Afghanistan's Tablighi Jamaat, as a religious movement, has faced internal challenges and leadership changes in recent years. This movement, influenced by the Deobandi tradition of Sunni Islam, emphasizes distancing from politics and focuses its programs more on faith, prayer, worship, and ethics.
History and Expansion of Tablighi Jamaat
There is no organized and accurate information about the first presence of Tablighi Jamaat throughout Afghanistan, but research indicates that this movement entered Herat in the early 1370s (1990s) after the Mujahideen came to power. Groups from Pakistan were active in the mosques of this city, and gradually a local network of this movement was formed. In the month of Mizan 1396 (2017), more than 35,000 people participated in a three-day gathering of Tablighi Jamaat in Herat, indicating the increasing capacity for social mobilization of this movement.
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Mohammad Mohaghegh, a researcher on religious affairs, believes that the Tablighi Jamaat's distance from politics has been one of the factors of its popularity. He states that even politicians had to participate in the movement's programs like ordinary individuals and not bring their political status into the Jamaat. This approach has led many people to recognize this movement as lacking a hidden political and economic agenda.
Disputes in the Leadership of Tablighi Jamaat
Until a few years ago, Mawlawi Haji Khan Zaman was one of the main leaders of Tablighi Jamaat in Afghanistan. After his passing, the Jamaat council chose his son as the "General Leader" to succeed him. However, disputes over leadership continued, and the Taliban appointed Abdul Bari as the General Amir of Tablighi Jamaat. This decision faced protests from some members of the Jamaat who stated that they were not consulted in this selection.
According to reports, these disputes led to the closure of the main center of Tablighi Jamaat in Jalalabad for about five months, and some dissenting leaders were also detained by Taliban intelligence. The Taliban's Ministry of Promotion of Virtue reported on 24 Saratan 1403 (July 15, 2024) about a meeting between Mohammad Khalid Hanifi and members of the Afghan Tablighi council, indicating that this movement still has a council structure.
The Role of Women in Tablighi Jamaat
In the global network of Tablighi Jamaat, women are also active, and their programs are usually referred to as "Masturat." However, in Afghanistan, there is no reliable document indicating that women participated formally and organized in the structure of Tablighi Jamaat during the Republic period. During the Taliban era, the role of women in Tablighi Jamaat is almost hidden, and it seems they do not have a public presence.
Bulbul Siddiqi, a researcher at Cardiff University, writes that Tablighi Jamaat emphasizes "male authority in the family," and in some cases, women have left or missed out on university education after joining this movement. Under these circumstances, the future of Tablighi Jamaat in Afghanistan faces significant and uncertain challenges.
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