What is the ruling on going to disbeliever lands with the aim of conveying the message for the sake of calling to Allah the Exalted, even though they do not know their language and they say, "We polish our hearts there"?
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The questioner : Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace and the mercy of Allah.
The questioner : There is, O Shaykh, a phenomenon that has spread in the villages, which is: some of the brothers or young men from the callers, along with common people, going to those villages and to some countries where religious innovations and deviations are prevalent, such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, and others. In fact, they have now extended to Brazil. In fact, they go with women, and this is established. The phenomenon of these brothers is that they do not care about tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and beliefs. Also, they do not know the language of the people they are going to. If you ask them, they say, "We go to polish our hearts there." So I do not know what is obligatory upon us: should we remain silent, or should we warn against going to those countries because they do not call to tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and do not warn against shirk (associating partners with Allah)? Rather, they say, "We go to polish our hearts there." Also, they have attributes to which they call people to memorize, and we have found them with many of the Bedouin: six attributes, and I do not know where they got them from. The first is the phrase "La ilaha illa Allah" (There is no god but Allah). They say, "La ilaha illa Allah: removing the causes from the heart and bringing in the Lord of the causes?"
The Shaykh : How?
The questioner : They say: "La ilaha illa Allah: removing the causes from the heart and bringing in the Lord of the causes into the heart," and so on. And prayer with humility and submission. And the last one, which they consider the most important thing, is going out in the path of Allah. They cite some texts as evidence, such as the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):As-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Nasa'i 17:22 and so on. So I do not know what are the things by which we are absolved before Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, because this matter has spread widely now. May Allah reward you with good?
The Shaykh : The reality is that going to disbeliever lands to call to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, is undoubtedly good, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) used to send callers to the lands of disbelief to call to Allah, Mighty and Majestic. But this depends on matters:
The first matter: knowledge. That is, the caller must have knowledge, because if the caller does not have knowledge and then calls, he must resort to questions. If he does not have knowledge, he will stop confused, or he will answer incorrectly, and thereby evil and fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) will occur.
Also, he must have a tongue, meaning: a language with which to address the people, to convey the information to the people, by the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Ibrahim 14:4] Otherwise, how can he clarify to them what he is calling them to when they do not know his language? And how can he answer their questions when he does not know their language?
These are two matters that are necessary: knowledge and the tongue.
Second: It is recommended (mustahabb) for the caller to start with the most important, then the most important. He should start first with the call to tawhid (the oneness of Allah), by the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) when he sent Mu'adh to Yemen, he said:Sahih al-Bukhari 2157 And because tawhid (the oneness of Allah) is the foundation upon which the laws are built, it must be the basis and the first thing before everything. Then after that, prayer, then after that, zakah (the obligatory alms), then fasting, then Hajj (the major pilgrimage).
This is the order of the call. As for neglecting the call to tawhid (the oneness of Allah), this is a deficiency; undoubtedly it is a deficiency.
Some people imagine that if they call to the noble morals and the beauties of deeds first, such as gentleness, compassion, and excellence in worship, and the like, they think that this is more conducive to accepting Islam. But this, although it is a viewpoint, what the Sunnah (the Prophet's way) indicated is the truth. Because if you start with this before everything, they will think that this is the foundation, and they will not care if they are deficient in tawhid (the oneness of Allah) or in prayer and the like, if they establish the beauties of morals, deeds, and etiquettes.
So, in the case of these people I mentioned, our position with them is to guide them to what the call should be, and to encourage them to go to call people to the truth. And our position with them should not be that of a spectator, because that is a negative position, or that of a mocker, because that is an hostile position. They are our Muslim brothers, and it appears to us from their intention that they seek good and strive to reform creation. But it is not that if the path is corrupted, we make that a corruption of the intention and the work from its origin. Rather, the believing, sincere advisor encourages good and directs to the sound paths.
