Monday, October 4, 2021

‘Tarbiyat’ Meetings in Jamaat

 

'O my dear son, associate with the Learned and sit respectfully in their presence. For, Allah gives life to hearts by the light of His wisdom, as He revives the dead-earth by life-giving rain from the heavens'---Luqman, the Wise. 

With the Holy and august presence and continuous guidance of Khalifatul Muslemeen Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius,  the Jamaat ul Sahih Al Islam International today seeks to revive and renew amongst its members the great Islamic tradition of learning and seeking wisdom in the company of the Righteous. In this context, Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam- India organized a number of Tai’lim/ Tarbiyat/ Study-Circle meetings in recent weeks for the benefit of its members in Tamil Nadu, and also in Kerala, including by women’s wing of the Jamaat, Siraj Makin Djawaharatul Kamal. In view of the continuing (Covid- 19 related) restrictions on physical meetings in several places, the Jamaat members have used both Online and Offline methods of collective learning, Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah.  


In Tamil Nadu, Tarbiyat meetings were organized in Kottar and Melappalayam in the last week of September 2021. Brothers such as Khalil Rahman Saheb, Suleiman Samil Saheb, Sheikh Malukar Saheb, and Muhammad Nabil Saheb led the discussions at the meetings- exchanging views on important spiritual themes such as dietary practices of the Holy Prophet (sa); the Promised Messiah (as)’ views on ‘Ilm-ul-Yaqeen’; Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba)’s perspectives on Ghibbat -the sins of thinking and speaking ill of others, backbiting, etc. 

Likewise, on 26 September 2021, a Tarbiyyat meeting was organized at the Melappalayam Masjid under the Chairpersonship of Mukarram Noor-ud-Din Saheb, the respected Tarbiyyat Secretary of the Jamaat in Tamil Nadu. Janab Sabeer Saheb recited the Holy Qur’an; Sofiya Banu Saheba recited a Nazm  from the blessed pen of our beloved Imam Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (aba) of Mauritius. Different speakers such as Muhammad Rafi Saheb, Naseer Saheb and the Chair of the session Noor-ud-Din Saheb covered important topics for expanding the spiritual knowledge and awareness levels of fellow brothers and sisters in the community. The holy teachings of Islam as taught by Promised Messiah Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) and the Imam-e-Inquilab Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) were broadly explained by the discussants on the occasion, Alhamdulillah.     

 

Significance of Collective Learning

In the Islamic ideational world, Allah conferred extraordinary favours and blessings on humans as a species when He created man in His own ‘image’; breathed into him from His own Spirit; taught him what he knew not and made him His trustee in this world. Given the bounteous blessings in the boon of his very existence, man needs to be aware of his duties to God. And he also needs to respect the rights of his fellow human beings and be a ‘trustee’ to our common habitat- the earth and all its living creatures. Hence, Islam postulates the idea that man’s freedom of conduct is balanced, regulated and constrained by responsibilities and duties enshrined in humanity’s Covenant with God when He originally created us in this world.

Notwithstanding the mantle of heavy responsibilities and duties on his shoulders, at the deepest and most intimate level, humans are profoundly weak and vulnerable to the trials of Satan- listening to physical impulses, absorbing flawed social influences, prone to wrong-doing and sins. To navigate through the waters of life in all its complexity in this world, man requires sure knowledge and clear guidance in his struggle against the self, and in his quest to be truly human- without which he is bound to fall and drown in to the abyss. 

Indeed, it’s knowledge alone that can help him to live with a wider consciousness about the world around him, and his place in it. It is only with the help and grace of God that one can follow and remain in the correct and straight Way of life approved by God. That is why Elects of God appear with the light of Divine guidance for the benefit of their peoples. The Light of God (that the Prophets bring in) contains true knowledge vital for the construction of refined individuals, civilized communities and prosperous nations- both materially and spiritually.

 

Learn Qur’an & Sunnah

The greatest Prophet of all times, Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (sa), has left behind a legacy of enduring teachings for the benefit of all mankind.  Indeed, the Qur’anic revelations vouchsafed to the Holy Prophet (sa), and the Prophetic practices (Sunnah) can lead man from earthly darkness to heavenly illumination. Thanks to the continuing vital presence of Divine revelations through the true heirs of the Holy Prophet (sa) in this era in the person of Hazrat Saheb (aba), and our own God-gifted faculty of learning as sources of knowledge, man can hope to comprehend and recognize God’s exalted station, and become a ‘Muslim’ (abiding by His will and plan as a matter of conscious self-surrender to the Shari’ah), Insha Allah, Aameen.


The sacred Ahadith records:

“I leave you that which, if you hold to it, will never let you go astray. The first is greater than the second: the Book of God is a rope extended from heaven to earth, and my progeny, the people of my House. These two shall never be separated, even unto their arrival with me at the Pond. So take care how you disappoint me concerning them.”  ~ Sunan al-Tirmidhi no. 4157, Kitab al-Manaqib; ~ A similar hadith is found in Sahih Muslim no. 6378, Kitab Fada’il al-Sahabah

 

The Holy Prophet (sa) recognized the role of reading and writing as vital instruments for transmitting Divine revelations among the people: to make them gain knowledge and understanding, wisdom and enlightenment. The Holy Qur’an points to the faculty of speech and reasoning in human persons- the art of intelligent and distinct speech, and swears by the symbol of knowledge- the Pen- as signs of God.

