Article 2
(Below is the Translation of an Arabic
Article by Fazilatus Shaykh Abul Hasan Ali Nadvi R.A)
The Religious reflection of Maulana Ilyas
When Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Ilyas (Died 1944
,1364H) observed decrease in religious sentiments, increase in irreligiousness
of society, accelerating influence of western culture and found even some of
elites of society under the grip of Materialism, westernize and
inattentive of Dawah.
He observed our Religious personalities and
Institution has become small islands between sea of irreligiousness, there
general impact on society has decreased , there direct contact with general Public
has ended, and the time is very critical.
He Realised and decided not to sit in a
corner, and not to be contained with whatever he was already doing for Islam.
He decided to make direct contact with general Public.
As the diseased (General Muslims) has not
aware of their disease so surely they will not approach the Ulema and scholars.
Rather it has to be done from Ulema side.
Thats why Maulana Ilyas stressed most on
making direct contact with General Muslims, and to cultivate and nourish Emaan
in their heart. To strengthen The Aqeedah of tawheed in them. They should be
taught the basics of Deen and necessary Masael (Islamic rules of
daily life). They should be motivated for Islamic knowledge for themselves (and
their children).
He also stressed to be very careful for all
the Islamic Methodology of Dawah, etiquettes, manners and Rulings so that the
Dawah should be effective and to save the movement from trials and
tribulations. Foremost among these etiquettes are, Ikram e Muslim giving others
priority over oneself (despite one's dire needs)refraining as far as humanly
possible from unprofitable and unnecessary preoccupations.
Start of the Movement and its Evolution
Maulana Muhammad Ilyas initiated the movement
from most backward region of India, known as Mewat (State of Haryana )
bordering Delhi. This area was very infamous on scale of ignorance to Islam,
being unaware from even basic of deen, and almost non practicing on islam.
Maulana Ilyas motivated and invited the
people of the area for temporary migration adjusting their temporal engagement,
and to go in groups accompanying some knowledgeable people in other areas for
learning deen, Islamic nurturing and Dawat o Tabligh. Because Maulana Ilyas was
of view that unless and until they will not leave their ignorant and corrupt
society in which they are living, they cannot learn or understand deen, Islamic
manners and not possible for them to practice the shariah.
Thousands of people from this area accepted
the Dawah and actively participated. They sacrificed a lot for weeaks, months
and even for year for the sake of Allah in his path. They ore hardship for
Islam many a time went on foot in the absence of means of transportation (As
they were poor and resource limited people).
They learned deen for themselves, Practiced
deen and developed the spirit of deen in them.
Within a short period of time this Dawah
movement spreaded all over India. It affected and touched the heart and mind of
people across the sections of society.
What was the deriving force behind this
speedy success of Dawah? It was not due to
Any
Advertisement in news papers,
Any
collection of money from public or government
Any
pamphlet banner poster or any propaganda means.
The force behind this phenomenal success was
First “Its Dawah methodology was very close
to the Dawah and Reformation methods adopted at initial period of Islam.
Second “The Ikhlas and sincerity of intention
to please Allah in Dawah worker (People associated with this movement) was
giving glimpse of the era of Salafus salehin period (Early generation of
Muslims) who sacrificed in the path of Dawah and strived in the path of Allah
only with the intention to please the Almighty. They bore all difficulties with
patience with smile.
Slowly the effect of the movement spreaded
the countries and continent of the world. The movement of Jamaat started in
America Europe Africa Australia, its affected people motivating them for
reformation, preparation for life after death, and doing effort for reforming
others.
The strengthening of Jamaat against the
opposers.
(Note
from Tranlator)
In this section the Fazilatuz sheikh Nadvi
being an author and historian expressing the truth has been outspoken and has
took names of some groups and persons to describe the sequence of events of
opposition of Tablighi Jamaat. But the policy of Maulana Ilyas (closely
followed by Markaz Nizamuddin elder is not to involve in these matters in any form. Maulana Inamul Hasan (R.A.)(died 1995) the
former Amir of Tableeghi Jamaat has said."It is better that in case the objections and
criticism if they are correct, rectify them .{No one is free from shortcomings}
Whereas if they are wrong ,have patience (leave the matter to Allah)." (Book
Insight into dawah and its understanding & cognition Page No 181
translation of urdu book Dawat ki Faham o baseerat or uska Idrak) They have no complain to any
person/organization. For them Although the Translator personal opinion is
with sheikh nadvi rahimullah to tell the truth openly and to stop the
propaganda and false information spreaded against dawat o tabligh by
groups/people of vested interest. so that mslim ummah could be saved from
this misinformation and mayget benefitted from blessed work of dawat o tabligh.
