Is the Shaykh certain about the superstitions of the Tablighi group in their gathering in Pakistan?
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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 honorable scholar, you mentioned in your answer to the question that you do not see going to Pakistan, and you mentioned that there are some superstitions there. O honorable scholar, did you go to this gathering, or did you send someone you trust to speak about this gathering?
The Shaykh : As for me, I did not go, nor did I send anyone in an official capacity. However, those who came from there also divided into two groups:
One group said: We did not see anything, and we did not see any sermons except sermons, meaning: they do not contradict Islam. But the mere gathering at a specific time in a specific place with this number of people is like a recurring festival or like a season of Hajj. And the mere occurrence of this is a matter for which we know no basis in the Shari'ah, neither in the time of the Rightly Guided Caliphs nor in the time of those after them.
Then, most of the brothers who speak say: They have an innovation in this gathering, even if it is not known through the sermons. But they choose some of the leaders of the groups and speak with them about things, especially if they are from outside Saudi Arabia. Allah knows best.
And we say: As long as there is a possibility of harm in the matter, and as long as the origin of this gathering at a specific time every year has no basis in the Sunnah or in the practice of the Caliphs, leaving it is preferable.
The questioner : How do they mention their positions regarding the causes of guidance!
The Shaykh : Do you want to ask now? You see, this is your question!
The questioner : My intention is to answer it.
The Shaykh : Do not answer, I am the one who answers. But this is your question, we are done with it. What do you have? Explain what you see?
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 : The purpose, O Shaykh, is to strengthen the gathering. The purpose of their gathering is that they mention how they travel around the world through visits and lodging. Their purpose, if they gather on this day or these three days every year, is how the religion spread, and how people were guided, and how people entered the religion, so that they strive for a longer time to exert effort with people. This is their purpose. It is not that their purpose in the gathering is an annual purpose with no benefit. They discuss what the benefit of the movement is, meaning they are striving in this work, thinking about how this movement exerted effort, and what the impact that resulted from it was. This is their purpose in the gathering. Meaning, did people become guided? Did people enter the religion in large numbers or few? Is this their purpose?
The Shaykh : Meaning, out of their eagerness for guidance, for the guidance of creation?
The questioner : For the guidance of people.
The Shaykh : If the eagerness is for guidance and how they work, then they should be told: You are not more eager than the Rightly Guided Caliphs, nor than the Imams who preceded you. And we have not heard that they gathered, even in Madinah, which is the origin of Islam and the origin of the spread of the Sunnah. We have not heard that there is a gathering like this gathering in it. They sometimes reach a million people, the least thing. We have not heard of this.
And I, in truth, my position towards them is not like the position of the brothers who are strict with them and describe them as innovators and describe them as misguided and warn against them. No, but my position, by which I testify to Allah, is that they have an influence that has no parallel in reforming creation and softening their hearts. But they have matters that need correction. And we have written to some of the brothers, saying to them: If they made the foundation the foundation of what they call to, which is the hadith of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab regarding the coming of Jibril (peace be upon him) in his question about Islam, faith, and excellence in worship, if they made this the foundation, because when the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) finished, he said:: The laws of the religion and the rituals of the religion are present in this hadith. If they made this the foundation, it would be preferable.
Then, if we make these six attributes the foundation, who is their originator?
Their originator is so-and-so, a person known to them. It would be in the heart of the person to follow this person and forget following the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), because he made this the foundation of his religion and his call. And this is dangerous. This is shirk in the message, it is not shirk in divinity and worship, but it is shirk in the message. If it is in his heart that he will follow these six foundations that so-and-so established, and that this is the worship and this is the religion, then its matter is serious. And the person must purify two things in which he does not associate anyone:
Sincerity to Allah in worship, and this is the sincerity of intention, and sincerity to the Messenger by following him, and this is the sincerity of following.
And this matter is great, as Ibn al-Qayyim said in the al-Nuniyyah: "So make for yourself two migrations":
The first migration: to Allah, and the second migration: to the Messenger, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih al-Bukhari 2529
The questioner : He took the word "La ilaha illa Allah," so how does their speech remove the defective certainty from the heart, like the worship of things, and enter the certainty regarding the Self of Allah?
The Shaykh : So "La ilaha illa Allah" means by it you negate what other than Allah, and you single out worship for Allah alone, because the meaning of "La ilaha illa Allah" is: there is no true object of worship except Allah. And "Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah" singles out following for him alone.
The questioner : In the visits they say: How does the religion live in us and in all people, meaning: if people visit, how does the religion live in them and in the people who are in their state?
The Shaykh : In any case, there is no doubt that their intention, if Allah wills, is good. We do not say anything about their intention. And their influence is great and their morals are rare in existence. But they need correction in the methodology. Every person makes mistakes. If he succeeds in something, he errs in another. But how do we treat this error? That is the place of discussion.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The questioner : O honorable scholar, you mentioned in your answer to the question that you do not see going to Pakistan, and you mentioned that there are some superstitions there. O honorable scholar, did you go to this gathering, or did you send someone you trust to speak about this gathering?
