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THE FUNCTION OF THE ULAMA AND ADVICE FOR THE ULAMA
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THE INSTITUTION OF THE ULAMA
'We have revealed the Thikr (Qur’aan) and verily, We are its Protectors.” (Qur’aan)
Regardless of the numerous and intensive onslaughts which the diverse elements of bid’ah, kufr and modernism direct against the Shariah of Islam, the pristine and beautiful purity of this Deen will never be effaced because Allah Ta’ala, Himself has undertaken the responsibility of protecting Islam as the above mentioned Qur'aanic aayat declares. Further, the Qur’aan Majeed proclaims:
“They (the elements of bid’ah, kufr and modernism) desire to extinguish the Noor of Allah (i.e. Islam/the Sunnah) with their mouths, and Allah will complete His Noor even though the kaafiroon detest it”
ULAMA AND HUFFAAZ
The worldly agency which Allah Ta’ala has created for the protection of the Qur'aanic text is the institution of the Huffaaz. By means of this institution the sacred text will remain pure and unadulterated until the Day of Qiyaamah. The worldly agency which Allah Ta’ala has created for the protection of the meaning of the sacred text, viz., the Shariah and the Sunnah, is the institution of the Ulama-e-Haqq. Placing the seal of his authority on this Institution, Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) declared:
“The Ulama are the Heirs (or the Representatives) of the Ambiya.”
ULAMA’S FUNCTION
The prime function of the Ulama is to safe-guard the Shariah. The originality of the Deen and the preservation of the Sunnah are the sacred duties which have to be discharged by the Office of the Ulama. But, alas! In the present age most learned men known as Ulama are either ignorant of their sacred duties or they have been deflected from their true course by worldly motives and thus have entered into the ranks of the ulama-e-soo’ (the evil ulama) who follow the ways of the ulama-e-soo’ of Bani Israaeel whom the Qur’aan Majeed castigates in this aayat:
“Why do their Auliya and Ulama not prevent them (Bani Israaeel) from their sinful statements and their eating of haraam?” Indeed evil is it which they perpetrated” (Surah Maaidah, aayat 144)
Generally the Ulama of Bani Israaeel were influenced in their interpretations and fataawa by mundane motives. Wealth and worldly glory were their main motives for concealing the Haqq of the Shariah. They betrayed their sacred Office for the sake of the miserable gains of this ephemeral life. This lamentable state of corruption has afflicted numerous of the Ulama of Islam in this age. Kitmaanul Haqq (Concealing the Truth) is practised widely by many Ulama. They deceive themselves with a variety of seemingly holy but baseless arguments to bolster their suppression of the Truth — their abandonment of the Shariah.
ADVICE FOR THE ULAMA
It does not behove the Ulama to employ fiqhi or juristic technicalities for worldly considerations. Even if there is fiqhi scope for an act which can lead to future corruption either for themselves or for the Ummah, they should exercise caution, adopt Taqwa and be motivated by only Divine Pleasure.
The disease of accommodation — accommodation of baatil — is having disastrous consequences on the Akhlaaq (moral character) and Imaan of Muslims. When Ulama fall prey to western and libertine influences, they seek justification for all the moral corruption and ills which the kufr cultures have spawned. They then search for the flimsiest juristic technicality to legalize the ways and the cults of the kuffaar to satisfy their own nafs as well as those who follow them.
SOME SPECIFIC EXAMPLES
Some specific examples of the malpractice of Ulama will be cited by way of Naseehat. Perhaps they will reflect, heed the Naseehat and seek the Pleasure of Allah Ta’ala by honouring the role which Allah Ta’ala has ordained for the Ulama.
Their participation in haraam wedding functions. Some learned men even attend the hall where un-Islamic activities take place on wedding occasions. They sit in that haraam place and devour the contaminated food on which the curse of Allah has settled. The practice of the Ulama-e-Haqq and the Mashaaikh has always been to refuse to eat the food of such a wedding feast (walimah) which has been corrupted by haraam activities.
