Tariq Masood[a] (born 1975) is a Pakistani Deobandi Islamic scholar, preacher, and author. He studied the Dars-i Nizami curriculum at Jamia Tur Rasheed in Karachi, where he specialised in Islamic jurisprudence and later taught in its Darul Iftaa. He also serves as imam of Masjid al-Falahia in Karachi.
Masood is known for his Urdu sermons on family law, social ethics, and contemporary debates, which circulate widely on digital platforms, especially YouTube. His preaching style—combining humour, direct expression, and commentary on social issues—has attracted large audiences in Pakistan and among diaspora communities. Academic studies and media analyses have examined his role in digital religious discourse, including his appearances on popular podcasts and his use of social media.
He is the author of Ek Se Za'id Shadiyon Ki Zarurat Kiyun?, in which he argues that polygamy is religiously sanctioned and may address certain social issues. His views on family law, gender roles, blasphemy, and politics have drawn both support and criticism, and he has been the subject of several public controversies. Alongside this, he has participated in state-backed initiatives against extremism and spoken at universities and conferences in Pakistan and abroad, including a lecture tour of Bangladesh in 2025.
Early life and education
According to MM News, Tariq Masood was born in 1975 in Sargodha;[1] an Indian-origin family background is reported by Islamforall.in.[2]
Masood has been teaching the Dars-i Nizami curriculum and working in the Darul Iftaa at Jamia Tur Rasheed for over a decade. He also serves as imam at Masjid Al-Falahia in Karachi.[4][5][6][7] He began delivering sermons on family and social issues, which were widely circulated on social media, gaining him a significant following in Pakistan and among diaspora communities.[2] In March 2024, Masood delivered a counselling session at the Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology in Karachi, addressing faculty members and students on the relationship between science and religion, and the role of Islamic teachings in guiding social ethics.[8] In May 2025, he addressed the Bunyan-un-Marsoos Conference in Karachi, where senior scholars emphasised national unity and support for Pakistan's armed forces.[9]
Masood's sermons are circulated widely on digital platforms, especially YouTube, where multiple dedicated channels host his lectures. As of 2025, his main YouTube channel had a large following, with viewership spread across multiple unofficial channels as well.[14][15][16]
A 2024 German-language academic study identified him among Pakistani clerics whose Urdu YouTube sermons contained rhetoric hostile towards Jews and Zionism.[17]
Bangladeshi outlets have described his appeal as linked to humour, accessible language, and effective use of digital media.[12][13] In 2024, he publicly disagreed with Indian preacher Zakir Naik on YouTube monetisation, stating that income from lawful content is halal, while revenue connected to prohibited products should be given to charity.[18]
Scholarly assessments
A 2023 chapter published by De Gruyter analysed his preaching style on social media, arguing that his influence derives as much from performance as from religious authority. The study highlighted his frequent use of humour, body language, and confrontational tone—particularly in critiques of liberals and the Aurat March—as central to his appeal, and concluded that within its scope he is considered among the more impactful Deobandi preachers in contemporary Pakistan.[19]
A 2023 article in The Dialogue on digital media and Islamic preaching in Pakistan noted that Masood is among the scholars who have made significant use of online platforms to disseminate religious knowledge.[20]
A 2024 study in the University of Chitral Journal of Linguistics & Literature examined his YouTube sermons and podcasts through a pragmatic lens. It found that his discourse is dominated by directive speech acts aimed at advising and persuading, with a soft and humorous tone that sets him apart from harsher clerical voices. The researchers argued that this communicative style contributes to his popularity among youth while also reinforcing social cohesion and tolerance within Pakistani society.[21]
A 2024 article in Contemporary Islam discussed the evolving preaching methods of the Tablighi Jamaat, observing that figures such as Masood have played a role in expanding outreach through social media. The study noted that alongside other clerics, academics, and professionals, Masood used scholarly knowledge and digital platforms to frame religious discourse in ways that engage with reason and science, reflecting broader shifts in the movement's style of communication.[22]
A 2025 study of popular Pakistani YouTube podcasts includes Masood among frequently featured religious scholars and examines how his appearances frame topics such as marriage, gender roles, and modesty.[23]
Masood's sermons have been cited by members of the public in religious queries submitted to the online fatwa portal (Darulifta-Deoband.com) of Darul Uloom Deoband. In some cases, his statements are also explicitly endorsed in the muftis’ responses, reflecting his influence within Deobandi circles.[24][25][26]
Works
Masood is the author of several works in Urdu, including Ek Se Za'id Shadiyon Ki Zarurat Kyun? ("Why the Need for Multiple Marriages?"). In this booklet, he argues that polygamy is religiously sanctioned and may help address social issues such as delayed marriages, dowry, and the welfare of widows and divorcees.[3] According to his official website, he has also published other short pamphlets and booklets on social and religious topics.[27]
Views and controversies
Masood's sermons, focused on Islamic jurisprudence, family law, and social issues, have drawn significant debate in Pakistan and abroad.[2][28] His remarks have also drawn criticism from Indian media. For instance, ThePrint reported on social media backlash to his comments about Hindus’ skin colour during a visit to a temple in Balochistan, and noted that he had earlier been accused of victim blaming TikToker Ayesha Akram after the 2021 Minar-e-Pakistan mass sexual assault.[29] In 2020, Masood clarified in a sermon that he did not oppose the Turkish television series Diriliş: Ertuğrul, describing reports to the contrary as based on an old, unrelated clip.[30]
