In a rare and scathing attack from within the broader Islamic political spectrum, Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh’s Amir, Allama Muhibullah Babunagari, has denounced Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami as a “fraudulent Islamic party,” accusing it of following a distorted version of Islam.
Speaking at a religious conference titled “Role of the Ulama in Shaping the Future of Fatikchhari”, held at a community center in Nazirhat, Chattogram, the Hefazat chief made sharp distinctions between what he termed “Maududi’s Islam” and “Medina’s Islam.”
“Jamaat-e-Islami is not a genuine Islamic party. It is a fraudulent one,” said Babunagari. “Their Islam is the Islam of Abul A’la Maududi. Our Islam is the Islam of Medina. If someone follows Maududi’s Islam, their faith will not be intact.”
The remarks were delivered during an event organized by Brihottor Fatikchharir Ulama-Mashayekhgon on Monday. The gathering brought together influential clerics from the region, many of whom expressed concern about ideological deviations within the country’s Islamic movements.
The Hefazat Amir alleged that Jamaat is attempting to establish a political Islam that is incompatible with traditional Sunni orthodoxy.
“They do not want to establish the Islam of Medina; they want to establish Maududi’s Islam. That is why we do not recognize Jamaat-e-Islami as an Islamic party,” he added.
The program was moderated by Hefazat leader Maulana Abu Maknun Mohammad Aziz and presided over by Pir Maulana Shah Salauddin Nanupuri of Nanupar Obaidia Darbar. Several prominent Islamic scholars and Hefazat figures also addressed the event, including Maulana Habibur Rahman, Sheikh Husain Muhammad Shahjahan Islamabadi, Maulana Junayed bin Jalal, Maulana Ayub Babunagari, Maulana Yahya, and others.
Religious Tensions and Political Undercurrents
The fiery remarks highlight deepening ideological rifts between Qawmi-based traditionalist groups like Hefazat-e-Islam and the politically organized Jamaat-e-Islami, whose ideological lineage traces back to South Asian Islamist thinker Abul A’la Maududi.
Although both groups have operated within the same broader socio-religious space, Hefazat’s leadership has often distanced itself from Jamaat’s political doctrine. With Islamist politics facing mounting scrutiny following the July Uprising of 2024 and subsequent interim reforms, such statements may reflect an attempt to redefine religious authority and authenticity within Bangladesh’s Islamic landscape.
