Religious Authority, Popular Preaching and the Dialectic of Structure-Agency in an Islamic Revivalist Movement: The Case of Maulana Tariq Jamil and the Tablighi Jama’at

This article provides the first academic analysis of popular Pakistani Islamic scholar and Urdu-speaking preacher Maulana Tariq Jamil. Drawing on years ethnographic study Tablighi Jama’at, revivalist movement to which Jamil belongs, as well content dozens his recorded lectures, presents a detailed biography in five stages. These comprise: (a) upbringing early life (1953–1972); (b) conversion Jama’at studies at Raiwind international headquarters (1972–1980); (c) meteoric rise fame ascendancy up movement’s leadership ranks (1980–1997); (d) development into national celebrity (1997–2016); (e) major causes controversy criticism (2014–present). Tracing narrative register within historical archetypes quṣṣāṣ (storytellers) wuʿʿāẓ (popular preachers), paper identifies core tenets Maulana’s discourse, key milestones life—such high-profile popstar Junaid Jamshed—and subtle changes approach over years. The deploys classical sociological framework structure-agency explore how Jamil’s increasing exercise agency preaching Islam has unsettled structural expectations traditionalist ʿulamāʾ (religious scholar) circles leadership. It situates emergence broader trend media-based personalities who embrace contemporary technological tools reach new audiences respond challenges postcolonial modernity.