Today, we mourn the passing of an old friend by the name of Common Sense.
�Common Sense lived a long life but died from heart failure at the brink of the Millennium. No one really knows how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He selflessly devoted his life to service in schools; hospitals, homes, factories and offices, helping folks get jobs done without fanfare and foolishness.
�For decades, petty rules, silly laws and frivolous lawsuits held no power over Common Sense. He was credited with cultivating such valued lessons as to know when to come in from the rain, the early bird gets the worm and life isn’t always fair.
�Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don’t spend more than you earn), reliable parenting strategies (the adults are in charge, not the kids), and it’s okay to come in second.
�A veteran of the Industrial Revolution, the Great Depression, and the Technological Revolution, Common Sense survived cultural and educational trends including feminism, body piercing, whole language and new math.
�But his health declined when he became infected with the “if-it-only-helps-one-person-it’s-worth-it” virus. In recent decades, his waning strength proved no match for the ravages of overbearing federal legislation.
He watched in pain as good people became ruled by self-seeking lawyers and enlightened auditors. His health rapidly deteriorated when schools endlessly implemented zero-tolerance policies; when reports were heard of six-year-old boys charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; when a teen was suspended for taking a swig of mouthwash after lunch; when a teacher was fired for reprimanding an unruly student. It declined even further when schools had to get parental consent to administer aspirin to a student, but couldn’t inform the parent when a female student is pregnant or wants an abortion.
�Finally, Common Sense lost his will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband, churches became businesses, criminals received better treatment than victims, and federal judges stuck their noses in everything from Boy Scouts to professional sports.
�As the end neared, Common Sense drifted in and out of logic but was kept informed of developments, regarding questionable regulations for asbestos, low-flow toilets, smart guns, the nurturing of Prohibition Laws and mandatory airbags.
�Finally, when told that the homeowners association restricted exterior furniture only to that which enhanced property values, he breathed his last.
�Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son Reason. His three stepbrothers survive him: Rights, Tolerance and Whiner.
�Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.
“The
way (of blame) is only against those who oppress men and rebel in the earth
without justification; for such there will be a painful torment.” [al-Shoora 42:42].
Abu Bakr As-Siddiq (Allah be pleased with him) said: “O you people! You recite this Ayah: Take care of yourselves! If you follow the guidance no harm shall come to you. I indeed heard the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) saying: ‘When the people see the wrongdoer and they do not take him by the hand, then soon Allah shall envelop you in punishment from him.'” (Jami`at-Tirmidhi, Book 33, Hadith 11)
This is a disclaimer before the letter starts, this letter is being written after having worked with Muslims, for Muslims, helping Muslims and working within the Muslim community, realising all is not what it seems and all that glitters is not gold. Many people who seem to be religious and practising are not as holy and angelic and sanctimonious on the inside as they may seem on the outside. A lot of people in power don’t seem to use their power justly and productively, rather they abuse their power unlawfully, unfairly and unethically. After working for Muslims, I started to look at everything from a leadership lens. The good and bad of every school, masjid, organisation, family and even country were directly related to the quality of their leaders. The aim and purpose of this letter is to remind those in leadership and in power of their duty and the fact that they are answerable to Allah. You have been put in a position to lead by the book of Allah SWT and deal with people fairly and justly as Allah states in the Qur’an:
He be
exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, Allah enjoins
Al-Adl (i.e. justice and worshipping none but Allah Alone – Islamic Monotheism)
and Al-Ihsan (i.e. to be patient in performing your duties to Allah, totally
for Allahs sake and in accordance with the Sunnah (legal ways) of the Prophet
SAW in a perfect manner), and giving (help) to kith and kin (i.e. all that
Allah has ordered you to give them e.g., wealth, visiting, looking after them,
or any other kind of help, etc.): and forbids Al-Fahsha (i.e all evil deeds,
e.g. illegal sexual acts, disobedience of parents, polytheism, to tell lies, to
give false witness, to kill a life without right, etc.), and Al-Munkar (i.e all
that is prohibited by Islamic law: polytheism of every kind, disbelief and
every kind of evil deeds, etc.), and Al-Baghy (i.e. all kinds of oppression),
He admonishes you, that you may take heed” [an-Nahl 16:90].
When leadership is great, success inevitably follows. Likewise, when leadership is poor, failure inevitably follows. Think about it: give me some examples of successful countries, businesses and masjids and I will point you in the direction of the strong leader that orchestrated their success. This letter can be forwarded to Ulama, Imams, Chaplains, Principals of Madrasahs/Darul Ulooms, Headteachers of Boys/Girls Schools, as well as Muslim MPS and Councillors, it can be even sent to Non-Muslims in the above positions.
Abdullah bin
Umar (Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ,
peace and blessings be upon him, said, “All of you are shepherds and each
of you is responsible for his flock. An Imam is a shepherd and he is responsible
for those in his care. A man is a shepherd in respect of his family and is
responsible for those in his care. The woman is a shepherd in respect of her
husband’s house and is responsible for what is in her care. The servant is a
shepherd in respect of his master’s property and is responsible for what is in
his care. All of you are shepherds and each of you is responsible for his
flock.”
What is the modern-day equivalent to the word shepherd in this hadith? IT IS A LEADER! So re-read the hadith above, but this time, replace the word shepherd with the word leader.
I believe
that it is our responsibility to become leaders, because that’s what our
beloved Prophet ﷺ taught us to be, and that is what he
was. He exemplified leadership in all areas of his life, and, if we are truly
followers of his example, then we will seek to do the same. Also, by looking at
the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ through
this lens of leadership, my hope is that we will gain an even greater
appreciation of how incredible he was, and our love for him will increase. We
will gently remind those in power of their duties and qualities which naturally
over time wear off, but need to be revivified.
