I ask for your advice regarding going out with the Tabligh group, as many young people go out with this group?

The questioner: His EminenceThe Shaykh- May Allah preserve you - I ask for your advice regarding going out with the Tabligh group, as this group has started taking some young people out for advice; that is, there are many young people who go out with them, and may Allah reward you with good?

The Shaykh : We live in our Syrian and Jordanian environment in the same atmosphere that you are now mentioning that you live in. There is no doubt that any group that belongs to Islam, whose original foundation and basic pillar is the testimony that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, is one of us; they have what we have, and upon them is what is upon us. However, you have just heard the hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), indeed many hadiths, some of which we mentioned, that the saved sect is only that which worships Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to, and as his Companions used to, and as those who followed them in excellence until the Day of Judgment. Therefore, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) singled out the people of the first three generations for excellence. So whoever follows their path is the one we walk with, and whoever deviates from their path, we do not walk with them. And we ask Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) to guide us and them to walk on this straight path.
We know from this group that there is much good among them, and that they generally think that their going out is for the good. Nothing is clearer of their belief in this than that they call this going out "going out in the path of Allah." This is a recent term for a recent matter, or in a recent matter, both of which are contrary to what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to do. If some scholars had gone out with the call to Allah, to the Book of Allah, and to the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), this would have been something they would be praised for, especially in this present age where the number of Muslims has increased and the number of guides among them has decreased. If many individuals from their scholars had gone out and spread throughout the various Islamic lands, calling the community to follow the Book and the Sunnah, that would be something on which no two people would differ, and no two rams would butt heads. For going out in the path of calling to Allah by scholars is the Sunnah of the Prophets and Messengers and the Companions who followed their path and their way. As for the going out of tens or hundreds from one country to another, where there may be only one scholar or student of knowledge among them; this, without doubt, was not the way of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). We advise these people that their scholars should go out if they have scholars in the true sense; that is, a scholar of the Book of Allah and the hadith of the Messenger of Allah, and on the methodology of the righteous Salaf. We advise that whoever among their scholars is on this methodology should go out to call people, guide them, and direct them. We also advise the others who go out with such a scholar in large groups and crowds; we advise them to stay in their lands, to frequent their mosques, and to hold the study circles there, which are described in some authentic hadiths: This is better for them than going out, as we mentioned, when they have no knowledge.
I said earlier that this kind of going out contradicts the Sunnah in two ways. The first is practically; for this kind of going out, which is numerous in number but little in knowledge, was not known until this last century after those long centuries, let alone the centuries attested to as being the best. So this is, without doubt, from the innovations of matters; that is, this going out in such great numbers was not in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), nor in the time of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, nor in the time of the Imams who exercised independent legal reasoning, nor in the time of the scholars who followed them, until this age when that group appeared; they go out in such great numbers instead of sitting, as we said, discussing the Book of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). So this is from the innovations of matters, and a straw on a camel's back, as they call this going out by a name other than its true name. They call it "going out in the path of Allah," and they established a system for it. This system has no basis: three days, forty days, and other details I do not recall now, and it is an innovation in both action and name.
We have many reports that because of their lack of knowledge of the correct knowledge, they fall into many problems. Sometimes they narrate weak and fabricated hadiths, and sometimes they issue fatwas following a scholar without knowing his source and origin from the Book of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). Because of this and that, and we have many gatherings and meetings with some individuals from them, whom we hope are sincere in this going out, even if they are mistaken. And if the intention of the deed is good, but the deed is not prescribed; then his good intention does not benefit him as long as his deed is contrary to the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). As came in the hadith of al-Bukhari and Muslim from the hadith of 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), she said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: And the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) proceeded to condemn all innovations, even if people saw them as good. As it is authentic from 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with them both), he said: "Every innovation is misguidance, even if people see it as good." This is what 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar ibn al-Khattab said; "Every innovation is misguidance, even if people see it as good." So innovations of matters are among the things that destroy people; because they are from those paths that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) indicated. And therefore we advise and repeat the advice to return to the Sunnah; for in it is sufficiency, as 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Moderation in the Sunnah is better than exertion in an innovation." There is no doubt that these who go out in that way are exerting themselves; much of it causes them to neglect their works, neglect their interests, neglect their trade, and leave their families and children going out, in what they claim, in the path of Allah. So this is exertion; if it were on the Sunnah, how good it would be! But as 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud said, "Moderation in the Sunnah is better than exertion in an innovation."
