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Barelvi movement

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Barelvi (Hindi: बरेलवी, Urdu: بریلوی) is a movement of Sufism in South Asia that was founded by Ahmed Raza Khan of Bareilly, India (hence the term Barelvi). Barelvis compose a sizeable portion of the Hanafi Muslim communities in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and among British Asian Muslims. The movement is labelled by the name of the place of origin of it's founder "Bareilly" in Rohilkhand (western portion of present-day Uttar Pradesh), India.

As Ahmad Raza Khan was a central figure around which the movement was promoted in the Indian subcontinent between the 19th and 20th centuries, the fame of Ahmad Raza Khan developed and likewise his opposition also developed. The name Barelvi came into use to label the followers of Ahmad Raza Khan [citation needed].

The 'Barelvi school' was founded to defend the existing beliefs of Muslims of South Asia. A common misconception is that the followers of this movement, in the Indian subcontinent indicate their attachment to Ahmad Raza Khan with words like Ahmadi, Raza, Razvi (or Razavi), Barakati, or Nuri. In reality the terms Nuri and Barkati refer to the Sufi Tariqa that Imam Ahmed Raza Khan followed; the Qadri Barkati tariqa of Marehra Shareef. The term razavi refers to those people who have been initiated into the Qadri Sufi Tariqa via the lineage of Imam Ahmed Raza Khan. e.g. Sheikh Abdul Qadir Gilani's followers are known as Qadri's and Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti's followers are called Chishti. These terms are used to show spiritual lineage and not to propgate sects. Followers of Ahmad Raza Khan in India are mainly Hanafi by Madhab (School of jurisprudence), but accept the other three Sunni schools to be valid.

Beliefs

Aqeeda

They follow the Maturidi school of Aqida, the Hanafi school of Fiqh, and one of the Chisti, Qadiri, Suhrawardi or Naqshbandi Sufi orders. According to Barelvi belief, Muhammad had "knowledge of the Unseen" and he saw all the deeds by Muslims, and also he had been given all the knowledges by Allah; he is omnipresent as well as 'Noor' or light. [1].

Practices

File:Dargah Hazrat Bal.jpg
Dargah Hazrat Bal Kashmir, India.

During Mawlid, or the birthday of Muhammad, special recitations that have been written by scholars such as Ahmed Raza Khan are recited. The "salat o salam" with Durood is recited after Fajr and Jumuah prayers, and are seen as a differentiating feature from others within Islam. The Innovation of Miraj, Shaberat or Shab-e-Barat and Gyarhanvi Sharif of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani is celebrated. They bring out large processions on the occasion of Mawlid in the cities and towns.

Missionary Activities

More recently Barelvis have started propagation of Barelvism in various countries of Asia, Europe, North America and South Africa by their missionary organization named Dawat-e-Islami. It was started by Maulana Ilyas Attar Qadri in 1981 in Karachi, Pakistan and it has now become an alternative to the Tablighi jamat. It has organised Ijtemas successfully in various cities of England, the U.S.A. and Africa.

Their non-political and purely religious activities have contributed to a positive picture of the Barelvism. In England, the movement is considered a moderating force in Islam: "In some mosques the sect (Deobandi) has wrested control from followers of the more moderate majority, the Barelvi." [2].

Controversy and Criticism

Adherents of Barelvi and Deobandi schools of thought disagree on some religious matters and have had disputes. Thus Deobandi and Salafi scholars among others, contend that the teachings of Ahmad Raza Khan Barelvi constitute as Bidah in gross contravention to the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad. Salafi detractors maintain that various Barelwi tenants do not have textual basis or support such as:

Prominent Scholars


References


See also

Organizations

Famous Madrasas

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