Below is the Tablighi Jamaat Ameer List from 1926 to 2023. From 1995 June 12 onwards, there was no more Ameer but a Shura. In 2014, Maulana Saad started his own group by declaring himself the Ameer and rejected the Shura. The Shura continues to operate until today.
See Full History of Tablighi Jamaat (1926-2023)
#1 Maulana Ilyas Kandhlawi
Maulana Ilyas Kandhlawi was the first Ameer of Tabligh when he founded the Jamaat on November 1926. Maulana Ilyas returned back to India from Hajj and officially started the work of Tabligh at the age of 40.
According to one commentator, the above picture is not Maulana Ilyas. Though it seems to be widely attributed to him on Google Searches. We, unfortunately, have no means to verify this.
#2 Maulana Yusuf Kandhlawi
Maulana Yusuf Kandhlawi was the second Ameer of Tabligh. He was appointed in 1944 July 13 after Maulana Ilyas passed away in Nizamuddin Markaz. He was buried outside the core of the Masjid. Maulana Yusuf was appointed as the Ameer by Maulana Shah Abdul Qadir Raipuri after consultation (making Mashwara) with other senior members of Tabligh. Maulana Zakariyya ceremoniously put Maulana Ilyas’ turban on Maulana Yusuf’s head. Maulana Zakariya together with Maulana Ilyas then handed a note to Maulana Yusuf written on it: “I authorize you to take Bay’ah (pledge of allegiance) from people.”
#3 Maulana Inaamul Hasan – November
Maulana Inaamul Hasan was the third Ameer of Tabligh. He was appointed in 1965 April 12 following a Mashwara that was conducted by Maulana Zakariyya. From that Mashwara it was decided that Maulana Inaamul Hasan was to be appointed as the third Ameer. The result of the Mashwara was announced by Maulana Fakhruddin Deobandi, after Maulana Umar Palanpuri’s Bayan(Talk).
#4 Aalami Shura
The Aalami Shura is the fourth authority of Tablighi Jamaat. No Ameer was appointed following the demise of Maulana Inaamul Hasan. This was following a meeting (Mashwara) that was conducted on June 1995 where Maulana Inaamul Hasan’s Shura gathered at Nizamuddin’s Markaz. From that Mashwara, they decided that:
- From now onwards, the responsibility of patronizing the work will be not under one individual; but a whole Shura
- Those of the Shura who belong to Nizamuddin are members of the Shura for Nizamuddin and together will take care of the work there. From these five Shura, three will work as a Faisal (Maulana Izhar, Maulana Zubayr, and Maulana Saad).
- There will be no more Bay’ah (Oath of allegiance) at Nizamuddin Markaz.
Source 1: Ahwal wa Atsar, Page 421
Source 2: Maulana Yaqub’s letter
Source 3: Haji Abdul Wahab’s statement
Tablighi Jamaat Ameer List after 2014?
Tablighi Jamaat went through a dispute in 2014 following disagreements with Maulana Saad who violated the 1995 agreement and declared himself Ameer. For more details see below “3 Reasons Why Tablighi Jamaat Split”
As Salam Alaikum,
Could you please clarify the below:
1. What is the difference between Ameer and Faisal? If an Aalami shura was made then why they had to choose a Faisal between the 10 brothers? Can the all 10 be not ameer one by one? what is the use of Faisal? and why only 3 Faisal out of 10 people that were in the shura? So if they choose 3 to be Faisal then if they only Choose 1 as an Ameer then what is the difference?
2. If there is no concept of Ameer in Tabligh then why did we have Maualana Yusuf and Maulana Inam as Ameer?
3. Why did muslim choose Abu Bakr (ra), Umar (ra), Uthman (ra) and Ali (ra) as Ameer Ul Momineen. Could they not just make a shura then ?
Waiting for your respectful response.
Jazak Allah Khair
Waalaikumsalam. A Faisal just means a decision maker which is usually the appointed Ameer. When the Alami Shura travels together or conduct any meeting, there will always be an appointed Ameer
During all Rashidun caliphate there was a Shura.
Replying to your statement
During all Rashidun caliphate there was a Shura- But there was an Ameer over the shura, isnt it?
Yes, it’s the same thing in Tabligh Jamat. There’s a Shura and between them there is an ameer who makes the decision.
This page clearly mentions that out of the 5 Shura of Nizamuddin, only 3 will be Faisal, in the following statement:
Those of the Shura who belong to Nizamuddin are members of the Shura for Nizamuddin and together will take care of the work there. From these five Shura, three will work as a Faisal (Maulana Izhar, Maulana Zubayr, and Maulana Saad).
