South Asian Sunni scholarly and devotional movement
Historical setting
The Barelvi tradition developed in colonial South Asia around the scholarship of Ahmad Raza Khan of Bareilly. It is a Sunni movement, commonly associated with Hanafi law, rather than a fifth classical Sunni legal school.
Religious emphasis
Academic descriptions identify devotion to the Prophet and debates about his distinctive religious status as central to its history. Sufi affiliations and institutions are significant, but Sufism is not exclusive to this movement.
Learning across disagreements
Barelvi and Deobandi scholars have disputed specific doctrines and devotional practices. Their arguments should be described with attribution rather than repeated as judgments about whole populations. For practice, distinguish a Hanafi legal ruling from a question of theology, devotional custom or a particular scholar’s opinion.
Sources and further reading
Oxford Bibliographies — The Barelvi School of Thought
This source-attributed introduction is educational. A historical survey, a community’s statement of belief and a jurist’s ruling are different kinds of source. Their inclusion does not turn every interpretation into a consensus.