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If I go out for tablīgh, am I under bai’ah with shaykh as well?

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Askimam.org

WE ARE CONNECTED WITH TABLIGHI JMT, I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT BAITH,I ASKED MY FATHER HE TOLD ME THAT WE ARE CONNECTED WITH THIS JMT SO WE ARE BAITH WITH MAULANA YOUSUF SB RAHMATULLAH, IS IT IF YES THEN,,IT WOULD BE VERY KIND OF YOU IF YOU WILL GUIDE ME.

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Sister-in-Islam,

It is encouraging to note that you are spending your time in the effort of tablīgh, may Allah Ta’ālā grant success to all those connected with the Tablīghī Jamā’ah.

It is first important to understand the concept of  tablīgh and bai’ah  individually:

As Muslims, it is our job to spread the message of Islam and enlighten those who are unaware of the its teachings.[1] This goal can be fulfilled through many ways such as through tadris (formal teaching), wa’z and nasihah (lecturing and advice), etc.[2] Tablīgh itself refers to the effort of propagating the teachings of Islam to Muslims and non-Muslims alike by going out in the path of Allah Ta’ālā and personally meeting those who are in need of Islam in their lives. It is a duty handed down to us from the Anbiya (alaihimus salam) and established through the teachings of the Quran and the Sunnah of our Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).[3] Even during the times of the Sahabah (radiyallahu ‘anhum), many of them would travel to different lands for the purpose of propagating the message of Islam.[4] Such an effort allows us to truly know how the Anbiya (alaihimus salam) and the Sahabah (radiyallahu ‘anhum) felt when spreading the message of Islam. Furthermore, the Tablīghī Jamā’ah makes a full effort to practice on the sunnah and practically show the people the way of our pious predecessors. As such, not only does such an effort help us rectify others, it also helps us reform ourselves by adopting the sunnah and the way of the pious in our daily lives.

In comparison to tablīgh, the concept of bai’ah primarily focuses of tazkiyah (self purification) and ihsan (complete consciousness of Allah Ta’ālā). In simple terms, bai’ah refers to handing one’s spiritual wellbeing over to a Shaykh showing apparent qualities of taqwa (piety and consciousness of Allah Ta’ālā)[5] who helps one in reaching the level of ihsan.[6] This Shaykh helps the mureed (the one who has given bai’ah to the Shaykh) in treating ailments of the heart such as kibr (pride and arrogance), hubb ad-dunya (love of the world), hasad (jealousy), etc.[7] and provides one guidance in ultimately achieving complete and absolute love for Allah Ta’ālā. Such a practice is established from the Quran and the Sunnah[8] as it was one of the objectives of the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) as established through the Holy Quran[9]:

هُوَ الَّذِي بَعَثَ فِي الْأُمِّيِّينَ رَسُولًا مِنْهُمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِهِ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ 

He is the One who raised amidst the unlettered people a messenger from among themselves who recites to them His verses, and purifies them, and teaches them the Book and the wisdom [Al-Quran, 62:2]

As we can see from the discussion above, both tablīgh and bai’ah provide opportunities for one to spiritually rectify oneself through different methods. Nevertheless, the concept of establishing bai’ah primarily focuses on spiritual rectification and staying under the guidance of a muttaqi (pious) person known to help others establish a pure connection with Allah Ta’ālā through making one’s life purpose to please Allah Ta’ālā and abstain from sins.[10] One may be able to reform oneself through tablīgh as well by fully devoting oneself in its path[11] as established by Maulana Ilyas Saheb (rahmatullah alaih) and Maulana Yusuf Saheb (rahmatullah alaih) and exerting oneself in the efforts of the Tablīghī Jamā’ah. In this sense, one may say he is bai’ah to the effort of Maulana Yusuf Saheb (rahmatullah alaih), but it does not mean one is truly bai’ah as the purpose of bai’ah is spiritual rectification under the guidance of a Shaykh who specializes in this field.[12]

In conclusion, one should go out for tablīgh and also seek the guidance of a good spiritual mentor in order to fully rectify one’s inner self and reach the level of true ihsan (consciousness of Allah Ta’ālā). If people engaged in the field of da’wah and tablīgh also focus on tazkiyah and spiritual reform separately, that will enhance his performance in tablīgh as well Inshā-Allah.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Bilal Mohammad