Maulana Izhar passed away in 1996 and Maulana Zubair passed away in 2014. That leaves Maulana Saad as the 1 Faisal.
After the Nov 2015 Raiwand Ijtema, Maulana Saad created a Shura in Nizamuddin on Dec 2015 during the all India Mashwera. Naturally, even after adding a Shura, he remains the single Faisal as appointed in 1995.
Any talk of Maulana Saad violating any agreement and starting his own group is totally baseless and those who insist on are ignoring the clear truth.
After the death of Maulana Zubair in 2014, Maulana Saad remained as Faisal of India, Haji Abdul Wahab Sahib was the Amir of Pakistan, and together they were the Shura of the world.
Accordingly, all the dawat affairs of India can only be decided by Maulana Saad, as per the 1995 agreement.
Maulana Saad never claimed himself Ameer over Haji Abdul Wahab, they worked together. Maulana Saad made that very clear in his Bayan in Raiwand Ijtema 2015. In the viral audio spread about Maulana Saad declaring himself Amir, he was answering the question of brothers asking about Shura in Nizamuddin. Of course, Maulana Saad is one of the Faisal/Amir in Nizamuddin as per 1995 decision. The other Faisals passed away, so he remains the only Faisal.
Also, during the Nov 2015 Raiwand Ijtema, the Mashwera which took place with Haji Abdul Wahab Sahib and Maulana Saad together, the audio clearly shows Haji Sahib wanted Maulana Saad to make a Shura for India, not for the world. Accordingly, Maulana Saad made a Shura of India in Dec 2015 (which included Maulana Ibrahim, Maulana Ahmad Latt, Maulana Zuhair among others) during the all India Mashwera, with all the old workers present. Again, as per 1995 agreement, even though there was a Shura of 5, the Faisal in Nizamuddin was only among 3, of whom only Maulana Saad is alive, so he is naturally the Faisal/Amir of this Shura.
The current split is because the India old workers were insisting that Maulana Saad must rotate the Faisal with the others, which he didn’t agree, as that is not what Haji Sahib told him in 2015 Raiwand Ijtema, and it goes against the 1995 decision of Hazrat Ji Maulana Inamul Hassan’s Shura decision.
Until now, I asked so many friends on Alami Shura view regarding the above, nobody could give me a proper answer.
Maulana Abdurrahman (Bayan in Mumbai), Maulana Shahid Saharanpur (Ahwal wa Atsar)
Bhai Farooq (Bayan)
Dr Khalid Siddiqui (letters)
all these elders hide the fact that out of the 5 Shura of India, only 3 were Faisals, including Maulana Saad.
This means even Miyagi Mahrab and Maulana Omar Palanpuri would not be Faisal in India over Maulana Saad or Maulana Zubair, so how can anyone else from today be Faisal while Maulana Saad is there? Until now, nobody has given me an acceptable answer to this.
No matter how many faults Maulana Saad may have, nothing changes the above. In hadith, we are told to obey the Amir, regardless of his shortcomings. Similar advice is in the Bayans of Maulana Yousuf (RA) and Maulana Saeed Ahmed Khan (RA). This preserves the unity of the Ummah.
May Allah guide me if I’m misunderstanding, but the above seems like common sense, and again until now, despite asking for explanations from others, nothing has convinced me otherwise. May Allah guide us all to what is right. Aameen
Haji Sahab was the Faisal of the 2015 Raiwind Mashwara (Maulana Saad accepted him as Faisal). Haji Sahab’s decision has been clearly documented in his letters: Shura was to be expanded and no single permanent Ameer.
You said ‘Maulana Saad never claimed himself Ameer over Haji Abdul Wahab’. If he is not Ameer then why are you following him? Follow Haji Sahab’s decision then!
I’m sorry brother MA. I respect you for the sake of Allah and my Muslim Brother. You have made your choice and given your life to a controversial man (See Fatawas). The fact that you need twists & lengthy explanations shows a shaky foundation.
May Allah SWT guide us all. Ameen
Assalamo Alaikum Br TjAdmin,
I’m sorry you find my arguments twisted. I’ll try to straighten them. First, I request you to do the same.
Question 1: you claim that Maulana Saad violated the 1995 agreement by declaring himself Amir of the world after the death of Maulana Zubair. But you also confirm that in Raiwand 2015, Maulana Saad accepted Haji Abdul Wahab as Faisal. If this is true, then it proves that Maulana Saad didn’t consider himself as Amir of the world, and didn’t violate the 1995 agreement, but, as per the 1995 agreement, he remains the only Faisal of India, and 1 of 2 members of the world shura. So tell me, if Maulana Saad accepted Haji Sahib as Faisal during 2015 Raiwand Ijtema, then when exactly did he violate the 1995 agreement?
