Mufti Abdul Malek from Markazud Dawah Alislamia Bangladesh is one of the most renown scholars in Bangladesh.
People Pill – Mufti Abdul Malek
He specialized in hadith studies under the guidance of Maulana Abdur Rashid Numani receiving his Takhassus degree in hadith studies from Binori town Jamiatul Uloom AI-Islamia in 1991. Then he went to Dar-ul-Uloom, Karachi, and specialized in Fiqh and Fatwa under the guidance of Muhammad Taqi Usmani receiving his Takhassus degree in Fiqh in 1993. Then he worked as a researcher under the guidance of Abd al-Fattah Abu Ghudda in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to 1995
Currently, he is the founder of a Bengali Islamic magazine, Monthly Al Kawsar, and head of the department of Hadith studies at Markazud Dawah Al-Islamia, a higher Islamic research and education institution situated in Dhaka.
Fatwa
Translation
Question
Date: 24/08/2020
To: Honorable Mufti Saheb Markazud Dawah Al Islamia, Dhaka.
Subject: Regarding the mosque committee’s duties concerning Etaatis (Saad followers).
Sir,
With due respect, we, the members of the Mirza Manna Deuri Jame Mosque management committee, wish to state that like other mosques, the Saad followers are continuing their misguided activities in our mosque in the name of Dawat and Tabligh, and they are trying to attract many regular worshippers towards their ideology. In this situation, as members of the mosque management committee, we are seeking a proper and acceptable solution from your fatwa department regarding our duties concerning their activities.
Therefore, we request the honorable Mufti Saheb to kindly provide religious guidance on this matter.
Sincerely, Mosque Management Committee Mirza Manna Deuri Jame Mosque Hornath Ghosh Road, Lalbagh, Dhaka.
Fatwa Department
Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
The section of the current Tablighi Jamaat known as Saad followers has several fundamental problems from the perspective of Shariah. For example:
Maulana Saad Kandhalvi, whom they consider their Amir and whose principles and ideals they follow, has many thoughts and ideologies that clearly contradict the beliefs and methodology of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat. This is evident in his speeches and continues to this day. The scholars of the Ummah have identified these statements that deviate from and distort the religion and Shariah, which contradict the methodology of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat. This is part of the religious responsibility of the scholars. As mentioned in the Hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“The reliable successors of each generation will carry this knowledge, protecting it from the distortion of extremists, the false claims of the wrongdoers, and the misinterpretation of the ignorant.” – At-Tamhid, Ibn Abdul Barr (Introduction) 1/58-59; Sharh Mushkilil Athar, Tahawi, Hadith 3884
Fulfilling this religious duty, the scholars of the Ummah clarified right from wrong on this matter long ago. Through various gatherings and writings, they have informed Muslims about the misguided matters of Maulana Saad Kandhalvi. (For detailed information on this subject, one can read the book “Tablighi Jamaat: Current Situation and Ways of Resolution” published by the Publication Department, Markazud Dawah Al Islamia Dhaka)
Even after all this, the Saad followers continue to reject the truth. They consider all of Maulana Saad’s misguided and anti-Shariah statements and ideologies to be correct, against the truth. Rather, they themselves hold these ideologies and are engaged in promoting and establishing these anti-Shariah statements and thoughts as their ideals among their companions. Therefore, it is clear that they are causing more harm than benefit to the religion, and wrong dawah against Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat is being promoted and established among the Ummah.
Another major problem with this Jamaat is that it is completely disconnected from the Islamic scholars. They harbor animosity towards the scholars and actively work to make common Muslims lose faith in them. As a result, this Jamaat lacks proper guidance in true religious knowledge. Yet the third principle of Tabligh Jamaat’s six principles is ‘Ilm and Dhikr’, which is the soul of these six principles and the foundation of the Jamaat. Because any religious group that will propagate religion, if they themselves are not careful in acquiring fundamental religious knowledge and do not accept knowledge as their guide in life’s journey, that group can never remain on the correct path and Sirat-e-Mustaqim. Such a group will spread more wrong teachings and misguidance in the name of religion rather than propagating true religion.
