Missing the Real Task

CONSEQUENCES OF MISINTERPRETATION Missing the Real Task Today, the leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami appear to be actively involved in various community affairs: participating in educational conferences, proposing ideas in Muslim conventions, organizing relief work during communal riots, attempting to launch an Englishlanguage newspaper for Muslims, issuing statements and “interviews” on national and international issues. However, these activities do not truly stem from an intellectual foundation. There are other reasons behind them, which is why these activities lack the genuine spirit that should be present in religious service. 1. The primary reason for this new trend in Jamaat-eIslami’s history is that, according to its ideology, its members are naturally inclined to seek “political” types of work. Due to the specific circumstances in Pakistan after the Partition, the Jamaat. there found such work, which provided it with a support base. However, the situation in India was different, and no similar work could be identified. This led the members of the movement in India to experience stagnation and apathy. To counter this, a campaign for “mental development and purification of the heart” was initiated. The policy of the Jamaat dictated that “in principle, most of our efforts should be devoted to internal training, but the current circumstances have further