Tablīghī Jamāʿat

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Tablīghī Jamāʿat (Urdu, ‘Party which Propagates’). An Islamic movement which originated in India in 1923, and became a major international force for Islamic revival. It differs from other Muslim religious movements in that its founder, Mawlānā Ilyās (1885–1944), kept it free initially from political influences and zealously guarded it from being utilized for political purposes. He believed that spiritual regeneration of the individual should be the primary objective of any religious movement engaged in improving the condition of the Muslim community.

The movement has grown in popularity and strength, and has established many centres in African and Asian countries. In the 1960s Tablīghī Jamāʿat reached Japan, Britain, the USA, France, Belgium, Holland, and W. Germany, and won over numerous converts to Islam.

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