Pakistan A Kaleidoscipe of Islam
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Pakistan A Kaleidoscipe of Islam

پاکستان؛ کالیدوسکوپی از اسلام

Compiler & Author: Mariam Abou Zahab

Pakistan: A Kaleidoscope of Islam provides a comprehensive examination of the diversity of Islamic movements in Pakistan. Mariam Abou Zahab argues that Islam in Pakistan is not monolithic but a complex mosaic of sectarian, ideological, ethnic, and political strands. She explores the roles of Deobandi, Barelvi, Shia, Salafi, and jihadist movements, and analyzes the intersections between religion, politics, ethnic identity, and regional dynamics. The book also discusses the influence of Afghanistan, the Middle East, and geopolitical rivalries on the evolution of political Islam in Pakistan. It presents a nuanced and multi-layered understanding of religion in Pakistani society.

Pages 256
Timeline Stops 116
Book Timeline

Book Timeline

1867 - Establishment of Deoband School

The Deoband School was established near Delhi.

1870 - Start of Ahl-i Hadith Movement

The Ahl-i Hadith movement, an elitist religious-political movement aimed at 'reform', began.

1877 - Second Anglo-Afghan War

The Second Anglo-Afghan War led to the Treaty of Gandamak and the cession of Kurram territory to British control.

1892 - Establishment of Kurram Agency

The Kurram Agency was established by the British.

1893 - Establishment of Durand Line

The Durand Line was established, placing the Turi people on the British side.

1901 - Frontier Crimes Regulation

The colonial government drafted the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR).

1906 - All-India Ahl-i-Hadith Conference

The All-India Ahl-i-Hadith Conference was held in Arrah (Bihar), which traces the roots of the central organization of Ahl-i-Hadith (MJAH).

1929 - Formation of the Ahrar Movement

The Ahrar Movement was established.

1930s - Sectarian Clashes in Lucknow

Sectarian clashes between Sunnis and Shias in Lucknow involved members of the Ahrar.

1940s - Establishment of Jamaat-e-Islami

Jamaat-e-Islami was founded by Maulana Maududi.

1945 - Formation of JUI

Establishment of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI), a Sunni Deobandi party.

1947 - Partition of India and Pakistan

Partition of India and Pakistan; large migration of Indian refugees to Jhang. Establishment of Ahmadiyya headquarters in Rabwah, near Chiniot, in the same region.

1948 - Autonomy of FATA

The government of Pakistan recognized the autonomous nature of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).

1953 - Formation of Shia Rights Organization

Establishment of the Organization for the Protection of Shia Rights in Pakistan (Idara-e Tahaffuz-e Hoquq-e Shia).

1966 - Formation of ISO

Establishment of Imamia Students Organization (ISO) at King Edward Medical College in Lahore.

1968 - Formation of JUI

Official establishment of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) as a political party in Lahore.

1969 - Sunni-Shia Clashes

Violent Sunni-Shia clashes in Jhang resulted in the death of five Sunnis.

1970 - Exile of Syed Mehdi Al-Hakim

Emergence of Shia leader Syed Mehdi Al-Hakim in exile to Pakistan.

1972 - Formation of ISO

Establishment of Imamia Students Organization (ISO) to mobilize Shia students on a religious basis.

1973 - Movement by Maulvi Noor Muhammad

Maulvi Noor Muhammad initiated a movement among the Wazir tribes.

1974 - Ahmadiyya Declared Non-Muslim

The Ahmadiyya community was declared a non-Muslim minority by a constitutional amendment.

May 1976 - Military Enters South Waziristan

The Pakistan Army entered South Waziristan and dismantled the parallel government of Maulvi Noor Muhammad.

1977 - Alcohol Ban and Friday Holiday

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto banned alcohol and declared Friday a public holiday.

July 1977 - Zia-ul-Haq Takes Power

General Zia-ul-Haq took power in Pakistan and initiated Islamization policies.

