A Maulana of the Tabligh Jamaat said in his bayaan that Da'wat is more important than Ibaadat, and first comes Da'wat then Ibaadat.

Answer

The maulana acquitted himself with jahl. His statement is a typical example of the haraam ghulu' (excess) with which the Tabligh Jamaat is plagued. If he had employed his brains constructively, he would not have transgressed the prescribed limits of the Shariah to stupidly dwell in the domain of ghulu'. Warning

Christians about their ghulu', Qur'aan Majeed states:

"Do not commit ghulu' in your deen."

The Shariah has its limits about which the Qur'aan Majeed states: "These are the limits (prescribed by) Allah. Whoever, transgresses these limits, verily he has oppressed himself."

As far as Muslims are concerned, since the age of the Sahaabah the first requisite was always Ibaadat, not Da'wat. We do not know from which finger the molvi has sucked his misinformation. Allah Ta'ala says in the Qur'aan Majeed: "I have not created jinn and man except that they render IBAADAT to ME." The primary objective of life on earth is the Ibaadat of Allah Azza Wa Jal. Da'wat, Jihad, etc. are all secondary issues ordered for facilitating the primary Maqsood of Ibaadat.

Da'wat coming first is relevant only if the audience is kuffaar. In this respect, da'wat comes first. There is no valid Ibaadat for a kaafir. First comes da'wat for the kaafir followed by Ibaadat on his acceptance of Islam. But audience of

Tabligh Jamaat has never been non-Muslims. Their tableegh is directed to only Muslims. It is therefore moronic to tell Muslims that da'wat tabligh jamaat style has precedence over Ibaadat prescribed by Allah Ta'ala. This moronism in fact culminates ultimately in kufr. The consequence of ghulu' in the final analysis is kufr.

The Muslim has to first discharge his obligations of Ibaadat and other obligations related to his family, etc., then only engage in da'wat tabligh jamaat style, and that too, if he has an inclination for this style of tabligh. There is no obligation to join the Tabligh Jamaat especially for those who are equipped with sufficient Islamic knowledge to enable them to discharge their Shar'i obligations.

The effect of this ghulu' of Tablighis can be observed in their lackadaisical attitude towards Salaat, the Sunnah Ahkaam and the Musjid. In each of these fields they trail behind and even grossly fail. For them Sunnah is restricted to the long kurtah, turban and miswaak. This is their conception of the Sunnah. Most of them do not even understand the imperative importance of wearing the pants above the ankles.

They are loud in talk and even laughter inside the Musaajid. They do not maintain silence nor earnestly respond to the Athaan. They are absolutely careless about what they eat. Their is no such thing as mushtabah in their concept of taqwa. In fact they have no conception of Taqwa. We are not referring to newcomers who have just joined the Jamaat. We refer to their Molvis and even to some of their elders who lack understanding of the meaning of Taqwa.

They engage in conversation, even loud talk, right inside the Musjid, but Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi w a s a l l a m ) s a i d : "Conversation in

Musjid consumes good deeds just as cattle devour grass." About the loud talk of Tablighis inside Musjid, Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) mentioning the Signs of Qiyaamah, said: "Voices will be loud in the Musjid." About their lackadaisical attitude bordering on scorn for Salaat, they disturb musallis who are engaging in the Sunnatul Muakkadah Salaat. After Maghrib Fardh, they display extreme impatience. Even before numerous musallis have completed even the two raka'ts Sunnat, a Tablighi rushes forward, shamelessly sits in front facing the musallis who are in Salaat and makes his announcement urging them to come forward for his bayaan. He stupidly soothes his conscience with the caveat: "Those who have completed their Salaat should come forward." He dwells in selfdeception. He lacks the simple intelligence of understanding that it is haraam to disturb musallis whilst they are engaging in Salaat.

In practice and even in belief, ghulu' has ruined the Tabligh Jamaat. This ghulu' has now surfaced in a hideously haraam form. The two factions have resorted to and are resorting to violence and to even wird of abusive vulgar swear words for one another. Whilst it was always the policy of the Jamaat to embrace all deviates and accommodate their deviation and even participate in their deviation, they now cannot tolerate their own blood and flesh - their own Tablighis. The one faction stands with daggers facing the other faction. And, their molvis are the main instigators of this haraam fracas and shaitaaniyat. As Muslims, remember that first comes Ibaadat. Da'wat is administered as the occasion demands. And, by Da'wat we mean Amr Bil Ma'roof Nahy Anil Munkar and Tableegh in general. The meaning of da'wat is not confined to Tabligh Jamaat style. If style of

Tabligh Jamaat is maintained within the confines of the Shariah, i.e.