The threat of Islamist terrorism was not recognised at the time but the ideology of the supremacy of Islam was present in Kysar’s fundamentalism and “no compromise” attitude.

The problem with this 'extremist' sect is not that it proselytises, but it seems to have so little contact with the outside world.

He's right in that the Tablighi Jamaat copy Muhammad in all his customs, even it is reported, eschewing beds for sleeping and toothbrushes for cleaning teeth; they use a twig. But he is wrong about their interest in non-believers, indicating the serious religion "blind spot" that bedevils coverage of world affairs now. If it were the duty of the Tablighi Jamaat to convert non-believers, there might be a freer debate than there is. -- Jenny Taylor

The TJ is said to have 80 million followers around the world and wants to build a so-called mega mosque in Newham, east London.  A combination of factors has caused increasingly alarm in Britain about the Tabligh. What I wanted to know was why they were building a new ‘global headquarters’ – as it’s been called - in London. -- Jenny Taylor

I attended one of those meetings as a reporter in August 1989 and heard young men decry the evils of drink, discos and “free intermingling of the sexes”. One called Kysar, then aged 19, told me: “Islam isn’t a religion where you can only adopt part of it. You have to adopt the whole Islamic viewpoint on society. There can be no compromise with the divine system revealed to us.”. -- Sean O'Neill