Dawat-e-Islami (Urdu:
دعوت اسلامی, Arabic:
الاسلامیةالرعوة ,English:
Invitation to Islam) is a non political movement promoting the Quraan
and Sunnah. Dawat-e-Islami was founded in 1980 in Karachi, Pakistan,
by Maulana Muhammad Ilyas Attar Qadri . The movement is active in
more than 72 countries while its message has been reached in more than
140 countries of the world by its Madani Channel.
Activities

Dawat-e-Islami
maintains its headquarters in Karachi. Its headquarters, either
national or regional, are called Faizaan-e-Medinah (Blessing of
Medinah). The lower and lower-middle classes form the bulk of its
cadres. Dawat-e-Islami is working in more than 41 fields. The two most
significant activities of Dawat-e-Islami are
madani qafila (missionary travel) and
Madani Inamaat (self assessment questionnaires).
Jaamiat-ul-Madinah
Jaamiat-ul-Madinah
(literal meaning: institutions of Madinah) refers to institutions run
by Dawat-e-islami in which an 8 year Dars-e-Nizami (Aalim) course and
Mufti course is provided free of cost, along with food and living
facilities, if needed. Hundreds of Jaamiat-ul-Madinah have been
established in various cities. More than 10,000 students are studying
in these institutions. In Pakistan there are 110 jaamiat-ul-Madinah
throughout the country. The Jaamiat-ul-Madinah building at
Dawate-Islami's Headquarter, Faizaan-e-Madinah, Karachi, Pakistan can
be seen in the picture
Madani Qafila
Madani
qafila (literal meaning: caravan of Madinah) refers to traveling to
another area for learning and propagating Qura'an and Sunnahs.
Dawat-e-Islami has reached more than 100 countries with the help of
madani qafilas, who undertake mission trips ranging from three days to
12 months a period time. Each Qafila (caravan) is led by an Emir. A
specific syllabus has been prepared for teaching the person traveling
in madani qafilas, with a typical three-day madani qafila covering such
subjects as:
- Madani Halqa - In which verses of "Holy Qur'an" are read along with
translation "kanzul-iman" and Tafsir (interpretation) "Noor-ul-Irfan"
or "Khazain-ul-irfaan".
- Correct ways of salah (prayer), wudhu (ablution), ghusl (full ritual washing), and tayammum (waterless ritual washing), and many other obligatories and other necessary basic Islamic knowledge.
- Tarbiyati Halqas- In which Sunnahs (prophetic traditions) and
Masnoon Duas (supplications) of Prophet Muhammad (salalahoalihawasalam)
are learnt.
- Neki ki Dawat - How to conduct dawah (missionary) work.
- How to give dars or bayaan (Islamic lectures).
- How to wake people up for Fajr prayers - called Sada-e-Medinah(literally: voice from Madinah).
- Dars & Bayaan (lessons and lectures) about Qur'an and Sunnah are
taught from various Sunni books, especially Faizaan-e-Sunnat
Weekly and annual congregations
Weekly Congregations
Dawat-e-Islami
arranges "Haftawar Shab-e-Juma Ijtima" (weekly gatherings) in
thousands of cities of the world. These ijtimaat (congregations) mostly
starts on Thursday night after maghrib prayers till Friday morning.
Only in India more than 500 weekly congregations take place in different
district head cities each week.
Annual Congregations
- The ijtima is held on 322 acres (1.30 km2)
of deserted land near Multan, which is turning out to be small to hold
such a huge ijtima, so Dawat-e-islami is preparing to buy more land.
- The Dawat-e-Islami held the first-ever congregation for deaf, dumb
and blind students at its central headquarters Faizan-e-Madinah.
Hundreds of students between 16 and 18 years of age attended the
programme. They were given a revision session on how to pray, and
character building.
Notable followers
Many notable individual and celebrities are known to be part of Dawat-e-Islami like:
Pakistani Cricketers like
- Misbah-ul-Haq
- Mohammad Hafeez
- Faisal Iqbal
- Humayun Farhat
- Imran Farhat
- Saeed Ajmal
- Umar Akmal
- Umar Gul
Madani Channel
Dawat-e-Islami operates its own advertising free television channel which does not show any television commercials, the Madani Channel, which broadcasts Islamic programmes 24 hours a day.
The programmes broadcast include Hamd, Na'at, sermons, and "Question and Answer" sessions. Many programmes being telecast on Madani Channel have now become South Asia's most watched religious programmes.