April 9, 2019
A tale of three Islamic parties (Continued Page Two)
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan
With the founding of Pakistan on August 14, 1947, the JI was also reorganized. It was then classified into two independent organizations, the Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan and the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind.
Besides these two bodies, JI had and continues to have an autonomous existence in the Indian controlled Kashmir. In Sri Lanka, the JI was said to be working on a self-reliant establishment. In mid 1970s, the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh was also revived as an independent movement. While all the five organizations under the name of Jamaat-e-Islami work for essentially similar objectives and have identical ideological approach, there is no organizational link between them. Each operates independently and has developed its programs.
Jamaat-e-Islami (abbreviated JI) is Pakistan's oldest and most organized religious political party.
During the years before the partition of India, Jamaat-e-Islami stood aloof from the intense political fights of the time in India, rather it opposed the creation of Pakistan. Maulana Maududi was of the view that the form of government in the new Muslim state, if it ever came into existence, could only be secular. In a speech shortly before partition he said: "Why should we foolishly waste our time in expediting the so-called Muslim-nation state and fritter away our energies in setting it up, when we know that it will not only be useless for our purposes, but will rather prove an obstacle in our path." [The Process of Islamic Revolution, 2nd edition, Lahore 1955, p-37]
In August 1947, Jamaat-e-Islami founder Abul Ala Maududi migrated to Pakistan and became Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami of Pakistan. He led the JI Pakistan till 1972 when he resigned because of poor health. In October 1972, the Majlis-e-Shoura (council) elected Mian Tufail Mohammad (1914–2009), the new leader of JI.
Syed Munawar Hassan became JI Ameer 2008. He was succeeded by Siraj ul Haq who became JI Ameer for five years on March 30, 2014.
On March 21,Senator Sirajul Haq was re-elected as Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami for the second five-year term by a large majority of permanent members through elections held under secret ballot.
The announcement was made by JI naib (Deputy Ameer) and chairman JI election commission Maulana Asadullah Bhutto at a press conference in Lahore. Asadullah Bhutto said JI was the only religio-political party of the country which had been holding regular elections for its offices-bearers.
Sirajul Haq began his five years term this week.
In its endeavors to propagate Islamic thought and to work for the cause of the Muslims around the world, JI Pakistan developed and maintained close brotherly relations with the Islamic movements and missions working in different continents and countries.
The Akhwan-al-Muslimeen (Muslim Brotherhood) in the Arab world, the movements working in the northern African countries, Hammas in Palestine, Rifah in Turkey, Hizb-e-Nehdat-e-Islami, Tajikistan, Ma'Shoomi in Indonesia, the Muslim Youth Movement and the Islamic Party of Malaysia, al To'iah-al Islamia of Kuwait and Qatar and Al-Jamaat-e-Islamia of Lebanon, have ideological and at levels practical contacts with JI Pakistan, according to a Global Security Organization report.
Online Magazine launched in 2003
Executive Editor: Abdus Sattar Ghazali