To Begin…
Ikhlaas – Sincerity is very important before taking
up any position. You must be doing it for the sake of Allah SWT and to seek his
pleasure. Narrated ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab: I heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) saying, “The reward of deeds
depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to
what he has intended. So whoever emigrated for worldly benefits or for a woman
to marry, his emigration was for what he emigrated for.” (Bukhari)
Some intentions to make and questions to ask yourself:
How are
we influencing or making a positive impact in the world?
How are we influencing
our families, communities, co-workers, children, cities and countries?
If the
Prophet’s mission was about changing the world, shouldn’t ours be too? Should
we not also be people of influence?
We are only doing this role to please Allah, not for worldly gain.
2. Fear of Allah – Narrated Ma’qil (Allah be pleased with him): I heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) saying, “Any man whom Allah has given the authority of ruling some people and he does not look after them in an honest manner, will never feel even the smell of Paradise.” (Bukhari, Vol. 9, Book 89, Hadith 264)
Before
making any decision, before advising anyone, before deploying someone, you must
think of Allah SWT and remember that you will need to answer to Him one day.
Nepotism is growing uncontrollably, people are given preference because of family ties, or because of beauty and honour and lineage. Whereas preference should always be given to the best man for the job. “O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you with Allah is that (believer) who has At-Taqwa [i.e. he is one of the Muttaqoon (the pious)]. Verily, Allah is All-Knowing, All–Aware” [al-Hujuraat 49:13]
The advisors of the Messenger included Muslim men of all tribes, races and colours. Their hearts were filled with Tawheed and they were brought together by their faith and piety – such as Abu Bakr (Allah be pleased with him) from Quraysh, ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (Allah be pleased with him) from Bani Hashim, Bilal the Ethiopian (Allah be pleased with him), Suhayb the Roman (Allah be pleased with him), Salman the Persian (Allah be pleased with him), rich men like ‘Uthman (Allah be pleased with him) and poor men like ‘Ammaar (Allah be pleased with him), people of means and poor people like Ahl al-Suffah, and others (Allah be pleased with them all).
Abdullah
narrated that the Prophet ﷺ
said: “Indeed, after me you will see preferential treatment, and
matters that you dislike.” They said: “Then what do you command us [O
Messenger of Allah!]” He said: “Give them their rights, and ask Allah
for yours.” Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2190
حَدَّثَنَا عَنْ
عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ” إِنَّكُمْ
سَتَرَوْنَ بَعْدِي أَثَرَةً وَأُمُورًا تُنْكِرُونَهَا ” . قَالُوا
فَمَا تَأْمُرُنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ
” أَدُّوا إِلَيْهِمْ حَقَّهُمْ وَسَلُوا اللَّهَ الَّذِي لَكُمْ ”
It was narrated from Umm Salamah (Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “You refer your disputes to me and I am only human. Perhaps some of you may be more eloquent in presenting your case than others, so I rule in your favour because of what I hear from you. If I pass a judgement in favour of one of you that detracts from his brother’s rights, then he should not take it, because it is a piece of fire that is given to him which he will bring forth on the Day Resurrection.” (Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol. 3, Book 13, Hadith 10)
3. Seeking name and fame is blameworthy in all circumstances. The believer should be modest and humble, and he should not like to be chosen. One of the main factors that corrupt a person’s efforts to reach his Lord is his love of fame and prominence among people, and the love of leadership over them.
At-Tirmidhi
(2376) narrated – and classed it as saheeh – that Ka‘b ibn Malik (Allah be
pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ
said: “Two hungry
wolves sent against a flock of sheep cannot cause more damage to them than a
man’s eagerness for wealth and prominence causes to his religious commitment.”
One of the worst outcomes of the love of fame and prominence, and striving for it, is for a person to seek the praise of people, whether it is deserved or not.
Ahmad
(16460) narrated that Mu‘awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the
Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: “Beware of praising
one another, for it is like slaughter (i.e., fatal).”
Al-Mannawi
(may Allah have mercy on him) said: Praise leads to self-admiration and
arrogance, and it is fatal like slaughter, hence it is likened to it. Imam
Ghazali (Allah have mercy on him) said: If someone does you a favour, if he is
one of those who like to be thanked and praised, then do not praise him,
because part of fulfilling his rights is that you should not approve of his
wrongdoing, and his seeking thanks is wrongdoing. Otherwise, you may show him
gratitude so that he will continue doing good.
Ibraheem
an-Nakha‘i (Allah have mercy on him) and al-Hasan al-Basri (Allah have mercy on
him) said: It is sufficient trial for a man to be pointed out with regard to
religious or worldly matters, except the one whom Allah protects.
End quote
from az-Zuhd by Ibn as-Sirri (2/442).
Once we understand this, there can be no doubt that it is safer for a man to prefer anonymity and be humble towards his Lord, and to refrain from seeking fame and prominence, even with regard to permissible worldly matters.
4. Shukr – Be grateful to Allah for the position you have been given. You should pray 2 rak’ahs daily thanking Allah for this blessing and pleading to him for his help to guide you.
5.Humility – A quality which is found in very few leaders and people in power. The saying is famous, “Money and Power changes everyone.” People forget who they were and where they were. Money makes people delusional and power leads people to think they are above the law of the land and the law of Allah. Some men have no fear of god, whilst others think they are actually almighty god. The Prophet ﷺ once said ‘the leader of a people is their servant’. He demonstrated this throughout his life from personally building his mosque to partaking in digging during the battle of the Trench. He was not a self-serving in of a higher cause. This was accompanied by humility and living a simple life. He didn’t have a throne and sat among his people as one of them, such that when foreign visitors came, they could not immediately tell from a gathering who the Prophet ﷺ was.