When an Aalim is aware of the haraam activities which will be executed after the Nikah, it is not proper for him to perform the nikah. He is under Shar’i obligation to decline. He should register his disgust by rejecting the invitation to attend the walimah and by refusing to perform the nikah. The Hadith commanding ‘Hatred for the sake of Allah’ and ‘disgust for transgression’ demands that the Ulama boycott all functions which transgress the Law of Allah Ta’ala. The argument of severing family ties is utterly baseless and is nothing but a classical example of talbees-e-iblees or deception of shaitaan who whispers such stupid arguments into the hearts of those ulama who incline towards nafsaaniyat. Severance of family ties for the sake of Allah Ta’ala is an obligatory duty and an ibaadat of high merit.
Their kitmaanul haqq or concealment of the truth. In order to avoid any controversy or be saved from criticism or to curry the favour of the rich or to be in the good books of western 'intellectuals' and fussaq political leaders, some ulama conceal the truth of the Shar’i requirements. Not only do they conceal it, but they actively suppress it in collusion with baatil elements. They even attempt to use their positions of authority to brow-beat laymen who in their simplicity and sincerity raise queries or objections when they (the Ulama) deviate from the Straight Path. Just recently it has been reported to us that when a brother placed on the Musjid board a pamphlet exposing the baatil and evil of a recent conference of juhala, the Maulana in charge or in authority removed the pamphlet and concealed it in a cupboard. This is a grave act of kitmaanul haqq. The conference was one of total baatil. Shiahs and modernist women with several concomitant un-Islamic factors accompanied this conference. Yet the Maulana deemed it appropriate to passively advocate the feasibility of Muslims attending such a vile gathering. Exposing the Imaan of laymen to kufr was tolerable to this Maulana, but dissemination of the Haqq was not tolerable.
This is not an isolated incident. The general trend in learned circles today is to conceal the truth of the Sunnah; to speak against the Sunnah and to suppress the Shariah to appease the demands and requirements of western modernity.
Their opposition to those Ulama who proclaim the Haqq. Not only do they miserably fail in the execution of their sacred duty of Amr bil Ma’roof Nahy anil munkar (Commanding righteousness and prohibiting evil), they go a step further by opposing other Ulama who by the Fadhl of Allah Ta’ala endeavour to proclaim the Haqq. When they see their own inertia and failings, they become consumed by hasad (envy) for those who maintain aloft the Standard of Islam. The hasad destroys their mental equilibrium and then they recklessly strive to cast impediments in the path of the Ulama-e-Haqq. They will slander the Ulama-e-Haqq, cast aspersions on their integrity, join the ranks of the juhala by branding the Ulama-e-Haqq fanatical, etc. In this approach and attitude they invoke the curse of Allah Ta’ala on themselves.
Their violations of Hijaab. Inspite of being Ulama, they either speak out against the strict restrictions of the Shariah in the matter of Hijaab or find some weak and baatil explanation to interpret away the applicability of the Hijaab regulations in this age. They search for and conjecture up such arguments which will appeal to the public and be palatable to their nafsaani tastes. They present arguments with a superficial Deeni façade to bamboozle laymen into accepting their un-Islamic practices.
In this regard it is seen that Ulama in charge or teaching at some Madrassahs associating freely with female teachers (Apas). They also impart lessons to female teachers with no intervening Hijaab screen. They freely strike up telephone relationships with female teachers and female pupils ostensibly to discuss Deeni masaail when the actual purpose is to discuss nafsaani ‘masaail’ or the politics of the bestial nafs. While they engage in these un-Islamic relationships presenting a Deeni façade as a subterfuge for their nafsaaniyat, they know deep down in their hearts of the tricks and stunts they are up to. The Qur’aan Majeed calls them to attention:
“But, in fact, man has insight into his nafs even though he puts forth excuses? (Surah Bayyinah)
While the Ulama are aware that all our senior Ulama-e-Haqq and Mashaaikh and Fuqaha are unanimous in the prohibition of women attending the Musjid, they have fallen victim to liberal and fisq influence by calling out women from the homes to attend not only the Musjid, but lectures in public halls and even thikr sessions in public places. Much of the decadence of the Ummah is squarely the fault of the Ulama who have by far and large abandoned their sacred role, albeit clinging to the Office of Ilm simply because of the honour and authority the divine institution of the Ulama enjoys in the Ummah. They hanker so much for the worldly honour that even such persons who had acquired their Deeni education at the Madaaris and qualified as Aalims but who later became murtadds by subscribing to the kufr which they subsequently accepted in their ‘postgraduate’ university careers running after the stupid degrees doled out by the kuffaar universities, clinging to the title ‘Maulana’. They do not wish to relinquish such Deeni titles because they crave for recognition. The Muslim public does not recognize as Islamic leaders those who lack in Islamic Knowledge. Those who are not Ulama can never enjoy any platform of prominence and authority in the Ummah. It is this prominence which they pursue. In such pursuit they destroy their Aakhirah.
About the ulama-e-soo’ Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said that they will be the “worst of creation under the sky and above the surface of the earths.”
ABDICATION OF THE ULAMA
The responsibility and the sacred duty of imparting Deeni and Roohaani ta’leem and hidaayat to the Ummah rest squarely on the shoulders of the Ulama. However, we cannot help to observe that the Ulama in these times have sadly failed to discharge the demands of the Amaanat which Allah Ta’ala has imposed on them. Allah Ta’ala has appointed the Ulama as the Representatives of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alayhi wasallam). In this capacity, their prime function is to protect Islam — to provide Deeni hidaayat to the Ummah — to uphold diligently the duty of Amr bil Ma’roof Nahy anil Munkar (Commanding righteousness and prohibiting evil). In this sacred duty they are sadly and lamentably lacking.
The Ulama, themselves, have abandoned Taqwa and Mujahadah against the nafs. What can we then expect of the laity? When the Ulama indulge in the selfsame activities of futility in which ignorant Muslims become involved, we cannot expect the condition of the Ummah to improve. We find Ulama indulging in kuffaar sports, listen to cricket commentaries, attending westernized wedding functions, watching television, indulging in insurance, sending their daughters to kuffaar secular schools, abandoning Hijaab (Purdah) and many more un-Islamic and haraam practices. It is for this reason that they have decided to seal their lips and tacitly condone evil and haraam. As a result of their indulgence in prohibitions and abandonment of Taqwa, they lack the courage for upholding the standard of Amr bil Ma’roof.
Instead of guiding the Ummah along Seeratul Mustaqeem, they keep the minds of Muslims fossilized by diverting their attention with issues which do not assist in the moral and spiritual upliftment of the Ummah. On Big Nights such as Lailatul Qadr, 15th Night of Sha’baan, etc., which are nights to be spent in solitude at home remembering Allah Ta’ala by acts of Thikr, Salaat, Dua, Istighfaar, etc., they gather the people in Musaajid in contravention of the Sunnah and repeat stories which people have heard from childhood. Thus, everyone is aware of what had transpired on the night of Mi’raaj in the heavens. Yet, year in and year out, in bid’ah gatherings in the Musaajid, the respected Molvis narrate the same stories while entirely ignoring the spiritual ills and the moral corruption in which Muslims are wallowing.
The community is guilty of perpetrating grave acts of transgression against the Law of Allah Ta’ala. Gambling, alcohol, riba, fornication, severing family ties, injustice to wives, fraternizing with kuffaar, consumption of haraam and doubtful substances, adoption of kuffaar styles, un-Islamic wedding functions, bid’ah, abandonment of Purdah and a multitude of other evils and corruptive acts. Yet, the Ulama who take to the public platform in Musaajid are largely silent on these issues which contaminate and destroy Imaan.
The Ulama at times even aid and abet in the perpetration of sin. When un-Islamic haraam wedding functions are organized, they attend the so-called ‘walimahs’ of the wealthy to appease them. In the process, they adopt silence in the face of un-Islamic customs and practices which occur at these evil functions. It is the duty of the Aalim who knows his duty to abstain from even performing the nikah of his wealthy ‘friend’ when he is aware that a haraam wedding function is to follow the nikah. The Aalim's duty is Naseehat, for Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) has said:
“Deen is Naseehat.”
When the Maulana Saheb refrains from Naseehat, who else will discharge this obligation?
We are not advocating that the nikah be banned from the Musjid if it is to be attended by an un-Islamic wedding function. But, the Aalim should not perform the nikah. Any other mercenary may perform the nikah which is a simple process. The Aalim should not grace the nikah with his presence and provide veiled sanction for the haraam wedding function which is to follow the nikah.