1978 - Protests Against Shah of Iran

Allama Arif Hussain Al-Hussaini organized protests against the Shah of Iran in Peshawar.

1979

Start of the Iranian Revolution.

April 1979

A Shia convention was held in Bhakkar where Mufti Jafar Hussain was elected as the leader of the Shia community, and the formation of Tehreek-e-Nafaz-e-Fiqh-e-Jafaria (TNFJ) was announced.

June 1980

The mandatory Zakat (Ushr) ordinance was issued.

July 1980

Shias besieged Islamabad for three days, leading to an agreement exempting Shias from Zakat deduction.

1980

The establishment of Harakat-ul-Jihad al-Islami (HJI) by three students from Karachi.

1982 - Sectarian Violence

Sectarian violence occurred in the Bazaar of Sedeh, Karam administration.

1982 - Maryam Joins Afran

Maryam Abuzahid joined Afran as a volunteer.

1983 - Assassination of Issam Sartawi

Issam Sartawi was assassinated by the Abu Nidal Organization.

Maryam in PLO Ranks

In spring 1983, Maryam Abuzahid briefly took up arms with the Arafat faction of the PLO.

Maryam's Afghanistan Journey

In summer 1983, Maryam Abuzahid traveled with Jean-Pierre Perrin to the desert regions of Afghanistan.

December 1984

Allama Arif Hussain Al-Hussaini called for a referendum boycott.

1985

Establishment of Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) in Jhang.

July 1985

Quetta incidents led to violence and widespread arrests.

September 1985

Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) founded in Jhang by Maulana Haq Nawaz Jhangvi.

1986

Establishment of Markaz-ud-Dawa-wal-Irshad (MDI) by Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, Dr. Zafar Iqbal, and Sheikh Abdullah Azzam.

1986 - Anti-Shia Riots

Anti-Shia riots in Kurram Agency and Gilgit.

1987 - Assassination of Leaders

Assassination of Ehsan Elahi Zaheer and Habib ur Rehman Yazdani, leaders of Ahl-e-Hadith.

July 1987 - Political Party Announcement

Allama Arif Hussain Al-Hussaini announced the transformation of TNFJ into a political party.

1988 - Renaming of Organization

The organization Harakat-ul-Jihad al-Islami (HJI) was renamed to Harakat-ul-Mujahideen (HUM).

August 1988 - Assassination of Allama Arif Hussain

Assassination of Allama Arif Hussain Al-Hussaini in Peshawar.

September 1988

Allama Sajid Naqvi was appointed as the successor to Allama Hussaini.

1989

Formation of Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen, a jihadist group in Indian-occupied Kashmir.

February 1990

Assassination of Haq Nawaz Jhangvi, founder of Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP).

December 1990

Assassination of Sadeq Ganji, Iranian Consul General in Lahore.

1991

A split in HJI led to the formation of Harkat-ul-Ansar (HUA).

January 1991

Assassination of Maulana Isar-ul-Qasmi, successor to Haq Nawaz Jhangvi.

1992

Sheikh Omar Saeed imprisoned in India for kidnapping three Western tourists in Kashmir.

December 1992

Demolition of Babri Mosque in Ayodhya, India.

1993

Attack on a group of Western tourists in Srinagar, Kashmir.

1993

Tehrik-e-Jafaria Pakistan (TJP) renamed from Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Fiqh-e-Jafaria (TNFJ).

January 1993

Aimal Kasi's attack on CIA employees in Langley, Virginia.

February 1993

Ramzi Yousef's attack on the World Trade Center.

1994

Separation of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) from Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP).

1994

Establishment of Tehreek-e-Nafaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi (TNSM) by Sufi Muhammad in Malakand.

March 1995

Sheikh Iqbal was assassinated by militants of Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP).

1996

Interim government of Malik Meraj Khalid introduced universal adult suffrage in tribal areas.

August 1998

Massacre of Hazara Shias and Iranian diplomats in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan.