6. Patience and Wisdom – The Prophetﷺ was wise but practical at the same time. Once a Bedouin came to the mosque of the Prophet ﷺ and when the call of nature came he began urinating within the mosque and prayer area. Naturally this infuriated the other worshippers and companions of the Prophet ﷺ who started marching towards him in anger. The Prophet ﷺ intervened, not only by stopping the possibility of the Bedouin getting beaten up, but actually told the worshippers to let the Bedouin finish urinating!
This was not only very considerate of
him but most wise. He ﷺ recognised
that this was not an act of aggression but rather the simple Bedouin did not
know about the etiquettes of the mosque and needed to be taught. This was the
wisdom of the great teacher—the Prophet ﷺ,
who proceeded to counsel the foolhardy Bedouin.
One of the most apparent qualities of
the Prophet was his incredible patience. For 13 years he endured abuse and
persecution at the hands of his fellow Makkans, including times when his
companions were beaten, tortured and in some cases killed. Even the
Prophet ﷺ wasn’t spared having animal
entrails thrown at him as he prayed. One of his most perilous moments was in
Ta’if when the people and their children stoned the beloved Prophet ﷺ until he was bleeding extensively.
Yet he had to remain patient and resilient through the suffering while painfully seeing his beloved followers grossly mistreated. His internal strength and patience, gave his followers strength and patience until God gave them some ease.
7. Courage, Compassion and Competence was in abundance in the Prophet ﷺ who sought to reflect the compassion of the Divine. Once, an elderly who would regularly throw rubbish in the pathway of the Prophet ﷺ fell ill. In seeing this, the Prophet ﷺ did not celebrate this situation rather showed care and compassion by going to visit the old woman, and preparing food for her. His courage was apparent during every battle and every challenging period faced by his people. Once at night during the Madinan period, the companions were awoken by a frightening loud noise. As they cautiously stepped out of their homes to see what was going on, they saw it was an out of control horse, but luckily someone brave had swiftly come out and brought the horse under control. It was none other than the courageous Prophet ﷺ.
He embodied the Quranic framework
of Al-Qawi Wal Amin. Hence strong, competence and able, while being
trustworthy. Today we find that sometimes good people aren’t the most
competent, while the most competent aren’t always being good. The Prophet ﷺ role modelled the need to be both. He was
known to be an able communicator who had the gift of ‘jawam’ul kalim’—a poetic
way with words enabling him to say much with only a few words. He was an expert
swordsman, with excellent equestrian skills but also had day to day practical
skills from construction to sewing.
With regard
to the imam’s role in society, there is no doubt that it is an important role. How
can it be otherwise when he is leading the prayers which are the most important
pillar of Islam after the Shahaadatayn (twin testimony of faith)? The Imam is
the leader and the worshippers behind him are his followers. The imam guides
and leads his jama’ah (group) by giving lessons and talks. The Messenger of
Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and the Rightly-Guided
khaleefahs used to hold gatherings in the mosques where the Muslims would
gather so that they might consult with one another concerning religious and
worldly matters and so that they might teach the people about Tawheed, fiqh,
good manners, and also enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil.”
See Ahkam
al-Imamah wa’l-I’timam fi’l-Salah by al-Muneef, p. 64
The imam
should check up on those who are absent (from the prayers), and visit the sick,
He should strive to meet the needs of the Muslims who pray with him, teaching
the ignorant, admonishing the negligent, advising the erring, reconciling those
among whom there are differences, bringing them closer to one another and
striving to foster friendship and love between them. He should strive to solve
social problems that arise among them such as family quarrels, disputes between
neighbours and the like. To sum up, the role of the imam is very important and
should be appreciated as such. The group should help him to achieve the aims of
sharee’ah and ward off anything that is bad or harmful. And Allah is the Source
of strength.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: The whole Muslim is sacred to another Muslim: his blood, his property and his honour
Ismail Ibn Nazir Satia (one who is in dire need of Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and pleasure)
Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Three supplications are accepted, there is no doubt in them (about them being accepted): The supplication of the oppressed, the supplication of the traveller, and the supplication of his father against his son.”
(Jami`at-Tirmidhi, Book 27, Hadith 11)
Six years on, how quickly
time has gone.
Six years on, the knight
that once shone,
Is resting in his grave, with
the help of no one.
He is covered from head to
toe in dust, every single bone,
We can no longer hear his
voice, nor listen to his tone.
We are deprived of his beautiful countenance[IS1] , the crispy smile was always known,
A smile which could melt a
heart, even if it was made out of stone.
You spread your warmth
everywhere, your seeds of graciousness were planted like an acorn,
Today, we see those fruits
and high they have grown.
Allah protected you
yesterday and will protect you today from even the prick of a thorn,
Because you left this
world with a clean heart, not owing a debt and not owing a loan.
Let this rhyme be a
reminder, for each and every one of us that we too have a time,
Death hovers over all of
us, just like a drone.
Death falls suddenly and
takes your soul as fast as a cyclone,
Death doesn’t announce on a speaker system, nor uses a microphone.
Ismail ibn Nazir Satia (one who is in dire need of Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and pleasure)
The
following is not intended to offend anyone; please read with an open heart and
mind!
The word Da’wah means “to call” and Tabligh means “to convey/relay.” To
call to Allah and relay Allah’s deen. The deen which Allah has sent we should
pass it on to others in whatever way we can. A scholar of deen (an Alim) will
do this in a different way to the layman, there are different methods, no
doubt. Since the last 1,400 years, both Da’wah and Tabligh have been continuing
with full force. For anyone to say the work stopped, it would be an insult to
all those people who tirelessly sacrificed their time and energy to spread
Allah’s religion in previous times. If the work of Da’wah had stopped, then how
would Islam have reached us today?
It is a known fact that the methodology of Da’wah and Tabligh has
changed somewhat over the last few centuries.
