Acquaintance with Lashkar-e-Taiba (Jamaa'at al-Da'wah)

This is a Jihadi, Aqlani, Khariji sect which follows the way of al-Ikhwan al-Muslimeen but which conceals itself under the cloak of Salafiyyah, whilst Salafiyyah is free and innocent of it. It calls to the khilafah and the Islamic leadership upon the way of the Khawaarij, as is very apparent and clear from its magazines, books and cassettes. Its (various) names are: Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jamaa'at al-Da'wah, Markaz al-Da'wah wal-Irshaad, and you will read these different names of this jamaa'ah in accordance with the prevailing worldly interest (that is of benefit to them) and their fear of the government... (p. 146)

Origins and History of Lashkar-e-Taiba

Numerous of their publications make mention of their history, from them al-Ribaat (8th volume, p. 39) where it is stated that "the beginnings of Markaz al-Da'wah wal-Irshaad was in 1985." And Ameer Hamza (one of their figureheads) explains in one of his writings for this jamaa'ah (1994, p. 13) that the beginning of this jamaa'ah was in 1985 at the hand of Haafidh Muhammad Sa'eed in the city of Lahore. And Suhail Waaranj wrote in an Urdu publication called "Madhhabee Siyaasat Kee Tadaadaat" (Conflicting Political Orientations) in which he brings together contrasting views of those who make claim to Salafiyyah and some of the Innovators - he wrote therein (p. 67, Sakir Publishers) that Haafidh Sa'eed founded this markaz (of this jamaa'ah) after he returned from participating in the Afghani Jihad in 1986. And Ameer Hamza (one of their figureheads) also mentions in his book, "Qaafilat Da'wat wa Jihaad" which is in the Urdu language and which has an introduction by Abdullaah Nasir al-Rehmani - he mentions the connection between (Haafidh Sa'eed) and the Ikhwani Abdullaah Azzaam (who slandered Imaam al-Albani out of blind, bigoted defence of Sayyid Qutb) - so he says (p. 95) that Haafidh Sa'eed used to revise the Qur'an with Abdullaah Azzaam in 1980 at the Islamic University in Islamabad. In 1982, Haafidh Sa'eed went to study engineering in the University of Malik Sa'ud in Riyadh, returning in 1984. After meeting with various delegations and inviduals such as Professor Zafar Iqbal and Muhammad Professor Ibrahim al-Nurastani, and those who had participated in the Afghani Jihad, the ideas and foundations for (a jamaa'ah) began to take shape (see pp. 146-148).

This indicates that the sources behind the formulation of this group are the Ikhwanis and Takfiris, such as Abdullaah Azzaam, Usamah Bin Ladin, Abu Abd al-Aziz and others. However, this jamaa'ah evolved and opened training camps for their claimed version of Jihaad in Kashmir, but then it abandoned the (claimed version of) Jihaad and got involved in permitting suicide bombings [recruiting for these types of operations), and claiming that they are from Jihad in the path of Allaah. Then it evolved to another stage and began opening schools, institutions and universities, all upon the manhaj of al-Ikhwan al-Muslimoon. Thereafter, it evolved and moved into opening charitable projects to such as hospitals, building mosques and the likes, and also gathering wealth in the name of Jihad in order to facilitate these projects of goodness as they claim. Finally, and most recently, they have evolved into another stage, which is co-operation with Ahl al-Bid'ah from the Deobandis, (grave-worshipping) Barelwis, the Raafidah (Shia), all under the slogan of establishing the Islamic state and implementing the Islamic Sharee'ah (as they claim). By all of this, there remained little difference between them and other astray sects in that they became a warring faction against the Salafis through their cooperation with the misguided sects (see pp. 148-149).