So, What is (Tablighi) Jamaat?

In the name of Allah, the Most-Merciful, the All-Compassionate

All praise is due to Allah, to whom we shall return.

Any mistakes I make is from my ego, and any good that I say is from Allah.

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During 1920's, Muhammad Ilyas Kandhelvi came back from his second hajj, and initiated a reformation movement, single-handidly, which is known as Tablighi Jamaat. His intention was to bring secularized muslims back to Islam under Britian rule. I admire him, and jealous of his taqwa. However, Tablighi Jamaat today has become a self-fulfilling prophecy that is empty in knowledge and heavy in recruitement.

Yes! these drives result in some turning towards practicing Islam, but the harm it is causing is much greater than the benefit. I would like to present the issues with this effort as I see it.

When I was around 12 or so, there was a neighbour named Mr Agha, who was clean shaved, and as secular as you can be. He was a good doctor. I didn't pay too much attention on anything during those days, but one day my parents mentioned that his wife came over, and she was worried and devastated that Mr Agha left without telling her, and hasn't come back. She didn't have any income, and had no man to help her out. It was the first day that I heard about Tablighi Jamaat, and it was very sad to see Islam causing fracture in the beautiful family.

Following are my doubts, and you can agree and disagree as you like. At the end, I will present some recommendation according to sunnah to reform this movement, and become beneficial for Islam.

1) Who wants to go for 3, 10, or 40 days with us?
This is the question asked in Jamaat speeches. Who wants to go out with us and leave their responsibilities behind? Our family has a right on us, and Our prophet was very strict on supporting families.

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Apostle said, "The best alms is that which you give when you are rich, and you should start first to support your dependants." (Bukhari Volume 7, Book 64, Number 269)

Narrated 'Umar:

The Prophet used to sell the dates of the garden of Bani An-Nadir and store for his family so much food as would cover their needs for a whole year. (Bukhari Volume 7, Book 64, Number 270)

Narrated Al-Aswad bin Yazid:

I asked 'Aisha "What did the Prophet use to do at home?" She said, "He used to work for his family, and when he heard the Adhan (call for the prayer), he would go out."
(Bukhari Volume 7, Book 64, Number 276)

So, if someone leaves their family without proper arrangements, and does not spend enough time with them to make them feel satisfied, they are going against the Sunnah of our Prophet (PBUH). Now, I have known people who complained to me personally that their son or husband has gone to Tablighi Ijtima too often, and the family is suffereing becuase of that. Of course, the majority is not doing this, but big enough numbers are doing it, and there is no reaction. This damage is too great to overcome whatever good they will do.

Also, the Prophet (PBUH) never sent anyone for a specific period like a clock work, that this Jamaat propagates.

2) But Provision is already written, and "Amaal" are not?
This is the argument from Jamaat for preferring to leave their families. On the contrary, both provision and Amaal are written before we are born, so their assumption is incorrect. They might be basing it on the following hadith.

Narrated Anas bin Malik:

The Prophet said, “At every womb Allah appoints an angel who says, ‘O Lord! A drop of semen, O Lord! A clot. O Lord! A little lump of flesh.” Then if Allah wishes (to complete) its creation, the angel asks, (O Lord!) Will it be a male or female, a wretched or a blessed, and how much will his provision be? And what will his age be?’ So all that is written while the child is still in the mother’s womb.” (Sahih Bukhari Volume 1, Book 6, Number 315)

Notice that it is also written that if we will be wretched or blessed, meaning if we will end in Jannah or Hell. So, we have to struggle for our provision and for our Amaal both in this world, becuase we don't have knowledge of our fate. Saying that "you will get the provision you have been assigned, and come with us" is wrong.

3) Yes, but sahaba went out for Tabligh, right?
This is the main argument to elivate the tablighi work as fardh, claiming that the companions did leave their town and families for tabligh (dawa). It is true that it is sunnah to go out for dawa or tabligh, and campanions made alot of effort for tawa.

However, Tablighi Jamaat's use of the word "tabligh" or "dawa" is incorrect. When a Muslim invite non-muslims towards Islam, it is called dawa or tabligh, but when a muslim reminds another muslim of his duties towards Islam, it is called "Islah" or reform. Islah is not same as dawah, and we are not required to put ourselves and our family through hardship to reform others.

Following explains what tabligh Prophet (PBUH) wanted from us.