In the past few years, it has become clear that one of the main activities of the Tabligh Jamaat known as Saad followers is scholar-hatred. Not only do they not follow the guidance of the scholars, but many of them are also actively engaged in spreading hateful speech against scholars. This is expressed not only in their words but has also been manifested through their actions at various times. Major examples and evidence of this are present before everyone. Yet in the Hadith, a Muslim is described as one from whose tongue and hands other Muslims remain safe. (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 10) And the matter of scholars is even more important and sensitive. According to Hadith, scholars are the inheritors of the prophets. They are the bearers and protectors of religion and knowledge.
In Tabligh Jamaat too, it is taught that ‘scholars are great in religion’. And showing respect to the bearers of the Quran is mentioned in Hadith as part of showing respect to Allah. (Sunan Abu Dawud, Hadith 4843) In another Hadith, it is narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“Not among us is the one who does not respect our elders, show mercy to our young ones, and recognize the rights of our scholars.” – Sharh Mushkilil Athar, Hadith 1328; Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 22755
It is narrated from Abu Darda (RA) that he said: “Be either a scholar, or a student, or a lover (of knowledge and scholars), or a follower (of knowledge and scholars). Do not be the fifth category, lest you be destroyed.” – Al-Madkhal ila Kitabis Sunan, Baihaqi, Narration 1494; Jami’u Bayanil Ilmi wa Fadhlihi, Narration 142
Imam Ibn Abdul Barr [463 H.] says: “The fifth state, in which there is destruction, is enmity towards scholars and hatred for them. And those who do not love scholars are also engaged in scholar-hatred or close to it, and there is destruction in that too.” – Jami’u Bayanil Ilmi wa Fadhlihi 1/36
Therefore, how can those who not only disregard the guidance and opinions of scholars but actually boycott them and engage in various forms of oppression against them, remain on the true path of religion?!
And although they outwardly claim to do dawah work based on Tabligh’s six points, in many cases their dawah in the six points includes promotion of the aforementioned issues. If their activities continue in this way, there is a serious risk of various kinds of misguidance spreading more widely among the Ummah.
Therefore, those in charge at various levels among Muslims and those involved in mosque committees or management should remember this directive of Allah. Allah the Exalted says:
“And cooperate with one another in righteousness and piety, and do not cooperate in sin and transgression.” (5:2)
Acting upon this verse, it is the faithful duty of mosque committees and relevant authorities to:
- Cooperate in continuing the dawah work of those groups that do not have the aforementioned problems
- Not give permission for the activities of the group in question who, even after Maulana Saad Kandhalvi’s misguided matters came to light, reject the truth and are engaged in promoting and establishing the aforementioned anti-religious and anti-Shariah ideologies and activities
It must be remembered that the mosque is the house of Allah. It is a place of worship for Muslims. Keeping this sacred place pure from all kinds of discord and flawed dawah and methodologies for the worshippers is a religious duty upon all Muslims, and especially upon the mosque committee. However, all this must be done peacefully through mutual understanding. Without engaging in quarrels and disputes. Allah alone grants success.
Arabic References
Imam Bukhari reported in his Sahih (Hadith 100): Ismail bin Abi Uwais narrated to us, saying: Malik narrated to me from Hisham bin Urwa, from his father, from Abdullah bin Amr bin Al-As who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: “Indeed Allah does not take away knowledge by snatching it from people, but He takes away knowledge by taking away the scholars, until when no scholar remains, people will take ignorant leaders who, when asked, will give verdicts without knowledge, thus going astray and leading others astray.”
Imam Abu Dawud reported in his Sunan (Hadith 4843): Ishaq bin Ibrahim As-Sawwaf narrated to us, Abdullah bin Humran narrated to us, Awf bin Abi Jameela informed us from Ziyad bin Mikhraq from Abu Kinana from Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Indeed, among the ways of glorifying Allah is honoring an elderly Muslim, and a carrier of the Quran who is neither extreme in it nor abandons it, and honoring a just ruler.”
In Mirqat al-Mafatih 8/3114: “And carrier of the Quran” means honoring its reader, memorizer, and interpreter.
