To: Fatwa Department Jamia Rahmania Arabia Sat Mosjid, Muhammadpur, Dhaka-1207
Subject: Regarding the operation of activities by deviant groups.
For your kind information, it is being informed that the followers of deviant groups are increasingly gathering day by day in contrast to the followers of authentic scholars. In this context, I have some important questions for your consideration:
- Should those who claim to be followers of authentic scholars but actually follow deviant groups be allowed to conduct various activities in the mosque in the name of Da’wah and Tabligh?
- Would it be permissible to participate in or support their activities such as Waz (sermons), Talim (education), Mashwara (consultation), Muzakara (discussion), songs, etc., or cooperate with them in any way?
- Would it be permissible in light of Shariah for the mosque committee’s president/general secretary or Mutawalli to give them permission or opportunity to conduct any programs?
Applicant:
Qazi Nazim Hossain
Rampur Resident 01737-XXXXXX
Answer
Solution to the mentioned questions:
No one should be followed except Allah Ta’ala and Rasulullah (peace be upon him). However, the person who deserves to be followed according to Shariah and who explains and describes Shariah’s laws can be followed as a scholar of Shariah and as someone who explains Shariah’s rules. But not as someone to be blindly followed. A person can be followed in matters of knowledge/understanding or Shariah-approved issues only. There is no authority to follow anyone in matters against Shariah. Following the various correct paths established from Rasulullah (peace be upon him), while having faith in Allah, no one’s following would be valid if it contradicts these. (Musnad Ahmad-1085)
A person can be followed only as long as they remain on the Quran and Sunnah. And when that person speaks against the Quran and Sunnah, then in light of Shariah, they are no longer worthy of being followed.
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Maulana Saad Saheb is such a scholar who interprets various verses of the Quran and sayings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) incorrectly, and misleads the general public from the true path by presenting various controversial statements in the name of Dawah. Therefore, according to Shariah law, he is a misguided person. And following a misguided person is also deviation and misguidance.
Here are some specific reasons for their misguidance:
- They don’t warn against singing in the name of Ijtema Keram and their singing songs, although Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that singing is the work of Satan. [Sahih Bukhari, Hadith No: 48]. According to this hadith, where singing for an ordinary Muslim is satanic work, singing in religious gatherings is even more prohibited. Hazrat Ibn Ilyas (R.A.) said: “Evaluating any Muslim’s values and criticizing Ulema-e-Keram in our Tabligh work is a worldly matter. It is appropriate to respect every Muslim for their faith and Ulema-e-Keram for their religious knowledge.” [Reference: Malfoozat by Maulana Ilyas, Page: 50]
- They are showing eagerness to go abroad including non-Muslim countries in the name of Ijtema Keram, which Islam prohibits. They are taking people away from Ulema-e-Keram through various excuses, which is causing deviance from the right path.
- Following specific individuals, they consider their current method of Tabligh as the only work of religion and are neglecting or showing indifference to other religious works like Waz, Talim, Tarbiyah, or education. They cannot accept the words of true Islamic scholars due to their extreme self-righteousness.
Their aggressive behavior, speech, activities, and practices aimed at implementing their agenda can be considered social disorder, and the group called “Tabligh’s Deviation” is a deviant group. If general people stand up or sit with deviants or study with them, there is a strong possibility that their faith and beliefs will be destroyed through the influence of multiple problems caused by association with deviant individuals. The mosque is the proper place for spreading true religious preaching. Allowing a deviant group to conduct their activities here means cooperating in the work of misguidance. Allah Ta’ala says, “Help one another in righteousness and piety, but do not help one another in sin and transgression.” [Sura Maida, Verse: 2]
If any mosque committee allows them to conduct their activities in the mosque and subsequently anyone learns their deviant teachings, then the respective mosque authorities will be held responsible. Although everyone has the right to pray in congregation in the mosque of any denomination, dawah work must be conducted under the leadership of Ulema-e-Keram of the respective mosque. There is no reasonable opportunity to allow any deviant group’s dawah work in the mosque. Therefore, considering the protection of Muslims’ faith and beliefs, the mosque committee should not provide opportunities for deviants’ activities, and according to Shariah, it will not be permissible to participate in or support their activities such as Waz, Talim, Mashwara, Muzakara, songs, etc., or cooperate in any way.
