JamaateIslami

Jamaat-e-Islami, often transliterated as Jamaat-i-Islami or Jamaate Islami, is an Islamist political and social movement founded in 1941 by Abul A’la Maududi in Lahore during British India. The organization advocates the establishment of governance and social order based on Islamic law (Sharia) and aims to mobilize political action to achieve that goal through democratic processes where possible.

After the partition of India in 1947, the movement continued in the newly formed states with regional branches. In Pakistan, it operates as Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan; in India, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind functions as a separate entity; and in what became Bangladesh, Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh exists as a national branch. Across these contexts, the group has sought influence through electoral participation, legislative activity, and the development of social, educational, and charitable programs.

The organization runs a network of social welfare and educational activities, often supported by mosques, religious schools, charitable funds, and youth or student wings. In Pakistan, Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba is a prominent student wing; in India, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind is associated with the Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO). In Bangladesh, the party has historically mobilized support among certain constituencies and allied groups, though it has faced legal and political challenges at various times.

Ideologically, Jamaat-e-Islami emphasizes social justice, moral reform, and the application of Sharia as the basis for law and public life. It has been a subject of controversy, with supporters arguing it offers a legitimate religiously grounded alternative within politics, and critics accusing it of promoting anti-democratic or militant tendencies. The organization remains a notable presence in South Asian Islamist political discourse.