Muslim Students Organisation

"To guide the students and youth for the development of society and country in the light of Quran and Sunnah. كونوا مع الصادقين And be with the truthful (Quran) is the slogan of the organization."

— MSO of India[6]

Formed in 1977 at Aligarh Muslim University by students and academicians. MSO of India follows Ahle Sunnah Wal Jama'ah ideology of Islam which is also known as traditional Islam. MSO is of the view that Sufi Islamic teachings based on peace, mutual cooperation, love, brotherhood and communal harmony are the only alternative left before the world in order to establish peace.[7]

MSO is patronized by following[7][8] leading Islamic scholars of the country who are among the 500 most influential Muslims of the world.[9]

• Prof Syed Muhammad Ameen Mian Quadri Barkaati

Professor in the department of Urdu at Aligarh Muslim University, Sajjada nashin of Sufi Dargah and Khanqah-e-Barkaatiya, Marehra Shareef & President of Jamia Al Barkaat Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh

• Prof Syed Liaqat Husain Moini

Gaddi Nasheen of Ajmer Sharif Dargah, Former Professor in the department of History of Aligarh Muslim University

As per its website MSO has following aims and objectives[7]

• To do Islamic missionary work among the youths
• To spread education among various sections of the society with the active help of youths
• To prepare students as active contributors to the community and country
• To build the society based on the Islamic morality and spirituality
• To build the Intellectual leadership for the Muslims of India

• In August 2018, MSO made its organisational roots in South India by forming units in Karnataka State.
• In February 2017, MSO organised protest meeting in Rajasthan against the disappearance of Najeeb from JNU campus and controversial suicide of Dalit activist Rohith Vemula.
• In January 2013, the national executive of MSO conducted a special meeting at Calicut Islamic centre in Kerala state. The office bearers of the two organisations from 20 states attended the meeting.[10]
• The National Executive camp was held on 8 June’13 Saturday at Hotel Le-Meridian, Ahmadabad, Gujarat state. National executive members from 20 states of the country participated. The camp put forward a whole year plan including formation of MSO state committees, district committees, local and campus committees, membership campaigns and establishing hostels. Formation of MSO planning board was also announced in the meeting R.P. Hussain from Kerala was declared as new General Secretary of the organisation with Syed Muhammad Qadri continuing his post of President.[11]
• In June 2013 MSO North Zone elected its leaders for Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Rajasthan state in a meeting organised in Bareilly City.[12]
• In July 2013 MSO conducted a workshop for the state leaders of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar Islands at Khykha auditorium, Ulsoor in Bangalore. Karnataka State Waqf Board director Shafi Saadi inaugurated the workshop. State committees of all these states were formed and annual plan was chalked out to work on the national agenda of MSO.[13]
• National Students' Conference was held in south India at Ernakulam, Kerala from 26 to 28 April 2012 which was attended by at least 50 national delegates from 20 states of India.[14]
• In 2010 a national meet was organised in MP’s club New Delhi in the presence of Vice Chancellor of Sunni Markaz Dr. Hussain Saqafi, Director Dr. Abdul Hakeem Azhari and which was also attended by Kamal Farooqi chairman Delhi Minority Commission and it was presided by leading Sunni cleric from Delhi Dr.Mufti Mukarram Ahmad. Hundreds of Volunteers participated.

Prominently, MSO organises following programmes through its various units across the country[15][16]

• Weekly Dars-e-Quran or Towards Understanding Quran Program.
• Career and Job guidance events.
• Annual Azmate-e-Rasool SAW Conferences and Mawlid Conferences.
• Summer Islamic Conferences.
• Meritorious students award ceremonies.
• Raising all Important community issues at national and state level.
• Organises protests and press conferences to express its views.
• Distribution of literature and books among students and youths.
• Establishing Madarsas and coaching and guidance centres.
• Encouraging Muslim Youth towards serving India.

Against Extremism and Terrorism

Against ISIL

According to Shantanu Mukheji, MSO is considered very active in the radicalization programme as well as to contain the rise of Wahhabism in India.