Narrated Ibn Abbas: Allah's Apostle said to Muadh bin Jabal when he sent him to Yemen. "You will come to the people of Scripture, and when you reach them, invite them to testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and that Muhammad is His Apostle. And if they obey you in that, then tell them that Allah has enjoined on them five prayers to be performed every day and night. And if they obey you in that, then tell them that Allah has enjoined on them Sadaqa (i.e. Rakat) to be taken from the rich amongst them and given to the poor amongst them. And if they obey you in that, then be cautious! Don't take their best properties (as Zakat) and be afraid of the curse of an oppressed person as there is no screen between his invocation and Allah. (Bukhari Book #59, Hadith #634)


Sahl Bin Sad narrated that Allah’s Messenger (s.a.w.s.) said, “…Be patient till you face them (i.e., the infidels) and invite them to Islam and inform them of what Allah has enjoined upon them. By Allah! If a single person embraces Islam at your hands (i.e., through you) that will be better for you than the red camels.” (Bukhari 4/192 and 5/51)

Prophet (PBUH) always used the word dawah for non-muslims, and it is that he spoke of as being the fardh for us. Anyone who misuses this word for their desires is playing a dangerous game, and should stop. Dawah is not for muslims, as they have already accepted Islam. Any effort towards muslims should be referred to as Islah or some other appropriate word.

In case if some are using the word tabligh or dawah, because they think that the muslims who are not practicing islam are same as non-muslims, it is prohibited, and there is a very strict hadith about that.

Ibn `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) said: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "When a person calls his brother (in Islam) a disbeliever, one of them will certainly deserve the title. If the addressee is so as he has asserted, the disbelief of the man is confirmed, but if it is untrue, then it will revert to him.''
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

So, either way it is very dangerous to call the work they do as tabligh.

4) Extreme focus on Tablighi Nisab
Another odd thing that has developed, which is against sunnah, is to restrict their source to set of texts other than Quran and hadith. In every single gathering, they will read from Faza'il-e-Amaal, or similar tablighi Nisab that contains selective ahadith focusing on salat or selective few rituals. This continuous ignorance of other ahadith and Quran is against the way of the companions or followers of campanions. They did not focus on a single text for their teachings.

5) Pyramid Scheme
Once I sat in the "Mashwara", so I can bring up the matter of the road outside the masjid, and see if the Jamat can help fix that. My jaws dropped, when I heard the conversation. Everyone was reporting how many they have recruited, and the ameer was instructing them to lure people by telling them their will be lectures by scholars, but not disclose the name (they don't allow non-Jamat people from teaching in their gathering). It reminded me of pyramid scheme of 90's where the goal was to become salesman to sell product, but no one was buying the product, everyone was becoming salesman, and people at the top were getting commision in millions. So, the focus in the Jamat does not seem to be to improve their lives, but to bring as many people as they can to travel around. If Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was alive today, he would have been sad to see the focus on building numbers rather then faith.

Companions were told to live among non-muslims, and show them what Islam was by their actions, and not to just invite them to masjid from the begining.

6) Ignorant Scholars
Once I was sitting in the Masjid, and one of the Jamaat member was giving the speech. As soon as he uttered the words "we are small prophets of the Prophet...", Imam spoke up (Thank God!) and corrected that man that no one can be called prophet. In essence, Jamaat has ignorant people, who are preaching, which is against the sunnah. Our Prophet (PBUH) will only send the best scholars among his followers to preach others, so let us learn from his wisdom.

Another evidence that assure me of the ignorance is that almost all of the Jamaat members skip tafsir of Quran class in the masjid, and avoid all gatherings hosted by non-Jamat groups.

It is clear that Tablighi Jamaat has become more liability than asset to Islam, and it is time to reform the reform movement, so followings are my suggestions to align the Jamaat to Sunnah.

1) Abondon anything that is against Sunnah, and adopt the ways of the Prophet (PBUH).

2) Apply restriction on traveling for long period of time, and too frequently.

3) Split it in two groups one for tabligh (to non-muslim) and the other for islah (to muslims).

4) Only allow preaching from the ones who have firm grip on the understanding of Quran and
Sunnah.

5) Teach how to practice Islam in every aspect of our lives, and not just Salat.

6) Teach from Quran and all authentice ahadith.

7) Invite scholars outside of Jamaat to their Ijtimah.

8) Ban sleeping in the masjid (short stays during the day is fine) .

9) Engage Non-Muslims.

10) Make an effort to help with community issues like roads, domestic abuse, and poverty.

There is only one Jamaat, and it is called Muslims. There is only one source and it is called Quran (and sunnah to show practice of Quran). Let us not create more sects, and stick to Islam as it was taught.

As Imaam Maalik said, "The latter part of this nation will not be able to reform itself successfully except by using what reformed its early part."

So, there is no need to create new ways, but to follow the ways of companions.

I am open to discuss anything I said, but any refutation must be supported by authentic sources.
And Allah knows best.

JazakAllah Khairin
A struggling muslim
AbuArman (Adnan Jumani)