{"id":63786,"date":"2019-05-05T20:52:45","date_gmt":"2019-05-06T00:52:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=63786"},"modified":"2019-05-05T20:58:01","modified_gmt":"2019-05-06T00:58:01","slug":"nation-of-tawheed-jamaths-deadly-leader-zahran-hashim-alias-abu-ubaida","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=63786","title":{"rendered":"Nation of Tawheed Jamath\u2019s Deadly Leader Zahran Hashim Alias “Abu Ubaida”"},"content":{"rendered":"

By
\nD.B.S.Jeyaraj<\/strong><\/p>\n

Easter Sunday is celebrated by Christians both Catholic and Protestant as the day on which the crucified Jesus Christ rose from the dead.It is a joyful day on which Christians sing jubilantly – Death, where is your sting?Grave, where is your victory?He’s alive, He’s alive, He is risen!<\/p>\n

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Pic via: FB-St. Anthony’s Shrine Colombo 13<\/p><\/div>\n

In a cruel twist of fate , this year\u2019s Easter on April 21 turned out to be a day of tragedy and sorrow.The destruction and carnage caused on Easter Sunday by Suicide bombers in Colombo, Negombo and Batticaloa shocked, rocked and deeply saddened not only Christians but the entire Sri Lankan nation.<\/p>\n

The International \u201cJihadist\u201d or Islamic militant movement known officially as \u201c Islamic State\u201d(IS) has claimed responsibility for the terror and horror of \u201cBloody\u201dEaster in Sri Lanka. The IS known earlier as \u201cIslamic State of Iraq and the Levant\u201d(ISIL) and \u201cIslamic State of Iraq and Syria\u201d(ISIS) aims to establish a Worldwide \u201cCaliphate\u201d or a single Islamic Worldwide Government. The current leader of the IS is Abu Bakr al- Baghdadi who is reportedly based in Syria. The IS in 2014 controlled extensive swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria. In recent times the areas held by IS has shrunk greatly thanks to the military defeats inflicted by the US led coalition of forces.
\n
\nWhile the IS adopted positional warfare to preserve territorial control in the middle-east , it resorted to brutal terrorist attacks at another level on a worldwide basis. After its territorial hold began to diminish in Iraq and Syria due to military reversals, the IS began to intensify and accelerate terrorist attacks elsewhere . This was to demonstrate that the movement could not be crushed by the loss of territory and that it possessed a lethal, global reach. In order to carry out attacks in other parts of the world, the IS utilized militant Islamic organizations in those countries as agents by outsourcing deadly missions of violence to those entities. This is what seems to have happened in the case of Sri Lanka too.<\/p>\n

The explosive attacks on three Five star Hotels, two Catholic Churches and a Protestant Evangelical church has drawn attention to a fiery Muslim preacher from Kattankudi in Batticaloa district about whom very little was known outside of Islamic circles earlier. Nevertheless he has been a person of interest for some time to operatives of intelligence agencies, researchers , analysts and journalists monitoring the growth of \u201cSalafi Jihadism\u201d in South India, Maldives and Sri Lanka. Salafi Jihadism is a Wahabi influenced transnational Islamic ideology advocating armed struggle and a return to fundamental Islam. The Muslim demagogue who established a Mosque in Kattankudi was perceived as the key figure in a suspected nexus between a local Muslim organization and the IS. After the Easter violence that suspicion has been further confirmed.<\/p>\n

Mohammed Zahran Mohomed Hashim<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the wake of the terror attacks on Easter day, the spotlight focused on a 34 year old politico-religious activist -preacher whose full name is Mohammed Zahran Mohomed Hashim. Known generally as Zahran Hashim, he was the founder of an Islamic organization called the \u201cNational Thawheed Jamath\u201d(NTJ). Zahran is a powerful orator who has propagated the aims and objectives of the NTJ in different areas of Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu in India. Zahran Hashim ostensibly broke away from the National Thawheed Jamath with an extremist group of followers and set up a new outfit called the \u201cNation of Thawheed Jamath\u201din 2018. According to knowledgeable sources in both Sri Lanka and India , it is this group led by Zahran that has collaborated with Islamic State(IS) in carrying out the Easter attacks in Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n

