Tabligh-Movement

Tabligh Movement 4. TWO DAYS IN NIZAMUDDINto propagate the message of Islam. On entering theProphet’s mosque, one felt as if one had reached anoasis after being exposed to extremes of climate.The Prophet’s mosque of that time was not a grandbuilding with every comfort. On the contrary, whatwas special about it was the pure Islamic envi-ronment which attracted people from far and near.There one could see real concern among the peopleto propagate the message of God, there one couldsee in the lives of the people the Quran beingpractised in the real sense of the word. Whoeverattended the gatherings of the Prophet’s mosquecould not help being impressed.Bangla Wali Mosque has been successful in creatingjust such an environment for more than a quarter ofa century. It is a revival of one aspect of theProphet’s Sunnah, the like of which is hard to findin the recent past. In this world, there is no dearthof offices set up in the name of Islam. But an IslamicCentre on the pattern of Masjid-e-Nabavi is veryrare. This fact in itself makes it worthy of thepromised divine succour. It is related that SyedAtaullah Shah Bukhari, the great religious scholar,once visited this place, was so impressed by the ~ 101 ~

Tabligh Movement 4. TWO DAYS IN NIZAMUDDINactivities of the mosque, that he observed in one ofhis speeches: “I thought that Nizamuddin Auliahad passed away. But I have learnt that he still liveson. I have renewed my faith during my stay here.Whosoever wishes to do the same should visit thisplace.”In order to understand the method that is adoptedby this movement, we need to go back to itsbeginning. During my visit to the centre, while Iwas conversing with an associate of this mission, anelderly person who, by his appearance, seemed tobe an illiterate villager, sat next to me. When one ofmy colleague casually mentioned shahadah(martyrdom), the villager added in a calm anddignified tone, “particularly when death occurs inthe path of propagating the divine message.” Thisremark of the villagers tells us that those whodevote themselves to this mission, even if they beilliterate villagers, acquire a certain degree ofenlightenment and wisdom.I turned to him out of curiosity to find out who hewas. He was a Mewati who had joined thismovement at the age of eighteen through the ~ 102 ~

Tabligh Movement 4. TWO DAYS IN NIZAMUDDINinspiration of Maulana Ilyas. Since then he hasnever looked back.This Mewati missionary had now grown old,bearded and of browner skin, and his simple andconfident words made me feel as though I were inthe presence of one of the companions of theProphet. I listened ‘to him with rapt attention just asan obedient student does to his kind teacher. I stillregret that our conversation was interrupted andwe had to separate.He recounted the whole story of how Maulana Ilyashad been confronted with stiff resistance by unrulyMewati villagers when he attempted to reformthem, and how on one occasion, in return for hisexhortations, he had received a hard blow, as aresult of which he had collapsed. The way he wonthe hearts of this barbarous people is a long storywhich has already been mentioned in the firstchapter. To be brief, Maulana Ilyas realized from hisexperience that until the Mewatis were separatedfrom their environment, the intended result couldnot be achieved. They were, therefore, brought tostay in mosques for a period of time in order to be ~ 103 ~

Tabligh Movement 4. TWO DAYS IN NIZAMUDDINexposed to the Islamic environment. Free from theworries and concerns of their daily chores, theyproved to be more receptive to the message thancould ever have been expected. The Bangla WaliMosque became a practical centre where thismethod was applied to all those who gatheredthere. The Islamic environment is manifest there forall the twenty-four hours of the day. There is onlyone topic which dominates all conversation—theestablishment of a proper relationship with God,because it is in God’s hands that all power rests.AN ACTIVE TRAINING CAMPThe Tabligh missionaries aim at creating in themosques they visit the same spiritual atmospherethat is found in Bangala Wali Mosque. During theirvisit to a mosque, they first go round theneighbourhood and invite people to the mosque.When the people have gathered they first have tosay their prayers, then they are asked torecite parts from the Quran. Afterwards passagesfrom the Hadith are read out to them, then they arehelped to learn certain prayers by heart. They aretold the rewards of good deeds and are reminded of ~ 104 ~

