Dawat-e-Islami, the growing threat and how it radicalises Indian Muslims

The Indian agencies have for long spoken about the threat of the Dawat-e-Islami and how it has been radicalising Muslims. Its name figures in the NIA's chargesheet in the murder of Udaipur Hindu tailor Kanhaiya Lal Teli

New Delhi, Dec 23: In its chargesheet in the Udaipur Hindu tailor Kanhaiya Lal Teli, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has spoken about the role of Pakistan based Dawat-e-Islami (DeI).

The NIA said that the two killers, Riyaz Attari and Mohammad Ghous were called to Pakistan by the senior functionaries of the Dawat-e-Islami in 2014.

The activities of the DeI are not new and reports about its role in radicalising and brainwashing, Indian Muslims have been spoken about the agencies for long. It was also reported that the outfit had collected donations from the border states to further its activities.

DeI's role in brainwashing Indian Muslims:

The DeI is a Sunni Islamic organisation based in Pakistan and has several Islamic educational institutions around the world. Founded in 1981 by Muslim scholars, the outfit selected Ilyas as its main leader.

The DeI has a massive following in Pakistan and supports the blasphemy law out there. On its website, it says that its mission is to spread the teachings of Quran and Shariah and it also advocates Sharia globally.

Its role in radicalising the Indian Muslims through propaganda material online has been on for long. It also has branches in India which propagate the same ideology. A recent report said that the DeI offers courses that glorified Pakistan. They undertake audio classes on Skype and charge a monthly fee of Rs 1,200. The report also said that the reporter got in touch with the DeI which put them through to their branch in Madhya Pradesh. A representative said that they have classes on Madani Qaida and Nazra courses and these begin at 8 am and go on until midnight everyday.

An Intelligence Bureau official tells OneIndia that the outfit has many ways of operating in India. They are discrete, but manage to put across their message to a large number of Indian Muslims who in turn are radicalised. The case of the killers in the Lal murder case is a testimony to the same.

Incidents of killing across the globe:

It may be recalled that on September 25 2020, a Pakistani terrorist Zaheer Mehmood was involved in a stabbing incident outside the former headquarters of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris. The probe revealed that Mehmood's religious guide was Maulana Ilyas Qadri, the leader of the DeI.

Pakistani Governor Salman Taseer was killed by a follower of the DeI. The killer Mumtaz was declared a 'Ghazi' by Qadri following the killing. He said that the Muslim scholars agree that a blasphemer must be killed.

British-Pakistani Ahmaddiya Muslim man Asad Shah was killed in Glasgow in 2016. Another killing of British-Pakistani Barelvi Muslim, Tanveer Ahmed was also linked to the DeI.

Targeting blasphemers:

Following the killing of Salman Taseer, the outfit made its views on blasphemy clear as well. First and foremost the father of the killer said that he was very proud of what his son had done for the cause of Islam.

The DeI speaking in defence of the killer said that it is the duty of the Islamic government to execute the punishment. However Qadri adde that if a lover of Prophet kills a blasphemer extra-judicially as per Islamic jurisprudence, then the killer should not be executed.

Qadri went on to state that Hanafi Jurists say that the one who eats publicly during Ramazan should be killed. However they are to be killed by the authorities of a true Islamic State and not by ordinary Muslims.

Agency officials say that the message that Qadri gives out is a mixed one. He approves of the killings, but always ends up putting the onus on the government by stating that it should be done by them.

In a nut-shell, the DeI wants to encourage killings of those whom they think are not following their style of Islam and this they propose to achieve in a big way in India and the Lal murder is just an example of the same.

This organisation was established with the intention of diluting the Tablighi Jamaat. The outfit says that it is non-political and non-violent and its movement is restricted to preaching of the Quran and Sunnah.