Views on Islamic banking
A 2023 analytical study of YouTube lectures reports that, in Masood's view, profit taken by Islamic banks is distinct from conventional interest (riba). The study summarises that he describes Islamic banks as operating through contracts such as mudarabah, musharakah, ijarah and bayʿ al-salam. It further attributes to him comments about practical issues (for example, a bank's refusal to open his account and the imposition of penalties), and concludes that he regards Islamic banking, in situations of compulsion, as the "lesser of two sins" compared to conventional interest-based finance.[31]
Theological views on Sufi epithets
Masood has discussed the Sufi epithet al-ghawth al-aʿzam, traditionally applied to ʿAbd al-Qadir Gilani, and advises avoiding its use in the present age on the juristic principle of sadd al-dharaʾiʿ ("blocking the means"), while refraining from declaring its users unbelievers. A 2022 article in Islamic Studies situates this stance within the broader Deobandi tradition, comparing it to earlier restrictions on devotional practices under the concept of fasād al-zamān ("corruption of the age").[32]
Peace narrative and anti-extremism stance
Masood has occasionally positioned himself within Pakistan's state-backed discourse against extremism. In March 2019, he participated in a seminar on Paigham-i-Pakistan at the University of Sindh, Hyderabad. Speaking at the event, he emphasised that Islam does not permit coercion in matters of faith or ideology, and cited the unanimous declaration of more than 5,000 Pakistani religious scholars condemning extremism and terrorism. He described Pakistan as an Islamic state with a clear anti-extremism policy and characterised Islam as a religion of peace.[33]
Domestic Violence Bill (2021)
In July 2021, Masood opposed the proposed Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill, urging its referral to the Council of Islamic Ideology.[34] In later sermons, he clarified that Islamic law does not permit a husband to harm his wife, stressing that if a man breaks his wife's bones or teeth, qiṣāṣ (retributive justice) is compulsory since Islamic legal principles make no gender-based distinction in such cases.[35]
Criticism of Aurat March
A 2024 study in Dialectical Anthropology observed that Masood framed marriage (nikah) as a divinely sanctioned safeguard against zina (adultery) in response to slogans such as hamari zarurat shaadi nahin hai, hamari zarurat azaadi hai ("our need is not marriage, our need is freedom"). It argued that he portrayed the Aurat March as undermining traditional gender norms and threatening Pakistan's Islamic identity.[36]
Ban during Muharram (2024)
In July 2024, the Government of Sindh barred 143 religious scholars, including Masood, from delivering speeches during Muharram under the Sindh Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance (1960). The order, which also imposed Section 144 across the province for the first ten days, described the banned individuals as "provocative/firebrand speakers." Reports linked Masood's inclusion to his satirical and controversial remarks in sermons.[37]
Political remarks (2018–2025)
Masood has occasionally commented on political leaders and events. In 2018, he criticised Imran Khan for visiting the shrine of Baba Farid with his wife Bushra Bibi, alleging undue spiritual influence.[38] In 2021, he attended a meeting of scholars with Khan in Karachi and later praised the Prime Minister's focus on protecting the family system and countering obscenity.[39]
In May 2025, Masood visited the Wagah border with a delegation of Karachi-based scholars. According to Express News, he told reporters that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was provoking conflict but that Pakistan sought peace, and emphasised that he stood with the armed forces in the country’s defence.[40]
Blasphemy allegations (2024)
In September 2024, clips circulated on social media alleging that Masood had questioned the Prophet Muhammad's literacy and referred to errors in the Quran, sparking backlash and a police complaint in Karachi.[28][7][41][42]
He later issued apologies stating his remarks were taken out of context and reaffirming his respect for the Quran and the Prophet.[43]
According to a commentary in DW Urdu, the allegations highlighted how blasphemy accusations in Pakistan have become increasingly weaponised, with Masood’s case used by rival clerics to inflame public sentiment.[44]
Child marriage remarks
In November 2021, Masood allegedly defended child marriage in a viral video, admitting to having allowed the marriage of his 13-year-old niece. He encouraged his followers to do the same, stating that it is ultimately the husband’s decision whether the girl continues her studies or becomes a housewife.[45]
Remarks on runaway marriages (2025)
In July 2025, a past video of Masood went viral in which he said that while he did not encourage couples to elope, a marriage by nikah was still valid and preferable to zina. He described such couples as "blessed people" compared to those committing adultery.[46]
Views on family and divorce (2025)
In a March 2025 interview, Masood attributed rising divorce rates to distance from religion, Western influence, and weakening marital roles. He argued that women's increasing assertion of equality undermines family harmony, while men remain responsible for wives’ rights. He also criticised dramas that, in his view, promote retaliation against husbands.[47]
1 2 "درس نظامی کے قابل ذکر فضلا"[Notable alumni of Dars Nizami]. Jamia Tur Rasheed (in Urdu). Archived from the original on 18 July 2025. Retrieved 27 August 2025.
↑ "تراویح کی اجرت لینا کیسا ہے؟"[Is it permissible to take payment for Tarawih?]. Darulifta-Deoband.com (in Urdu). Archived from the original on 24 February 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
↑ Azeem, Tehreem (9 October 2024). "یہ جنونی سب کے پیچھے آئیں گے"[These fanatics will target everyone]. DW Urdu (in Urdu). Archived from the original on 19 December 2024. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
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