Tabligh Movement 4. TWO DAYS IN NIZAMUDDINtheir religious responsibilities. After they havereformed themselves to a certain extent, they areexhorted to spare some time to teach others whatthey have learnt. After understanding theimplications of religion they should set out to makeothers understand. That is the most important partof the training. This method has worked wonders.Many who were steeped in ignorance havereformed their lives in its wake. They do not restcontent at their personal reform but burn with zealand ambition to reform others as well — to bringothers to the same straight path which they havefound for themselves.Another feature peculiar to Tabligh is that, despitethe change in leadership, its work has not slackenedsince its inception; rather it is on the increase. Nomovement can claim this distinction in modernhistory.The history of modern parties shows that in theinitial stage, they succeed in influencing people andattracting great minds, but that before long theirwork comes to a standstill. The people who hadjoined at the outset of the movement remained their ~ 105 ~

Tabligh Movement 4. TWO DAYS IN NIZAMUDDINonly asset. No movement of modern times showsthe capacity to continue to influence people on anintellectual plane. Although such movements seemto prosper even in the second phase so far asmembership numbers are concerned, this success isnot of the same nature as the original one. It almostassumes the form of a business, and the goal isrelegated to the background.The Tabligh movement enjoys a special advantageover other movements in that its appeal is enduringeven today, and it has considerably expanded itshorizons. People take part in its programmes withincreasing interest and the numbers of new peoplecoming to its fold are ever-increasing. The changein the lives of such people is pronounced, and thepropagation of the message is on the increase.Usually movements and parties are a product oftheir own time and circumstances. Although theyclaim to have derived their goal from eternal truthsand use similar terms to express their aims andobjectives, they are set in the present – a reaction tothe circumstances. But the Tabligh work far frombeing something of momentary significance is ~ 106 ~

Tabligh Movement 4. TWO DAYS IN NIZAMUDDINbased on eternal truths. It is eternal values thatconcern this movement. Its appeal is to humannature which is not subject to change. Whileexternal circumstances are in a state off flux, issueswhich initially seemed important tend to lose theircharm. So a movement based on current issues cannever have a lasting appeal. It can only find itsplace in the storehouse of history. Since the Tablighmovement is based on the demands of humannature; its appeal is lasting, and, so long as itspeople continue to carry on the work with sincerityof intention, the appeal will last, no matter howcircumstances may change.After Nizamuddin I stopped on my way at Aligarh.I was surprised to find hundreds of students whohad undergone a transformation through the effortsof Tabligh workers over the last few years. Therewas a markedly different attitude towards religionthen than there had been when I went there a fewyears ago. The students who were known forhaving disregarded religion under the influence ofwestern culture and education could now be seengoing to the mosque for their daily prayers; theyvisit the Nizamuddin Bangla Wali Mosque, to ~ 107 ~

Tabligh Movement 4. TWO DAYS IN NIZAMUDDINperform chillas. At times it becomes difficult todistinguish them from the students educated inArabic schools. They have become more courteousand show more respect for one another than before.Even before leaving for the examination halls, theygo to the mosque to pray to God to help them.There has never before been such a spiritualatmosphere in Aligarh, although theology hasalways been taught as a compulsory subject at theuniversity.Considering the transformation that the students atAligarh Muslim University have undergone, asolution to the grave problems facing our country’syounger generation is obviously in sight. The mainproblem is one of safeguarding our youth againstthe harmful influences of secular education.Nowadays the acquisition of a secular education onmodern lines has become an inescapable necessity.This is not only because economics and alliedsubjects have come to the fore in the world oflearning, but because, in the words of the Quran, itis the power of the day, and it is our duty to acquireit so that we may construct a worthy and stablenational life. However, such traditions as have come ~ 108 ~

Tabligh Movement 4. TWO DAYS IN NIZAMUDDINto be associated with secular education either leadto atheism or, at best, to a loss of religious interest,and worldly goals are relentlessly pursued to thedetriment of moral and religious values. However,the present environment at Aligarh brings anelement of hope to this scene in that it shows us theway to discharge our duties. We can now help ouryoung men to acquire a religious education side byside with a secular one; Tabligh provides a religiousenvironment where they can be indoctrinated inreligious beliefs and practices without this in anyway being an obstacle to their studies. It is mypersonal experience that those students who devotea part of their time to religious pursuits do not lagbehind their secular classfellows. They pass theirexaminations with good marks because, oncereligion has entered their lives, it acts as anintellectual stimulus and makes them more seriousand more conscious of their duties. As a result, theysave much time which would otherwise be wastedin fruitless activities. Their attitude towards lifechanges in its wake. They organize their lives moresystematically and with a greater sense ofresponsibility, all of which enables them to carry ~ 109 ~

