# Darul Uloom Deoband

Darul Uloom Deoband is an Islamic university and seminary (darul uloom) in Deoband, Uttar Pradesh, India, at which the Sunni Deobandi Islamic movement began. Established in 1866 by Muhammad Qasim Nanautavi, Fazlur Rahman Usmani, Sayyid Muhammad Abid and others in 1866, it is one of the most important Islamic seminaries in India and the largest in the world. Mahmud Deobandi was the first teacher and Mahmud Hasan Deobandi was the first student.
On 14 October 2020, the executive council of the seminary appointed Arshad Madani as the principal (sadr-mudarris) and Abul Qasim Nomani as the senior hadith professor (shaykh al-hadith).

## History

Darul Uloom Deoband was established on 31 May 1866 by Fazlur Rahman Usmani, Sayyid Muhammad Abid, Muhammad Qasim Nanotawi, Mehtab Ali, Nehal Ahmad and Zulfiqar Ali Deobandi. Mahmud Deobandi was appointed as the first teacher, and Mahmud Hasan Deobandi was the first student who enrolled in the seminary.
In 1982, during the Vice Chancellorship of Muhammad Tayyib Qasmi, administrative disputes occurred in the seminary which led to the formation of Darul Uloom Waqf.
The spread of the Deobandi movement in the United Kingdom has produced some criticism concerning their views on interfaith dialogue and values including democracy, secularism, and the rule of law. In September 2007 Andrew Norfolk of The Times published an article titled "Hardline takeover of British mosques" about the influence of the Deobandis whom the author called a "hardline Islamic sect".
In February 2008, an anti-terrorism conference organized by the seminary denounced all forms of terrorism.

## Program

The school teaches manqulat (revealed Islamic sciences) according to the Hanafi school of Islamic jurisprudence. In this seminar, Nanawtawi instituted modern methods of learning such as teaching in classrooms, a fixed and carefully selected curriculum, lectures by academics who were leaders in their fields, exam periods, merit prizes, and a publishing press. Students were taught in Urdu, and sometimes in Arabic for theological reasons or Persian, for cultural and literary reasons. The curriculum is based on a highly modified version of the 18th century Indo-Islamic syllabus known as Dars-e-Nizami. The students learn the Quran and its exegesis; Hadith and its commentary; and juristic rulings with textual and rational proofs. They also study the biography of Muhammad, Arabic grammar, Arabic language and literature, and Persian language.
The syllabus consists of many stages. The five-year Nazirah (primary course) teaches Urdu, Persian, Hindi and English. The next level is the Hifze Quran. This involves the memorization of the Quran over two to four years. A few students will then choose Tajwid e Hafs (melodious recitation). The student is taught the detailed recitation rules of the Quran as laid down by Arabic Hafs. Still fewer will take up the next course, the Sab'ah and 'Asharah Qira'at (study of all the ten Quran recitations).
A post graduate studies equivalent is the Fazilat course taken over eight years. It commences with Arabi Awwal, in which the basics of the Arabic language is the main aim, and finishes with Daura e Hadith, in which the main books of the sayings of Muhammad are taught. A prerequisite for this course is completion of primary education. Memorization of the Quran is also recommended. Students who complete the Fazilat may use the title Alim or Maulvi. The Daurae Hadith (final year) class is taught in the basement of "an under construction seven storied building". In the 2017–2018 academic year (1438–1439 AH), 1664 students attended the Daurae Hadith class.
Almost a quarter of the students who complete the Daurae Hadith continue their studies. These advanced courses include Takmil Ifta (Jurisprudence); Takmil Adab (Arabic literature); and Takhassus fil Hadith (Hadith). Students who complete the Takmil Ifta take the title Mufti.

## Role in the Indian independence movement

The political ideals of Darul Uloom Deoband were founded up to ten years prior to its opening. In 1857 (1274 AH), Imdadullah Muhajir Makki (a spiritual leader) and his followers, Muhammad Qasim Nanautawi, Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi, Muhammad Yaqub Nanautawi and others gathered at Thana Bhawan to protest against British rule and continue their call for the independence of India. They fought what is called the Battle of Shamli.
In AH 1333 (1914/1915), Nanautawi's pupil, Mahmud Hasan Deobandi was a leader in the independence movement. He incited revolution through a scheme which the Rowlatt committee called the Silk Letter Movement. However, the scheme failed and Hasan and his followers were arrested and exiled. Hasan was returned from exile in Malta, and he reached Bombay in June 1920. His group, Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, which included Husain Ahmad Madani, Kifayatullah Dehlawi, Syed Fakhruddin Ahmad, and later on, Hifzur Rahman Seoharwi, Atiqur Rahman Usmani, Minnatullah Rahmani, Habib-ur-Rehman Ludhianvi, and Muhammad Miyan Deobandi joined with the Indian National Congress.
In AH 1345 (1926/1927) 1926 and 1927 (1345 abs 1346 AH), graduates of the school called for Indian independence at Jamiat Ulama meetings in Calcutta and Peshawar. Madani opposed the suggestion of the All-India Muslim League for the partition of India along sectarian lines. He also advocated democratic government with religious freedoms and tolerance.
On 29 December 1929, Majlis-e-Ahrar-ul-Islam (Majlis-e-Ah'rar-e-Islam, Urdu: مجلس احرارلأسلام, or Ahrar), a conservative Sunni Muslim Deobandi political party was founded in Lahore, Punjab. The founding members of the party were Chaudhry Afzal Haq, Syed Ata Ullah Shah Bukhari, Habib-ur-Rehman Ludhianvi, Mazhar Ali Azhar, Zafar Ali Khan and Dawood Ghaznavi. The founding members were disillusioned by the Khilafat Movement, which had aligned with the Indian National Congress. The party gathered support from the urban lower-middle class. It opposed Muhammad Ali Jinnah, leader of the All-India Muslim League and in the early years of Pakistan wanted Ahmadiyas to be declared non-Muslims.

