According to The Majlis, the jalsahs of the Madaaris have outlived their utility.

Answer

The Ilm of the Deen had become so despised in India- despised by Muslims - that the masses believed that the pursuit of Ilm-e-Deen makes a person a humiliated beggar. It was considered despicable to pursue the Knowledge of the Deen. This was the state of zandaqah of the masses, and today in our time, even many molvis subconsciously believe in this kufr, hence they send even their daughters to brothel universities to acquire secular education because in their hearts they do not believe what Islam teaches about predetermined Rizq.

In order to create Deeni respect and appreciation for the Deen and its Knowledge our Akaabireen began the process of establishing Madaaris. However, due to deficiency in Tawakkul and due to being far, very far from the age of the Sahaabah, even the Akaabir Ulama's focus shifted from Allah

Ta'ala to a degree, and they initiated schemes for accumulating funds to sustain the Madaaris.

Since Muslims despised Ilm-e-Deen, they would not contribute funds for the expenses of the Madaaris. Hence, the Akaabir Ulama erred by initiating the Jalsah scheme. Instead of Tawakkul, they gravitated to the dunya. Despite the nobility of their motive, the shift from Tawakkul to the dunya and divergence from the original course of the Salafus Saaliheen were disastrous errors in the wake of which followed todays bid'ah and haraam jalsahs of Israaf, Riya and Takabbur. The one and only purpose of the Jalsahs was to collect funds for the annual expenses of the Madrasah. In most cases, they collected sufficient funds at the Jalsahs for the expenses of the Madaaris.

While we shall not say that the initial Jalsah programme of the Akaabir was impermissible, we must say unequivocally that it indicated deficiency in Tawakkul and in it the seeds for today's evil jalsahs were sown. Ilm-e- Deen was imparted dur-

ing the age of Rasulullah (Salla llah u ala yh i wasallam), the age of the Sahaabah and thereafter. The only basis on which the structure of the Madrasah was raised in the early days was Tawakkul. Reliance was totally on only Allah Azza Wa Jal. In view of the lack of this lofty degree of Tawakkul, the Akaabir Ulama initiated the scheme of Jalsahs and Safeers. A Safeer is a fund-raiser. All Madaaris in India have such fundraisers who travel around the country collecting funds for the Madaaris. In the aftermath of such bootlicking fund-raising comes humiliation, corruption, and the demotion of the lofty status of Ilm-e -Deen which has its Fountain in the Qur'aan Majeed which was revealed in the lonely, forlorn, barren, dusty Ghaare -e-Hira (Cave of Hiraa).

With the bid'ah of jalasahs became attached many haraam factors, hence Hadhrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (Rahmatullah alayh) abandoned attending jalsahs and sternly criticized these functions even if no haraam acts occur at the jalsahs.

In South Africa and other affluent countries, the jalsahs have degenerated to merrymaking functions dominated by s h a i t a a n i y y a t an d nafsaaniyyat. It will not be imprudent to say by way of castigation that the Madaaris authorities who arrange these wasteful shaitaani jalsahs should be incinerated in the pyre prepared for the incineration of corpses. They have obliterated every vestige of shame and brotherly feeling for the suffering Ummah, hence they foster gluttony, Israaf, and shaitaani merrymaking with their jalsahs while millions of the Ummah are languishing in abject jahaalat, proverty and misery. But the jalsah organizers and jalsah participants continue recklessly with their wasteful gluttony. They only eat, excrete and make merry. The jalsahs of today are decidedly evil. Never attend such functions which rupture your bond with Allah Ta'ala.

Hadhrat Ibraheem Khawwaas (rahmatullah alayh) narrates the following wonderful encounter in the wilderness:

"Once along a Haj journey on a night when the moon was shining brightly, I fell asleep. Suddenly I heard a voice calling: 'O Abu Ishaq! I have been waiting for you since yesterday.' I went near and found a man excessively lean and weak. He was on the verge of death. Exotic flowers in abundance were all around him. I asked about his homeland. He mentioned a city. He added that he was a person of considerable wealth and rank. However, he yearned for solitude, hence he renounced all his worldly possessions to wander in the wilderness. He said: 'Now I am close to Maut. I supplicated to Allah Ta'ala to send a Waliullah to me. I hope you are the answer to my supplication.'

Ibraheem: "Do you have any parents?"

Young man: "Yes, I also have brothers and sisters."

Ibraheem: "Do you wish to meet them?"

Young man: "I had no such wish, but today I remembered them. I desire to smell their fragrance. Wild animals of the wilderness took pity on me and brought me to this orchard."

Hadhrat Ibraheem continuing his story said: "I saw a big serpent approaching with a fragrant flower in its mouth. It said to me: 'Keep your evil away from him. Allah Ta'ala is aware of the condition of His friends and obedient slaves.'

I then became unconscious. When I regained consciousness I discovered that the soul of the young man had departed. I again fell into a deep sleep. When my eyes opened I was again back on the main road. After completing Haj, I went to the home town of the young man. When I reached there, I saw a woman with a waterpitcher. She had a striking resemblance with the young man. When she saw me she said: 'O Abu Ishaq! How did you find the condition of the young man? I have been waiting for you since three days.'

I narrated the whole episode and the young man's statement, viz. 'I wish to smell their fragrance.' She too collapsed and died. Soon a group of beautifully clad girls arrived on the scene. They attended to the burial of the woman."

[The girls were mysterious servants of Allah Ta'ala of the Abdaal category.]