What is the ruling on going out to call people to Allah in Pakistan with the Tablighi Jamaat?
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The questioner : Peace be upon you, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The questioner : O Shaykh, is the Tablighi call in Pakistan a genuine call? And do you encourage us to go to Pakistan despite what some people say: that this is not correct and contains a doubtful matter? We want you to guide us to what is in it of good.
The Shaykh : First: The Tablighi Jamaat, who call themselves the Tablighi Jamaat, are those who go to Pakistan. We do not accuse them of bad intention or purpose, and they do not intend by going anything but good, without doubt. But this going has become a cause and a means for disparaging these groups, and they have come to say: that they go there to take knowledge and faith from a people among us who, praise be to Allah, are more knowledgeable than them and stronger in faith. Then, these people have a doubtful matter in them, because they built their foundations on other than the foundations upon which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) built the religion. So they built their matters on six foundations. Who will read them for us? 1- Establishing that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
2- Prayer with humility and submission.
3- Knowledge with remembrance.
4- Honoring the Muslims.
5- Correcting the intention.
6- Calling to Allah and going out in His path.
If they had built this matter on what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) built it upon, it would have been better for them. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2609Sahih (Darussalam), and I do not think anyone has the slightest doubt in their heart that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is the most knowledgeable of creation regarding what Islam is built upon, and that he is the most sincere of creation, and that he is the most eloquent of creation. And he said: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2610Sahih (Darussalam), and he said: Sahih al-Bukhari 4777.
Therefore, I advise my brothers from the Tablighi people, and I repeat the advice to them, not to go to Pakistan:
First: to protect their honor, because many of the brothers, when we praise the Tablighi Jamaat and say: that they have an influence that no one else has achieved, and their influence is clear, how many have gone astray and been guided by their hands, and how many open sinners have obeyed by their hands, and indeed how many disbelievers have believed by their hands, they say: No, these people have this and that in them. And among the things they make a cause for disparagement is their travel to Pakistan.
So I repeat my advice to my brothers who are in the Peninsula, I repeat the advice to them not to go to Pakistan, and that some of them gather with others, praise be to Allah, in Makkah for Hajj, for 'Umrah, in Ramadan or other than Ramadan. As for going to lands where we do not know the truth of what they are upon, who are directing the affairs there, this is not permissible.
Another thing I advise our brothers the Tablighi Jamaat with is to be keen on knowledge, to be keen on knowledge and learning to the extent they are able. So to the extent that they strive in calling to Allah, and connecting with people, and visiting them, and calling them to the truth, may Allah reward them with good and benefit through them. We say: to that extent, they should take knowledge, attending the gatherings of scholars whom Allah the Exalted and Glorious has given knowledge and teaching, even if it is once a week, so that they know something of what they are ignorant of, which is much. Because this is also what people hold against them, that they are far from knowledge. And although some of them say: that they do not like discussion in knowledge at all, but they like things to proceed as they are. And this is without doubt a defect in the Tablighi Jamaat. So if they were also keen on knowledge, it would be better.
And knowledge is not only in the books of virtues. The books of virtues are important and good, and they develop faith and increase in its strength, but they are not the knowledge. It is necessary to know the rulings as we know the softeners that soften the hearts. This is also what is held against them.
And as for the issue of limiting the going out to three days, or four days, or a month, or two months, I do not hold it against the Tablighi Jamaat, because this may be from the category of means, meaning: from the category that they see that limiting the duration is a means for reforming the man who goes out with them. And means do not have a Shari'ah limit. Means: everything that leads to the objective is an objective, as long as it is not specifically prohibited. If it is specifically prohibited, we do not approach it.
So if someone said: I want to call a person with singing and music, because he is delighted by it and finds comfort in it, and perhaps this is an attraction for him, so I call him with music and singing. Do we permit him that?
No, it is not permissible at all. But if it is a means that has not been prohibited and it has an effect, then there is no harm in it. So means are not objectives. And it is not necessary that the Shari'ah specify every means individually, saying: this is permissible and this is not permissible. Because means are not limited, and they have no limit. So everything that is a means to good is good.
Therefore, I repeat once again: that my brothers from the Tablighi Jamaat should be keen to receive knowledge and read the books of scholars, the books of those they trust in their knowledge and religion, so that they benefit from them. And as for merely limiting oneself to the softeners that soften the hearts, this is without doubt in it good, but it is not sufficient in the culture of the Muslim.
The questioner : There is also, if they gather for a circle.
The Shaykh : The question is for someone else. May Allah reward you with good. You do not take two. I give it to the one after you.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The questioner : O Shaykh, is the Tablighi call in Pakistan a genuine call? And do you encourage us to go to Pakistan despite what some people say: that this is not correct and contains a doubtful matter? We want you to guide us to what is in it of good.