Tabligh Movement 4. TWO DAYS IN NIZAMUDDINout their work more efficiently. And God indeedblesses their efforts.The Tabligh work has now spread all over Europeand America. Groups of volunteers are goingabroad to spread the message, while people fromabroad throng to the centre here to avail of thespiritual environment that prevails here.Tabligh centres have been set up in many countrieswhere, besides part-time volunteers, many otherpeople have dedicated themselves to this missionon a full-time basis. Many of the students who goabroad to receive higher education prefer to keep intouch with the Tabligh volunteers during their stay,as this helps to keep them from falling under thepernicious influences of western apostasy.Today the whole Muslim world has thrown itselfinto the field of secular education and our finestbrains are receiving education in secularinstitutions. Were such students to keep in touchwith the missionaries, they would surely escape anyharmful influence. Two great benefits are to begained through such contacts between students andmissionaries, without their economic interests being ~ 110 ~

Tabligh Movement 4. TWO DAYS IN NIZAMUDDINin the least affected. Not only are baneful influenceskept at bay, but the message can thus be betterspread at home and abroad. Once students aretrained they can continue to take up the task bysparing some time from their business or service,depending upon what course they have embarkedupon after completing their education. If this plan issuccessful, the same process can be repeated onceagain, Insha Allah, which occurred in Arabia in theearly period of Islam when Muslim merchantstravelled to all the corners of the globe, makingcommerce a means of spreading the divinemessage.The Tabligh people believe in conveying themessage by means of personal approach: throughconversation, speech, meetings and so on. Theyundertake journeys to convey these thoughts andideas directly to the congregation. The only part thepress plays in this mission is the publication ofcertain books, for example on the sayings of theProphet and his companions and on the virtues ofgood deeds, etc. These books provide themissionaries with material for their speeches, andthey are read out at congregations in order to ~ 111 ~

Tabligh Movement 4. TWO DAYS IN NIZAMUDDINimpart education to the assembly. Notwithstandingthe major role of the press in modern times, its rolein this instance is nominal. The Tabligh organizeshuge gatherings every year such as no other partycan manage to do, but they neither publishadvertisements, handbills and posters, nor is anyannouncement made by loudspeaker. Hundredsand thousands of people have involved themselvesin this work but no magazine is issued to bringthem together, to educate them, or to give theminstructions. I personally know that on one occasionwhen an editor of a certain newspaper publishedreports about a gathering that was being organized,the senior members went and met the editor toprotest about it.No doubt, holding such views will appear to beverging on fanaticism, but this firm attitude hasbrought about a high degree of efficiency which noother movement can claim to possess. It is a factthat when someone is advocating his beliefs andideas to others in person, his words bear the wholeforce of his personality. There is sweetness in hiswords, feeling in his style and conviction in histone. Moreover, when this conversation takes place ~ 112 ~

Tabligh Movement 4. TWO DAYS IN NIZAMUDDINin a religious milieu that lends further emphasis toit. It is on a parallel with just listening to the sound-track of a play on the radio, as compared to beingpresent in the theatre while it is being staged. Thesame difference is to be found between conveyingthe message through the news media and in makinga personal approach.There are, moreover, further advantages to thispersonal approach. It is possible, for example, tochange the style of the speech to suit the needs ofthe audience. This is just not possible if the messageis imparted through the medium of books ormagazines. In one of the speeches made atNizamuddin, it was related that at a certain place ajuggler was making his monkeys perform. Whenthe Tabligh people saw him, they went up to him toinvite him to join in the prayers with them, but herefused. They came back in despair and said thatthey had done their best to persuade him but hewould not relent. Then three more people followedthem. They said to him, “Sir, why are you spoilingyour life by making these monkeys dance? In thenext world God’s angels will make you dance to thesame tune.” The juggler was moved. He listened to ~ 113 ~

Tabligh Movement 4. TWO DAYS IN NIZAMUDDINthem seriously, then followed them to the mosque,tied the monkeys outside it, and himself entered themosque to say his prayers.Similarly, a preacher who resorts to oral methodshas another advantage, that is, if his congregationfinds it difficult to understand his message, he canillustrate it by means of practical examples whichbring the point home.The third benefit of the personal approach is thatthrough contacts and exchanges of views, themissionary himself gains a great deal: new ideas,new ways of expression—and an access to theminds of the people, all of which helps him greatlyto frame the message in a manner that others canunderstand. In the process, the style of expressionbecomes simpler and more real. It becomes lucidand spontaneous, and this certainly has a greaterappeal for the listeners than the written word.During my stay at the centre, I heard the prayers ofthe chief of the Tabligh: one sentence of which ranlike this: “May God bless our religious activities andactivate us in every sphere connected withreligion.” This shows that they are not merely ~ 114 ~