The Shaykh : As for me, I did not go, nor did I send anyone in an official capacity. However, those who came from there also divided into two groups:
One group said: We did not see anything, and we did not see any sermons except sermons, meaning: they do not contradict Islam. But the mere gathering at a specific time in a specific place with this number of people is like a recurring festival or like a season of Hajj. And the mere occurrence of this is a matter for which we know no basis in the Shari'ah, neither in the time of the Rightly Guided Caliphs nor in the time of those after them.
Then, most of the brothers who speak say: They have an innovation in this gathering, even if it is not known through the sermons. But they choose some of the leaders of the groups and speak with them about things, especially if they are from outside Saudi Arabia. Allah knows best.
And we say: As long as there is a possibility of harm in the matter, and as long as the origin of this gathering at a specific time every year has no basis in the Sunnah or in the practice of the Caliphs, leaving it is preferable.
The questioner : How do they mention their positions regarding the causes of guidance!
The Shaykh : Do you want to ask now? You see, this is your question!
The questioner : My intention is to answer it.
The Shaykh : Do not answer, I am the one who answers. But this is your question, we are done with it. What do you have? Explain what you see?
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 : The purpose, O Shaykh, is to strengthen the gathering. The purpose of their gathering is that they mention how they travel around the world through visits and lodging. Their purpose, if they gather on this day or these three days every year, is how the religion spread, and how people were guided, and how people entered the religion, so that they strive for a longer time to exert effort with people. This is their purpose. It is not that their purpose in the gathering is an annual purpose with no benefit. They discuss what the benefit of the movement is, meaning they are striving in this work, thinking about how this movement exerted effort, and what the impact that resulted from it was. This is their purpose in the gathering. Meaning, did people become guided? Did people enter the religion in large numbers or few? Is this their purpose?
The Shaykh : Meaning, out of their eagerness for guidance, for the guidance of creation?
The questioner : For the guidance of people.
The Shaykh : If the eagerness is for guidance and how they work, then they should be told: You are not more eager than the Rightly Guided Caliphs, nor than the Imams who preceded you. And we have not heard that they gathered, even in Madinah, which is the origin of Islam and the origin of the spread of the Sunnah. We have not heard that there is a gathering like this gathering in it. They sometimes reach a million people, the least thing. We have not heard of this.
And I, in truth, my position towards them is not like the position of the brothers who are strict with them and describe them as innovators and describe them as misguided and warn against them. No, but my position, by which I testify to Allah, is that they have an influence that has no parallel in reforming creation and softening their hearts. But they have matters that need correction. And we have written to some of the brothers, saying to them: If they made the foundation the foundation of what they call to, which is the hadith of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab regarding the coming of Jibril (peace be upon him) in his question about Islam, faith, and excellence in worship, if they made this the foundation, because when the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) finished, he said:
Do you know who the questioner was? They said: Allah and His Messenger know best. He said: This is Jibril who came to you to teach you your religion.
أتدرون من السائل قالوا: الله ورسوله أعلم، قال: هذا جبريل أتاكم يعلمكم دينكمThen, if we make these six attributes the foundation, who is their originator?
Their originator is so-and-so, a person known to them. It would be in the heart of the person to follow this person and forget following the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), because he made this the foundation of his religion and his call. And this is dangerous. This is shirk in the message, it is not shirk in divinity and worship, but it is shirk in the message. If it is in his heart that he will follow these six foundations that so-and-so established, and that this is the worship and this is the religion, then its matter is serious. And the person must purify two things in which he does not associate anyone:
Sincerity to Allah in worship, and this is the sincerity of intention, and sincerity to the Messenger by following him, and this is the sincerity of following.
And this matter is great, as Ibn al-Qayyim said in the al-Nuniyyah: "So make for yourself two migrations":
The first migration: to Allah, and the second migration: to the Messenger, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
So, whoever migrated for Allah and His Apostle, then his migration will be for Allah and His Apostle
فمن كانت هجرته إلى الله ورسوله فهجرته إلى الله ورسولهThe questioner : He took the word "La ilaha illa Allah," so how does their speech remove the defective certainty from the heart, like the worship of things, and enter the certainty regarding the Self of Allah?
The Shaykh : So "La ilaha illa Allah" means by it you negate what other than Allah, and you single out worship for Allah alone, because the meaning of "La ilaha illa Allah" is: there is no true object of worship except Allah. And "Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah" singles out following for him alone.
The questioner : In the visits they say: How does the religion live in us and in all people, meaning: if people visit, how does the religion live in them and in the people who are in their state?
The Shaykh : In any case, there is no doubt that their intention, if Allah wills, is good. We do not say anything about their intention. And their influence is great and their morals are rare in existence. But they need correction in the methodology. Every person makes mistakes. If he succeeds in something, he errs in another. But how do we treat this error? That is the place of discussion.