Muslim Students Organisation (MSO) has organised several protests and conferences against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant ISIL, a terrorist group. MSO is of the view that ISIL does not represent Islam and Muslims and its caliphate is illegal as its basic aim is to serve the interest of west and to capture territories while misusing Islam.[17]

Al-Aqsa Mosque and Palestine

• Global March to Jerusalem.[18] M.S.O has always undertaken Palestine issue near to its heart and has raised awareness about the atrocities committed upon poor Palestinians in India. MSO national president Syed Muhammed Qadri is in the Asian team of the Asian People's solidarity Forum and was part of the delegation along with its national secretary Shujaat Ali Quadri in Global March to Jerusalem in the year 2012.[19] The March was quite Successful in its aim and thousands of people from different nations protested at Israel Border along with Lebanon on 30 March 2012 on the occasion of Land Day.[20]

Freedom of Palestine and Al Aqsa Mosque Conference 2012

MSO of India Rajasthan state committee on 14 July 2012, organised 'Freedom of Palestine and Al Aqsa Mosque' conference in the city of Jaipur in which Zuhair Hamdallah, Second Consul at the Palestinian Embassy in India participated as chief guest to the convention – said the Indian activists were consistently supporting all global movements for freedom of Palestine. He noted that the "global march to Jerusalem" earlier this year had a significant presence of Indians.[21]

Protest against Dove World Outreach Center Quran-burning controversy

In 2010, MSO delegation met Mr. SM Krishna, then Minister of External Affairs, Government of India, to tell him about feelings of Indian Muslims on Dove World Outreach Center Quran-burning controversy and demanded from Indian government to intervene into the matter. Later MSO Protested at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi.[22]

Letter to Indian P.M against Myanmar Killing of Minorities

In July 2012,some Muslims and Buddhist organisations wrote to then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh seeking his intervention to stop killings of Muslims in Myanmar. The central government was also urged to protect the rights of Burmese refugees who are living in pathetic conditions in New Delhi[23][24]

Massive protest against Talibani Wahabi Terrorism

On 17 June 2009, MSO along with several Muslim organisations protested the "Wahabi Talibani terrorism" in Pakistan. It was the first visible protest and open condemnation against Wahabi terrorism. MSO was successful in raising this issue in mainstream media of the country.[25][26]

Demand to stop lynching and assurance of life and liberty MSO protested at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi and in western U.P against continuous lynchings of Muslim by right wing Hindu organisations.

• MSO demanded immediate halt to this problem of law and order.
• Demand to strengthen Sufism from Indian Government
• In 2014, Muslim Students Organisation (MSO) of India, in a memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi, asked that the government should strengthen and promote Sufism by introducing chapters on Sufi scholars and by setting up Sufi centres in various cities of the country.[27][28][29]

Condemnation of extremism

In MSO seminar, former Union minister Arif Mohammad Khan said that Islam propagates peace, harmony and brotherhood. He pointed out that the word 'Jehad' does not mean bloodshed and one who does so is not 'Jihadi' but 'fasadi' (rioter).[29] India’s prime Sufi Centre Ajmer witnessed MSO’s Conference in which SSF and MSO leaders participated from across the country to counter extremism and terrorism. The Meet was inaugurated by Dr. Wahid Hussain Chishti, Secretary of Ajmer Shrine Committee. Mohammad Habeeb Khan Member of Rajasthan Public Service Commission also encouraged the youths to work hard in their education.[3]

Meeting with Assam state Chief Minister over Assam Minorities killing

MSO delegation led by Dr. Abdul Hakeem Azhari met Mr. Tarun Gogoi, Chief Minister of Assam to demand from him the protection of life and liberty of minorities living in his state.[30]

Demand for Jobs and Education for Muslim Students

In 2015, MSO organised ′National Muslim Youth Summit' at Ajmer Shareef Rajasthan. Demand of Memorandum was addressed to Indian PM Shri Narendra Modi asking for Jobs, education and a clear policy to check extremism in the country[31][32]