The Imam who stands on the mimbar on a Jumu’ah and gives a lecture to
the community, IS DA’WAH.
The Shaykh who give a Dars on Qur’an after Salah IS DA’WAH.
The Mawlana who gives lessons on Hadith in a Madrasah IS DA’WAH.
The Ustadh who teaches students in Darul Ulooms IS DA’WAH.
The author who writes Islamic books to educate people IS DA’WAH.
The Mufti who authorises fatwas on Halal/Haram IS DA’WAH.
And… those who spend their time in the path of Allah, knocking on houses
going door to door and invite people to Allah IS ALSO DA’WAH.
We cannot deny that any of these are all different forms of Da’wah, we
should all work together and praise each other and complement one another for
the work we do and others do. But what seems to be happening is the opposite,
people are comparing and criticising each other. Some are saying, “Our work of
deen is the only work of deen!” This may be classed as “tahreef” in deen.
Tahreef is to change the deen of Allah SWT. I am not a great Alim, but we need
to ask the Muftis, “What is the ruling on people who say, teaching Madrasah is
not deen. Giving a bayan in the Masjid is not deen.” Is it Halal or Haram? Is
it Kufr?
Did Imam Bukhari (Allah have mercy on him) not do Tabligh? Imam Bukhari (Allah have mercy on him) gathered 600,000 – 700,000 hadith, out of which 100,000 were sahih. He then compiled approximately 7,000 Hadith in his famous book. He had 90,000 students that he taught, these students weren’t part-timers like the students of today. They were all Muhaddiths and great scholars.
Did Imam Abu Hanifah (Allah have mercy on him) not do Tabligh?
Did Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani (Allah have mercy on him) not do Tabligh?
All of these pious individuals lived long before Mawlana Ilyas (Allah
have mercy on him). Tablighi Jamat has only been around for 100 years.
We must understand everyone is spreading the deen of Allah in their own way, as long as their belief and aqeedah is correct. If we cannot understand this, then this is a sign of a lack of sincerity. Because you can’t see others doing the work of deen. This is all from Shaytan, because Shaytan knows if we are united and support each other in the work of deen, we will become strong like the Sahabah (Allah be pleased with them) and deen will flourish. In the time of the Sahabah (Allah be pleased with them), they carried out all the works of deen, hence you did not see different sects and groups. But nowadays, it is sad to see different groups of Muslims criticising and taunting each other, one is thinking they are better than the other. Some saying our work is the only work, then looking at Ulama and scholars of deen as inferior. La Hawla Wa La Quwwata Illa Billah!
The ‘Wah-dahu La Shareeka Laho’ Attitude – Being the Whole and
Sole
It is sad and deploring that many of our Muslims brothers and sisters
constantly mock the rest of us who don’t tread the path they take, who don’t go
out for three days every month and forty days every year, I am talking about
the brothers and sisters who participate in Tabligh and Jamat.
Let me start with my own experience, many years ago I used to deliver Jumu’ah talks in my local Masjid. I must have delivered around a dozen talks after I graduated from Darul Uloom – Alhumdu Lillah! One of those talks was titled, “Save Yourself and Your Family!” I think judging by the title it was self-explanatory. It is actually a verse of the Qur’an, where Allah tells us to worry about ourselves and our families and save ourselves from the fire of Hell. A few points I mentioned in my talk
Focus on your sins, not your neighbours or relatives e.g. His daughter
is sleeping with a White boy. Her son is a drug dealer or alcoholic etc.
Allah will not ask you about Muslims in China or Brazil i.e. worry about
your own Iman.
Make constant tawbah, learn to quit sins, do more and more good deeds –
new deeds.
Anything wrong with the above? I swear by Allah in the heavens! I did
not target any group or sect or any single person. It was a general Bayan… that
evening I was approached by the sovereign and supreme committee, who said to
me, I was no longer allowed to deliver talks in the Masjid.
Good grief! Had I uttered Kufr? Offended someone? Or instigated
terrorism? No, it was far worse than any criminal offence, I had hurt the egos
of the brothers of Tabligh Jamat. It transpired that many brothers had been
approached by the Tjs, asking why I had done such a horrific talk, they had
never heard such a talk. Maybe, that’s because they had never read the Qur’an?
I wonder… Anyhow, I was banned, despite being told from senior Ulama in the
Masjid, that I had said nothing wrong or incorrect Islamically. My lips were
sealed. They stamped on my tongue. I was mute. The Tabligh brothers had gone to
Her Majesty’s Committee (HMC) and complained and got me banned! They tried to
wreck my Dunya, I will make them questionable in the hereafter. Not forgotten…
I wasn’t offended because I am Britain’s greatest orator. I was offended
because I was doing good and khayr, but I was punished for a crime I hadn’t
committed. I was banned for commentary on a verse of the Qur’an, I would love
to know the ruling on such people. It was clearly the part about worrying about
your own Iman and family, not being too concerned with the sins of others,
that’s what offended them.
Till today, not a single Tablighi has approached me to clarify the
matter, or even give me a chance to apologise (if I was wrong). Because they
are cowards, shame on the mothers who gave birth to them. Alhumdu Lillah, I
have the courage to address the issue and speak up.
But, that was only the tip of the iceberg. Since then things have turned
for the worse. We have tried many times to work with these brothers as a
community, as one Masjid. But it was like taking blood out of a stone, they
would never compromise. It’s because they believe their work is the only way
forward, “The work of the Prophets AS!”
Whose work are we doing as Ulama? Dajjal’s work? Shaytan’s work?
Those comments are the first signs of insincerity because you can’t see others do good.