Now, you are asking me if Maulana Saad is not the Ameer, then why don’t I just follow Haji Sahib’s decision? Here is my answer:
I listened very carefully to the everything available from 2015 Raiwand Mashwera, and this is what I found. If any fact is not correct, please tell me what is correct with proof.
Fact 1: during the Mashwera when Haji Sahib and Maulana Saad sat with all the elders, the adab of Mashwera was given by Maulana Ahmad Bhawalpuri, one of Haji Sahib’s most trusted companions. He said every Markaz should have a shura with 1 Ameer.
Fact 2: during the Mashwera, when Maulana Saad asked Haji Sahib for clarification about what type of Shura he wants, Haji Sahib responded that he wants a Shura in Nizamuddin. Maulana Saad said the Shura of Nizamuddin should be made in Nizamuddin, and he will do it when he returns to India.
Fact 3: throughout the entire Mashwera, Haji Sahib never even once mentioned he wants an Alami Shura. Everyone understood that Haji Sahib wants a shura in India, to the extent that Farooq Bhai had to clarify that we are not asking for that, but we are asking for the Shura of Maulana Inam (RA) to be completed.
Fact 4: The letter prepared explaining the completion of the Shura of Hazrat Ji Maulana Inam (RA) and the associated rules was prepared in a meeting of India and Pakistan elders, without either Haji Sahib and Maulana Saad. They intentionally did this privately to avoid different opinions. After finishing it, they went individually to Haji Sahib, Maulana Saad, and the others who signed it. There was no sitting with Haji Sahib and Maulana Saad together with other elders to discuss this letter.
Fact 5: Haji Sahib didn’t read the letter before signing it. Maulana Saad read it and didn’t agree with it.
Fact 6: When Maulana Saad afterwards came to Haji Sahib to ask him clarification if this is what he wants, Haji Sahib told him no, there is no need for this. He just wants a Shura in Nizamuddin. Each Markaz will have their shuras, and they will do their work. For Global points, they will be decided when everyone gets together at Raiwand, Tongi or Hajj. Accordingly, Maulana Saad gave a bayan to the old workers telling them this is what he discussed with Haji Sahib, so this is what they will do.
So, every direct discussion between Haji Sahib and Maulana Saad shows the decision was to make a shura in India. The letter sent around the world with all the signatures is not what Haji Sahib and Maulana Saad agreed with each other.
I have audio proof for all the above. So, I am fully confident that I am following Haji Sahib and Maulana Saad’s unanimous decision. Those who prepared the letter and spread it in the world betrayed the trust of the workers of the world by claiming this is what Haji Sahib decided and this is what he wanted.
Another important point to highlight. In this page of your website, you explain the appointment of the previous Ameers:
For Maulana Yousuf (RA):
Maulana Yusuf was appointed as the Ameer by Maulana Shah Abdul Qadir Raipuri after consultation (making Mashwara) with other senior members of Tabligh. Maulana Zakariyya ceremoniously put Maulana Ilyas’ turban on Maulana Yusuf’s head.
For Maulana Inamul Hassan (RA):
Maulana Inaamul Hasan was the third Ameer of Tabligh. He was appointed in 1965 April 12 following a Mashwara that was conducted by Maulana Zakariyya. From that Mashwara it was decided that Maulana Inaamul Hasan was to be appointed as the third Ameer. The result of the Mashwara was announced by Maulana Fakhruddin Deobandi, after Maulana Umar Palanpuri’s Bayan(Talk).
For major decisions like this, the decision maker makes the announcement in front of a big gathering to ensure that everyone is clear.
However, Haji Sahib didn’t make any announcement of this decision during or after the 2015 Raiwand Ijtema. On the other hand, Maulana Saad, who is with Haji Sahib part of the Shura of the world, announced the result of his discussion with Haji Sahib, which is to make a shura for India when he returns. So, this is the official decision of 2015 Raiwand Ijtema.
However, after the people of India and Bangladesh left Pakistan, the letter circulated everywhere in the world announcing the alami shura decision. There was no announcement in Raiwand about the alami shura, but still the letter was distributed. Such a decision is never announced by letters alone…
In conclusion, maybe it is true that Maulana Saad is controversial, and valid objections can be made about some of his bayans, but the facts I presented are undisputable. I am taking the time to explain it all so that no Muslim falls into the trap of making unjust accusations against another Muslim, in this case Maulana Saad, because of false information. The punishment for spreading false information is very serious, may Allah protect us all from this. Aameen