On funeral occasions, we find women shamelessly congregating at the home of the mayyit. From all over the neighbourhood they brazenly walk the streets and enter the mayyit’s home in full view of the males who mill around the entrance. The Aalim Saheb will also enter and by his silence condone the intermingling of men and women. In this way he aids in the breakdown of Islamic morals. Rather than courting the displeasure of the people, he chooses to court the Wrath of Allah Ta’ala by becoming part and parcel of the satanic shows and displays of bid’ah and customs which find neither origin nor sanction in the Sunnah of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alayhi wasallam).
Instead of concerning themselves with the Aqaa-id and Teachings of Islam, they have assumed on them the role of policing ‘halaal certificates’ which benefit only the kuffaar business enterprises. In the issuing and annual renewal of ‘halaal certificates’, they may have initiated a lucrative trade and money-making operation, but in the process they have broken down the inhibitions which the ordinary Muslims once had for consuming haraam foods. Although almost every aspect of the chicken-trade is in conflict with the Shariah, the Ulama have assumed upon themselves the distinction of approving the haraam operations and sanctioning the spiritually contaminated chickens. They thus aid the process of breaking down Imaan.
The Office of the Ulama is not meant to be used so cheaply. In fact, such abuse of the lofty Office is an insult to the Knowledge of Nubuwwat which the Ulama have acquired.
Others who are supposed to be Ulama of the Deen, aspire for positions in kuffaar universities. They submit themselves and their Deeni Knowledge to the ignominy of kufr education. They sit at the feet of kaafir professors as obedient students, swallowing the muck and filth gorged up by their kaafir tutors. Such searchers of the world — such spineless men pursuing worldly fame and wealth by disguising Deeni Knowledge, are truly speaking, wolves in sheep’s clothing or shayaateen in the bodies of human beings. They destroy themselves, the Deen and the ordinary Muslim who comes into contact with them. They present a plethora of baseless and stupid excuses to justify their pursuit of positions in kaafir universities — colleges of kufr and immorality. They are not guides. They cannot be guides of the Ummah. They are mudhilleen. They are deviates who lead unwary Muslims astray.
The Ulama are supposed to be the brains and the heart of the community. If these vital organs become deranged or ill, the entire community will become deranged and ill, morally and spiritually. This is precisely the situation prevailing throughout the world today. The Ulama are sick, hence the Ummah is sick. A morally and spiritually sick people can never be a vibrant Ummah whose sacred duty it is to raise the Word of Allah and carry aloft the Banner of Jihaad. We find Ulama who have spent years at the Madaaris acquiring the Knowledge of the Deen and the ways of the Sunnah returning home to compromise with bid’ah and baatil, justifying their capitulation by the presentation of dubious expediencies. They dub their policy of dubious diplomacy as ‘hikmat’. But, their compromise with bid’ah and baatil is never hikmat. Their ways and attitudes are tantamount to trading the Haqq of Islam for a miserable price. Consider the one example of Dua-Bis-Sir (or to make dua after the Fardh Salaat silently). While this act may appear to be small and insignificant, it has far reaching effects in our context. While they are fully aware that Dua-Bis-Sir is the original Sunnah practice unanimously upheld in all four Math-habs, the Ulama return to South Africa after years of study at the Madaaris to perpetuate the bid’ah practice of Jahri Dua (loud dua). This they do inspite of the fact that in all their years at the Madrassah, whether in Deoband, Jalalabad, Saharanpur or elsewhere, they and all the Asaatizah and all the Ulama always, without fail, adhered to Sirri Dua. But, when they return to South Africa, they suddenly find a case to justify their departure from the Sunnah in favour of a bid’ah. Instead of educating their flocks and propagating the Sunnah, they follow the ignoramuses and the jaahil trustees of Musaajid.
There are many such acts of somersault and deviation of which the Ulama are guilty, hence they miserably fail to direct their flock along the Path of Haqq. In the process of this devious path, even their own following loses confidence in them.
The need is imperative for the Ulama to meditate and do much soul-searching. They must have mercy on the pitiable and lamentable condition of the Ummah. They must rise to uphold the Haqq and repose their trust in only Allah Azza Wa Jal. Allah is an adequate Refuge.