Imam Tirmidhi reported in his Sunan (Hadith 2682): Mahmud bin Khidash Al-Baghdadi narrated to us, saying: Muhammad bin Yazid Al-Wasiti narrated to us, saying: Asim bin Raja bin Haywa narrated to us, from Qais bin Kathir, who said: A man came from Medina to Abu Darda while he was in Damascus and asked: “What brings you here, my brother?” He replied: “A hadith that I heard you narrate from the Prophet (peace be upon him).” Abu Darda asked: “Haven’t you come for any other need?” He said: “No.” He asked: “Haven’t you come for trade?” He said: “No.” He said: “You have come only seeking this hadith?” He replied: “Yes.” Then Abu Darda said: “I heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) say: ‘Whoever travels a path seeking knowledge, Allah makes easy for him a path to Paradise. Indeed, the angels lower their wings in pleasure for the seeker of knowledge, and indeed, the scholar is sought forgiveness for by those in the heavens and earth, even the fish in the water. The superiority of the scholar over the worshipper is like the superiority of the moon over the rest of the stars. Indeed, the scholars are the inheritors of the prophets. The prophets did not leave behind dinars or dirhams, they only left behind knowledge. So whoever takes it has taken an abundant portion.'”
Al-Hakim reported in Al-Mustadrak (Hadith 421): Abu Al-Abbas Muhammad bin Yaqub narrated to us, Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Abdul Hakam informed us, Ibn Wahb informed us, Malik bin Khair Al-Zubadi informed me, from Abu Qubail, from Ubada bin As-Samit that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Not among us is the one who does not respect our elders, show mercy to our young ones, and recognize our scholars.”
Al-Haithami said in Majma’ Al-Zawa’id 8/14: “Ahmad and At-Tabarani reported it, and its chain is good.”
Baihaqi reported in Al-Madkhal ila Kitab As-Sunan (Narration 1494): Abu Muhammad Al-Hasan bin Ahmad bin Ibrahim bin Firas informed us in Makkah, Ahmad bin Ibrahim bin Ad-Dahhak informed us, Ali bin Abdul Aziz narrated to us, Hajjaj narrated to us, Hammad narrated to us, from Humaid from Al-Hasan that Abu Darda said: “Be a scholar, or a student, or a lover [of knowledge], or a follower, and do not be the fifth lest you be destroyed.”
Imam Ibn Abdul Barr said in Jami’ Bayan Al-Ilm wa Fadlihi 1/148: “The fifth category in which there is destruction is enmity towards scholars and hatred of them. And whoever does not love them has hated them or come close to it, and in that is destruction, and Allah knows best.”
In Al-Majmu’ Sharh Al-Muhadhdhab by An-Nawawi (Introduction) 1/24: “It is established in Sahih Bukhari from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that Allah the Almighty said: ‘Whoever shows enmity to a friend of Mine, I declare war against him.’ And Al-Khatib Al-Baghdadi reported from Ash-Shafi’i and Abu Hanifa (may Allah be pleased with them) that they said: ‘If the jurists are not the friends of Allah, then Allah has no friend.’ And in Ash-Shafi’i’s words: ‘The practicing jurists…'”
In Imam Malik’s Muwatta (Narration 602): Malik [reported] that it reached him that Umar bin Al-Khattab built a courtyard in an area of the mosque called Al-Batiha, and said: “Whoever wants to engage in idle talk or recite poetry or raise their voice should go out to this courtyard.”
An-Nawawi said in Al-Minhaj Sharh Sahih Muslim 5/55: “And his saying (peace be upon him) ‘The mosques were built for what they were built for’ means for the remembrance of Allah the Exalted, prayer, knowledge, discussing good matters, and similar things.”
And he said in “Kitab Al-Adhkar” page 32: “One sitting in it [the mosque] should enjoin what they see of good and forbid what they see of evil. And although a person is commanded to do this outside the mosque as well, it is more emphasized in the mosque for its preservation, reverence, honor and respect.”
In Al-Madkhal by Ibn Al-Hajj 2/204: “Chapter on mentioning some innovations that have been introduced by changing them. The Prophet said: ‘Each of you is a shepherd and each of you is responsible for his flock.’ There is no doubt that the mosque and what is done in it is part of the responsibility of the Imam, the muezzin, the caretaker, and others who have authority in it. When it is established that the mosque is part of the Imam’s responsibility, he needs to oversee it. Whatever in it follows the way of the past predecessors, he should maintain it, and whatever is different from that, he should remove it gently and tactfully if he is able to do so, as mentioned previously regarding the case of spitting.”
some facts can be downloaded from below url for english readers
https://www.dropbox.com/s/06xy4cky1jr89w6/Majmoa%20Khutoot_English_2nd%20Edition.pdf?dl=0