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Zahran Hashim Alias “Abu Ubaida”<\/p><\/div>\n

It appears that Zahran Hashim split from his own National Thawheed Jamath and formed the Nation of Thawheed Jamath with the primary objective of engaging in violence. While the Thawheed Jamath provided the manpower, the Islamic State seems to have provided the input and technical expertise necessary for the explosive attacks. The blueprint for the well- coordinated attacks aimed at shocking and awing , Sri Lanka in particular and the world at large in general , seems to have been devised by IS strategic planners too. It is believed that Zahran Hashim was the linchpin in this lethal nexus between the Islamic State and Nation of Thawheed Jamath.<\/p>\n

Furthermore Zahran seems to have adopted the IS nom de guerre \u201cAbu Ubaida\u201d and participated in the attacks personally. It is suspected that Zahran Hashim alias \u201cAbu Ubaida\u201d was one pf the two suicide bombers who targeted the \u201cShangri \u2013 La\u2019 Hotel at Galle Face. Others opine that if Zahran was indeed the ring leader he would have opted to live and engage in more violence rather than die in a single explosive attack. Moreover the family members of Zahran including his parents and three siblings have also gone \u201cMissing\u201d since April 18th. Was this a protective measure to prevent anticipated reprisals on family members or a precursor to a family re-union in a safer environment? The question is dicey and no definite answer is possible at this juncture.<\/p>\n

Murderous Terrorist Called \u201cAbu Ubaida\u201d.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The key question however is why an Islamic fundamentalist preacher from the Eastern provionce of Sri Lanka chose to align himself with the Islamic State and unleash terrible terrorist violence against innocent people engaged in worship at Churches and equally innocent tourists and guests enjoying a sumptuous Easter breakfast at luxurious Hotels? There are no easy answers at this point of time. What this column intends to do is to delve into the life of Zahran Hashim and try to piece together the story of how and why a peaceful religious activist transformed into a murderous terrorist called \u201cAbu Ubaida\u201d.<\/p>\n

Mohammed Zahran Mohomed Hashim was born in the Muslim coastal town of Kattankudi in 1985. Kattankudi pronounced in Tamil as \u201cKaathaankudi\u201d is situated 211 miles away from Colombo in the eastern littoral known as \u201cEzhuvaankarai\u201d(shore of the rising sun) between the Batticaloa lagoon and the Bay of Bengal. It is a very small place with a land area of 2.56 square km and 1.33 square km of inland waterways. Kattankudi is reportedly the most densely populated town in Sri Lanka with 6,726 residents per square km. The 2014 Census estimated the population in the Kattankudi urban council area as at 47,603.<\/p>\n

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Meera Balika National School in Kattankudi-pic via: @kkyGethu<\/p><\/div>\n

The thickly populated Kattankudi is arguably the most prosperous Muslim town in the east. It is said that Kattankudi is the busiest business centre in Batticaloa district. The first Muslim Central College in Sri Lanka was established in Kattankudi in 1930 thus paving the way for a commendable educational tradition. Kattankudi has produced many teachers , lawyers,Accountants, Engineers, academics and diplomats over the years. In addition the natives of Kattankudi are well-known for their entrepreneurial skill and business acumen. A very large number of leading Muslim commercial establishments in the East as well as in several parts of the Island belong to people from Kattankudi. There is also a blooming apparel industry. Kattankudi is reputed for Sarees and Sarongs.<\/p>\n

Mosques Influenced by Wahabi Ideology.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In recent times many Kattankudi residents have sought employment in the middle – east.This has resulted in increased \u201cIslamaization\u201dof the \u201cWahabi\u201d variety. Wahabis are an orthodox Islamic sect originating in Saudi Arabia.\u201cWahhabism\u201d is an ultra \u2013 conservative version of Islam that harks back to the past and rejects any religious innovation that came into being after the first three centuries of Islam. It seeks to purify Islam by practicing monotheistic worship and rejecting other deviant forms. Kattankudi today is a modern township bustling with women clad in Black Abayas and men sporting bristling beards. Date palms are grown within urban precincts and many sign boards have Arabic lettering.Kattankudi has more than 60 registered and unregistered Mosques. Except for a handful, most of these Mosques are in practice influenced by Wahabi ideology.<\/p>\n