Student Darul Iftaa
USA 

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai with the following comments:

Those who engage only in tablīgh and do not pay attention to personal islāh and reformation lack spiritual progress. Education (ta’līm), tablīgh, and tazkiyah are equally important and complement each other.

www.daruliftaa.net


[1] Ahsanul Fatawa, vol. 9, pg. 113, H.M. Saeed Company

[2] Ibid., pg. 116;

Fatawa Mahmudiyyah, vol. 4, pg. 214, Darul Iftaa Jami’ah Faruqiyyah

[3] Fatawa Mahmdiyyah, vol. 4, pg. 198 , Darul Iftaa Jami’ah Faruqiyyah

[4] Ibid., pg. 206 & 215

[5] Shari’a and Tariqa by Muhammad Zakariyya Kandhelvi, pg. 133 & 134, Madania Publications

[6] Kitabul Fatawa, vol. 1, pg. 348, Zam Zam Publishers;

Shari’a and Tariqa by Muhammad Zakariyya Kandhelvi, pg. xvii & 96 & 102, Madania Publications

[7] Ibid., pg. 132

[8] Qamusul Fiqh, vol. 1, pg. 383, Zam Zam Publishers;

Shari’a and Tariqa by Muhammad Zakariyya Kandhelvi, pg. 114, Madania Publications;

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِذَا جَاءَكَ الْمُؤْمِنَاتُ يُبَايِعْنَكَ عَلَى أَنْ لَا يُشْرِكْنَ بِاللَّهِ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَسْرِقْنَ وَلَا يَزْنِينَ وَلَا يَقْتُلْنَ أَوْلَادَهُنَّ وَلَا يَأْتِينَ بِبُهْتَانٍ يَفْتَرِينَهُ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِنَّ وَأَرْجُلِهِنَّ وَلَا يَعْصِينَكَ فِي مَعْرُوفٍ فَبَايِعْهُنَّ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُنَّ اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ

(سورة الممتحنة، آية ١٢)؛

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو اليَمَانِ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو إِدْرِيسَ عَائِذُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَنَّ عُبَادَةَ بْنَ الصَّامِتِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ وَكَانَ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا وَهُوَ أَحَدُ النُّقَبَاءِ لَيْلَةَ العَقَبَةِ: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ، وَحَوْلَهُ عِصَابَةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ: «بَايِعُونِي عَلَى أَنْ لاَ تُشْرِكُوا بِاللَّهِ شَيْئًا، وَلاَ تَسْرِقُوا، وَلاَ تَزْنُوا، وَلاَ تَقْتُلُوا أَوْلاَدَكُمْ، وَلاَ تَأْتُوا بِبُهْتَانٍ تَفْتَرُونَهُ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَأَرْجُلِكُمْ، وَلاَ تَعْصُوا فِي مَعْرُوفٍ، فَمَنْ وَفَى مِنْكُمْ فَأَجْرُهُ عَلَى اللَّهِ، وَمَنْ أَصَابَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ شَيْئًا فَعُوقِبَ فِي الدُّنْيَا فَهُوَ كَفَّارَةٌ لَهُ، وَمَنْ أَصَابَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ شَيْئًا ثُمَّ سَتَرَهُ اللَّهُ فَهُوَ إِلَى اللَّهِ، إِنْ شَاءَ عَفَا عَنْهُ وَإِنْ شَاءَ عَاقَبَهُ» فَبَايَعْنَاهُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ

(صحيح البخاري، حديث ١٨، كتاب الإيمان) 

[9] Ma’ariful Quran, Surah Jumu’ah, Verse 2, ” The Three Objectives of the Advent of the Prophet”, Maktabah Darul ‘Uloom Karachi

[10] Fatawa Mahmudiyyah, vol. 2, pg. 251, Darul Iftaa Jami’ah Faruqiyyah

[11] Ibid., vol. 21, pg. 310

[12] Ahsanul Fatawa, vol. 1, pg. 545, H.M. Saeed Company;

Fatawa Mahmudiyyah, vol. 21, pg. 273, Darul Iftaa Jami’ah Faruqiyyah;

Shari’a and Tariqa by Muhammad Zakariyya Kandhelvi, pg. 132, Madania Publications

This answer was collected from Askimam.org, which is operated under the supervision of Mufti Ebrahim Desai from South Africa.

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