Jamaat-e-Islami (Urdu/Arabic/Persian: جماعت اسلامي, "Islamic Assembly") is a political party in Pakistan. It was founded in pre-partition India by Syed Ab'ul Ala Maududi in 1941. The party is often referred to just as the "Jamaat" or (particularly in newspaper headlines in Pakistan) as the JI. Members—and often any conservative Muslim, particularly one considered by the speaker/writer as a fundamentalist—is referred to as a Jamaati. The latter is also used as an adjective for certain political viewpoint or attitude.
The Jamaat is one of the largest components of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, the coalition of "religious parties" in Pakistan.
The Jamaat's student wing is known as the Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba (Urdu/Arabic/Persian: اسلامي جمميعت طلبه, "Islamic Assembly of Students"), also known as the Jamiat (pronounced "juh-mee-at") or IJT. This student wing is accused for deterioration in the educational institutes of Pakistan and a promoter and source of Gun Culture and violation plus terrorism.The Jamiat also has a wing/counterpart for female students called the Islami Jamiat-e-Taalibaat (اسلامي جميعت طالبات).
The Indian branch/affiliate, Jamaat-e-Islami, Hind , does not engage in active politics, but keeps its activities to philanthropy.
The Jamaat and a militant affiliate, the Al-Badr , played a very controversial role in the process of the birth of Bangladesh from East Pakistan. Since that separation, in 1971, its Bangladesh branch/affiliate has become progressively more powerful there, most recently by forming a coalition government with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
See also
Personalities
Islamism
The Jamaat is often mentioned as a major Islamist party, being the largest "religious party" in one of the largest Muslim countries in the world. Topics related to the wider discussion include:
Islam-related
Other topics related to Muslims in South Asia
External links
