الفن والعلوم والتجارة وحكمة الدعوة والتبليغ
The Art, Science, Commerce and Wisdom of Dawah & Tabligh
The net is filled with threads, topics and what not trying to prove the authenticity of the effort of Dawah and Tabligh, what I sorely missed was something that advices the people in the effort involved at (non Ulamah) level how to do the work and not just do it but do it better, and not just do it better, but excel at the work, inshaAllah for Maulana Yusufji (rh) is reported to have said: "Not everyone who do the work will succeed, but only those will achieve success who do it following the principles of the work...who do it as it should be done".
This isn't new actually, for almost everyone would have heard that this work is a Prophetic work, a sunnah of all the Prophets (peace be upon them) - so what are they trying to say? Is it the 6 points? Ml Yusufji (rh) says: "The effort is very delicate, if done as per principles and guidelines, it will result in the spread of guidance among the masses (umoomi hidayah), or else it will result in spreading of evil (sharr)". All of these words shouldn't stop you from doing the work for this is the reason why the elders have broken down the work so that everyone can follow it, that the effort has spread worldwide (and with it, guidance) is proof the laymen are finding it easy to practice upon, Alhamdulillah.
Definitely, the effort isn't just picking up your bags, leaving home and wandering in the countryside.
Lets not think the Prophetic effort to be easy. In fact, Ml Sa'ad (db) says: (Because this is a Prophetic effort) "While doing the work, fear against committing sins so much, that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala grants you guidance just because of that fear" (Is kaam ko itna darte hue karo, itna darte hue karo kay Allah tumhe tumhari darr ki wajah se hidaayat day dae".
InshaAllah,
a. The first post on this thread will serve as an index of all the necessary posts.
b. Will try to address people (in the work) who tend to get carried away, or get demotivated or have gnawing doubts.
Also,
1. As far as possible, references will be provided and also sough after, no lay opinions, and if at all they are provided, it will be told so.
2. InshaAllah what I wish to do here, is make myself and others understand the effort with examples from all sources, this inshaAllah we'll find very very interesting.
3. There are somethings (I feel) that people will not understand in..lets say, normal conditions, so inshaAllah I'll either leave those things out or will PM it to only specific members.
4. Most of the times, it will be 1 single topic for 1 post and it'll be regularly updated with new material.
5. We probably have had enough of blogs, threads and topics proving authenticity of the effort in this form (3 days, 40 days and 4 months etc) - so this thread isn't for that audience, this is for the people who are already in it (remotely or semi involved).
So,
(Very probably) On Dawah & Tabligh, this is a thread unlike any on the World Wide Web.
Yet remember,
Its Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala who teaches and guides, and the elders also say the best way to understand and learn the work is to be actively involved in it, hour to hour, day to day, and khurooj as per mashwara (counsel).
Note I: References for all the quotes of the elders and ulamah given above will be provided (many of them can be found in Ml Yusufji (rh) book titled "6 number ki mehnat" (commentary by Ml Sa'ad (db)) and that book is much in depth and different than normal lectures on the 6 points.
Update Jan 16 2014: I'll briefly give the topic of the discussions / posts and later explain it inshaAllah which could take longer.
Note II: You may come across some discussions on the tanzeem (method) of Dawah & tabligh across the thread which may or may not be relevant anymore, but bear in mind, the method goes through constant micro and macro changes, region to region basis as is the need of the times, and as Maulana Sa'eed Ahmed Khan Makki (rh) - the work is flexible, so in effect, what you read in here may not be something which is presently being said via Nizamuddin (even though it may have been in the past), in that case, just let go, delete, erase anything of what you may have come across in this thread and latch on-to what the elders of Nizamuddin have fixed.
Note III: The tanzeem of D & t of Nizamuddin is practical, we'll not understand it reading topics, threads and eBooks and before anything else, lets purify our intentions before proceeding, on intentions, please read the following...carefully:
When people read or listen to religious speeches, books, every such reader usually has anyone of the following three intentions:
First, he listens with the intention to criticise, in this case he finds various avenues in the speech where he can raise objection, no matter how learned and deeply-rooted in knowledge the speaker is, and even if the speaker is speaking on the authority Of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, and His Messenger (peace be upon him). Secondly, the listener listens with the intention to increase his stock of knowledge; in this case Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala makes the speaker speak various worth-remembering words, no matter how uneducated and even unlettered the speaker is. Thirdly, the listener can listen to the speaker with the intention to absorb his words and their underlying meanings and to become the flag-bearer of the teachings of that speaker, and to become a caller to the speaker's call; in this case Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, with His all-power, gives the listener His divine help and he starts practising according to his intention, but on condition that he renders the due of listening (or reading, in this case), and this had always been the intention of the Sahaba (may Allah be pleased with them).
There is another intention having equal impact, which is of the speaker himself. More than the effect of the words of the speaker is the effect of what he carries in his innermost: if he speaks with the intention to impress his listeners with his knowledge of religious and social writings and high-sounding words, listeners start rating him a scholar; if the speaker wants to show that he has a gift of tongues and carries a heavy stock of poetic verses and proverbial sentences, listeners give deep-throated roars in admiration; if the speaker shows that he is a big tongue-twister and brings his talents of vocal-gymnastic into play, the listeners readily pick him on their shoulders and praise him to the skies by the deafening noise of clapping; if the speaker is greedy of increasing his vote bank, the listeners take-him to be a wolf in a sheep's clothing; if the eye of the speaker's self is on the pockets or on the means and the worldly powers of his listeners, the listeners take him to be a professional fund-raiser and beggar with his tongue hanging out; and if the speaker, very unfortunately, finds his own highness taking the cover of Allah's Highness, then he is a wayward in both this life and the next.
The correction of intention is, therefore, the first and foremost requirement. Same is the nature of intentions when a thread or topic is written or is read. I therefore request those reading this thread, 'The Arts, Science, Commerce and Wisdom of Dawah & Tabligh', on their computer screens to please turn towards the Qibla and raise both their hands right now to pray to Allah for me and all my family members and for this thread to become a source of guidance, and that this thread should not become the cause of any unrest or 'fitna', I further request that this thread should not be read by way of mere 'educational tour' or for finding literary attributes or figures of speech; this reading should, rather be with the intention to increase one's spiritual relation with Allah and the Prophet (peace be upon him) and to get the directions of working in the cause of AIlah in the manner of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them), and for absorbing this work in one's body and soul, If the readers do so; they'll get divine rewards in cash, Insha-Allah. (Credit to Hafiz Safwan Muhammad (db) of 'Words & Reflections of Maulana Ilyas' fame for the words. I have slightly edited them to make it relevant here).
Note IV: No posts are final, they will be constantly re-edited and or updated with new material as and when I find it and also find the time to post it, so there's no option to say the thread (or posts within it) has gone through updates (until you re-read them), for that you'll have to re-check once in a while.
Note V: I'm NOT a scholar, neither am I a 'puraana' (someone's who's been in the tanzeem of D&t of Nizamuddin since ages with sincerity). Yet, may Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala make me both with complete and lasting ease. Aameen.
I N D E X
8. Priceless advices for all workers of Deen by Maulana Sa'ad Kandhlavi (db). By br Sulaiman84.
13. Important bayans to understand and rectify mistakes in the effort with part synopsis.
Wa laii kumm as salaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakath.
and make effort for Deen...and there are many ways to do that.
