Islamic Propagation – lets do something for our deen. As Muslims of today, we are often extolled to propagate our religion, and everyone is taking some sort of initiative to do some sort of religious work. Unfortunately we doing more harm than good.
With the name of Allah most Beneficient ever Merciful
Our community has so much of infrastructure to do “deen work” and still there are more people scrambling over one another to set up more infrastructure.
It is quite common today to find masjids or maddressas or ulooms on the same road less than a hundred meters apart. Whenever someone comes up with a new idea concerning religion, and it is successful, then before we know it, there are so many other people doing a similar project.
This all seems healthy but beneath the surface something is amiss—because the followers in neighboring mosques do not see eye to eye and it is as if they follow different religions.
Right till the age of 40 the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ never preached to anyone nor did any ‘deeni’ work. What he did do in this time however was to refine his character and personality. He was perfect, but did this to set an example.
He spent days on end meditating and reflecting in the cave of Hira to show us how to perfect ourselves. At other times he lived an ordinary life but practised fair and just behavior which earned him the titles of Al Ameen and As Siddique.
Although he knew that Idol worship was wrong he never spoke out against it but simply refrained from such a practise. He only began to preach when Allah Subhanatallah commanded him to do so.
“O you wrapped up (in a blanket)! Arise and warn”. Al Quran 74:1_
In this, is an important lesson. If there is any Islamic work to be done then there is only one. We have to educate ourselves and practice what we have learned like the way our Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ first did.
“When the suckling baby is born, at first it keeps silence for a while, it is all ear. For a while it must close its lips (and refrain) from speech, until it learns to speak; And if it is not (silent like) an ear but makes babbling sounds, it makes itself the dumbest creature in the world. He that is deaf in nature, he that has no ear in the beginning is dumb: how should he burst into speech? Since to speak, one must first hear, do you too come to speech by hearing.” Mathnawi 1:1623
Instead of having faith based on what our parents taught us or what we learned from books, we have to develop faith based on experiences. When we have such certainty of faith then we also develop foresight and will be guided by Allah Subhanatallah. We would have learned control of our “nafs” or carnal desires.
To propagate like the way the Prophet ﷺ did or like the way the Aulia Allah do is not for everyone. This is by instruction and few would attain such a state.
“call to witness those who went forth to scatter (the Quranic teachings) far and wide with a true scattering, They carry (their blessed) load (of truth), Then speed along (exposing the wrong belief and evil practises) with love and peace, And then distribute and apportion the work by (Our) command,.” Al Quran 51:1
Such people initially have great knowledge but still do not want to do such work on their own accord because they understand what a great task it is and how much responsibility it is.
They constantly ask themselves: am I capable?—do I have sufficient knowledge and will I be able to pass on unbiased knowledge?—What if I spread the wrong message? Etc. Although they have reached a state called “martyr witness” Al Quran 3:140
This is a state in which the person has absolute belief and knowledge which stems, not from hearsay or books but from destroying his carnal desires (Nafs), they still feel inept until the command comes to them to go foreword and spread the message. They only do it because they are commanded and instructed to do such work.
To perfect ourselves, to destroy our carnal desires and know enough to teach like the way they did is not easy. Imaam Ghazali (RA) became the principal of Al Azhar university and his lectures and talks were so inspiring that scores of prominent scholars used to attend yet he felt inept.
He finally resigned from his post and went into seclusion for ten years during which time he did not learn about Islam but experienced it. It is during this period in seclusion that he wrote “ihya Uloom id Deen“, a remarkable book that put the teachings of the Holy Quran, the Hadith and the views of prominent people together for the first time in Islamic history so that a written explanation of the different aspects of Islam could be left to future generations.
His book combined the laws of our religion (Sharia) with some of the teachings of Tasawaff (spiritual teachings).
If the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and great scholars such as Imaam Ghazali (RA) showed us to reflect and perfect our faith before teaching, then how could we be so conceited to think ourselves capable of taking on this great role on our own.
Can a child who is in grade one give talks on engineering? Ask him and maybe he will say yes because he does not know better. Similarly most of us are not capable but we think that we are qualified to do so.
There were many people during the time of the Prophet ﷺ who also began to preach and one even built a mosque. Pharaoh was also such an imposter and even claimed to be God.
“ah do not assume a virtue (that you do not possess), O Pharaoh: you are a jackal, do not in any way behave like a peacock. If you appear like a peacock, you are incapable of (their) display and you will be put to shame, Moses and Aaron were as peacocks: they flapped their wings of display upon your head and face. Your foulness and disgrace were exposed... Matnawi 2:7873
By preaching religion and doing deeni work without authority we cause more harm than good. Even if we have qualified in religion we must be careful. If we propagated the wrong message then we would be held liable for the wrong beliefs that people learn from us.
Apart from putting out the wrong message or a one sided message we create divisions because we would encourage others to do what we do and this could result in yet another movement competing for recognition.
If we continue like the way we are then soon every Muslim will have his own uloom, or maddressa, or musjid, or jamaat kana, or feeding scheme, or newspaper, or charitable organization, or kankah, or hall, or Islamic school, or eid gar, or meelad.
What we need to do rather is to concentrate on educating ourselves and practising whatever we have learnt. This is most important, and by doing just this alone properly and sincerely, we would automatically teach those around us without having to say anything. We would lead by example.
“The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: “O bold seeker—beware! Do not contend with anyone that is sought.” If you are a Nimrod do not go into the fire. If you wish to go in (then) first become an Abraham. When you are neither a swimmer nor a seaman, do not throw yourself (into the sea) from (a feeling of) self-conceit. He, the saint, fetches pearls from the bottom of the sea, from losses he brings gain to the surface. If a perfect man (saint) takes earth, it becomes gold: if an imperfect one has carried away gold, it becomes ashes. Since that righteous man is accepted of God, his hand in (all) things is the Hand of God. The hand of the imperfect man is the hand of the devil and demon because he is in the trap of imposition and guile.” Matnawi 1:1605
Today religion is big business or a means of gaining fame. This is a great wrong and such people will be punished very severely.
End.
Peace and blessings be upon Muhammad Sallallahu Allayhi Wasallam
Published by Anjuman e Waris e Mohammedi 2014.
Anjuman e Waris e Mohammedi was founded by Dr Hakim Hazrath Khwaja Sayed Shareef Ahmed Ali Shah RA (lovingly known as Hazrath Poona Wale Shah Saab RA)
Author: Mahomed Hassan Gaffoor WhatsApp: +27 84 910 1486