The Shaykh : First: The Tablighi Jamaat, who call themselves the Tablighi Jamaat, are those who go to Pakistan. We do not accuse them of bad intention or purpose, and they do not intend by going anything but good, without doubt. But this going has become a cause and a means for disparaging these groups, and they have come to say: that they go there to take knowledge and faith from a people among us who, praise be to Allah, are more knowledgeable than them and stronger in faith. Then, these people have a doubtful matter in them, because they built their foundations on other than the foundations upon which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) built the religion. So they built their matters on six foundations. Who will read them for us? 1- Establishing that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
2- Prayer with humility and submission.
3- Knowledge with remembrance.
4- Honoring the Muslims.
5- Correcting the intention.
6- Calling to Allah and going out in His path.
If they had built this matter on what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) built it upon, it would have been better for them. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Islam is based upon five: the testimony of La Ilaha Illallah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, the establishment of the Salat, giving the Zakat, fasting (the month of) Ramadan, and performing Hajj to the House.
بني الإسلام على خمس: شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله، وأن محمداً رسول الله، وإقام الصلاة، وإيتاء الزكاة، وصوم رمضان، وحج بيت الله الحرامTo believe in Allah, His Angels, His, Books, His Messengers, the Day of Judgement, and Al-Qadar, the good of it and the bad of it.
الإيمان أن تؤمن بالله وملائكته وكتبه ورسله واليوم الآخر والقدر خير وشرهIhsan is to worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not achieve this state of devotion, then (take it for granted that) Allah sees you.
الإحسان أن تعبد الله كأنك تراه، فإن لم تكن تراه فإنه يراكTherefore, I advise my brothers from the Tablighi people, and I repeat the advice to them, not to go to Pakistan:
First: to protect their honor, because many of the brothers, when we praise the Tablighi Jamaat and say: that they have an influence that no one else has achieved, and their influence is clear, how many have gone astray and been guided by their hands, and how many open sinners have obeyed by their hands, and indeed how many disbelievers have believed by their hands, they say: No, these people have this and that in them. And among the things they make a cause for disparagement is their travel to Pakistan.
So I repeat my advice to my brothers who are in the Peninsula, I repeat the advice to them not to go to Pakistan, and that some of them gather with others, praise be to Allah, in Makkah for Hajj, for 'Umrah, in Ramadan or other than Ramadan. As for going to lands where we do not know the truth of what they are upon, who are directing the affairs there, this is not permissible.
Another thing I advise our brothers the Tablighi Jamaat with is to be keen on knowledge, to be keen on knowledge and learning to the extent they are able. So to the extent that they strive in calling to Allah, and connecting with people, and visiting them, and calling them to the truth, may Allah reward them with good and benefit through them. We say: to that extent, they should take knowledge, attending the gatherings of scholars whom Allah the Exalted and Glorious has given knowledge and teaching, even if it is once a week, so that they know something of what they are ignorant of, which is much. Because this is also what people hold against them, that they are far from knowledge. And although some of them say: that they do not like discussion in knowledge at all, but they like things to proceed as they are. And this is without doubt a defect in the Tablighi Jamaat. So if they were also keen on knowledge, it would be better.
And knowledge is not only in the books of virtues. The books of virtues are important and good, and they develop faith and increase in its strength, but they are not the knowledge. It is necessary to know the rulings as we know the softeners that soften the hearts. This is also what is held against them.
And as for the issue of limiting the going out to three days, or four days, or a month, or two months, I do not hold it against the Tablighi Jamaat, because this may be from the category of means, meaning: from the category that they see that limiting the duration is a means for reforming the man who goes out with them. And means do not have a Shari'ah limit. Means: everything that leads to the objective is an objective, as long as it is not specifically prohibited. If it is specifically prohibited, we do not approach it.
So if someone said: I want to call a person with singing and music, because he is delighted by it and finds comfort in it, and perhaps this is an attraction for him, so I call him with music and singing. Do we permit him that?
No, it is not permissible at all. But if it is a means that has not been prohibited and it has an effect, then there is no harm in it. So means are not objectives. And it is not necessary that the Shari'ah specify every means individually, saying: this is permissible and this is not permissible. Because means are not limited, and they have no limit. So everything that is a means to good is good.
Therefore, I repeat once again: that my brothers from the Tablighi Jamaat should be keen to receive knowledge and read the books of scholars, the books of those they trust in their knowledge and religion, so that they benefit from them. And as for merely limiting oneself to the softeners that soften the hearts, this is without doubt in it good, but it is not sufficient in the culture of the Muslim.
The questioner : There is also, if they gather for a circle.
The Shaykh : The question is for someone else. May Allah reward you with good. You do not take two. I give it to the one after you.