And undoubtedly, the influence of these brothers you refer to is undoubtedly great, and that Allah has opened through their hands of good what He has not opened for other callers, because they meet people with gentleness, kindness, excellence in worship, chivalry, and service. But their method needs correction in reality. Therefore, I see that our position toward these and others from whom it appears to us that they intend reform, should be the position of the reformer, the corrector, and the encourager. Because we have not known anyone who is patient with the harm people do to them as they are, nor their patience in traveling to far or near lands, nor their patience in bearing the expenses. For this reason, we hear that they do not accept anything from anyone that is donated to them for the sake of their call.
Also, we advise our brothers not to travel to the society that is in Pakistan, because we have heard a lot about them, and it is not permissible to go there.
And among those who have them, there are people of good who are sufficient for them to follow their guidance and direct them to good. As for traveling there, I fear that there is something of religious innovation (bid'ah) in it.
As for the issue of going out in the path of Allah and making this part of jihad (struggle in the path of Allah), it is said: As for the jihad (struggle in the path of Allah) which is fighting the enemies, this is not the jihad (struggle in the path of Allah) which is fighting the enemies. But it is a type of jihad (struggle in the path of Allah), because seeking knowledge and calling to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, with the knowledge He has given you, is a type of jihad (struggle in the path of Allah). Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Furqan 25:52] meaning: with the Qur'an. And He the Exalted said: [At-Tawbah 9:73] And it is known that the jihad (struggle in the path of Allah) of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) against the hypocrites was not a jihad (struggle in the path of Allah) of fighting. Rather, when he was asked for permission to kill those who should be killed from the hypocrites, he said: Sahih al-Bukhari 4907 So it became clear from this that his jihad (struggle in the path of Allah) against the hypocrites was their jihad (struggle in the path of Allah) with knowledge.
And because Allah the Exalted made dedicating oneself to knowledge a counterpart to going out in jihad (struggle in the path of Allah), He the Exalted said:[At-Tawbah 9:122] meaning: and the remaining group: that is: the remaining group: [At-Tawbah 9:122] Do you now know what our position should be?
That we ask Allah for their success and that we direct them to what is in good.
The questioner : Regarding ...
The Shaykh : Wait until your turn comes.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace and the mercy of Allah.
The questioner : There is, O Shaykh, a phenomenon that has spread in the villages, which is: some of the brothers or young men from the callers, along with common people, going to those villages and to some countries where religious innovations and deviations are prevalent, such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, and others. In fact, they have now extended to Brazil. In fact, they go with women, and this is established. The phenomenon of these brothers is that they do not care about tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and beliefs. Also, they do not know the language of the people they are going to. If you ask them, they say, "We go to polish our hearts there." So I do not know what is obligatory upon us: should we remain silent, or should we warn against going to those countries because they do not call to tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and do not warn against shirk (associating partners with Allah)? Rather, they say, "We go to polish our hearts there." Also, they have attributes to which they call people to memorize, and we have found them with many of the Bedouin: six attributes, and I do not know where they got them from. The first is the phrase "La ilaha illa Allah" (There is no god but Allah). They say, "La ilaha illa Allah: removing the causes from the heart and bringing in the Lord of the causes?"
The Shaykh : How?
The questioner : They say: "La ilaha illa Allah: removing the causes from the heart and bringing in the Lord of the causes into the heart," and so on. And prayer with humility and submission. And the last one, which they consider the most important thing, is going out in the path of Allah. They cite some texts as evidence, such as the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
No dust will settle on a man in the path of Allah and smoke in Hellfire
ما اجتمع على رجل غبار في سبيل الله ودخان في جهنمThe Shaykh : The reality is that going to disbeliever lands to call to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, is undoubtedly good, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) used to send callers to the lands of disbelief to call to Allah, Mighty and Majestic. But this depends on matters:
The first matter: knowledge. That is, the caller must have knowledge, because if the caller does not have knowledge and then calls, he must resort to questions. If he does not have knowledge, he will stop confused, or he will answer incorrectly, and thereby evil and fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) will occur.
Also, he must have a tongue, meaning: a language with which to address the people, to convey the information to the people, by the saying of Allah the Exalted:
And We did not send any messenger except [speaking] in the language of his people to state clearly for them
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ رَسُولٍ إِلَّا بِلِسَانِ قَوْمِهِ لِيُبَيِّنَ لَهُمْThese are two matters that are necessary: knowledge and the tongue.