Protest against legalisation of homosexuality in country

MSO organised a seminar at the press club of Jaipur on the topic 'Homosexuality is Danger to Society and Humanity'. Each and every action of the West can't be imitated as our social and moral norms are totally different from them and in many studies it has been found that disease of AIDS spread more faster through this unnatural act, said Shujaat Ali Qadri, Gen Secretary of Muslim Students Organisation of India (MSO) Rajasthan State.[33]

On harassment of Kashmiri Muslim students in North India

MSO protested against attacks on Kashmiri students and asked the government to provide safety and security to students[34]

Gopalgarh (Rajasthan) riots

In 2011, MSO delegation visited riot affected Gopalgarh city of Rajasthan state where several Muslims were killed in Police firing. The delegation met district Police chief to demand safety and security for Muslims of the area. Later, MSO leaders met Chief Minister of Rajasthan Mr. Ashok Gehlot, they apprised him of situation and feelings of Muslim community and demanded stern action against culprits.[35]

Call to release innocent Muslim youths

On 17 January 2011, MSO delegation met powerful Indian leader Mr. Ahmed Patel, adviser of Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and submitted a memorandum of demand to him, asking for the release of innocent Muslim youths from prison.[36]

Protest against Religious discrimination

MSO of India lodged a complaint with the chairman of National Commission for Minorities, seeking his intervention into the various cases of religious discrimination with Muslim Students.[37]

Peace Conferences

West Bengal committee of MSO organised a peace conference in Murshidabad district of West Bengal, where student from all over West Bengal gathered to listen to Sufi leaders who asked them to stay from extremist Wahabism and Salafism.[38][39]

Rudrapur (Uttarakhand) communal riots

MSO leaders met Indian Home Minister Mr. P. Chidambaram at his North Block office on 8 October 2011 in New Delhi. The leaders demanded immediate halt to the communal violence in Rudrapur and other towns of various states and establishment of peace. They also demanded compensation for the victim families and legal action against the culprits.[40]

MSO annually organises several events in different parts of the country on the occasion of Mawlid. Members of MSO celebrates the day with enthusiasm and took out processions. MSO Aligarh Muslim University unit regularly organises Azmat-e-Rasool Conference in Kennedy auditorium which is attended by more than three thousand students of the University. The Speakers who have attended includes former and present Vice Chancellors, specially Dr. P. K. Abdul Aziz, Lt Zameerud-din Shah, Dr.Faizan Mustafa, popular Sunni leaders like Mufti Mukarram Ahmad, Saeed Noori of Raza Academy, Allama Yaseen Akhtar Misbahi and former member of parliament Obaidullah Khan Azmi and World Islamic Mission General Secretary Allama Qamaruzzaman Azmi. The gatherings are regularly presided by Prof. Syed Ameen Mian Qaudri.[41][42]

• Dr. Umar Abdullah Kamel, Director of Foreign Students Affairs at Al-Azhar Islamic University, Cairo, Egypt participated in MSO conference in New Delhi which was organised to help Islamic Madarsa students to get their degrees recognized at international level specially by Al-Azhar University.[43]
• National Seminar on freedom fighter Fazl-e-Haq Khairabadi

In South India, MSO Maharashtra state unit organised a national seminar on great freedom fighter Allama Fazl-e-Haq Khairabadi on 29 January 2012 at Ghulam Momin College Auditorium at Bhiwandi city of Maharashtra. The seminar was presided over by Dr. Saheb Ali, Dept. of Urdu, Mumbai University.[44]

• Sunni Students' Federation
• Anjuman Talaba-e-Islam
• World Islamic Mission
• Raza Academy

• Official website of MSO
• MSO activities Video
• MSO Introduction Youtube
• News on various issues
• Protest against Salman Rushdie
• Protest on 6 December
• Seminar on Sufism answer to Terrorism