One of our
respected Shaykhs, Hadhrat Mufti Taqi Usmani Saheb (may Allah preserve him), in
a lecture, very passionately and sincerely highlighted the wrong practices
adopted by some folks who participate in the organised effort of deen called,
‘Jama’ah Tabligh.’ He explained that there are many different efforts of serving
the deen of Allah – such as teaching (ta’lim), conveying the message (da’wah
& tabligh), reforming souls (tazkiyah), charity work, etc – and the
objective of all such efforts is to please Allah Most High. They are all
different forms of serving the deen of Allah. However, the problem arises when
some people get involved in a particular type of effort, and then think that
what they are involved in is the only ‘real’ effort; and all other efforts are
either not the efforts of deen or even if they are, they don’t have much
significance. This leads to deviation!
He
particularly singled out those who become ‘extreme’ in the effort of Jamat
Tabligh. Some of them – due to lack of knowledge – become so overzealous that
they start disregarding all other efforts of deen such as teaching ilm, charity
work, etc… If teachers and students of a Madrasah do not come out in their
organised Tabligh effort, they think that they are not really doing the work of
deen! He then cited an example where a Tablighi brother told his old mother and
wife that, “I do not have time to earn and provide for you, you earn and feed
the family; I need to go out for Tabligh!” This, he explained, is not what
Allah wants from us. In Islam, our family also has a right over us, and one
should do what is required at the given time. This is not what the ‘elders’ of
Tabligh have taught, he explained.
He said
that such people become so fanatical that if any scholar was to give them
sincere advice (nasihah) out of love and genuine concern, they become extremely
defensive and say things like, “You are anti-Tabligh” and “How dare you point
out our mistake” and “The mistakes of one or two should not be taken to mean
the whole effort is flawed” and “The Tablighis do great work” etc… but when did
anyone say the whole work is flawed, and when did anyone deny the value of the
effort?! It seems they just do not want to hear anyone correcting their mistakes!
Finally, he
said, the effort of Jamat Tabligh is very beneficial, which has spread the
message of Islam to far and distant lands. We encourage people, especially the
general masses, to participate in this effort. However, the mistakes must be
pointed out. If such extremism is not avoided, it may lead this whole effort
into becoming some kind of a cult! Avoid such extremism, and save others from
it!
[End of
Shaykh al-Islam Mufti Taqi Usmani’s statement in my own words]
I would
like to add that what the respected Shaykh has said was long overdue. In my
limited experience, the amount (literally in the hundreds) of irresponsible and
flawed statements made by ‘some’ of our Jamat Tabligh brothers is astonishing.
For example, one brother said, “We are the only saved sect of the 73 mentioned
by the Prophet!” Another said, “Seeking knowledge (ilm) is of no benefit if you
don’t go out in Tabligh!” One friend said to me, “I was once in I’tikaf and a
brother in the Jama’ah said in his talk that we were wasting our time and
should be out there!” A sister narrated, her father got told, “You can only go
Jannah through Tabligh!” (La hawla wa la quwwa…..] This is the type of
extremism and sectarianism that people like Shaykh Taqi Usmani and others fear!
Da’wah or
Division and Destruction?
It seems
like the problem is not just within the brothers of Tabligh, many sisters
complain about their husbands being forced to go Jamat. Tablighis pushing a
father to go forty days even though they are aware the wife is due to give
birth very soon, (heard this many times).
Forcing
someone to go forty days despite being told wife was recovering from a tough
birth and also had another small toddler. The annual forty days were not due
for another 6 months, but still they were persuaded. If they say no, the elders
of Tabligh say, we have six children and you only have two!
It is
common in Tablighi circles for mothers to look down on other mothers whose
children do not go to Islamic School/Darul Uooms. Ever thought they might be
struggling with the fees?
Women/Alimahs teaching
at home being told they need permission from headquarters/markaz. Men teaching
madrasah were told leave maktab and go for forty days. The madrasah will run
without you. Despite repeatedly being told the madrasah was short staffed.
Again,
these are all signs of not understanding deen fully, but overzealous about
Tabligh! Tabligh! Tabligh!
We need to
realise that there are different methods of serving the deen of Allah. Some
people are involved in teaching children Qur’an and basics of deen, some in
teaching advanced sciences like tafsir, hadith and fiqh, others in doing
charity work, some spending their night and day answering people’s questions
and writing fatwas, some spending their whole time authoring beneficial books,
and some in lecturing and advising people on how to reform their souls. These
are all works of deen,
It is true
that this type of extremist mentality is found in other groups too. However, it
seems that it is more prevalent within the Tabligh Jamat. This is due to two
reasons:
1) Lack of knowledge
2) The
excessive number of people participating in the effort. Whenever there are more
people, the risk of making mistakes is greater.
The above is not to offend anyone. It is written out of genuine concern and sincerity, InshaAllah. People are encouraged to participate in this very beneficial and blessed work to rectify themselves and preach to others. The effort of Jamat at-Tabligh is a very blessed effort, full of Barakah and blessings; and very effective in bringing people to Islam. It has changed the lives of many, and scores of people have benefitted from going out in the path of Allah. No one is denying that, and no one is castigating the group as a whole! But for the sake of Allah, do not make this beautiful work into some kind of cult, where you think this is the only real effort of deen, and everyone else is wasting their time. Furthermore, this should not be used as an excuse to not participate in this effort or look down upon those who do participate. Those who make such mistakes should be explained in a loving manner, with lots of dua’ for them in sha Allah.
Allah protect us and give us the correct understanding of deen, Ameen.
Ismail Ibn Nazir Satia (one who is in dire need of Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and pleasure)
We will all be aware that every sect, race, and religion has corrupt and bad individuals. As Muslims, we believe Islam is perfect, but Muslims are not. In light of this, we will understand teachers are meant to educate our children but many abuse our children. Doctors are meant to cure the ill, there are doctors who have killed people. Police officers are meant to protect the people, we often hear of the police abusing their power and authority. This in no way or shape means we stop using the above services, which would be preposterous and outrageous for anyone to claim that. What we would advise is we be cautious and take preventive measures, as the rule is “prevention is better than cure.”
