When Tablighi Jamaat Saudi Elders tried to Meet Maulana Saad

The following is a letter sent by Two Tablighi Jamaat Saudi Elders, Sheikh Ghassan Zarey from Madinah al-Munawwarah and Sheikh Fazil Basiyoni from Makkah al-Mukarramah. They were instructed by Haji Abdul Wahab to mediate the differences between Maulana Saad and the Elders in 2016.

Sheikh Ghassan also shared his full report in a talk given at South Africa. The full Audio and translation can be found here.

NOTE: Sheikh Fazil Basiyuni passed away 5th of April 2020 as a Martyr (Shaheed) in the path of Allah in Indonesia (Jakarta). Al-Faatihah.

Before reading further, please understand that our aim is to preserve the true history of Tabligh, no matter how bitter it is. As generations come, this history may be forgotten. We do not promote hate, and certainly not backbiting. See our article ‘Backbiting vs Warning‘. No matter how bad a Muslim is, he is still our Muslim brother. We love and hate only for the sake of Allah.

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17th October 2016

Our Respectful Elders of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh,

We received a phone call from Sheikh Abdul Wahhab of Raiwind, requesting us to go to Nizamuddin Markaz to reconcile the differences between our elders (Maulana Ibrahim, Maulana Ahmad Lat, Maulana Yaqoob, Maulana Ismail, brother Farooque, Professors Abdurrahman, Sanaullah, and Khalid Siddiqi) on the one hand and Maulana Saad on the other hand. This request was made on the basis of the fights and bloodshed that took place in Nizamuddin last Ramadan. As a result, eight elders left the Markaz and went back to their villages.

Tablighi Jamaat Saudi Elders trip to India After Eidul-Fitr

We traveled to India and went to Nizamuddin and met Maulana Saad. We offered to act as mediators between him and the other elders to bring their differences together. So, he warmly welcomed the idea and said, “You have come as a Nusrat from Allah Ta’ala”. He further explained that whatever you heard of bloodshed and fights which happened in Ramadan was done by another group that was trying to cause fitnah in the Markaz and they were not from among the people of Tableegh. We did not comment on this although we were surprised at how these people dared to enter the Markaz, why they beat some group but not the other, and why at that particular time. Nevertheless, we kept quiet.

We visited Maulana Ibrahim, Maulana Ahmed Laat, Maulana Ismail, brother Farooq and the rest of the elders, and we found them grieved and in a state of sorrow for the incidents that happened in Ramadan, and for the present situation of the Markaz. They also informed us that they have tried to convince Sheikh Saaad to come back to the same pattern that our previous elders were following. They welcomed our efforts of reconciliation. However, they suggested that we start these meetings after Haj because these matters need several sessions and the time for the Haj journey was close.

We informed Sheik Saaad and the other elders that these meetings will start after Hajj and everybody agreed on that.

Tablighi Jamaat Saudi Elders’ Meeting With Maulana Saad during Hajj Time

We met Maulana Saad four different times at Makkah Mukarramah, Madinah Munawwarah, and Mina and we agreed with him to assign the 15th of October 2016 to be the date of the first session and that we will come to India two days earlier to prepare for these sessions and make the agenda of these meetings with the agreement of all the elders.

We requested Maulana Saad to allow us to make a Jamaat that is made of 6 Arab Old Workers from Makkah Mukarramah and Madinah Munawwarah to be the mediation Jamaat for these reconciliation meetings. And we submitted these 6 names to Maulana Saad in a written letter and all the elders including Maulana Saad agreed to these names.

At this time there was a rumor that Maulana Ibraheem left the Markaz due to his health condition, and that he will come back to the Markaz after Hajj. So, he wrote a letter to emphasize that indeed he has left the Markaz not because of his health condition, but because he does not agree with the present situation in Nizamuddin as it is not in line with what Maulana Ilyas, Maulana Yusuf, and Maulana Inaamul Hasan were doing. So, some people claimed that it is a fabricated message and thereafter, it was clear that Maulana Ibraheem left the Markaz due to these differences and that he has started teaching Bukhari Shareef in Gujarat.

In our discussion with Maulana Saad at Hajj time he mentioned that the ‘FAISAL’ should be one only, either himself or Maulana Ibraheem. However, the Mewat and UP people will not agree to have Maulana. Ibraheem. We have requested Maulana Saad to postpone the discussion of these issues until we meet in India on 15th October 2016 and he agreed to that.

Tablighi Jamaat Saudi Elders trip to India After Hajj

We have received warnings from different brothers that there is a threat if we go to Nizamuddin and we were told that we should protect ourselves. We were told that Maulana Saad will not meet us, but they did not tell us the source of this rumor.

We decided to make Tawakkul on Allah Ta’ala and go to India on the 12th of October 2016 as per our agreement. However, two of our brothers from our Jamaat could not come with us due to their own personal matters. So, we were four people that went (instead of 6).

We started our journey to India on the given date and decided to rent a place outside of Nizamuddin Markaz and not stay with either side or even close to either of them so everybody will know that we have a neutral position.

Maulana Saad was not happy to see us at the Markaz

On the next day, we visited Maulana Saad in the Markaz, but he did not meet us with a smile nor with a happy face. When we asked him to assign a time for the meetings, his face turned reddish, and started shouting at us in front of everyone saying, “Why did you come? Why are you interfering with the matters of Nizamuddin? These matters are beyond your level.” We told him we came as per our agreement with you in Hijaz. He then said, “The matter is over, we have no problem at all here and the work is going on in the required manner. You should go to those who left the Markaz and tell them that they need the Markaz. They should return and participate in the Amaal.”