It must also be remembered that Kattankudi is the place where the LTTE in 1990 shot and killed people in four Mosques while they were praying. 147 died in all. Kattankudi was affected badly in the 2004 Tsunami too. 108 were killed and 93 reported missing. Around 2000 Dwellings were destroyed or damaged.<\/p>\n

It is in this Kattankudi mileu that Zahran Hashim was born in 1985 to Hayath Mohomed Hashim and Sameema Hashim. His family resided at the Ward 3 area in the town. He was the eldest of five children. Following Zahran were two brothers Zeyin and Rilwan. The youngest two were sisters Madaniya and Yaseera. All of Zahran\u2019s siblings are married with children. Zahran Hashim himself was married in 2010. His wife Haadiya is from Kekunagolla near Narammala in Kurunegala district. She was a student at the Kekunagolla national school when the wedding took place. They have two children a boy and a girl aged eight and four respectively.<\/p>\n

Jamiyathul Al -Falah Madrassa<\/strong><\/p>\n

After obtaining primary and secondary education up to the GCE(OL) at a Govt school in Kattankudi, Zahran enrolled at the Jamiyathul Al -Falah Madrassa (Theological College) in Ward -4 of Kattankudi in 2001. He was a very bright student but soon fell foul with his teachers due to his insolence and contrarian views. Young Zahran became very fluent in Arabic and was soon attracted to fundamental Islam and Thawheedism (Spelled as Tawheedism also) encapsuling the \u201c indivisible oneness concept of monotheism in Islam\u201d.<\/p>\n

Zahran Hashim became extremely rebellious at the Madrassah and argued vehemently with his teachers. He also refused to abide by norms and rules. As a result he was expelled from Al \u2013 Falah Madrassa in 2007. Had he completed his full course of studies Zahran would have become a \u201cMaulavi\u201d or Religious Scholar\/teacher. But he did not and therefore was officially denied Maulavi status. In later years many of his followers addressed him as Zahran Maulavi and Hashim does not seem to have corrected them.<\/p>\n

After being ejected from the Madrassah , Zahran Hashim attached himself to the Sri Lanka Thowheed Jamath. Thowheed also spelled as Thawheed and Tawhid denotes oneness with God. The Oxford dictionasry of Islam states as follows – \u201cTawhid is the defining doctrine of Islam. It declares absolute monotheism\u2014the unity and uniqueness of God as creator and sustainer of the universe. Used by Islamic reformers and activists as an organizing principle for human society and the basis of religious knowledge, history, metaphysics, aesthetics, and ethics, as well as social, economic, and world order\u201d. Jamath on the other hand means Assembly or Congregation in Arabic.<\/p>\n

Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath (TNTJ)<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are different organizations in India and Sri Lanka calling themselves Thowheed Jamath. In India there is the Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath (TNTJ) which is closely associated with its Sri Lankan counterpart the Sri Lanka Thowheed Jamath(SLTJ). Some members of the Sri Lankan Thowheed Jamath split from the SLTJ due to its perceived subservience to the Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath and formed the Ceylon Thowheed Jamath (CTJ).<\/p>\n

Zahran Hashim initially worked with the SLTJ in Kattankudi after his Madrassa studies ended abruptly. But Zahran with his ultra-radical views was soon at loggerheads with the SLTJ. He then struck out on his own and formed his own organization called the National Thawheed Jamath (NJT). Neither the SLTJ nor CNT in Sri Lanka had anything to do with Zagran Hashim\u2019s National Thawheed Jamath. Though short of funds, Zahran set up a makeshift prayer centre at a wooden shed in Kattankudi and got down to work.<\/p>\n

