Deobandi (Urdu: دیو بندی, Hindi: देवबन्दी) is a term used for a movement in Sunni Islam (Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah) under the Hanafi School. It is centered primarily in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh and has recently spread to United Kingdom,South Africa and Malaysia. The movement began at Darul Uloom Deoband in Deoband, India, where its foundation was laid on 30 May 1866.

Its six founders were Muhammad Qasim Nanotvi, Muhammad Yaqub Nanautawi, Shah Rafi al-Din, Sayyid Muhammad Abid, Zulfiqar Ali, Fadhl al-Rahman 'Usmani and Rashid Ahmad Gangohi. They played a key role in establishing similar institutions in other parts of the Indian subcontinent.^{[citation needed]} Meanwhile Tablighi Jamaat, founded in 1926 by Muhammad Ilyas al-Kandhlawi, promoted the ideas of the Deobandi school worldwide.

According to the heritage foundation nearly 65% of the total seminaries (Madrasah) in Pakistan are run by Deobandis, 25% by the Barelvis, 6% by the Ahle Hadith and 3% by various Shia organizations. 48% of Pakistan's population follows Barelvi traditions and Deobandis are the second largest school of thought in Pakistan with 25% population.while shias are 19% and Ahl-e-Hadith 6%.

Syed Zaiduzzaman Hamid, better known as Zaid Hamid, is a Pakistani security consultant and political commentator. His byline in newspaper articles has been Zaid Zaman.

Zaid was born in Karachi, in 1964. His father, Col. Zaman Hamid (Retd), served in the Pakistan Army. Zaid spent his early life in Karachi. He received a Bachelor of Engineering (BE) degree in Computer Systems Engineering from NED University, Karachi in 1980's.

Through his TV programmes, Hamid has claimed that a nexus between India's RAW, the CIA and is responsible for the destabilization of Pakistan. He also claims that the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, were part of a plan hatched by "Hindu Zionists"", and that it was an attempt by the Indians to stage an attack just like the Americans executed the September 11 attacks.

A number of noted Pakistani journalists, writers and Islamic scholars have criticized Hamid and have described his views on politics and security as conspiracy theories.