Second: It is recommended (mustahabb) for the caller to start with the most important, then the most important. He should start first with the call to tawhid (the oneness of Allah), by the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) when he sent Mu'adh to Yemen, he said:
to testify that None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and Muhammad is His Apostle
فليكن أولَ ما تدعوهم إليه شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله وأن محمداً رسول اللهThis is the order of the call. As for neglecting the call to tawhid (the oneness of Allah), this is a deficiency; undoubtedly it is a deficiency.
Some people imagine that if they call to the noble morals and the beauties of deeds first, such as gentleness, compassion, and excellence in worship, and the like, they think that this is more conducive to accepting Islam. But this, although it is a viewpoint, what the Sunnah (the Prophet's way) indicated is the truth. Because if you start with this before everything, they will think that this is the foundation, and they will not care if they are deficient in tawhid (the oneness of Allah) or in prayer and the like, if they establish the beauties of morals, deeds, and etiquettes.
So, in the case of these people I mentioned, our position with them is to guide them to what the call should be, and to encourage them to go to call people to the truth. And our position with them should not be that of a spectator, because that is a negative position, or that of a mocker, because that is an hostile position. They are our Muslim brothers, and it appears to us from their intention that they seek good and strive to reform creation. But it is not that if the path is corrupted, we make that a corruption of the intention and the work from its origin. Rather, the believing, sincere advisor encourages good and directs to the sound paths.
And undoubtedly, the influence of these brothers you refer to is undoubtedly great, and that Allah has opened through their hands of good what He has not opened for other callers, because they meet people with gentleness, kindness, excellence in worship, chivalry, and service. But their method needs correction in reality. Therefore, I see that our position toward these and others from whom it appears to us that they intend reform, should be the position of the reformer, the corrector, and the encourager. Because we have not known anyone who is patient with the harm people do to them as they are, nor their patience in traveling to far or near lands, nor their patience in bearing the expenses. For this reason, we hear that they do not accept anything from anyone that is donated to them for the sake of their call.
Also, we advise our brothers not to travel to the society that is in Pakistan, because we have heard a lot about them, and it is not permissible to go there.
And among those who have them, there are people of good who are sufficient for them to follow their guidance and direct them to good. As for traveling there, I fear that there is something of religious innovation (bid'ah) in it.
As for the issue of going out in the path of Allah and making this part of jihad (struggle in the path of Allah), it is said: As for the jihad (struggle in the path of Allah) which is fighting the enemies, this is not the jihad (struggle in the path of Allah) which is fighting the enemies. But it is a type of jihad (struggle in the path of Allah), because seeking knowledge and calling to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, with the knowledge He has given you, is a type of jihad (struggle in the path of Allah). Allah the Exalted said:
and strive against them with the Qur'an a great striving.
وَجَاهِدْهُمْ بِهِ جِهَاداً كَبِيراًO Prophet, fight against the disbelievers and the hypocrites and be harsh upon them
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ جَاهِدِ الْكُفَّارَ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ وَاغْلُظْ عَلَيْهِمْlest the people say Muhammad kills his companions
لا يتحدث الناس أن محمداً يقتل أصحابهAnd because Allah the Exalted made dedicating oneself to knowledge a counterpart to going out in jihad (struggle in the path of Allah), He the Exalted said:
And it is not for the believers to go forth [to battle] all at once. For there should separate from every division of them a group
وَمَا كَانَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لِيَنْفِرُوا كَافَّةً فَلَوْلا نَفَرَ مِنْ كُلِّ فِرْقَةٍ مِنْهُمْ طَائِفَةٌto gain understanding in the religion
لِيَتَفَقَّهُواin the religion and warn their people when they return to them that they might be cautious.
فِي الدِّينِ وَلِيُنْذِرُوا قَوْمَهُمْ إِذَا رَجَعُوا إِلَيْهِمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَحْذَرُونَThat we ask Allah for their success and that we direct them to what is in good.
The questioner : Regarding ...
The Shaykh : Wait until your turn comes.