Hashim was a very powerful orator in Tamil and Arabic. He was forcefully effective in putting his viewpoint across. Soon Zahran Hashim became a popular figure in Kattankudi. Furthermore he was invited by Muslim devotees in different parts of the Island to conduct religious lectures. Zahran Hashim travelled to many districts in Sri Lanka to address Muslim congregations. It was during the course of such visits to the North Western Province that he met his wife Haadiyaa in Kekunugolla and married her.<\/p>\n

National Thawheed Jamath Mosque<\/strong><\/p>\n

Zahran Hashim with his ultra-radical views and flowery speeches became a magnet for young people of both sexes. He opened a Tamil website for the NJT and propagated his viewpoint. This attracted many in Tamil Nadu as well as those from Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu who were working in the Gulf countries. He later operated a Facebook account also on the same lines. Soon donations began to pour in. The NJT Mosque was now housed in a modern building at New Kattankudi \u2013 ward 3 . Though Zahran\u2019s oratory was relished by many at meetings not many participated in the prayers conducted at the National Thawheed Jamath Mosque also known as the \u201cTharul Athar Athaviya\u201d. This may have been due to the proliferation of different Mosques in Kattankudi<\/p>\n

Though Mosque attendance was poor, Zahran Hashim was able to draw large crowds for the outside meetings where he spoke. He would also walk around the town at times and hold wayside meetings at random. One incident that boosted his ego and enhanced his popularity was a public debate between Zahran and a Tamil speaking Muslim Scholar attached to the prestigious Al- Azhar University in Cairo. The meeting held near the Aliyar junction in Kattankudi began at 3 PM and went on for 10 hours till 1 am.Although the academic was a well-read scholar his command of the Tamil language was not very good. Zahran Hashim ran rings around his much -qualified, more knowledgeable opponent. It is said that the Academic was no match for the wit, witticisms and repartees of Zahran Hashim. The audience of about 3000 applauded Zahran enthusiastically on that occasion. The membership in his NTJ swelled as a result.<\/p>\n

Zahran Hashim also travelled around the country enrolling members for his National Thawheed Jamath. It is said that the NJT at one time had about 600 Full -fledged members and 4500 associate members. It is said that he travelled to Tamil Nadu, Maldives and some middle -eastern countries to conduct meetings with expatriate workers from Sri Lanka and India. The National Thawheed Jamath (NTJ)began to grow in strength and influence. Still Zahran Hashim was virtually unknown outside segments of Muslim society in Sri Lanka and India. Zanran was however a \u201cpain in the neck\u201d to many other mainstream Muslim organizations and their leaders on account of his \u201cradical populism\u201d.<\/p>\n

Creation of a \u201cCaliphate\u201d (Islamic State)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Even as the NTJ began developing into a significant entity, Zahran Hashim\u2019s political thinking became more and more extreme. He began sympathizing openly with the ISIL and ISIS. The turning point came in June 2014 when the ISIS re-branded itself as the Islamic State(IS) and announced the creation of a \u201cCaliphate\u201d(Islamic State) erasing all state borders and making Abu Bakr al- Baghdadi the self -declared supreme leader of the World\u2019s estimated 1.5 billion Muslims. Thereafter Zahran Hashim became an avid propagandist of the IS in Tamil. He kept posting news items about the IS Battle fronts in Tamil and also wrote opinion pieces in support. Zahran Hashim was seen as the voice of the IS in some Muslim circles.<\/p>\n

Everything seemed hunky -dory for him but Zahran Hashim got into trouble by overreaching himself. To most Wahabi influenced Muslims in Kattankudi, the Baduriya Mosque at Aliyar junction in Ward 6 of Kattankudi is anathema. This is because the Baduriya mosque adheres more to mystical Islam known as \u201cSufiism\u201d and adopts practices such as paying homage to saints andindulging in grave worship. Wahabis regard this as blasphemous and heretical.<\/p>\n

