Deobandi Orientated Dār al-‘Ulūms in South Africa, Deobandiyyat: Background, Typology, and Diverse Ideological Conceptualisations Among ‘Ulamā’

A number of South African Muslims consider themselves Deobandi by affiliation. “Deobandiyyat” (allegiance to the thought of the Darul ‘Ulūm in India and its founders) was promoted and found expression early in South African society. It was especially the Jamiatul Ulama groupings and the dār al-‘ulūms that promulgated and continues to entrench Deobandi thinking in society. In 1973 the first dār al-‘ulūm was established in South Africa. Here traditional scholars were trained to serve the religious community of the country. Ever since, the number of these traditional institutions has mushroomed. They have commonalities and are divergent in some ways. Each has its own catchment area and ideology and as such represent the diversity present in the South African Muslim community. This article explores the ideological congruences and diversions of the various dar al-ulūms in South Africa and shows how these are tied to the broader theological debates within the community. This article also examines some of the ramifications of these debates.