Allah Almighty says in Quran:
“O you who believe! If a Faasiq (liar – evil person) comes to you with any news, verify it, lest you should harm people in ignorance, and afterward you become regretful for what you have done.” (Qur’an 49:6)
Prophet Muhammad (SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) encourages mutual help, solidarity, and support among Muslims in the following hadith: Jabir bn Abdullah reported that two young men, one from the Muhajirin (emigrants) and the other one from the Ansar (helpers) fell into a dispute and the Muhajir called his fellow Muhajirin, and the Ansari (the helper) called the Ansar (for help). Meanwhile, Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) came there and said: What is this, the proclamation of the days of jahiliya (ignorance)? They said: Allah’s Messenger, there is nothing serious. The two young men fell into dispute and the one struck at the back of the other. Thereupon he (PBUH) said: Well, a person should help his brother whether he is an oppressor or an oppressed. If he is the oppressor he should prevent him from doing it, for that is his help; and if he is the oppressed he should be helped (against oppression).
In today’s toxic world characterized by ‘pull-him-down syndrome’ and ‘unhealthy rivalry’, most evaluations and investigations carried out on sister Islamic organisations, Islamic movements and Muslim groups are not really constructive and objective as instructed by Allah in the verse above. Worse still, many critics of Islamic organisations accentuate their operational weaknesses, rather than celebrate their strengths. Critics have also failed to help constructively in correcting observed operational weaknesses for mutually-beneficial relationships.
The barrage of reactions that trailed the purported ban of the renowned and peace-loving Tabligh Jama’at calls for soul-searching and retrospection by sincere Muslims who are concerned about the progress of Islam.
Without joining issues with any Islamic cleric or the social media warriors over the purported ban, let us apply the Acid Test to the operations of Tabligh Jama’at at least in Nigeria.
Muslim News has proactively woken us up from our spiritual stupor and physical slumber on the matter. The indelible quote of late Martin Niemöller (1892–1984), a prominent Lutheran pastor in Germany is instructive! He said: “First, they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”
Particularly, let us conscientiously ask ourselves the following questions and provide sincere answers to?
1. What is Tabligh Jama’at?
2. What were the foundational goals of its formation?
3. Are the much-criticized six principles of Tabligh Jama’at at variance with Qur’an and Sunnah?
4. Are they contributing to Islamic revival or not?
5. Are Tabligh Jama’at not instrumental to your own consciousness about Islam in your formative years as Islamic activists?
6. Does Tabligh Jama’at promote Terrorism in theory and practice from what you know about them?
In conclusion, to plant the tree of wisdom, it is necessary to uproot the tree of stupidity. Therefore, let us heed the clarion call in the two Ahadith below.
Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Don’t bear aversion against one another and don’t be jealous of one another and be servants of Allah. [Muslim]
Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Verily, Allah would say on the Day of Resurrection: Where are those who have a mutual love for My Glory’s sake? Today I shall shelter them in My shadow when there is no other shadow but the shadow of Mine. [Muslim]
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