October 1999

General Musharraf seized power in Pakistan.

December 1999

Hijacking of Indian Airlines plane at Kandahar airport led to the release of Masood Azhar.

February 2000

Formation of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Karachi.

April 2000

Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) attacks on Indian forces in Srinagar.

May 2000

Assassination of a Shia doctor by Masood Azhar's guards.

December 2000

Suicide attack by Mohammad Bilal (alias Asif) on Indian Army base in Kashmir.

December 2000

Establishment of the Pak-Afghan Defense Council by Maulana Sami-ul-Haq.

September 2001

Post 9/11, the UK banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) as a terrorist organization.

October 2001

Deadly attack by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in Kashmir.

November 2001

Pakistan dispatched several aircraft to rescue its officers surrounded in Kunduz by the Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants.

December 2001

Attack on the Indian Parliament.

December 2001

Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) renamed to Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) in Pakistan.

December 19, 2001

Clash on Kohat route resulted in the death of ten Arabs.

January 2002

General Musharraf banned Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Tehreek-e-Nafaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi (TNSM).

January 2002

Kidnapping of Daniel Pearl.

March 2002

Attack on a Christian church in Islamabad.

March 2002

US missile attack on a Taliban training camp in Kurram Agency.

May 8, 2002

Attack in Karachi kills eleven French naval construction workers.

May 2002

Assassination of Riaz Basra.

October 2002

Pakistan parliamentary elections.

December 2002

Release of Hafiz Saeed.

December 2002

Killing of Asif Ramzi.

January 2003

Release of Masood Azhar.

March 2003

Assassination of Abdul Majid Dar.

May 2003

Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) was listed as a terrorist organization by the United States.

July 2003

Arrest of Abdul Jabbar.

October 2003

Assassination of Maulana Azam Tariq.

November 2003

Re-ban of Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP).

April 2004

Shakai agreement between the army and Nek Muhammad.

June 2004

Assassination of Nek Muhammad in a drone strike.

December 2004

Tsunami, Jamaat-ud-Dawa Pakistan (JUD) provided aid.

February 2005

Peace agreement between the army and Baitullah Mehsud.

October 2005

Earthquake in Kashmir and northern Pakistan, Jamaat-ud-Dawa Pakistan (JUD) provided aid.

April 2006

Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) organized a protest in Islamabad.

March 2007

Pakistani military forces in South Waziristan joined Mullah Nazir against Uzbeks.

April 2007

Sectarian riots began in Kurram Agency.

July 2007

Attack on Lal Masjid (Red Mosque) in Islamabad.

December 2007

Formation of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

December 2007

A new group called Taliban Maqami was formed by Waziri tribes Usmanzai and Ahmadzai.

January 2008

Operation Zalzala in Waziristan.

February 2008

Suicide attack outside the Pakistan People's Party election office in Parachinar.

September 2008

Bombing at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad.

December 2008

Bomb explosion at Sarai Alamdar Karbala in Peshawar.

March 2009

Attacks on the Sri Lankan cricket team and police academy in Lahore.

May 2009

NATO forces and the Afghan government invited tribal elders for peace talks.

June 2009

Militant attacks in Lower Kurram resulted in about 150 deaths.

October 2009

A bomb attack on a village near Kohat killed thirty-five Shia.

October 2009

Attack on the army headquarters in Rawalpindi.

February 2010

General Kayani inaugurated the Wana-Tank road.

February 2010

Suicide attack at a refugee camp in Kacha Paka, Kohat.

March 2010

Rana Sanaullah, Punjab's Law Minister, met with Maulana Muhammad Ahmed Ludhianvi, leader of Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), in Jhang.

December 2010

A suicide attack on a Shia hospital in the Hangu area.

December 2010

A suicide attack in Kohat resulted in the death of fifteen Shias.

August 2011

President Zardari signed two orders to amend the FCR and extend the Political Parties Order (2002) to FATA.