## Fatwas

A fatwa is “an issue arising about law and religion, explained in answer to questions received about it” by muftis (Islamic jurists). Muftis at Darul Ifta (fatwa department), Darul Uloom Deoband are responsible for giving fatwas.
On 31 May 2008, the seminary issued a significant public “Fatwa against terrorism” after a public rally in Delhi with around 100,000 representatives from nearly 6,000 madrasas across India, including those from different sects. The fatwa was a first of its kind in South Asia and stated that "in Islam, creating social discord or disorder, breach of peace, rioting, bloodsan, pillage or plunder and killing of innocent persons anywhere in the world are all considered most inhuman crimes.” The edict was signed by Habibur Rahman Khairabadi.

### Controversial fatwas

In January 2012, scholars from a Deobandi school issued a religious decision calling for the author Salman Rushdie to be barred from entering India to attend a literature festival because, in their opinion, he had offended Muslim sentiments.
In May 2010, clerics from a Deobandi school issued a fatwa stating that men and women cannot work together in public offices unless the women are properly clothed.
In September 2013, scholars from a Deobandi school issued a fatwa banning photography as un-Islamic.
In February 2024, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, demanded an FIR against the seminary's alleged promotion of the idea of Ghazwa-e-Hind, claiming that a supporting fatwa was available on their website, in response to a question seeking an answer to "whether Hadith talks about invasion of India or the Ghazwa-e-Hind".

## Entry of women in campus

Darul Uloom Deoband has garnered attention for its stances on women's rights, including issuing fatwas that restrict certain activities for Muslim women, including watching men's football, and plucking their eyebrows without their husband's permission. Additionally, the seminary faced criticism for its silence on the Taliban's ban on women's education, as the Taliban also aligns with the Deobandi ideology.
In May 2024, Darul Uloom Deoband imposed a ban on the entry of women and girls to its premises, citing concerns over social media videos filmed on the campus. The seminary's rector Abul Qasim Nomani, stated that this decision responded to public complaints about the circulation of these videos, which were considered distracting and offensive by supporters of the institution. Prior to this, women were already restricted from entering the Rashidia mosque on campus; this restriction was now expanded to the entire seminary.
In November 2024, the seminary lifted the ban on women's entry with conditions. Women were allowed on campus only if accompanied by a male guardian, wearing purdah, and prohibited from taking photographs. Reports suggested that the original ban negatively impacted nearby businesses, which led to the policy's revision.

## Administration

The seminary's co-founder Sayyid Muhammad Abid was the first vice-chancellor. Abul Qasim Nomani succeeded Ghulam Mohammad Vastanvi as the thirteenth VC of the seminary on 24 July 2011.
| Ordinal | Name (birth–death) | Term start | Term end | Time in office |
| 1 | Sayyid Muhammad Abid (1834–1912) | 1866 | 1867 | 0–1 years |
| 2 | Rafiuddin Deobandi (1836–1891) | 1867 | 1868 | 0–1 years |
| 3 | Sayyid Muhammad Abid (1834–1912) | 1869 | 1871 | 1–2 years |
| 4 | Rafiuddin Deobandi (1836–1891) | 1872 | 1889 | 16–17 years |
| 5 | Sayyid Muhammad Abid (1834–1912) | 1890 | 1892 | 1–2 years |
| 6 | Fazl Haq | 1893 | 1894 | 0–1 years |
| 7 | Muneer Ahmad Nanautawi (1831-) | 1894 | 1895 | 0–1 years |
| 8 | Hafiz Muhammad Ahmad (1862–1928) | 1895 | 1928 | 32–33 years |
| 9 | Habibur Rahman Usmani (d. 1929) | 1928 | 1929 | 0–1 years |
| 10 | Muhammad Tayyib Qasmi (1897–1983) | 1929 | 9 August 1982 | 52–53 years |
| 11 | Marghubur Rahman Bijnori (1914–2010) | 1982 | 2010 | 27–28 years |
| 12 | Ghulam Muhammad Vastanvi (b. 1950) | 11 January 2011 | 23 July 2011 | 193 days |
| 13 | Abul Qasim Nomani Banarsi (b. 1947) | July 24, 2011 | incumbent | 13 years, 234 days |

## Notable alumni

Alumni include:
* Mahmud Hasan Deobandi, leader of Silk Letter Movement
* Anwar Shah Kashmiri, hadith scholar
* Ashraf Ali Thanwi, Sufi Shaykh and author of Bahishti Zewar and Bayan Ul Quran.
* Minnatullah Rahmani, First General Secretary of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board.
* Muhammad Shafi Deobandi, first Grand Mufti of Pakistan
* Muhammad Ilyas Kandhlawi, founder of Tablighi Jamat
* Hussain Ahmed Madani, author of Composite Nationalism and Islam
* Taha Karaan, former head-mufti of Muslim Judicial Council.

## Publications

Darul ‘Uloom Deoband and its alumni publish:
* Al-Daie, Arabic monthly periodical.
* Monthly Darul Uloom, Urdu monthly periodical.
* Aaeenah Darul ‘Uloom, Urdu fortnightly periodical.
* Darulifta-Deoband.com