Tabligh Movement 4. TWO DAYS IN NIZAMUDDINconcerned with the revival of Kalima and prayers,but have set their sights on the revival of the wholeof religion.The only difference between Tabligh and other reli-gious movements lies in the method of functioning– irrespective of the fact that others may regardsomething as part of religion while its members donot, or that others consider a certain part in need ofbeing revived with which they do not necessarilyagree.It is generally known that Tabligh is concerned withKalimah and prayer. In actual fact, it is a movementof faith and conviction; faith in the unseen realities,faith in God. Maulana Ilyas aptly called thismovement a movement of faith. The Tabligh peoplefirmly believe that the external factors which areapparently at work in life have no inherent power,and that all power rests with God, who is behindoutward appearances. Because people usually tendto believe in forms which are visible – and wecannot do away with forms – we have to encouragethem to stop putting their trust in mere externals,and concentrate their minds on the superior reality. ~ 115 ~

Tabligh Movement 4. TWO DAYS IN NIZAMUDDINThe uninitiated profess that all things can workwithout recourse to God, whereas there is nothingwhich can actually work without the will of God.We have, therefore, to purify our hearts of allthoughts of misdirected trust in objects, save God;only then can our actions be acceptable to God. Thismakes it clear that the difference between Tablighand other movements is not one of a limited or abroader concept of religion. On the contrary, it liesin the definition of arenas in which to exert theirenergies towards the establishment and revival ofreligion. There are some who regard the arena oftheir struggle as being Parliament House or anelection campaign. On the contrary, the Tablighpeople bring us to the point of placing our totaltrust in God who has power over all things. Theyexhort us to seek help from Him alone in allmatters.By establishing our relations with God, we receiveall, as everything is in God’s hands: it is He who hasthe upper hand in all events.The Tabligh mission holds that it is God who is thecause of the causes; who determines our destinies, ~ 116 ~

Tabligh Movement 4. TWO DAYS IN NIZAMUDDINwho nourishes and sustains, who confers power onor withholds it from whomsoever He wills. Allpower belongs to Him. To expend our energies,therefore, on objects other than God is like trying tolight a room by struggling with bulbs instead ofwith the switches. Since the predominance of divinereligion as well as of the believers is associated withthe cause which are in God’s hand, so also can it berealized by pleasing God and making ourselvesworthy of divine succour. The circumstances of theworld will change in our favour only when wewholeheartedly submit to His will. Anotheradvantage of Tabligh comes from its having baseditself on faith rather than on reason. There are twoways of laying stress upon the importance of anycause. One is through the mind, and the other isthrough the heart. The former approach hasrecourse to reason and logic in order to prove thetruth, while the latter approach plays on theemotions and feelings to convince the listener.Those who have a knowledge of philosophy canunderstand how difficult and delicate the formerpath is. In actual fact, some hold, that it is not onlydifficult to prove or disprove anything on rational ~ 117 ~

Tabligh Movement 4. TWO DAYS IN NIZAMUDDINand logical grounds, but that it is impossible toprove anything by reason, even in this age ofreason. If any rational movement has ever suc-ceeded, it is not by dint of logical arguments, butbecause, by chance or by accident, it containedcertain emotional aspects as well. We can furnishsome instances from Socialism, Democracy,Evolution and so on. It is a fact that Socialism, uptill now, has yet to be established by the standardsof pure reason. Democracy has been exposed toinnumerable objections, to which no satisfactoryanswer has yet been given. The theory of biologicalevolution, from the academic point of view, has somany flaws that it can at best be described as abelief rather than a theory. The success of thesetheories does not lie in their being rational andlogical arguments, but in their having benefitedfrom an emotional environment which alreadyexisted.To prove something by means of pure logic andreason is indeed to attempt to catch a phoenixwhich has yet to exist. But there are other factorswhich we can put to good use. They are nature andtradition. It is no exaggeration to say that, even ~ 118 ~