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Shariah Evidence:
Allah’s saying: “So after this reminder, do not sit with wrongdoing people.” (Surah Al-An’am: 68)
Allah’s saying: “And do not mix truth with falsehood or conceal the truth while you know it.” (Surah Al-Baqarah: 42)
Sahih Bukhari (Hadith No. 48): From Abdullah, that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Singing is disbelief, and doing it is transgression.”
Sahih Bukhari (Hadith No. 100): From Abdullah bin Amr bin Al-As who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saying: “Indeed, Allah does not take away knowledge by snatching it from the servants, but He takes away knowledge by taking away the scholars until when no scholar remains, people will take ignorant ones as leaders. They will be asked and they will give verdicts without knowledge, thus going astray and leading others astray.”
Imam Ali Al-Qari said in “Sharh Al-Fiqh Al-Akbar” (p. 173): And in “Al-Khulasa”: “Whoever hates a scholar without apparent reason, there is fear of disbelief upon him.” I – Al-Qari – say: “It is apparent that he becomes a disbeliever because when he hates a scholar without any worldly or religious reason, his hatred becomes hatred for religious knowledge, and there is no doubt about the disbelief of one who hates it, let alone one who hates its bearer.”
Mirqat Al-Mafatih Sharh Mishkat Al-Masabih, Chapter on What Should Be Avoided from Abandonment (1/230) Rashidiya Library: Al-Khattabi said: “It is permitted for a Muslim to be angry with his brother for three nights, but it is not permitted beyond that except if the abandonment is regarding one of Allah’s rights… He said: The scholars have agreed that whoever fears that speaking to someone or maintaining relations with them will corrupt their religion or bring worldly harm, it is permissible to avoid them, and sometimes noble avoidance is better than harmful association.”
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Fatawa Mahmudi (2/333) [compiled]:
Question: If any Muslim criticizes any scholar of Shariah, or criticizes all scholars in general claiming they are empty [of knowledge], and there are no real scholars of religion except for some specific ones he names – what is the ruling for such criticism, when he is spreading false accusations and causing disruption? What is the ruling for this person?
Answer: Such criticism of a common Muslim towards any scholar is not correct because when someone is a scholar of Hadith and has the right, no one should be criticized due to any specific worldly reason. When someone criticizes due to being on the truth and being a sign of faith, there is fear of disbelief, so repentance is necessary.
From Malfoozat Hazrat Maulana Ilyas Rahmatullah by Maulana Manzoor Nomani, Page 53: If Hazrat Ilyas notices that someone has objection against scholars in their heart, he says to them that when we need an expert even for worldly work and don’t accept any inexperienced person, and when we see that others are busy in serving knowledge, we should accept that they have gone there for righteous reasons and we should go to them for religious matters.
Then he said: When a Muslim criticizes without reason, it leads to very dangerous objections against scholars. Then he said – Our way teaches respect for Muslims and Islamic honor, which is the honor of every Muslim who serves Islam, and we should show them great respect.
Then he said: Knowledge and work without purpose has not come to our predecessors until now, and this is a great blessing. And through this method, these people and their knowledge and actions should be remembered, and it should be considered necessary that they be followed in their ways and benefit from their knowledge and love.
And Allah knows best what is right
Prepared by: Mushtaq Ahmad ibn Said Ahmad
Trainee at Darul Ifta (7th Year)
Jamia Rahmania Arabia Bora Ka Date: 19/6/1446 H – 19/1/2024
Approval:
