BID’AH BAYAANS OF THE TABLIGH JAMAAT
Question
Please comment on the Tabligh Jamaat’s practice of giving bayaans immediately after Fardh Salaat right in front in the Musjid. If the talk is not immediately after Fardh, it is always before the musallis have completed their Sunnat and Nafl Salaat. Also totally unqualified persons are allowed to give bayaans. Is this proper? Musallis who are still performing Salaat are disturbed and distracted by these talks.
Answer
The primary purpose of a Musjid is to be the venue for pure Ibaadat – Salaat, Tilaawat, etc. Besides the Jamaat Salaat which has precedence and priority, bayans/talks may not be conducted in a manner which disturbs the musallis who are engaging in their own acts of Ibaadat.
The practice of talks immediately after Fardh Salaat is not permissible. If the Fardh is followed by Sunnat Salaat, then giving a talk or even reciting the Qur’aan Majeed immediately after the Fardh is not permissible. It is incumbent to first perform the Sunnat Salaat. Thus, the Tabligh Jamaat’s practice of giving a bayaan or reading from the kitaab immediately after the Fardh Salaat is bid’ah and not permissible.
Furthermore, beginning the bayaan even before people have completed their Sunnat Salaat is likewise not permissible as it interferes with the concentration of the musallis, causing them to make mistakes in their Salaat.
The Musallis have a greater right than the Tabligh Jamaat. The Ibaadat of the Musallis is of greater importance than the bayaans of the Tabligh Jamaat. Bid’ah has become embedded in the Tabligh Jamaat. If their elders do not wake up to stem this evil tide, the Jamaat will then become one of the baatil sects of deviation.
The Jamaat members should understand that jumping up and standing audaciously and shamelessly facing Musallis who are still engaged in Salaat, will not induce anyone to sit for their bayaans. Those who wish to participate, will wait until the Musallis have completed their Salaat and Dua. Those who do not wish to sit, will not be induced to participate by the Tablighi chap short-circuiting his own Salaat to stand up to announce his bayaan.
It is extremely audacious and rude for the Tablighi to stand facing the musallis whilst they are still in Salaat. He attempts to influence them to quickly terminate their Salaat for the sake of listening to his bayaan. Whilst they speak much of the virtues of Salaat, they show scant respect practically for Salaat, hence they consider their bayaans to be of greater importance than the Sunnat and Nafl Salaat which are attached to the Fardh Salaat. The haste they exhibit for delivering their bayaans is satanic and not permissible.
The best is for the Tabligh brothers to deliver their talks at the back of the Musjid where the disturbance and distraction for musallis will be minimal. They should not expect the Musallis to hastily terminate their Ibaadat merely for listening to their bayaans. This expectation and indirect application of pressure by the Tabligh Jamaat on ignorant musallis is tantamount to preventing the Musallis from Thikrullaah. Thus, they come within the purview of the Qur’aanic Aayat:
“Who is a greater zaalim than the one who prevents from the Musaajid of Allah that His Name be remembered therein……”
Ignorant musallis are indirectly pressurized to sit for the talks. They are prevented from their Thikrullaah, Tilaawat and Nafl Salaat. Some hastily retreat from the Musjid to avoid participating in Tabligh Jamaat bayaans and activities. Indirectly, some ignorant musallis are pressurized to leave the Musjid whereas they have a greater right to being present for even a brief period for Nafl I’tikaaf. Their right is greater than the right of the Tabligh Jamaat for its bayaans.
It is not permissible to appoint juhala and unqualified laymen to give bayaans. This is another vile impermissible practice of the Tabligh Jamaat.
17 Rabiuth Thaani 1444 – 12 November 2022