Tabligh Movement
1. MAULANA ILYAS
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mingled with company of their own sort, which
nullified the school influence altogether. The only
solution to this problem, as the Maulana saw it, lay
in separating them from their milieu, and it was
decided that they should be withdrawn from it in
groups for a period of time, and gathered together
in mosques or religious institutions away from bad
spheres of influence. Thus detached from their
worldly and material atmosphere, they would be
imparted education by counsel and guidance in the
company of religious people. This formula proved
the right one. Engaging them in religious activities
round the clock for some length of time made them
into new human beings. Once the trial proved
effective, this pattern was to be followed in future.
The attempt proved to be harder than the previous
one. The Mewatis, loath to spare their children even
for part-time study in local schools, could not easily
be persuaded to let their children leave home
altogether. But the Maulana’s sincerity of intention,
perseverance, and prayers came to his rescue once
again. Gradually a new consciousness was
awakened in them, and his efforts were finally
rewarded. Here are two of the many incidents in his