But
Respecting the Markaz view in the translation those portions has not
been translated . Rather this portion has been dotted as..............Ulema who
want to know may refer original Arabic article.
For
general Muslims knowing these name is of no use, What is useful to them is to
know the lesson on response of Dawah worker to opposers and their patience,
faith on Allah,high morale, and to continue work of Dawah in adverse
situations.)
In Indian subcontinent (India Pakistan
Bangladesh) a fierce Propaganda was started against this movement as it
silently started removing the unislamic ideologies thoughts,customs, practices,
innovation and rituals prevalent at that time in Muslim Society… The Foremost
oppose group against Dawat
o Tabligh movement……………………..
was………………………… ……………………………………………………………..
………………..………..……………………………………………..…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
………..To limit its impact of Dawah they
utilised programme of misinformation and all sorts of means. Their basic means
was “ To make so much noise, misinformation and propaganda so that the voice of
Dawah movement will be suppressed.”
But Allah is the witness that ……
In the face of baseless allegation, wrong
accusations, Psychological and mental torture, and many times physical
assaults, the Dawah brothers remained intact. What to talk about taking revenge
or distracting from the path of Dawah, these events further strengthened their
patience,fortitude, positivity, and aspiration of objective and goal.
There meekness, humbleness and humility and
to be silent on hardest comment brought so much effect that many of their
oppose became became their follower. Thousands of people involved in Innovation
and Polythestic practices made Taubah and returned to the Tawheed of Allah and
started following the path of Prophet Muhammad sallallahu Alaihi wasallam.
All those onlookers and close observers who
have seen the areas of work of Tablighi jamaat can give the eye witness account
for all these.
Individual mistakes and shortcomings cannot
be attributed to Jamaat
Now if people associated with movement make
any mistakes, unknowingly doing some wrong, any punishable action, so these are
faults on the part of individuals in understanding its methodology. And its
imposition on jamaat is not justifiable or acceptable.
The views of Allama Syed Sulaiman Nadvi
Rahimullah on Tablighi Jamaat.
(Shekh abl hasan writes)This article and
remark is finished with the words of Syed Sulaiman Nadvi Rahimullah that he has
written as last lines in the preface of my book life and mission of Maulana
Ilyas Rahimullah.
“This Da'wat Closely Resembles with the
Da'wa: of the Holy Prophet sallallahu Alaihi wasallam :
“In the above lines, I've tried to explain
some principles of da'wat and tableegh to my readers and I believe that, after
studying these they will be able to form a realistic idea of the essence of
Islamic da'wat and of the proper mode of presenting this da'wat to the people.
I dare to say that, of all the religious movements of the present-day India',
(These words were written in 1947,The tableegh movement was largely based in
India at that time) the one known as 'Da'wat and Tableegh' bears the closest
resemblance both in method as well as in spirit-with the true Islamic da 'wat
initiated by the Holy Prophet Muhammad sallallahu Alaihi wasallam.
The Importance of Tableegh: A wisely-planned
[system of] da'wat and tableegh, amr bil ma'roof, and nahi a'nil munkar is the
backbone of the entire body of Islam. It is da'wat on which depends the
foundation, strength, expansion and success of Islam. I believe that, in these
days, da'wat is more needed than it was needed in any time in the past; and in
contrast with converting the non Muslims to Islamic Faith, this is more
important to make Muslims as Muslim, i.e., making effort on those who are
Muslims in name or by nationality so that they become true and dutiful Muslims.
In the light of the present-day religious state of Muslims, it becomes the duty
of every Muslim to raise the cry of the Holy Qur'an:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا آمِنُوا
O you who believe, do believe in Allah and
His Messenger and in the Book [Q,
'4:136]
With all force and potentials.
This demands that we go about from city to
city, village to village, and from door to door, persuading those who are
Muslims in name to become true Muslims by faith and by practice.
And in this path, that amount of dedicated
hardwork, consistent effort, courage and tolerance should be invested which the
worldly people are employing for gaining worldly honor and authority. That is,
that dedication to the cause which inspires such an insurmountable power in the
people that they get willing to sacrifice their most prized possessions even
their own lives and pledge to remove any obstruction that might possibly hinder
the progress of their mission. To promote the cause of da'wat, we should use
all means; invite peoples' attention towards it, utilize honest efforts, and in
fact invest all our life and possessions- and try to take a step forward in
this field in a way or the other.
And for achieving this objective, we should
inspire in our self that restlessness without which neither any work, worldly
or spiritual, has ever been completed in past and nor will get completed in
future. If you want to see the examples of the men of determination of the
field of da'wat in this age, please start reading the actual book (to which
this essay is the introduction).
With regards from one who is aware of his
humble knowledge."
WAMA ALAINA ILLAL BALAGHUL MUBEEN