And finally, here is a story that happened to this noble Companion, 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), applying his action to his previous saying: "Moderation in the Sunnah is better than exertion in an innovation":
Imam al-Darimi narrated in his "Sunan" with his authentic chain that Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) - and he is a noble Companion as you know - came one morning to the house of Ibn Mas'ud and found the people with him waiting for him. When he came out, he said: "O Abu 'Abd al-Rahman, I saw something in the mosque earlier that I disapproved of, and praise be to Allah, I did not see anything but good." Look how he combined his disapproval of the thing with the fact that he did not see anything but good; that is exertion in an innovation. He said: "What did you see, O Abu Musa?" He said: "I saw in the mosque people in circles, and in the middle of each circle a man saying to those around him: 'Say Subhan Allah (Glory be to Allah) so much, Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah) so much, Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest) so much,' and in front of each of them were pebbles with which he counted the glorification, praise, and exaltation." Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Did you not disapprove of them? Did you not order them to count their sins, and I am the guarantor for them that nothing of their good deeds will be lost?" He said: "No, I was waiting for your order, or waiting for your opinion."
This is a trait of the character of our righteous predecessors; a scholar would acknowledge the merit of his brother who is more knowledgeable than he is, and would not act independently before him without first seeking his permission. This is a digression to measure ourselves today against the etiquette of that righteous Salaf in their dealings with one another. In many gatherings today, a questioner hardly poses a question before some dwarfs and weaklings in knowledge rush to answer, while they see great scholars present who remain silent so that the one who has the right to speak may speak. Look at the difference between this time and that time.
When Abu Musa saw what he disapproved of, he said: "I will consult one who is more knowledgeable than me," and that was 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud. So when 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud said to him: "Did you not disapprove of them? Did you not order them to count their sins and guarantee that none of their good deeds would be lost?" he replied: "No, I was waiting for your command or your opinion." 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud returned to his house and went out veiled, so that only his eyes were visible, until he entered the mosque and saw what had been described to him. At that point, he removed the veil and the mask from his face and said: "Woe to you! What is this you are doing? I am 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, a Companion of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." They said—and they were truthful in what they said, and this is the case with many who are sincere in their innovation but follow a path without guidance from their Lord—when they heard 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud's strong disapproval of them, they said: "By Allah, O Abu 'Abd al-Rahman, we intended nothing but good."
The point of this story is that merely intending to follow a path that was not followed...
...is not sufficient unless it is in accordance with the Book and the Sunnah. Therefore, 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud replied to them in response to their saying: "By Allah, O Abu 'Abd al-Rahman"—which is the kunya of 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud—O Abu 'Abd al-Rahman, we intended nothing but good." He said: "How many are there who intend good but do not attain it!" This is a profound wisdom. How many are there who intend good but do not attain it. This is as it was said in the past:
You hope for salvation but have not taken its paths *** For the ship does not run on the dry land
A ship must have flowing water in which to move and proceed. Similarly, a Muslim must have the Sunnah as his path in order to reach Paradise. 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud said: "How many are there who intend good but do not attain it?" Why? Because they did not follow its path. Then 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud affirmed his statement by saying: "Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) told us, saying: "; this is an allusion to the fact that they recite the Qur'an with their tongues only, but what they recite does not reach their hearts. Our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told us: . The witness of this story said—and here lies the profound lesson—the witness referred to said: "We indeed saw those people fighting us on the Day of al-Nahrawan." This is the end of the story narrated by al-Darimi in his Sunan with a sound chain from 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud.
What was the end of those people who sat remembering Allah, but in a manner not brought by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)? What was the outcome of their affair? The narrator said: "We indeed saw those people fighting us with the Khawarij on the Day of al-Nahrawan when 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) fought them and uprooted their roots." Among them were the people of the circles; meaning those with good intentions, but [they lacked] righteous deeds. Therefore, He (Glorified and Exalted is He) said in the Noble Qur'an, and with this I conclude this answer, which has been somewhat long, so I ask for your forgiveness. The answer can bear more length, but it is sufficient for us to conclude this answer with His (Mighty and Majestic) saying: . The scholars of tafsir said: on the Sunnah, ; meaning: let him be sincere to Allah in his worship. If either of these two conditions is lacking, the deed becomes scattered chaff.
We ask Allah (Mighty and Majestic) to keep us alive upon the Sunnah and to cause us to die upon it.