We called some Mediators who were close to Maulana Saad

We decided to call some mediators between us and Maulana Saad. We chose some people who were close to him. They were as follows:

• Mufti Shahzad – We spoke to Mufti Shahzad who is one of the responsible people in the Markaz nowadays. We explained to him the seriousness of this matter and that it will break the work of the whole Ummah because each one of these elders has his own followers and we have to try to solve this dispute amongst the elders as soon as possible. He said that he will try, but he did not get back to us. Later, we called him, and he said that I will ask Maulana Saad and get back to you. He then called us and asked us to meet with him after Fajr at our place. We agreed to meet him rather at a Masjid.

• A Delhi Person – We spoke to a person from Delhi who is very close to Maulana Saad and asked him to talk to Maulana Saad on our behalf. He did so. He then said that Maulana Saad told him they may come to the Markaz and eat only on the public Sufrah. The Markaz is open to everyone who wants to join the Amaal. The brother then told Maulana Saad that these people have come to India with an appointment to sit and talk about these matters. Maulana Saad disagreed saying, “you will be responsible for their coming and if they ever open up the topic I will be upset and my voice will become loud. If that happens, this Markaz will be full of Mewatis within one hour. These people won’t be able to leave my room, let alone leave the Markaz.” This shocked us! Maulana Saad previously told us after Eidul-Fitr that those causing Fitna were another troublemaking group. He is now threatening us saying that Mewatis will fill the Markaz and we will not be allowed to leave his room! We were wondering, how can such threats be given at a Tableeghi Markaz!

Elders came from all over India ready to discuss with Maulana Saad

Elders came from far as we promised them at Hajj and they had been waiting for the last two days. When we realized that these efforts did not succeed, we sent a letter to Maulana Saad explaining that these elders have come with a previous appointment. They are waiting for his decision on when and where to meet them so as to bring the differences together. In the letter we wrote the following:

Based on your consent during Hajj and the letter submitted to you regarding meeting with the elders of India on the 15th of October 2016 to bring together differences, we would like to inform you that these elders have come to Delhi for this meeting and they are willing to sit with you. Therefore, we request you to please set a time and place for this meeting. They will be waiting till tomorrow evening, otherwise, they will go back to their towns. Finally, we ask Allah Ta’ala to bring Khair on your hands and unite the Ummah through you.

After this letter, we received a call from Mufti Shahzad saying that he wants to meet us at our place, so we told him that we rather meet in a Masjid located in the middle of the distance between us and them. The next morning three brothers came to meet us at the Masjid; Mufti Shahzad, Br Mursaleen, and Br Mushtaq. When we met them the answer was that you are welcome to join the Aamal of the Markaz as it is open to all. So, we then informed the Elder that Maulana Saad does not want to meet them and that they may leave.

Tablighi Jamaat Saudi Elders were reported as suspected Terrorists!

After Zuhr Sala’at of the same day, a police officer came to our residence carrying photocopies of our passports and started asking questions. The manager of our residence called the police station to know the reason for their investigation and the answer was that they received an unknown call on the anti-terrorism number warning them about suspicious Arabs at this address!

We made Mashwarah to see if there is anything left that we can offer, and when we realized that there is nothing we can do, we returned back to Makkah Mukarramah and Madinah Munawwarah the same day.

Our letter to Maulana Saad before leaving India

Before leaving India we wrote a letter to Maulana Sa’ad saying that we are ready to be mediators for the reconciliation at any time he wishes. The translation of the letter is as follows:

We wish to inform your respected self that we fully appreciate your honored family which Allah Taala has used as a means of reviving the effort of Rasulullahصلی اللہ علیہ وسلم in the entire world. On this basis we love you and your entire family and we ask Allah Ta’ala to give you Taufeeq of that which He loves, and which pleases Him.

We were hoping to sit with you to bring together your views and the views of the other Elders to a common ground thereby saving the Ummah from splitting up and falling into dispute. This was not merely our own suggestion; rather, it was according to your own consent when we met during Hajj.

Although we were severely shocked by your refusal to sit with us after being so eager for this meeting during Hajj, we still worked hard to gather the Elders for the meeting to bring the differences together. We were more surprised when you refused to sit with your own colleagues in this noble work of ‘DAWAT’ despite them being the elders of Nizamuddin.

Despite all of that, your love and respect are still in our hearts and we ask Allah Ta’ala to guide us all to bring the hearts together and to what He loves and what pleases Him.

We had a desire to visit you and sit with you. However, we were surprised that we received a warning that if you visit Maulana Saad do not discuss with him these matters otherwise he will be upset. If he is upset his voice will be loud, and the Mewaties will come and you will not be able to leave neither the Markaz nor his room. So, we made Mashwara amongst ourselves that the situation is unstable now and it is not possible to visit you at this time.

Despite all of that, we would like to inform you that we still love you. Our not coming to the Markaz does not mean that we are angry rather we feel so sad and sorry that things have reached to this level.

May Allah Ta’ala give us all Taufeeq to do that which brings the hearts of the Ummah together.

Finally, we are willing to come back and make the proper meetings between you and the Elders at any time and whenever you request us.

[END OF LETTER]

We ask Allah Ta’ala to forgive us and the whole Ummah of all of our sins, minor and major, and accept our repentance and not deprive us of this great work nor from the unity of hearts. Verily He is the Most Generous.

Makkah Mukarramah – Madinah Munawwarah,
On behalf of the Reconciliation Jamat,
Ghassan and Fazil,
16 Muharram 1438/ 17 October 2016

Letter in Arabic: