Tablig Jam'at: Questions

[Abu Abdullah]

Assalamu alaikum dear brothers,

I guess you know about 'Tablig Jam'at', a dawah activity for muslims worldwide. If you don't, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tablighi_Jamaat. There are many confusions about their activities. From one point of view, their activities seem to be Bida't. But from another point of view, they seem to be alright.

For example, they travel from one mosque to another, and sometimes the mosques are situated far away from one another. This seems to contradict the following hadiths:

Narrated Quza'a: I heard Abu Sa`id saying four words. He said, "I heard the
Prophet (saying the following narrative)." He had participated in twelve holy battles with the Prophet. Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "Do not set out on a journey except for three Mosques i.e. Al−Masjid−AI−Haram, the Mosque of Allah's Apostle , and the Mosque of Al−Aqsa, (Mosque of Jerusalem)." (Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 2, 281)

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported it directly from Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) that he said: Do not undertake journey but to three mosques: this mosque of mine, the Mosque of al−Haram and the Mosque of Aqsa (Bait al−Maqdis). (Sahih Muslim, Vol. 2, 3218)

Abu Basra Al-Gifari (R) met Abu Huraira (R) in his way while he was returning from a travel. Then Abu Huraira (R) asked him from where he was returning. Abu Basra (R) replied that he had prayed at At-Tur and was returning. Hearing this, Abu Huraira (R) said, ' If you had met me before you started, because I heard Messenger of Allah saying: "Do not set out on a journey except for three Mosques i.e. Al−Masjid−AI−Haram, the Mosque of Allah's Apostle , and the Mosque of Al−Aqsa, (Mosque of Jerusalem)."  (Ahmad)

POSSIBLE EXPLANATION

The Hadiths prohibit setting out for mosque if one has the intention for virtue (through Salat). But the people of Tablig don't do this for Salat but for Daw'ah. This may say that their traveling from one mosque to another distant one is alright.

Can someone knowledgeable please make this clear? And please don't think that I am against Tablig. I am neither with them nor against them. I am neutral here and just want to clear my confusion. So please be neutral too, dear brothers.

And this is not my only question about them. After clarifying this one, InshAllah I will post more questions about Tablig Jam'at in this thread.

Waiting for your replies.

And Allah knows best.........

Abu Abdullah

[theydontreadthebible]

Also isn't there something like this:
Muslims are the models non muslims should look after. So they will want to come closer to islam just by your attitude and way of life.

So be patient, don't curse, don't rage, don't make fun of people, help people in need, etc.

Treat people as you wish others would treat you.

We don't need to invite people to islam, we don't need to force islam... Quran clealry tells us, Allah is who guides people to the right path, right? They can become muslim even just hearin one verse of the quran, or they need to know everything first. But we can't go and spam them with hey look what quran says;(for example) if you don't believe u go to hell.

For we must not make people feel strange about islam, we just need to live as good as possible that they THEMSELVES come to us and ask us to share knowledge and whatnot.

So the best we can do is: be a good role model, right?

(For one ignorant western guy who never has been in touch with muslims, and only believes what he hears on media, he thinks muslims are bad. But when they travel and/or meet a very very nice muslim people, they will AUTOMATICALLY start talking about what he hears in media and question you. That's our nature, questioning.)

[submit]

POSSIBLE EXPLANATION

The Hadiths prohibit setting out for mosque if one has the intention for virtue (through Salat). But the people of Tablig don't do this for Salat but for Daw'ah. This may say that their traveling from one mosque to another distant one is alright.

You have just explained it yourself.

Perhaps when they set journey around the world, their intention are not to do prayers at specific mosques. Most might not even know which mosque they will be heading since the locals will be bringing them from mosque to mosque.

However they do have this concept of doing a journey to their centre in either india or bangladesh perhaps at least once in a lifetime. But the purpose is not for doing prayers there. But similar to an academy, to force themselves to do sunnas. So when their body have been repeating the same routine everyday, they will have muscle memory/reflex to carry out sunnas when returning to home country