"In our Musjid we have ta'leem every day after Isha' Salaat at the front of the Musjid.

Answer

(1) There should be no ta'leem immediately after the Fardh of Zuhr, Maghrib and Isha since it is Waajib to immediately commence the Sunnatul Muakkadah after the short Dua. In some Musaajid this Shar'i requirement is ignored and greater importance is accorded to the ta'leem than to the Shar'i command of Ittisaal,i.e. to perform the Sunnats immediately after the Fardh).

(2) Ta'leem may commence after the Sunnat and Nafl Salaat. In this regard what we have personally observed, is that even before most musallis have completed even two raka'ts of Sunnatul Muakkadah, e.g. after Magrib, the brother, goes to the front, faces the Jamaat whilst 90% of the musallis are in Salaat, and begins with his announcement pertaining to Ta'leem/ Tableegh/Bayaan. He even comments; "Those who have completed Salaat should come forward." How can they have completed when he did not allow adequate time to perform even two raka'ts decently? Such an announcement at such a juncture is undoubtedly very disturbing and does distract the mind.

It is disrespectful to the Salaat, inconsiderate towards the musallis and smacks of arrogance when a musalli rushes through his two raka'ts Sunnatul Muakkadah in order to rush to the front to make his announcement. This tareeqah is definitely improper.

(3) The ta'leem may begin when most of the musallis have completed their Salaat. It will not matter if a couple of musallis at the back are still performing Nafl Salaat. When most of the musallis have completed their Salaat and are seated in front for ta'leem, then the one or two who wish to continue with Nafl Salaat, should honourably and humbly move to the furthest point at the back and not perform Salaat audaciously right next to the big gathering sitting in Ta'leem. The Musjid is also the venue for Ta'leem.

(4) Those who wish to impart ta'leem should not be concerned about the number of people who will remain to listen to the bayaan. The objective of the bayaan is ridha ilaahi (Allah's Pleasure), not numbers or a big crowd. Those who are interested to listen to the bayaan, will wait for a couple of minutes. Those who are not interested, will depart. Our brothers are committing a fatal mistake by focusing on numbers, and not on Ridha Ilaahi They lose the objective of of their da'wat when their focus is on numbers. Their niyyat becomes contaminated with riya.

(5) Undoubtedly, it is a grievous error and a misunderstanding to believe that the ijtmaa'i (congregational) benefit of Ta'leem outweighs the benefit of infiraadi (individual) Witr, Sunnat and Nafl Salaat. This belief is in fact bid'ah. It implies that an act performed on the basis of personal opinion is more beneficial and has greater merit than an act of ibaadat commanded by Allah Ta'ala. Changes in the ahkaam may not be perpetrated on the basis of opinion regardless of the benefit one discerns in the act which is the effect of personal opinion. It is a capital sin to present personal opinion in conflict with a hukm of the Shariah. It is tantamount to abrogating the Shariah. In the Shariah there is no principle of 'benefit' for abrogating a Shar'i hukm.

The Shariah commands ittisaal between the Fardh and the Sunnatul Muakkadah following it. The benefit of a practice is not valid grounds for canceling the command of the Shariah. It is thus bid'ah to give preference to one's bayaan and ta'leem at a time which the Shariah has ordained for Sunnatul Muakkadah Salaat.

(6) It is not permissible for the Imaam to make fund-raising and other announcements in the Musjid. Such announcements should be written on the notice board.