Tabligh Jamaat Made Easy

Tabligh Jamaat 1 ___________________________________________________ ِ ِ ا ِ ْ ا ِ ا ِ ْ ِ ..........................................................................................2 Valuable Comment………………………………………………………………………………………….2 Fadhlur Rahmaan A'zami (Sheikul Ahadith – Darul Uloom Azaadville)2 Acknowledgement ............................................................................................3 Tabligh Made Easy...........................................................................................5 Placing trust in Allaah ..................................................................................... 7 Basically what we learn from the event itself: ......................................... 9 Hidaayat Bayaan and Istighfaar on return ..............................................25 Why Ijtima, Johr? ........................................................................................27 We notice at times little change in the members of the Jamaat ......28 Why go out ?...................................................................................................30 Some say members of the Tabligh Jamaat are very bad. ....................30 Why are non-Aalims allowed to lecture ?................................................. 31 “Why does the Tabligh Jamaat go mostly to Muslims.”........................33 Tabligh, Dawaat, Jihaad, Qitaal .................................................................36 Is it permissible to sleep in the Masjid? .................................................39 Why make Ghust even in the day? .............................................................39 Is this work Fardh? ......................................................................................40 Is the Tabligh Jamaat against the Khanqah and Darul Uloom? ..........42 Other lessons learnt from preaching in Taa'if ?....................................44 Final earnest appeal : ....................................................................................44 Tabligh Jamaat 2 ___________________________________________________ ِ ِ ا ِ ْ ا ِ ا ِ ْ ِ ً و ً و ًا ِ Valuable Comment I have heard one of my students briefly recite to me this booklet entitled "Tabligh Made Easy". The booklet is written by the respected Moulana Mufti Afzal Elias آ اد and concerns the proofs for the various actions that the Tablighi Jamaat carry out. An endeavour has been made to prove every action from the sources of the Shari'ah. I hope that this booklet dispels the doubts of some people and makes them forsake their objections so that they could join the effort and benefit from its good and its blessings. It is also hoped that our friends engaged in this effort would glean added insight so that they carry out the effort with more sacrifice and with the concern of reforming themselves. It is however a proven fact that the truth, the veracity and the benefits of the Tablighi effort make themselves apparent to the person who applies himself and his wealth to it and who makes sacrifices for it. It is for this reason that rather than concerning themselves with replying to objections, the elders of this effort devote more time to inviting people to participate in the effort. In this manner, the objections are automatically answered and a person's heart is put at ease. We pray that this booklet becomes a means of some people engaging in this effort and also a means of guidance. May it also be a treasure for Mufti Saheb in the Aakhirah. Aameen. Fadhlur Rahmaan A'zami (Sheikul Ahadith – Darul Uloom Azaadville) Tuesday - 27/06/1424 , 26/08/2003 Tabligh Jamaat 3 ___________________________________________________ Acknowledgement All Praise is due to Allaah, who allows us to do what we do. Salutations and Blessings be upon the Last and Final Nabi ρ. On replying to the queries concerning the Tabligh Jamaat, I wrote - without inserting references or completing the relevant texts. The work was then forwarded to Moulana Abdullaah Dhabhelia, Ustaad in the Darul Uloom, Azaadville, who enlisted the useful efforts of Moulana Yaseen Jeeva, Moulana Ubaidullah Salojee and Mufti Muhammad Esack Bana to source the numerous references, wherever I indicated. This task is difficult. However, it was done quickly and ably. May the Creator reward them abundantly. Subsequently, I gave Moulana Ismail Ebrahim the task of shaping, setting and arranging the script in its final form. May the Rabb reward him also. Not forgetting, Hadhrat Moulana Fazlur Rahmaan Aazmi – Sheikul Hadith of Darul Uloom Azaadville for his ‘valuable’ comment. We totally take cognisance of his advices and urge readers to experience the real benefits of the work by actual active participation. The taste of the pudding is in the eating. Not overlooking those who typed, proof read and all those those who sponsor our publications. Tabligh Jamaat 4 ___________________________________________________ We make duaa that Allaah Ta’ala keep us with Imaan, let us die with Imaan and resurrect us with Imaan. Ameen. Any comments and suggestions are as always most welcomed. Unfair non-academic based criticisms we have become used to. May Allaah grant those who do not understand or those who do not want to understand guidance – Ameen. A. H. Elias (Mufti) Tabligh Jamaat 5 ___________________________________________________ Tabligh Made Easy All praise is due only to Allaah. We laud Him and beseech His aid and beg forgiveness only from Him and believe in Him and rely solely on Him. We seek salvation in Him from the evils of our inner selves and the vices of our actions. There is none to misguide one whom Allaah intends to guide. I bear witness that there is no one worthy of worship but Allaah, the One Who has no partner. I also testify that Hadhrat Muhammad ρ is the faithful servant and the Last Rasool of Allaah ρ. May Allaah Ta’ala’s mercy be on him, his family and his Sahabah ψ and may He bless them and raise their status. Aameen. These days there are people who criticise the Tabligh Jamaat without checking their activities and there are also those who despite being active members of the Tabligh Jamaat do not know why they are undertaking certain tasks. They do so because of lack of knowledge or because of sheer blind adherence. As for those who object for the sake of objecting, one knows that the easiest occupation is raising objections. Objecting requires no intellect or knowledge but only a loose tongue. Our work is directed to those who are doing the work without knowing why. If one knows why one is doing a certain action, then one will do it with more vigour and dedication. One will not be swayed by other concepts, especially when other concepts present so- called Shari proofs for their claims and activities. Many questions are posed, such as :- 1. Substantiate the significance of 3, 10, 40 days 2. Substantiate the in-ghusht and out-ghusht 3. Why preach to Muslims? 4. Why the need of Ameer, Mutakallim, Rehbar? 5. Why Hedayaat Bayaan ? 6. Why Ijtima ? 7. Why “pedal” jamaat ? Tabligh Jamaat 6 ___________________________________________________ 8. Why ghusht in day time ? 9. Why make du'aa after ghusht ? 10. Why make Istighfaar on return from ghusht. What sin was committed ? etc. With the help of Allaah Ι we will attempt to answer the above questions. One should ponder over the answers. We will provide broad guidelines. As one's research and reading increases one may improve and add on intelligently. Tabligh Jamaat 7 ___________________________________________________ Placa ini gn t rt usu ts t ini n A llaaha Read the dynamic event of Taa'if, which follows: In Shawwaal1 (in the last of May or in the beginning of June 619 A.D.), ten years after announcing his prophethood, Rasulullaah ρ set out towards Taa'if, about 60 kilometres from Makkah, in the company of his freed slave Hadhrat Zaid bin Haaritha τ.2 Rasulullaah ρ travelled on foot to Taa’if to invite the people to Islaam.3 There he met three chiefs of the Thaqeef clan. They were all brothers whose names were Abd Yaleel bin Amr, Habeeb bin Amr and Mas’ood bin Amr. Rasulullaah ρ presented his case to them and told them about the torment and impudent treatment he received from his people. However, one of them said, “If Allaah has sent you with anything at all, I shall steal the covering of the Kabah!” The other said, “By Allaah! I shall never speak a word to you again after this! If you are really a prophet, you are too honourable to speak to me.” The third one said, “Was Allaah unable to find anyone besides you to make a prophet?”4 For ten days he stayed there delivering his message to several people, one after another, but all to no purpose. Stirred up to hasten the departure of the unwelcome visitor, the people hooted him through the alley-ways, pelted him with stones and obliged him to leave from the city pursued by a relentless rabble. Blood flowed down both his legs; and Hadhrat Zaid τ, endeavouring to shield him, was wounded in the head.5 They sat in rows on either side of the road and took stones in their hands. Rasulullaah ρ was unable to even lift a foot or put it down 1 Tareekh-e-Islam, 1/122. 2 Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum Pg.136. 3 Tabraani, as quoted in Majma'uz Zawaa'id (Vol.6 Pg.35). 4 Abu Nu’aym in Dalaa’il (Pg.103). 5 Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum Pg.136. Tabligh Jamaat 8 ___________________________________________________ without them throwing a stone at him. Together with this, they continued poking fun at him and mocking him. After Rasulullaah ρ had passed through their rows, he proceeded to one of their vineyards with blood flowing down to his feet. There he took shade beneath some vines and sat down on the ground in great distress and pain. Blood was still running down his feet.1 Once Rasulullaah ρ felt that he was safe from the Taa’if mob, he made the following du’aa: ََ ْرَا َ ِس ا َ ِاَ َه َو َِِْ َ ِ َو ِ ُ َ ْ ُ اْ ُْ َأ َ َِْا ُ َا وُ َ َِإ ؟ ُِِ ْ َ َِإ َر َ َْأ َو َ ِْ َ ْ َْ ُ ْا بَر َ َْأ َ ِْ ِ ا ِ َو ِ َُأ َ ٌ َ َ َ ِ ْ ُ َ ْ َ ْنِإ يِ ْ َأ ُ َْ ٍ ِْ َ َِإ ْمَأ ُِ َ َ َ َ َو ُت َ ُ ا ُ َ ْ ََ ْ َأ يِ ا َ ِ ْ َوِ ِرْ ُ ُذْ ُ َأ ْ ِ ُ َ ْوَأ َ ِه َ ََِ َ َُْ ْا َ َ َ ُ َ َ ْ ِ ِ َ ْوَأ َ َُ َ ْ ِ َلِ ْ نَأ ِةَ ِ اَو َْ اُ ْ َأ ِ َْ* ِ ِ ِإ َة ُ َو َلْ َ َو َ ْ َ َ TRANSLATION: “O Allaah! Only to you do I communicate my weakness, my lack of ingenuity and lack of importance among people. O the most Merciful of those who show mercy, You are certainly the Rabb of the weak and You are my Rabb. To whom shall you hand me over? To an enemy who will treat me harshly or to a near one to whom You shall give control over me? I care for nothing as long as You are not angry with me,. All I require is that Your protection should be vast enough for me. In the light of Your Countenance by which multitudes of darkness are turned to light and by which the affairs of this world and the Aakhirah are remedied, I seek protection from being afflicted by Your wrath and displeasure. The causes of Your displeasure should be removed until You are pleased. There is no power and no might but with Allaah.”2 1 Abu Nu’aym in Dalaa’il (Pg.103). 2 Sulaymaan Taymi in his biography of Rasulullaah ρ, as mentioned in Isaaba (Vol.2 Pg.466). Tabligh Jamaat 9 ___________________________________________________ Rasulullaah ρ himself narrates further. He says, “When I lifted my head, I saw a cloud shading me. When I looked closer, I noticed Jibra’eel υ in the cloud, he called for me saying, ‘Your Rabb has certainly heard what your people have said to you and how they responded to you. Allaah has sent the angel in charge of the mountains to you so that you may command him as you like.’ The angel in charge of the mountains then greeted me and said, ‘O Muhammad ρ! What Jibra’eel υ said is true. What do you wish? Do you want me to make the two mountains meet (and crush the people between them)?’” Rasulullaah ρ’s reply to him was, “I rather wish that Allaah creates people from their progeny who will worship only the One Allaah without ascribing any partners to Him.”1 Basa is ci ala ly w hata t w e e l eae ra n f rf om t ht e e e ve ev ne tn i ti st es le f: 1. In Shawwal (end of May/beginning of June) 619 AD, 10 years after proclamation of Nabuwwaat, Rasulullaah ρ, went to Taa'if. 2. This was after Hadhrat Hamza τ and Hadhrat Umar τ accepted Islaam.2 3. Taa'if is approximately 60 km from Makkah. 4. Hadhrat Zaid bin Haarithah τ (Rasulullaah ρ's freed slave) accompanied him. 5. Rasulullaah ρ first met with the chieftains. 6. He then met with the locals on an individual basis. 7. He stayed there for 10 days. 8. He was ridiculed and harmed. 9. He made du'aa. 10. He returned mostly on foot. 1 Bukhari (Vol.1 Pg.458). Muslim and Nasa’ee have also reported this narration. 2 Hadhrat Umar τ accepted Islaam six years after Rasulullaah ρ announced his prophethood, as substantiated by Haafidh Abul Hasan Taraablisi and quoted in Al Bidaaya wan Nihaaya (Vol.3 Pg.30). This is also narrated in Isaaba (Vol.4 Pg.447). Tabligh Jamaat 10 ___________________________________________________ What we deduce from the event. From just this one event any un-biased person can extract the following: 1. To go on foot is proven. Most of the Da'wah (invitation to Islaam) of Nabi ρ in and around Makkah and Madinah was done on foot. In fact, the Ahadeeth announce freedom from Jahannam to the feet which are touched by dust in the path of Allaah. Hadhrat Abu Abs τ reports that he heard Rasulullaah ρ say, "Allaah has forbidden Jahannam for the person whose feet become dusty in the path of Allaah."1 Thus 'paidal' (walking) Jamaat is laudable and experience shows that it is most effective. This also answers those who object by saying, “Tabligh members only invite Muslims?” This objection is mistaken because when the Jamaat moves on foot or gathers at bus stops, railway stations and airports, onlookers make numerous enquiries and ask many questions. The reality of the matter is that the amount of “Da'wah” the Tabligh Jamaat does to non-Muslims on a one-to-one basis is not done by any other movement. Moreover, the number of people who accepted Islaam through the Tabligh Jamaat is more when compared to even those movements who claim that they are solely preaching and propagating Islaam to the non-Muslims. One should do some research and soul searching. 2. Nabi ρ was the Ameer and the Mutakallim (speaker – chosen for that occasion). The Hadith of Nabi ρ is very clear on the matter that when travelling, one person should be made the Ameer, especially when there are more than three people. Hadhrat Abu 1 Bukhaari (Vol.1 Pg.124). The Hadith is also narrated by Imaam Ahmad (Vol.3 Pg.479) and Bayhaqi (Vol.9 Pg.162).