Tanzeem Ansar-al Islam

From the Ansar Itself

Publishing Date: Sunday, June 17 2007

Shops in Bagh bazar are finally opening up after a lapse of eight months. A remote area of Bara Sub-Division, Tirah Bagh had been badly affected due to the infighting between factions of Ansar-al Islam and Lashkar-e Islam. The principle feud was between the tribes of Malakdin Khel and Shalobar Khel. Both the tribes had entrenched in the mountains surrounding their abodes. Harsh winter and snowy conditions also took its toll. Many had no option but to migrate elsewhere. Schools were closed and 90% shops in the main trade-hub of Bagh had been closed indefinitely.

Last month, Ansar-al Islam pushed back their rivals from the last and strategic stronghold of Kono Sar and managed to tighten their grip and control on the entire Tirah belt. Although they claim to have established peace and their is a semblance of normalcy due to opening up of schools and markets, it is still a very sensitive place waiting to erupt anytime as their opponents are bound to take revenge for their ouster.

Maulana Qazi Mahboob-ul Haq
Ameer Ansar-al Islam

Work on the second phase of the historic Jamia Masjid of Tirah Bagh is expected to be inaugurated soon. Almost a century back, this mosque was the rallying point for Jihad against the British. Even in those times, infighting between two rival groups resulted in heavy losses which the British tried to take to their advantage. The mosque was first established almost 400-years ago at this spot due to abundance of water and proximity of cool dense forests. Hence the name Bagh Masjid. The then Afghan government used to pay monthly allowances to its Imam (Qazi).

When the British entered Tirah in November 1897, the local tribes and particularly the Afridi's rallied for Jihad under the patronage of Maulvi Syed Akbar, alias the Mad Mullah of Tirah. Unlike other battlefronts where the insurgents would strike from their mountain strongholds, the Afridi's of Tirah would use the cover of their dense forests. The 40,000 strong British army decided to deforest the area to minimize the shelter space available to the insurgents. This campaign was said to be the biggest the British ever waged over the tribal hinterlands of the frontier. The battle resulted in death of 1100 British officers and infantry. The present structure of the mosque with its beautiful woodwork was constructed after the division of the sub-continent. It is being expanded now to cater for the ever increasing population.

Qazi Mahbub-ul Haq, Ameer of Ansar-ul Islam claims to have established total peace in Tirah. This, he claims, is the direct result of sacrifices of 70 of his people. He claimed to have no offensive motives, but pointed that it was compulsory to help fellow Muslims from oppressive powers. "The world is unaware of what happened in Bara since december 2005 to May 2006 ... In may 2006, the Lashkar-e Islam kidnapped one of our scholars Maulana Abdul Latif from Malakdin Khel in Bara. Later when he was set free, he came to Tirah and let us know about the conditions inside the private jails and torture centres of the Lashkar. We in Tirah cannot even comprehend violating the dignity and sanctity of our scholars and mosques. As such, in June 2006, Ansar-al Islam was founded."

Maulana Younas Khan
Ameer Shalobar Chapter

"Those who abide with the constitution and rule of conduct laid out by Ansar-al Islam, or shun violence and lead peaceful lives are more than welcome to come and live in Tirah. Those who have been penalized, or are leaders of rival groups, or who have jeopardized the peaceful environment by siding with trouble-makers, of these, we won't penalize those who are poor or who can't afford to pay hefty fines. This would be cruel on our part."

"Our opponents have taken advantage of the peace we have established and taken positions up at the mountains near Shalobar and Malakdin Khel. But due to sacrifices of Ansar-al Islam, we have managed to push them back. These trouble makers would target the main Bagh mosque and other religious centres from up these positions with heavy weapons. Schools and colleges had been closed in Tirah as part of emergency measures to avoid any casualties. But now, they are slowly being opened one after the other and we are taking measures to ensure the presence of teachers as well as students in these schools. Kanday Alam Khel's closed mosques and schools have also been reopened. The Syed Lal mosque near the main Bagh mosque in Tirah, which had been closed due to infighting has also been reopened after appointing Maulana Muhammad Rehan as its imam."

Mufti Muneer Shakir

Pir Saif-ur Rahman

General Secretary of Ansar-al Islam Qari Izzatullah Ham Khial states that the peace they have established is no hidden fact. "We consider it haram to shed blood of another muslim who is also the proponent of Qalma. But still Islam allows every muslim to defend himself by all means available to him. Recently, governor of Afghanistan's Nengrahar province, Gul Agha Sherzai had called for a 100 member jirga to find ways of peace in Tirah and Bara. These members held meetings with us which were also attended by 50 of our scholars and 50 other notables. Ansar-al Islam categorically rejected the talks on the grounds that the Afghan mission had no written permission from the Pakistani government for engaging in talks."

Qari Izzatullah Ham Khial
General Secretary

"This shows that we are interested in talks anywhere and anytime with the government and we are sincere in our motives but we also have some conditions. These include not jeopardizing peace from Tor Toot to Surma Wiala in Bara, unconditional release of captives from both sides, and then deciding all conflicts and resolutions in light of teachings of Islam, or as outlined in Pashto (Pakhtunwali). We had specified these same conditions in the Fata Grand Jirga and other congregations to the government. We were prepared to go any extent in giving guarantees. On the other hand, it were our opponents who refused to give names of any guarantors."

Qari Izzatullah also regretted that the Peshawar media and other media outlets in Pakistan have been writing in their editorials that Ansar-ul Islam was founded by the re-grouping of followers of Pir Saif-ur Rehman after the latter had been evicted from Bara. He refuted this by saying that Ansar-ur Islam is affiliated with the Deobandi school of thought whereas Pir Saif-ur Rehman is not. The Pir's supporters are operating in Tirah under the name of Syed Akbar Group also known as the Tanzeem Ahl-e Sunat Wal-Jamat. Whereas Ansar-al Islam's core constitutes 99% of Deobandi's who have nothing in common with them. This statement was reinforced by the Ansar's Shalobar chapter ameer Maulana Yunas Khan.

The incharge of the Omar Khel madrassa and khateeb of Jamia masjid Maulana Nasib Khan claimed that their madrassa has been badly damaged due to use of heavy weapons by the opposition. "They principally attacked from Dhand Morcha. Have they have no fear of God for attacking such religious places? Not only is the madrassa imparting religious education to its students, but it has also started an adjunct regular school to help in promoting education. Since the people are predominantly poor, the madrassa is only charging rupees 30 per month per student."

Maulana Naseeb Khan
Incharge Omar Khel Madrassa

Qari Izzatullah Ham Khial outlined the following objectives of their party:

Worship of Allah
Following in footsteps of Holy Prophet PBUH
Rebel against oppressors
Support the oppressed
Unconditional service of all of humanity
Guard sanctity of mosques and madaris, its teachers and its students
Strive for peace and remove ills of society
Strive for development of tribe and country
Work for betterment of all sectors of Islam (Jihad, Tableegh, Zikr, etc.)
Educate masses to help them seek bright future for themselves

Above is a translated copy that first appeared in the Urdu Mashriq newspaper