In order to attract wealthy businessmen to Deen, the Tablighi Jamat in our area invited them to a talk & a meal at a banqueting suite, which is potentially used for Haraam functions. This is unusual considering Tablighi brothers are normally Alhumdulillah orthodox & keep bayans in the blessed environment of the Masjid. The bayan to the businessmen was delivered by a famous scholar in a foreign Jamat that had come to the country.
The potential reason for holding the bayan & the meal at the banqueting suite instead of the Masjid was to potentially ensure that the general public did not find out where the famous scholar was thereby attending in large numbers & defeating the purpose of a group-specific programme. It would be no surprise too if, in the day & age we live in, they wanted to make the venue a place other than the Masjid to attract wealthy persons (Na’oodhoobillah).
Can this sort of function, to win the hearts of a particular group, be substantiated in light of incident(s) of an analogous nature in the life of Nabi Sallallahu Alahyi Wasallam?
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Brother in Islam,
We take note of your concern for the affairs of the ummah. Being steadfast upon the Sunnah and adopting methods which are in conformity to those that Nabi salla Allahu ‘alaihi wa sallam and the illustrious Sahabah radiAllahu ‘anhum adopted in propagating and teaching this Dīn is critical. May Allah grant you istiqāmah and accept your efforts.
The very nature of the fields of da‘wah/tablīgh (propagating), tadhkīr (reminding), wa‘z (advising), etc. demand versatility. The reason being, people are different in nature. What may appeal to a labourer, may not appeal to a farmer. What is appealing to a teacher, may not appeal to a student. What attracts an architect, will differ from that which attracts a lawyer. So on and so forth. It is the work of a dā‘ī (one propagating) or a wāi‘z (one giving advice) to speak to individuals on their wavelength. This is especially crucial when a very specific message needs to be given to a certain fraternity. Hence, the objective of “special” programs, such as the one in reference, is to pass either a specific message to a specific crowd, or cater for the specific crowd in a manner which would draw them closer towards the underlying objective(s) of the program.
As Muslims, it is our duty to give the benefit of doubt to our brethren. As you have suggested, the program was most probably held in the banquet hall to ensure that the objective of the program is fulfilled.
Though the environment of the masjid is ideal, if it is more befitting to hold programs elsewhere in light of certain circumstances or objectives, it will be permissible.
Reference for holding special programs from the life of Nabi salla Allahu ‘alaihi wa sallam is mentioned in the footnote for the benefit of the ‘ulamā’.[1]
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Hisham Dawood
Student Darul Iftaa
Chicago, USA
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
عن الزهري، قال: أخبرني أنس بن مالك رضي الله عنه، قال: قال ناس من الأنصار، حين أفاء الله على رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم ما أفاء من أموال هوازن، فطفق النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يعطي رجالا المائة من الإبل، فقالوا: يغفر الله لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يعطي قريشا ويتركنا، وسيوفنا تقطر من دمائهم، قال أنس: فحدث رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بمقالتهم، فأرسل إلى الأنصار فجمعهم في قبة من أدم، ولم يدع معهم غيرهم، فلما اجتمعوا قام النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال: «ما حديث بلغني عنكم»، فقال فقهاء الأنصار: أما رؤساؤنا يا رسول الله فلم يقولوا شيئا، وأما ناس منا حديثة أسنانهم فقالوا: يغفر الله لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يعطي قريشا ويتركنا، وسيوفنا تقطر من دمائهم، فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: «فإني أعطي رجالا حديثي عهد بكفر أتألفهم، أما ترضون أن يذهب الناس بالأموال، وتذهبون بالنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم إلى رحالكم، فوالله لما تنقلبون به خير مما ينقلبون به» قالوا: يا رسول الله قد رضينا، فقال لهم النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: «ستجدون أثرة شديدة، فاصبروا حتى تلقوا الله ورسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم فإني على الحوض» قال أنس: «فلم يصبروا» (صحيح البخاري/ كتاب المغازي)