In recent times, there has been a lot of exposure to Black Magic, Taweez, Ruqya and Jinns etc. The aim of this article is to accurately, fairly and accurately clear some of the myths regarding this subject.
We will start by explaining and proving from Quran and
Hadith whether or not Black Magic exists, as well as Jinns and Jinn possession.
There are a lot of Muslims out there who deny one of these or ALL of these.
The Evidence
BLACK MAGIC: Even the Prophet ﷺ had Sihr (black magic). His enemies got the most powerful sorcerer. The effect of it was He kept thinking he needed to do a ghusl. It was done by a Jewish man Labeed ibn A’sam, who took hair from the comb of the Prophet ﷺ and date skin from a tree. Eventually, they found the well which had date palms like the devil’s horns. The Hadith is in Bukhari.
JINN: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ
said, “There are Jinn in Madinah who have become Muslim. When you see one of
them, call out to it for three days. If it appears after that, then kill it,
for it is a Shaytan.” (Imam Malik)
EVIL EYE: Ibn ‘Abbas RA reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: “The influence of an evil eye is a fact; if anything would precede the destiny it would be the influence of an evil eye, and when you are asked to take bath (as a cure) from the influence of an evil eye, you should take bath.” (Muslim)
Corrupt Practices
Whether you do down the Taweez route or the Ruqya route or any other route. It is YOUR job to ensure the person treating you or your family member is treating you according to Quran and Hadith. Allah has blessed everyone with Aqal and intellect. You don’t need to be a Mufti to know the difference between right and wrong, a lot of these things are basic common sense. For example, the Mawlana giving Taweez or the Raqi should not touch women, there is no reason for him to do this. It is not permissible for a man who believes in Allah and His Messenger to put his hand in the hand of a woman who is not permissible for him or who is not one of his mahrams. Whoever does that has wronged himself (i.e., sinned).
It was narrated that Ma’qil ibn Yassaar said: the Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “For one of
you to be stabbed in the head with an iron needle is better for him than that
he should touch a woman who is not permissible for him.”
Narrated by al-Tabaraani in al-Kabeer, 486
Extortionate Prices
Why do some Raqis charge extraordinary prices? One must understand the field of dealing with Black Magic and Jinn is not an easy one. They are risking their own lives and their wife’s and children’s. Raqis face a lot of backlashes and even face illnesses because of the work they do, most people don’t understand this. Unlike a doctor or a dentist or any profession really, they treat the patient and go home and switch off. Whereas most Raqis if not all get severe backlash which affects them and their families. Hence,they must do a LOT of protection and adhkar themselves. So the prices are justified, but I will add those who work from home should reduce the costs as they don’t have much expenditure compared to someone working in a clinic. Clinics have to pay rent, £40-£50 an hour is justified for the risk-taking a job they are doing.
Now, there is a rumour going around and apparently is started from an Alim in Yorkshire who goes around telling the masses, “If someone charges you for Ruqya or Taweez their work is not effective.” Subhan Allah! I have had people ring me with the same information. There is nothing wrong with receiving payment for reciting ruqya for one who is sick because it is proven in al-Saheehayn that a group of the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) set out on a journey and travelled until they made came near one of the Arab tribes. (These people were either kafirs or very stingy, (as Imam ibn al-Qayyim RH mentioned in al-Madaarij). They asked them for hospitality, but they refused to do so. Then the leader of that tribe was stung, and they tried everything but nothing helped him. Then some of them said, why don’t you go to those people who are staying (nearby)? Maybe some of them have something. So they went to them and said, O people, our leader has been stung and we have tried everything and nothing helped him. Do any of you have something? One of them said, yes, by Allah. I will perform ruqya for him, but by Allah, we asked you for hospitality and you did not give us anything, so we will not perform ruqya for you unless you give us something in return. So they agreed on a flock of sheep, then he started to blow on him and recite Al-hamdu Lillaahi Rabb il-‘Aalameen. Then he recovered quickly from his complaint and started walking, and there was nothing wrong with him. Then they have them what they had agreed to, and some of them (the Sahabah) said, Let us share it out. The one who had performed ruqya said, Do not do anything until we come to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and tell him what happened, and we will wait and see what he tells us to do. So they came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and told him what had happened. He said, “How did you know that it is a ruqya?” Then he said, “You did the right thing.”
Narrated by al-Bukhari (2115) and Muslim (4080).
Self-Ruqya
What is the need to go to these people when the Hadith talks about self-ruqya and praying on yourself or a family member can pray manzilon you? This is correct, you can perform on yourself. Like the Prophet, ﷺ recited Surah Falaq and Surah Naas, cup his hands and blow into them, then rub all over his blessed body. At other times He ﷺ would pray Ruqya over his family members. But this is a bit like home remedies, when you have the flu or cold you can treat yourself. So, for certain minor cases, you can do self-ruqya. But nobody would disagree that if you have a major illness you need to see a doctor or even go to the hospital to seek professional advice and help. Likewise with certain cases, especially Jinn possession a person needs to see a Raqi to gain professional advice. Because what happens is when the family recite Ruqya or play it on YouTube the patient will react and the family are unaware of how to deal with the situation or they are too scared. Hence some Imams and Mawlanas need to be careful on the Mimbar before giving wrong advice like, “don’t go to raqis” “it’s all money-making” “ruqya is just a fashion” AstaghfirUllah!!! Ruqya is an authentic Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, especially when these imams don’t do their homework.
