Resistance (Iqdam) Confrontation (Tasadum)

Each phase is an essential pre-requisite for the following phase, though the first four phases overlap. Ignoring or only partially fulfilling the requirements of any of the six phases seriously compromises (and may totally undermine) the integrity of the entire struggle. Progression from one stage to another is cumulative – as the movement advances into a higher stage, the preceding stage is not ignored, but is being built upon. In this way, passing from the stage of calling and inviting (Da’wah) to the stage of organization (Tanzeem) does not abrogate the responsibility to call society towards Islam. Rather, the call of Islam is strengthened by the evolution of the movement from the call of an individual or small group into an organized platform.

Similarly, purification and training (Tazkiyah and Tarbiyah) affirms the structural integrity of the organization and prepares the individuals as well as the organization to firmly withstand the inevitable opposition to the movement through passive resistance. In the first four stages, therefore, the movement initiates an ideological confrontation and engages the society in rigorous debate about the superiority and necessity of submission to Allah. Though opposition may become increasingly hostile and even violent, the movement must respond with great patience and perseverance. It is through this hardship that the members of the movement must pass, thus purifying their aspirations and strengthening their resolve.

The final two stages mark a transition from ideological challenge to practical implementation. Upon achieving sufficient recognition, credibility, and strength, the Islamic movement will initiate an active resistance. This will set the stage for the non-violent direct action and civil disobedience.

ee also

*Anjuman Khuddam ul Quran
*Jamaat-e-Islami
*Voice of Quran - http://www.thevoq.com/
*Quran College - http://tanzeem.org/education/qurancollege/qurancollege.asp

External links

* [http://www.tanzeem.org/ www.tanzeem.org]
* [http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/MONITOR/ISSUE5-6/arya.html BR report]