Tabligh Movement 4. TWO DAYS IN NIZAMUDDINtoday, nature and tradition shape the personalitiesof almost 99 percent of the people.Those who are born Muslims have an extra elementin their favour; that is, they are brought up in theMuslim tradition, and in most cases they areimparted religious education in their childhood. Atan unconscious level, at least, the religious outlookhas a firm hold upon them. They might outwardlyappear irreligious but, owing to the nature andtradition that they have inherited, in their innerselves, almost all are Islamic. The hold is usuallyupon their feelings and not upon their beliefs. Thatis why they respond to the impassioned appealsmade by the missionaries. They hear the details ofheaven and hell, their hearts are moved, the chordsof their inner feelings are struck by means of prayer,even avowedly irreligious people break down andcry, deeply touched. Their appeal may not beendowed with reason, but it has an ecstatic value init. And gradually the unconscious self comes todominate when it is regularly exposed to suchvoices and is reborn. The greatest secret of successof the Tabligh mission lies in their exploiting theinherent emotional basis rather than attempting to ~ 119 ~

Tabligh Movement 4. TWO DAYS IN NIZAMUDDINcatch the rational phoenix. This procedure mayappear non-religious but the success rate is centpercent.Now the question arises as to what the Tabligh isdoing. Is it right, and does it suffice for the revivalof religion? This question has remained a subject ofdiscussion for a long period of time. In my view, ananswer can be found, which, while accepting thefull importance of Tabligh work, also acknowledgesthe need to provide intellectual satisfaction to thosewho want to work in other fields as well, providedthat on an intellectual plane they are able to relatethe different aspects of the work as a whole, thusserving the same purpose from different angles.My study of the Quran and the Hadith has broughtme to the conclusion that the demands of religionare of two kinds. The first is related to the essence,the soul of religion; the realization of God, theestablishment of a relationship of fear and hope, oftrust, of submission to Him in all one’s affairs, bethey spiritual or material.The second demand is temporal, created by circum-stances. It is true that religion does at times come ~ 120 ~

Tabligh Movement 4. TWO DAYS IN NIZAMUDDINinto conflict with other ideologies in the world. It ischallenged at various points, and to defend it andmaintain its intellectual and material status, wehave to deal with a great diversity of situations indifferent ways. Sometimes it becomes urgent tomake peace, as at Hudaibiyya, and sometimesdefence is urgently called for, as at Badr andHunain. At other times we have to take recourse torational arguments when religion comes face to facewith such thoughts as subvert its very basis, as hashappened in the past when Muslims were exposedto Greek thought.The former demand concerns the essence of religionand is permanently to be desired; the latter is arelative part of religion determined by thecircumstances. At times the relative part assumesthe same importance as the real; but when the needvanishes it loses its importance.If this interpretation is acceptable, I think we can re-late all parts to a cohesive whole, bringing togetherall of them on one platform in order to work for thesame cause. Thus all of us can share in the revival ofreligion according to our capacities. What we all ~ 121 ~

Tabligh Movement 4. TWO DAYS IN NIZAMUDDINdesire, but have failed to achieve, is to create aunited platform. Due emphasis must be accorded tothe Tabligh work and the important part played byit in reviving the essence of religion. This is myview as regards the main mission of Tabligh, butnot as regards the particular method of workingthat they have adopted, since the method offunctioning of any movement or party is purelyrelative.While the importance of the Tabligh mission mustbe accepted, the need to work in different arenas isalso acute. Capable people from the Ummah shouldcome forward to share in this gigantic task ofIslamic revival. If they are sincere in its pursuit, theTabligh people must give them due recognition andencouragement. They should even help them at anindividual level.In the latter half of the 20th century some of theissues facing us are: the restoration of the honourand dominance of the Muslims in the modernworld, the compilation of Islamic law according tothe needs of modern times, the preparation of a newsystem of education for Muslims which caters to ~ 122 ~

Tabligh Movement 4. TWO DAYS IN NIZAMUDDINpresent needs and situations, the preparation ofmissionary literature, keeping in view the require-ments of the modern mind and challenges frommodern ideologies. All these objectives call for adefence of religion on an academic level. It isbeyond a single person or a group to perform allthese tasks. What is desirable is that the importanceof one another’s work be recognized. There shouldbe mutual consultation and assistance. The coordi-nation that is required can be illustrated by theexample of the electricity which is generated in thepower house and the machines which are producedin factories. Their utility would be zero if they didnot meet at some point. It is by their relating to oneanother that they acquire meaning and efficacy. Ifsuch unity is achieved on an intellectual level by theUmmah, it will eventually bring immense benefits.The revival of Islam which, for centuries had beenan empty dream, will become a reality in a matter ofyears or even just months. ~ 123 ~