Jamaat vs Hefazat: Tensions rise, unity remains elusive

When Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh's Amir Allama Muhibullah Babunagari recently said Jamaat-e-Islami is not an Islamic party, but one that is harmful to Islam, the ripple effects were instantaneous.  

In a break from its usually followed policy of silence, Jamaat responded swiftly, terming the comments "offensive" and "false". 

The big picture: 

• Following Sheikh Hasina's ouster amid last year's mass uprising, political parties began reorganising.

• Many Islamist parties are also expected to form alliances ahead of the 13th national election.

• The recent war of words between Hefazat and Jamaat shows the underlying tensions between the two, which could affect any alliances going forward.

• Jamaat-e-Islami – which had been out of the spotlight for a long time – became active in open political activities, and initiated efforts to form an alliance with various Islamic parties, both political and non-political. 

• While significant progress has been made in this regard, sources of Jamaat-e-Islami said that they are uneasy about the leadership of Hefazat-e-Islam's amir. 

A brief overview:

• Jamaat is the largest Islamist political party in the country. 

• On the contrary, Hefazat-e-Islam is a major and influential non-political Islamic organisation as it is rooted in the Qawmi madrasa network, and many of its top leaders also hold key positions in various Islamist political parties.

• While not being directly involved in politics, Hefazat wields significant influence over Bangladesh's Islamist political landscape.

• Since the rise of Hefazat in 2013, major political parties have repeatedly tried to win its favour at various times before elections. 

• With the 13th national election on the horizon, political parties are once again eager to gain the support of Hefazat.

What Hefazat leader said 

• Speaking at an event in Chattogram's Fatikchhari on 4 August, Hefazat Amir Allama Muhibullah Babunagari said, "Jamaat is a fraudulent Islamic party. They do not embrace real Islam. They do not want to promote the Islam of Medina, rather they aim to establish the Islam of Maududi."

• Speaking in Urdu, he said, "I consider Jamaat-e-Islami to be worse – worse than even the Qadianis…The harm Jamaat-e-Islami has done to Islam is far greater than that caused by the Qadianis."

Jamaat's unprecedented response: Although leaders of Hefazat and other Islamist parties have made negative statements about Jamaat at various times, the party has maintained a "policy of ignoring". 

• On 6 August, however, the party responded to the Hefazat amir's comments in a  statement signed by Jamaat's Assistant Secretary General Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair. 

• He said Maulana Babunagari's comments were "untrue, fabricated, and indecent" statements. 

• The statement added that at a time when unity among the Islamic parties of the country was crucial, such remarks were nothing but an attempt to undermine the unity among Islamic parties. 

• Zubair also said such statements were contrary to Islamic values and political decency, serving only to strengthen the hands of conspirators against Islam and the country.

• "The genuine sources of Islam are the Quran and Sunnah. Jamaat-e-Islami is a follower of that very Islam. There is no separate Islam called 'Maududi's Islam'. Through such baseless and misleading remarks, he has tried to mislead the nation, which is contrary to his responsibility," the statement added.

What is Jamaat thinking now: Stream reached out to a number of party leaders to get their take on the issue, with most reiterating the desire to maintain good relations with all Islamist parties.

• Speaking to Stream, Jamaat's Nayeb-e-Ameer and former MP Professor Mujibur Rahman said, "We do not insult anyone; we see everyone with fairness. We do not respond to such statements. Our skin is very thick. We don't get agitated easily. We practise patience. We try to normalise the relationship gradually."

• On why it reacted so strongly this time, he said, "At this critical juncture of the country, we are maintaining a good relationship with all Islamic parties and are holding discussions to consolidate the support of the Islamic electorate in the upcoming national election.

• He said even the person making such remarks against Jamaat wanted similar unity. "But I'm surprised that such remarks came out so suddenly. This was not the right time for such comments. He is supposed to keep up with the national context."

• He said Jamaat wanted to unite with Hefazat and questioned whether Babunagari was incited to give such a speech.

• "We are on the line of trying to resolve these things through dialogue, efforts are underway. I believe that it will work out well. The greater Islamic unity or agreement that is being built will not be destroyed by any kind of conspiracy or such remarks, Insha'Allah."

What Hefazat leaders told Stream: 

• Hefazat-e-Islam Joint Secretary General Maulana Azizul Haque Islamabadi told Stream on Saturday that they want unity among all Islamic forces as they also tried to unite everyone. 

• "There is some ideological difference between the Jamaat and the Ulema-e-Karam. But the idea of reducing the gap, and coming together in the future for the welfare of the country and the Ulema, is beneficial for everyone."

• Hefazat Senior Joint Secretary General and Dhaka Metropolitan President Maulana Junaid Al Habib, however, said he doesn't think that the Hefazat amir can make any untrue, fabricated, or indecent remarks.

• "Maulana Muhibullah Babunagari is a highly respected scholar in Bangladesh, and the mentor of all the Ulema-e-Karam of Bangladesh. It is in no way appropriate to call the remarks of such an esteemed elder as 'provocative' and 'irresponsible'."

• When asked whether Hefazat would support Jamaat in its efforts to unite Islamist forces, Habib told Stream, "It is a matter for discussion and review. Jamaat is a political party, Hefazat is a non-political organisation."

A rift years in the making?: While Hefazat's recent comments have sparked widespread discussion, this isn't the first time the group has expressed its opposition to Jamaat.

• Last month, in front of journalists, Babunagari had said: "Jamaat-e-Islami is not the Islam of Medina, and the Islam of Medina and Jamaat-e-Islami are not the same."

• On 25 October 2024, during a speech given at Mizan Maidan in Feni, Babunagari said, "We do not consider Jamaat-e-Islam to be an Islamic party. Jamaat-e-Islam does not want the Islam of Medina, they want to establish the Islam of Maududi."

• Speaking to the media immediately after Babunagari became the Hefazat amir following the death of Junaid Babunagari in August 2021, he said Hefazat had no ideological ties with Jamaat.

• "Qawmi scholars have always been vocal against Jamaat," he added.

• Citing prominent Deobandi figure Allama Hussain Ahmad Madani – who was vocal against Jamaat – Babunagari said that Hefazat, as their followers, still speaks against Jamaat. 

• Referring to this historical context, he said there can be no unity between Qawmi and Jamaat because, according to him, the distance between Qawmi and Jamaat is historically recognised for ideological divisions. 

• He further mentioned that Awami League and BNP had joined hands with Jamaat for political interests, but Hefazat has never formed any such alliance with Jamaat.

Zoom Out: After the fall of the Awami League regime on 5 August last year, the political scenario has changed, and many leaders of Hefazat are seen in Jamaat-e-Islami meetings and rallies. Jamaat has been actively emphasising the unity of Islamist parties.

• On 19 July, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami held a rally at the city's Suhrawardy Udyan. Ahead of the event, the party's key leaders said this would be a turning point in Jamaat's political journey.

• At the rally, Jamaat leaders repeatedly called for unity among Islamist parties. 

• On behalf of Hefazat-e-Islam, Nayeb-e-Ameer Mohiuddin Rabbani spoke at Jamaat's Suhrawardy rally.

• Shortly after 5 August 2024, Jamaat-e-Islami began dialogues with Qawmi-based parties. 

• Overall, uncertainty continues to cloud the possibilities of the electoral unity of Islamist parties. While efforts toward unity sometimes face obstacles, no side has completely ruled out the possibility of unity either.