Burhanuddin Rabbani led the party (including its predecessors) from 1968 to 2011, and served as President of the Islamic State of Afghanistan from 1992 to 2001, in exile from 1996.

Led by Burhanuddin Rabbani, a professor of Islamic theology at Kabul University, it was inspired by Abul A'la Maududi and his Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan.

Some of its prominent commanders included Ustad Zabihullah], Gulbadin Hekmatyar, Ahmad Shah Massoud, Ismail Khan, Atta Muhammad Nur, Mullah Naqib and Dr. Fazlullah.

[5] Rabbani and the Jamiat advocated "building of a widely based movement that would create popular support", a gradualist strategy of infiltration of society and the state apparatus to gain power.

[6] Jamiat was dominated by Tajiks but had a greater `tribal and regional cross section` than other groups,[5] and was willing to seek "common ground" with non-Islamists.

[7] As a result, Hezb-i Islami, and not Jamiat, gained the support of the Muslim Brotherhood, Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, and Saudi Arabian networks.

The Soviet Army launched a series of major offensives to attempt to destroy their forces, but they were unable to engage most of Massoud's men.

[citation needed] By 1995, the Taliban, which had seized control of much of southern Afghanistan with comparative ease the previous year, were advancing on Kabul.

In March 1995, Massoud handed the Taliban their first major loss, however, with the aid of Saudi and Pakistani backing, they regrouped and launched and offensive in mid-1996.

Mohammed Qasim Fahim was chosen to succeed Massoud as leader of Jamiat's military wing and repulsed the Taliban offensive.