Lovefast 16: Deobandis in the UK
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Day 16 of 30
By Ted from the Mahabba team
Inspired by today's entry in the 30 Days of Prayer booklet, but with a UK twist!
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Daily verse
Thought for the day
Deobandis in the UK
According to the list of the 500 most influential Muslims in the world, number one for 2020 is not an Arab nor a head of state but a Pakistani, Taqi Usmani, the head of the Deobandi movement.
Looking around UK cities, you probably won’t see the name ‘Deobandi’ on any mosque but around 45% of all mosques are Deobandi-led.
Deoband, a city in India, was the birth place of a reform movement seeking to purify the life and religion of Muslims. They promote conservative values and rigorous religion. The movement was the first to establish Islamic seminaries in the UK. I have an imam friend who served as a prison chaplain. “How did you find it?” I asked. He smiled ruefully. “It reminded me of my Deobandi boarding school days,” he replied.
My friend sees himself as British first and Pakistani second. He may have misgivings about aspects of his upbringing but he is firmly orthodox. He wants his congregation to be more British and less Pakistani, but at the same time he longs to see them becoming more truly Muslims and less Pakistani too. Such people respect Christians who talk about how to become righteous, rather than how to get forgiven.
Prayer for the day
Though Islam prides itself upon its freedom from sacramentalism and priesthood, in that all worshippers worship for themselves, it is evident that the salaat postures are profoundly sacramental in a general sense.
Protration, in particular, proclaims and serves to actualize a totality of surrender. The face, the proudest thing in human personality, comes into contact with the dust, the lowest thing in nature. The physical thus embodies and expresses the spiritual. (Kenneth Cragg The Call of the Minaret. p98)
Try praying for your Muslim friends on your knees, with your 'proudest thing in human personality' in touch with 'the lowest thing in nature' - face to the ground ....
Daily action
Please note: actions were written before the COVID-19 pandemic. Please consult the latest advice from your local public health authority or government and adhere to any current restrictions on travel or social situations.
Nothing to do with Deobandis, but have a look at these Malaysian kids' cartoon and sing along
Your turn
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Resources
Do you want to involve your church in blessing Muslim people through prayer and friendship?
There are new 30 Days of Prayer church resources available for you:
Pray Together as a Congregation
Small Group Session
Night of Power Prayer Meeting
Prayer Walk Guide
What’s your next step after 30 Days? There are loads of resources to help you on your journey.