What is your opinion of the Tablighi Jama'ah?
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The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : O Shaykh, may Allah reward you, what is your opinion of the Tablighi Jama'ah and going out with them?
The Shaykh : Who are the Tablighi Jama'ah?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : He says, "Going out with the Tablighi Jama'ah, what do you think of them? And going out with them? And what is the Tablighi Jama'ah?" The Tablighi...
The questioner : People of da'wah.
The Shaykh : Huh? People of da'wah? We are all, if Allah wills, people of da'wah. I am, if Allah wills, a person of da'wah. To Muslims or non-Muslims?
The questioner : To Muslims.
The Shaykh : To Muslims, do they pray or do they not pray?
The questioner : They pray.
The Shaykh : Good, do they recite dhikr or do they not recite dhikr?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Do you know if they recite dhikr or not? Heh, they recite dhikr more than others. Do they give zakah? Yes. Do they perform Hajj? Good. In reality, the one whom Allah the Exalted has given a desire for knowledge and acquisition of knowledge, it is better that he not go out with them, because they waste a lot of time in which there is no seeking of knowledge. And the people among them are often ignorant. So the person who has no work and fears that if he stays in the town he will wander and be lost with the lost, let him go out with them, especially those in our Saudi country. As for the one who goes out, things are said about them that are not pleasing. He goes out with them, and how many a fasiq (open sinner) went out with them and became one of the upright. Indeed, Allah guided through their hands some disbelievers. So disparaging them is wrong, and encouraging their companionship is wrong. It is said that their affair is among the permissible matters, and if a person is occupied with knowledge, that is better. And if he would waste his time if he stayed, there is no harm in accompanying them, because we do not know of them except good. It remains to be said that they regulate going out for three days, forty days, and four months. We asked them about this, why? They said that the intention with this is to train the person in worship during this period. Yes, so if you have a desire for knowledge and acquisition of knowledge, sit and seek knowledge, that is better.
The student: Is there not a fear, O Shaykh, that if he goes out with them, some bid'ah (religious innovation) might be imposed on him?
The Shaykh : Even if there are no problematic bid'ah, the most difficult thing they have is this. I do not know what is with us here in Saudi Arabia; I do not know about the rest.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Yes? No, no, absolutely not. I see that the people here should not go to Pakistan or anywhere else... gatherings.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Yes?
The student: The state of Qatar?
The Shaykh : Qatar or elsewhere, they stay here in their country, they come to the villages and call them to good and encourage them to it.
The student: They mention about themselves... they are connected there in Pakistan.
The Shaykh : No, no, I do not see the connection. I do not see the connection, in that the people there, some people from the group from al-Qassim went to them and attended their gatherings and praised them, but you know that people in many matters are between one who faults and one who praises. Right or left, or right?
The questioner : O Shaykh, may Allah reward you, what is your opinion of the Tablighi Jama'ah and going out with them?
The Shaykh : Who are the Tablighi Jama'ah?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : He says, "Going out with the Tablighi Jama'ah, what do you think of them? And going out with them? And what is the Tablighi Jama'ah?" The Tablighi...
The questioner : People of da'wah.
The Shaykh : Huh? People of da'wah? We are all, if Allah wills, people of da'wah. I am, if Allah wills, a person of da'wah. To Muslims or non-Muslims?
The questioner : To Muslims.
The Shaykh : To Muslims, do they pray or do they not pray?
The questioner : They pray.
The Shaykh : Good, do they recite dhikr or do they not recite dhikr?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Do you know if they recite dhikr or not? Heh, they recite dhikr more than others. Do they give zakah? Yes. Do they perform Hajj? Good. In reality, the one whom Allah the Exalted has given a desire for knowledge and acquisition of knowledge, it is better that he not go out with them, because they waste a lot of time in which there is no seeking of knowledge. And the people among them are often ignorant. So the person who has no work and fears that if he stays in the town he will wander and be lost with the lost, let him go out with them, especially those in our Saudi country. As for the one who goes out, things are said about them that are not pleasing. He goes out with them, and how many a fasiq (open sinner) went out with them and became one of the upright. Indeed, Allah guided through their hands some disbelievers. So disparaging them is wrong, and encouraging their companionship is wrong. It is said that their affair is among the permissible matters, and if a person is occupied with knowledge, that is better. And if he would waste his time if he stayed, there is no harm in accompanying them, because we do not know of them except good. It remains to be said that they regulate going out for three days, forty days, and four months. We asked them about this, why? They said that the intention with this is to train the person in worship during this period. Yes, so if you have a desire for knowledge and acquisition of knowledge, sit and seek knowledge, that is better.
The student: Is there not a fear, O Shaykh, that if he goes out with them, some bid'ah (religious innovation) might be imposed on him?
The Shaykh : Even if there are no problematic bid'ah, the most difficult thing they have is this. I do not know what is with us here in Saudi Arabia; I do not know about the rest.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Yes? No, no, absolutely not. I see that the people here should not go to Pakistan or anywhere else... gatherings.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Yes?
The student: The state of Qatar?
The Shaykh : Qatar or elsewhere, they stay here in their country, they come to the villages and call them to good and encourage them to it.
The student: They mention about themselves... they are connected there in Pakistan.
The Shaykh : No, no, I do not see the connection. I do not see the connection, in that the people there, some people from the group from al-Qassim went to them and attended their gatherings and praised them, but you know that people in many matters are between one who faults and one who praises. Right or left, or right?