Foreword
Translation: We praise Allah Ta’ala, and we ask His blessings and send Salutations on His noble Nabi Muhammad ﷺ . Firstly, I give thanks to Allah Ta’ala, Who has given me the ability to write this booklet on Tableegh. One of the best Aalim of this age has advised me to select a few Aayaat of the Qur-aan Shareef and some Ahaadith of Rasulullah ﷺ on Tableegh and explain the same. Since my humble services to such sincere believers can be a means of my everlasting success, I present this kitaab to every Islamic School, Islamic organization, Islamic Government, rather to every Muslim and request them to serve the sacred cause of Tableegh in their own way. During this age there is a day-to-day decline in our devotion to Deen and, against our true Deen, objections are raised not only by the kuffaar, but also by the so called ‘Muslims’. The fardh and waajib actions are being neglected, not only by the common Muslims, but also by those who hold important positions. Millions of Muslims have become involved in shirk and kufr, not to speak of neglecting Salaah and fasting; and they are not even conscious of their actions being shirk and kufr. Breaking the commands of Allah Ta’ala has become very common and making a mockery of Deen has become a fashion of the day. That is why the Ulama have even begun to ignore the common people and a result of this is that jahaalat (ignorance) about the teachings of Islam is increasing day by day. People offer the excuse that no one is interested in teaching them the Deen of Islam and the Ulama have an excuse that no one listens to them. But none of these excuses is valid before Allah Ta’ala. As a matter of fact, Allah Ta’ala will never accept the excuse of the common people that they were ignorant about Deen; because to learn Deen and to make an effort to acquire ilm (knowledge) is the personal responsibility of every Muslim. Since ignorance of the law is no excuse under any government, then why should it be accepted by the Lord of all rulers, Allah Ta’ala? They say, making excuses for a crime is worse than the crime itself. Similarly, the excuse of the Ulama that no one listens to them is not valid. They boast of representing the great Mashaaikh of the past, but never consider how much sacrifices and hardships those Mashaaikh had to tolerate to call towards the true Deen! Were they not pelted with stones? Were they not abused and oppressed to the extreme degree? But in spite of all these obstacles and hardships, they fulfilled their responsibilities of Tableegh and gave the Dawat of Islam regardless of the opposition. Generally, the Muslims have limited Tableegh to the Ulama only, whereas every Muslim has been commanded by Allah Ta’ala to stop the people from doing forbidden things. If we admit for a moment that Tableegh is the responsibility of the Ulama only and they do not fulfil it properly, then it becomes the responsibility of every Muslim to do so. The importance that has been laid on Tableegh by the Qur-aan Shareef and Hadith, will be proved by the Qur-aanic Aayaat and sayings of Nabi ﷺ that are going to be quoted in the following pages. Therefore, you can neither leave the duty of Tableegh to the Ulama only, nor can it be an excuse for you to neglect it. I would request every Muslim to devote his time and energy to Tableegh as much as he can:
Translation: رستر بروقت خوش كه وست وبد معتم شمار كسراو قوف نيست كه انجام كاره جيست
Translation: “Consider, the time at your disposal, as a blessing; for no one knows what his end will be.”
You do not necessarily have to be an Aalim to do the work of Tableegh, i.e. encouraging the good and preventing the evil. Whatever little knowledge of Islam you have, you must teach it to others. Whenever a morally wrong or a sin is committed in your presence, then, as a Muslim, it is your duty to stop the sinner, as far as it lies in your power. I have described all the important things about Tableegh briefly in seven chapters and hope that every Muslim will benefit from them.
Shaikhul-Hadith, Hafiz Mohammad Zakariyya Madrasah Mazaahirul-Uloom, Saharanpur