Tablighi Jamaat in Mewat-3: Early Success, Meos Had No Concern for Their Islamic Identity
By Yoginder Sikand
Early Success
Having devised or
learnt, whether by divine or other means, the Tariqa-i-Tabligh, Ilyas
called a meeting of Meos at Nuh in 1926 sometime after his return from
his second Haj. Along with some of his Meo disciples and Deobandi 'Ulema
from Delhi and elsewhere, he then set about visiting the neighbouring
villages to spread his message among the Meos. Initially he seems to
have met with considerable opposition. On several occasions people threw
stones at him, beat him with sticks and chased him out of their
villages. Yet, it is said, he did not for a moment relent.
'He accepted this
persecution gracefully and thanked God that he had made him pass through
the same trials and tests as the prophets had undergone in the past for
the sake of spreading the din' (Mazhari 1972:40).
After Ilyas had
managed to establish a firm base in the area around Nuh, he formed a
Jama’at composed of six Meos—Hafiz Muhammad Ishaq and Numberdar Mehrab
Khan of Ferozepur-Namak, Chaudhri Namaz Khan of Raisina and three
children. The titles of the first three suggest that they, as in the
case of the Jama’at referred to earlier, were influential local leaders
and this is probably why they were chosen to join this first preaching
party of what was to become the TJ. Ilyas instructed this group to spare
a few days, travelling to neighbouring Meo villages to preach the
Kalima and ritual prayers.
This Jama’at is
reported to have faced considerable opposition from Meos in some
villages, but they attempted to win their opponents over by humbling
themselves before them. Thus, it is said that,
“They begged, with
great humility, those who did not pray to follow them, so much so that
they removed their own turbans and placed them at their feet, pleading
that they should come to the mosque. This is how the work of Tabligh
actually began” (Baliyavi n.d.:54).
The first Tablighi
Jamaat’s tour lasted three weeks. They visited several villages,
performing the Friday prayers on the way at Sohna, Taoro and Nagina, all
in the Gurgaon district. Ilyas, along with some other 'Ulema, attended
these congregational prayers, giving the missionaries advice and
encouragement, and helping to strengthen their zeal for what they
believed was a great divine mission.
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