Just as Allah (swt) created the Universe and spread the humans around this small planet, the Most Bountiful One also instilled in us, humans, the faculty of reading, writing, speaking and communicating with one another. Indeed, the Islamic spiritual mission literally began with a Divine revelation that directly addresses the role of revelation in the shaping of minds: 'Read! In the name of your Lord who created: He created man from a clot (-germinating-cell). Read! Your Lord is the Most Bountiful One who taught knowledge by [means of] the pen, who taught human being what he did not know.' (96:2-6)

Islam upholds the primacy of ethical values and spiritual education in society, and fosters a culture of learning in its broadest sense for the benefit of mankind. Whereas ignorance leaves one in the depths of darkness of varying kinds, true knowledge can liberate one from all earthly shackles. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) envisaged the Ummah to promote collective learning.  Muslims are obliged to be the agents of education in its widest sense: be a ‘learner’ always, and become a ‘teacher’ to others as well. For, the acquisition of true knowledge is central to individual reform and social benefit. For instance, the Holy Prophet (sa) said: Whoever takes a path upon which to obtain knowledge, Allah makes the path to Paradise easy for him.— Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2646.

Likewise, the Messenger of Allah (sa) is also reported to have said: ‘Whoever goes seeking knowledge, then, he is in Allah’s cause until he returns.’ — Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2647

“The best form of Charity is when a Muslim man gains Knowledge, and then he teaches it to his Muslim brother.”— Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadith 243

 

Many other Prophetic traditions and sayings of the pious Caliphs also point to the exalted space of knowledge and wisdom in the Muslim life:

‘One Faqih (knowledgeable man) is more formidable against the Shaitan than one thousand devoted worshipers.’Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadith 222.

‘The ink of scholar is equal to the blood of martyr’.

The fourth Caliph Hazrat Ali ibn Abu Talib (ra) is reported to have said. accentuating the importance of knowledge: ‘I would be slave of a person who teaches me a letter.’

Hisham bin Hassan narrated from Al-Hasan (ra) concerning the Verse of Allah: ‘O Our Lord, give us good in this world, and good in the Hereafter’; he said: “Knowledge and worship in this world, and Paradise in the Hereafter.”Jami` at-Tirmidhi, 3488.

 

When ‘Ilm’ is Snatched Away

The Holy Prophet of Islam (sa) had penetrating insights into the future conditions of the world, especially of the vents in the ebb and flow of time among his people, the Muslims in the Later Days. A close reading of those statements and sacred Ahadith would leave no one in doubt about their fulfilment in the stark realities of our own times-in many different ways. Consider the Ahadith on the decline and fall of Muslim spirituality, and the significance of reclaiming true knowledge for remaining in the Path of Allah (swt):   

Abu Darda’ related that the Prophet gazed at the sky and said, “These are times when knowledge is snatched away from the people such that they cannot make use of it at all.” Ziyad bin Labid al-Ansari asked him, “How can it be snatched away from us, as we recite the Quran? For by God we recite it, our women and children as well.” 

He said, “Shame on you, Ziyad. I counted you among the learned of Madinah. The Torah and Gospel are with the Jews and Christians. Does it avail them anything?” ~ Sunan al-Tirmidhi no. 2865, Kitab al-‘Ilm.

 

 “God does not withdraw knowledge from the people, but takes the learned and with them knowledge disappears. What remains among the people are ignorant leaders who make religious decisions for them without knowledge. They misguide and are misguided.”   ~ Sahih Muslim no. 6974, Kitab al-‘Ilm

“Beware of excessiveness in religion. Those before you perished only for excessiveness in religion.” ~ Sunan al-Nasa’i no. 3070, Kitab Manasik al-Hajj

(When) the time would draw close to the Last Hour, knowledge would be snatched away; turmoil would be rampant; miserliness would be put (in the hearts of the people) and there would be much bloodshed. The companions asked: What is al-Harj ? Thereupon the Holy Prophet (sa) said: “It is bloodshed; killings”.— Sahih Muslim 157.

Hazrat Abu Hurairah (ra) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sa) said, “The world, with all that it contains, is accursed except for the Remembrance of Allah and that which pleases Allah; and the knowledgeable persons and seekers of knowledge.”

It was narrated that Abu Umamah reports: ‘The Messenger of Allah (sa) said: ‘You must acquire this knowledge before it is taken away, and its taking away means that it will be lifted up.’ He joined his middle finger and the one that next to the thumb like this, and said:  ‘The scholar and the seeker of knowledge will share the reward, and there is no good in the rest of the people.’— Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadith 228.

 

“The religion will gather itself up in the Hijaz as a snake gathers itself up in its burrow, and the religion will take refuge in the Hijaz as a goat does on a mountaintop. The religion began a stranger and is returning a stranger. Blessed are those who set right my Wont (Sunnah) when people seek to corrupt it.” ~ Sunan al-Tirmidhi no. 2839, Kitab al-Iman.