Ramadhan is over And we need to continue the spirituality, But we all know the reality, Just look at the Masjid in your nearest locality, Ramadhan is over and so is its hospitality,
Did you change and improve your personality? Is Islam in your blood, is it a practicality? Will it remain another 11 months, what is the possibility? Or have you already exhaled all your spiritual oxygen, is that a probability? So before you return to normality, Remember that in your grave only good deeds matter, not your wealth or financial stability.
Ismail ibn Nazir Satia (one who is in dire need of Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and pleasure)
The first and most important point is to make sure the charity is Shariah Compliant. Let us not be naïve and think everything that has the words “Islam” or “Islamic” before it, is according to Qur’an and Hadith. Many charities do activities which are violating the laws of Allah SWT, you do not need to be a Mufti/Scholar to know this. For example, mixed events, music in their videos, qawwali is becoming common, fashion shows and makeup tutorials… the list goes on. Every sane Muslim knows these things are totally wrong in the name of Islam.
Make sure the
charity is under the supervision of at least one Alim or a group of qualified
scholars. We see charities opening on every street corner, many of these
brothers and sisters do not have knowledge of the basics of Islam. They are
collecting our Zakah and Sadaqah, how can we guarantee it will be distributed
correctly and accurately?
Give to needy charities and not the GREEDY ones! You should be giving your money to the neediest places and the neediest charities. Some charities accumulate 40-50 million pounds a year, others are very close. Check their annual reports or search on the Charity Commission Website. Check to see how much of that money is being spent, why give your Zakah to a charity that still hoards last year’s Zakah?
Ask your charity
if they take admin costs for Zakah and Sadaqah, some charities take
astronomical amounts! Although it is permissible to take from Sadaqah, one must
ask a local Mufti if it is permissible to take admin costs from Zakah: https://islamqa.org/hanafi/qibla-hanafi/37024
Ask your charity how quickly they distribute Zakah. As mentioned in point 3, some charities get millions every year. A lot of this money is hoarded in their bank accounts as they are unable to spend this money instantly. Which could mean your charity still has last year’s Zakah gathered up! Do you really want to give them this year’s Zakah? Some charities have a 30-day policy i.e. they distribute your Zakah within 30 days, I personally think this is an excellent idea.
Don’t be ashamed to ask how much they pay their employees, their PR managers and the CEO. We hear about charities taking ridiculous wages due to help from Gift Aid etc. Unfortunately, the concept of kindness and consideration is disappearing from some charitable people.
“You donate for the sake of Allah!” I am sure you have all heard this one before? Some defensive charity workers reply with the above statement when questioned about their practises and money management. The statement is incompetent and uneducated. Just because we donate for Allah does NOT mean in any way, shape or form we cannot question people. It is our God-given right, we are living in 21st Century Britain.
Now we come on to charities collecting door-to-door. Most of us, unfortunately, donate blindly, we do not ask for a receipt, nor a charity reg number. Some of these people are not even Muslim, they just grow a beard and wear a hat or hijab for women. We must follow protocol, and ask for a certificate where it applies. We need to get rid of our ignorance and stop saying, “We donate for Allah and it is all in his hands” Definitely, you donate for Allah, but does that mean you donate to thieves and crooks because of your sheer naivety? Learn to ask a few questions, ask for their website (give it a quick google search on the doorstep), their head office location, which countries they work in etc.
Make an intention, The intention is important for Zakah. AS for Sadaqah/Lillah most of us give Ma Sha Allah, very generously. But we do not make an intention, for esale thawab, for Shifa, safety from calamities, multiple intentions can be made In Sha Allah. Allah accept from one and all. Ameen.
Ismail ibn Nazir Satia(one who is in dire need of Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and pleasure)
Zakah is not just any form of voluntary charity, almsgiving, tax or tithe. Nor is it simply an
expression of kindness or generosity. Zakah is all of these combined and much
more, for it also includes Allah-consciousness as well as spiritual, moral and
social objectives. Zakah is a Divine injunction and an ordinance from Allah
Himself. It is not a personal matter or a voluntary contribution; rather, it is
an obligation for which one will be called to account before Almighty Allah
SWT. Zakah is indispensable as it helps achieve reform, both financially and
spiritually. It eliminates misery and greed from hearts and consolidates the
Islamic economy, leading to its stability and prosperity.
Virtues
The Qur’an describes Zakah as 1. The means by which to attain Allah’s mercy: “With My Punishment, I visit whom I will, but My Mercy extends to all things. That (Mercy) I shall ordain for those who have God-consciousness and give their Zakah and those who believe in Our Signs.” (Surah Al-A`raf 7:156).
2. A precondition to achieve victory: “Allah will certainly aid those who aid His (cause); for verily Allah is Full of Strength, Exalted in Might, (Able to enforce His Will). (They are) those who, if We establish them in the land, establish regular prayer and give their Zakah, enjoin the right and forbid wrong: with Allah rests the outcome of all affairs.” (Surah Al-Hajj 22:40-41).
3. A sign of brotherhood in religion: “But (even so), if they repent, establish regular prayers, and give their Zakah, they are your brethren in Faith.” (Surah Al-Taubah 9:11). 4. A distinctive feature of the faithful community: “The Believers, men and women, are protectors one of another: they enjoin what is just and forbid what is evil: they observe regular prayers, pay their Zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger. On them will Allah pour His Mercy: for Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise.” (Surah Al-Taubah 9:71).
Definition
The word Zakah is the infinite form of the verb “zaka”, meaning to grow, to increase and to purify. When said about a person, it means to improve or to become better. Consequently, Zakah means, blessing, growth, cleanliness and betterment.
In the Shari’ah, the word Zakah refers to the determined
share of wealth prescribed by Allah to be distributed among the deserving
categories of those entitled to receive it. Zakah is a divinely ordained
institution and is regarded both as a right of Allah as well as the right of
the poor. In fact, an Islamic government can forcibly take Zakah from the rich
if the rich withhold it.
