“It is a clear proof that those who have not achieved reformation despite being in the company of the Ahlullah have not fought off the urges of their nafs and continue to sin in secrecy.”  – Hazratwala (DB)

Asking questions to the speaker after a lecture has become an expected routine. This practice is encouraged without any discretion.  Islamically, there is a lot to be learned in this matter. I would like to remind readers to ponder over some important points before they pose their questions.

Firstly, how well do you know this speaker, and what is their area of expertise? Can you trust them with your Deen? Have they been invited to this gathering because they speak well or are a good fundraiser, or, a true scholar of Deen who has studied the Qur’an, Hadeeth, Fiqh, and science of Usool under the supervision of learned scholars? Imam Ibn-Sireen, advising us about whom we ask and learn from, has a narration collected by Imam Tirmidhi in his Shamaa’il, “This Deen is a very important matter so be cautious as to whom you take it (religious knowledge) from.” (Shamaa’il of Imam Tirmizi)

Of course, this is not to say that speakers or fundraisers should not be invited. Certainly they have their place; however, Islamic questions should be reserved for the experts of Deen, the ‘Ulamaa.

Secondly, what is the purpose behind asking him the question? Is it only to test the speaker’s knowledge and try to challenge or confuse them, or is it to see how liberal or conservative they are? Sometimes, questions are asked only to demonstrate the incompetence of this speaker and that they do not deserve to be re-invited.

Lastly, some people ask questions only in hopes of getting an answer that is appealing to them or one that they feel is correct. Then the “great and very learned scholar” will be the one who gives the answers we like to hear. The same questions are repeatedly asked until someone is found who (out of ignorance or just to please us) gives us our desired answer. In other words, it’s shopping for what we want and not what is in the Qur’an and hadeeth.

During the time of Rasulullah (saw), the Jews would often send people to Rasulullah (saw) to ask questions about Islam. They would train them to ask particular questions and would say to them, “If that Prophet responds to your question in this manner, then say we follow him in that. And if he says otherwise, then tell him that we don’t want to follow what you say.” And so, these predisposed insincere seekers would frequently bombard Rasulullah (saw) with questions. We should all carefully ponder the following verse (regarding these incidents) in which Allah (swt) sternly reprimands them,  “They say “if you are given this, take it, but if you are not given this, then beware!” and whoever Allah (swt) wants to put in Fitnah (error); you can do nothing for him. They are the ones whose hearts Allah (swt) does not want to purify; and for them there is a disgrace in this world and in Hereafter a great torment.” (5:41)

We pray that Allah grant us the ability to remain sincere in our quest for knowledge.  Aameen.

1.  Correct intention: The prime intention is of self-rectification; the purification of the soul.  We should come with this intention that what is being said is a mirror and I will look at my life in the mirror of what is being said. Whatever dark spots I will notice I will clean them. We should listen to what is being said and compare it immediately with our life in order to assess whether that item is in our life or not. With the correct intention three further things are required:

2.  Talab: Desire/want: this is the feeling that I have to take something away with me.

3.  Ihtiyaaj: to be in need: the feeling that I am need of what is being distributed or taught.

4.  Aadaab: etiquette: we should come with respect, sit with respect and observe all the etiquette of acquiring knowledge.

The need and desire should be such that one should feel that if I do not take something (and benefit) today then maybe I will not get something tomorrow. (We should come with this in mind that) today I need to get something to fulfill this spiritual hunger of mine so that if I were to die tomorrow then I will die with a clean heart. The feeling of need should be such that if I do not get what I need today then I don’t know if I will ever get it.  And remember that respect is not in reality respect for the speaker, it is respect for the Qur’an and Ahadeeth.

There always comes a time in a salik’s life where the salik finds them self thinking the following: There are already people doing various things for their shaykh and those people have made those particular things their “thing.”  They also notice that the shaykh has no particular issue with the way things are running, rather the shaykh is quite comfortable with the way things are.  So the poor salik figures, “what’s the point of me doing this or doing that when someone is already doing it?”

Well the simple answer to this question is that no one has a monopoly over the service of their shaykh unless the shaykh specifies otherwise.  Even then, it is the job of true salikeen to present themselves in the service of the shaykh and ask if they can do that particular job even though someone else is already doing it.

Another route the salik may want to take is to figure out such a thing that no one else is doing for the shaykh.  This way the salik has something specific which would help the shaykh and the salik.

Remember the shaykh is not in need of khidmah of the salik, rather the salik is in need of the shaykh and also to make khidmah of the shaykh.

The main point would be that just because someone is already doing something for the shaykh, it does not mean that we don’t find an opportunity to serve our shaykh.

I pray that Allah grants us all the tawfeeq to be in the khidmah of our shaykh.