So in an ill-advised bid to teach a lesson to the Baduriya Mosque people, Zahran Hashim organized a National Thawheed Jamath meeting at Aliyar junction in close proximity to the Mosque. When the meeting commenced on March 16th 2017, speaker after speaker made insulting references to the Baduriya mosque. The intention was to provoke the Baduriya mosque devotees. Zahran Hashim had brought clubs and swords clandestinely to the venue and kept them concealed on the stage. As expected the Baduriya mosque devotees were provoked by the insults and retaliated by throwing stones at the stage. Zahran Hashim and his followers then set upon their rivals and attacked them with swords and clubs.<\/p>\n

In the clash that ensued several persons on both sides were injured. Three received serious injuries and were hospitalized. The people of Kattankudi were incensed at the violence done in the name of religion. A protest demonstration organized by the Baduriya mosque management opposite the Kattankudi Islamic museum was well attended. There was tremendous pressure on the Police to take action. As a result nine from the NTJ mosque and two from Baduriya mosque were arrested and remanded for several months. These included Zahran\u2019s brother Zeyin. Zahran himself was wanted by the Police . He chose to evade arrest by absconding. A story was spread in Kattankudi that Hashim had gone to the Maldives.<\/p>\n

South Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala<\/strong><\/p>\n

Zahran Hashim left Kattankudi and moved to the North Western Province from where his wife hailed from. After spending some time in Sri Lanka Zahran relocated to India where he began interacting with Muslim extremist groups in the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. He moved frequently without staying at one place for a lengthy period. His sojourns were mostly in the Malappuram district of Kerala and the Coimbatore. Trichy, Thirunelvely, Vellore, Nagapattinam. Kanniyakumari and Ramanathapuram districts of Tamil Nadu. All these districts have sizeable Muslim populations.<\/p>\n

Zahran spent a considerable period of time in Tamil Nadu state\u2019s Ramanathapuram district. He is reported to have addressed meetings in Muslim villages like Azhagankulam, Sitharkottai, Athiyoothu, Puthuvalassai, Panaikkulam and the Muslim majority coastal town of Keezhakkarai. It is said that he openly advocated the IS cause in these places and canvassed for volunteers to join the Fighting forces of the IS. It is during this time that Zahran came to the attention of Indian intelligence services. It is also suspected that Zahran Hashim set up a smuggling link between Keezhakkarai on the Ramanathapuram coast in India and Kalpitiya in the Puttalam coast of Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n

It was during his lengthy stay in India that Zahran Hashim underwent a transformation. From a radical activist propagating fundamental Islamic ideology and eulogizing the Islamic State , Zahran Hashim turned into an exponent of armed militancy and practitioner of violence. In a remarkable turn around Zahran Hashim resolved to return to Sri Lanka and engage in violence for what he thought was the cause of Islam.<\/p>\n

Deadly Campaign of Terrorist Violence<\/strong><\/p>\n

The story of how Zahran Hashim broke away from the National Thawheed Jamath movement he founded and formed a more extreme group called the \u201cNation of Thawheed Jamath\u201d and embarked upon a deadly campaign of terrorist violence in tandem with the Islamic State will be related in detail in a forthcoming article.<\/p>\n

DBS Jeyaraj can be reached at dbsjeyaraj@yahoo.com<\/span> <\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

This Article was written for the DBS Jeyaraj Column in the “Daily Mirror” of April 27, 2019. It can be accessed here-<\/strong><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.dailymirror.lk\/opinion\/Leader-of-Nation-of-Tawheed-Jamaat–Zahran-Hashim–alias–%E2%80%98Abu-Ubaida%E2%80%99\/172-166048<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Tweet<\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Easter Sunday is celebrated by Christians both Catholic and Protestant as the day on which the crucified Jesus Christ rose from the dead.It is a joyful day on which Christians sing jubilantly – Death, where is your sting?Grave, where is your victory?He’s alive, He’s alive, He is risen! In a cruel twist of …<\/p>\n

Continue reading ‘Nation of Tawheed Jamath\u2019s Deadly Leader Zahran Hashim Alias “Abu Ubaida”’ »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[27],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63786"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=63786"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63786\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":63806,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63786\/revisions\/63806"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=63786"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=63786"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=63786"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}