Zakah in the Qur’an The word Zakah is mentioned thirty-two
times in the Qur’an. In thirty from these thirty-two, Zakah is in its technical
meaning of paying Zakah. From these thirty, Zakah has been interlinked with
Salah, the obligatory prayer, twenty-eight times.
It is important to have a fixed date (in the Islamic calendar) when you pay your Zakah annually to avoid late payment. If you cannot remember the date you first became the owner of the Nisab, then the date should be estimated. If this is not possible, then a specific Islamic date should be selected arbitrarily and adhered to annually.
Zakah is not due on children who are minor and prepubescent in the Hanafi school. However, according to the Shafi’i, Maliki and Hanbali schools, Zakah is obligatory on the wealth of minor children also.
Zakah on buy-to-let property Zakah is not due on the market value of one’s buy-to-let property. It is only payable on the net rental income on one’s Zakah anniversary.
If you have borrowed money, you can deduct the forthcoming 12 months’ worth of repayments from your total balance of Zakatable assets, the same applies for a mortgage. The reason for this is to ensure a Zakah payment doesn’t impact your ability to repay the debt owed to others.
Zakah on money lent to others. Money lent to others is still Zakatable. Zakah is due on it yearly whilst lent. However, you can pay yearly for it, or pay for all previous years once you get money back.
Zakah on home businesses & home catering. If you run a catering business from home or even sell small items such as cakes and biscuits, Zakah is payable on the price you sell these items.
Zakah on a joint account. If the share of one partner can be determined in a joint account, they will be liable to pay that amount. Otherwise, a couple can treat their joint account as 50:50 and pay accordingly.
Liability deductions for Zakah. If you’ve booked to go for Hajj and owe the travel agent, you can deduct the amount owed from your Zakah calculation. Zakah is not payable on that amount – it is as if it doesn’t exist as it is engaged with a current expense.
Zakah is not due on personal belongings regardless of their value such as one’s house, car, clothes, phones, laptops, appliances and furniture.
The Hanafi School treats all gold and silver jewellery as Zakatable, regardless of whether it is worn or stored. However, the other schools of Fiqh treat gold and silver for personal use as exempt from Zakah.
Zakah for gold stores: Have you ever wondered how much Zakah is due on a gold store?? Every gold/silver item in the store is Zakatable at their retail price. A goldsmith may give the gold in Zakah if he does not have that sufficient cash flow.
Zakah is not payable on unlawful earnings from non-Shariah compliant avenues. 100% of the earnings must be dispensed in charity as a relinquishment of unlawful wealth & not as a rewarding act.
Zakah can be paid in advance of one’s Zakah anniversary. Once, Al-Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Prophet ﷺ and asked if he could pay Zakah in advance. The Prophet ﷺ permitted paying in advance. Al-Tirmidhi) A business may set up a monthly direct debit of Zakah to spread their Zakah payments across the year. However, these instalments should be in advance for the following year & not in arrears.
If Zakah has not been given for several years, then it still must be given. The person must think carefully about how much money the person had every year and then give Zakah accordingly. It is better to give a little extra as a precaution.
Zakah is not payable on the value of diamonds, other precious stones in one’s ownerships and in jewellery.
It is an obligation to pay Zakat on one’s business stock. Samurah bin Jundub (may Allah be pleased with him) said: ‘’The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded us to give Sadaqah (Zakah) on what we intended to trade.’’ (Abu Dawud)
One month’s worth of council tax can also be deducted and if your phone bill falls within your Zakah anniversary date you can deduct one month’s bill.
It is wrong to estimate Zakah e.g. Last year I gave £200, so this year it must be the same. As you may have cash in the house which is extra and sometimes a person has £200-£300 in his/her house including their wallet and purse. This must be added to the Zakah assets.
Interest money must ALL be given to the charity without hope for reward/.
Zakat al-Fitr/Sadaqah al-Fitr has the following benefits: 1) It’s an atonement for any shortfall in Ramadhan of the payer 2) it’s a means of happiness & a provision for the recipient on Eid day.
Approved by Mufti Ibrahim Saheb Raja (Ustadh of Hadith at Bury Darul Uloom)
Without Zakah, there can never be profit in business. Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates: “Sadaqah (Zakat) is never intermingled with any amount of wealth without destroying and rotting it.” (Al-Bayhaqi)
Zakah payments preserve your wealth, they do not destroy nor deplete your wealth. Interest income depletes your wealth. “Allah destroys interest and increases charity. And Allah does not like every sinning disbeliever.” (Quran 2:276)
Give Zakah & Sadaqah to help the needy people & the suffering Ummah with a firm conviction of the promises of Allah for you in this world & Hereafter for spending your wealth.
When Zakah is not paid, a business portfolio is exposed to loss of blessings & the displeasure of Allah. Therefore, despite an annual turnover of millions & a high-profit margin, a business person is exposed to loss in this world and the Hereafter.
Imam al-Sarakhsi states that a Zakah payer receives more reward in giving Zakah to his needy, eligible relatives in another town as it entails maintaining family ties together with discharging their obligation.-(Mabsut)
Ibn RH said, “The best of charity [and zakah] is that which the greatest need, or is a means to the greatest benefit.” [Hashiya Ibn Abidin] Make your Zakah revive & resuscitate the Ummah.
The four mainstream schools of Islamic jurisprudence all agree that Zakah is due immediately. Zakah is an immediate obligation as Allah has instructed us to pay immediately in the following verse: “And give its due on the day of its harvest.” (Qur’an, 6:141)
Ismail ibn Nazir Satia (one who is in dire need of Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and pleasure)
