Question
I read in your book, Tabligh Jamaat –Beware of Ghulu', that it was wrong to have a special Ulama section at the Ijtimas and have special bayaans for only the Ulama to the exclusion of the masses. Everybody believes this to be right. It now sets me thinking: Why is it that the Ulama are separated from the general public and special facilities are arranged for them? At the Ijtimas the Ulama have their own special sleeping quarters, plenty of food, the best cakes, drinks, and you name it, they have it. It never occurred to me that this is all wrong. If the Ulama practise mujaahadah (struggle against the nafs) it will have a better effect on the masses.
Answer
Yes, indeed it will. But Rasulullah's predictions have to materialize. The Hadith criticizes obese ulama. Obesity due to gluttonous indulgence in sumptuous dishes and worldly luxuries enslaves a man to his nafs. It is for this reason that the world today abound with ulama-e-soo' and maajin muftis. They justify all their khuraafaat in the name of the Deen.
Some decades ago when Hadhrat Masihullah (rahmatullah alayh) was in South Africa, the senior Ulama in Durban requested him to give a bayaan specially for the Ulama. Hadhrat Masihullah refused. He said that he would give a bayaan for all and sundry. The Ulama may attend the bayaan where he will address them in general. In other words, whatever naseehat there is for others applies also to the Ulama. There is no such thing as 'khusoosi' bayaans for the Ulama. These special bayaans and special treatment which the Tablighis arrange for the Ulama at their Ijtimas are effects of takabbur and riya.
Preventing the general public from attending the so-called ulama bayaans is vile in the extreme. It is to prevent others from the Thikr of Allah Ta'ala. There is no basis for debarring people from attending Deeni lectures. The Ta'leem of the Deen is for all and sundry.
- Source
- themajlis.co.za
- Published in
- The Majlis Vol 23 No 02
- PDF page
- 3
Appears under Questions and Answers (approximate).