Manhaj in Da`wah which many "Celebrity" speakers have deserted

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

All thanks to these "Celebrity" speakers: 
1) the call towards Tawheed is declining; 
2) many people are losing interest in the topics related to `Aqeedah and Tawheed or they are misled into believing that they already know enough and that what they know is sufficient; 
3) and the  scholars are being belittled and their honor are being attacked.

Therefore the following is a summarized reminder on the importance of calling towards Tawheed and warning against Shirk; calling towards Sunnah and warning against Bid`ah; and sticking with the scholars and not the "celebrity" speakers. 

PART 1

Don't be deceived by those who call only towards "good manners" with the creation while ignoring the rights of the Creator:

Allaah تعالى said:

﴿قَدْ نَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُ لَيَحْزُنُكَ الَّذِي يَقُولُونَ ۖ فَإِنَّهُمْ لَا يُكَذِّبُونَكَ وَلَـٰكِنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّـهِ يَجْحَدُونَ﴾

{We know indeed the grief which their words cause you (O Muhammad); IT IS NOT YOU THAT THEY DENY, but it is the Verses (the Qur'aan) of Allaah that the Dhaalimoon (polytheists and wrong-doers) deny.} [Surah al-An`aam (6): 33]

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was called al-Ameen (the honest one) by the Muskriks even before he received any revelation and they still used to call him al-Ameen even after they had rejected his call. They never had the problem with the personality.

So, the first and foremost thing we have to understand is that the Mushriks never stopped the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم from calling towards good manners, or doing good to the neighbors, or feeding the poor and taking care of the widows and orphans; but it was the `Aqeedah and the call to Tawheed that they were against. 

{“Has he (Muhmmad) made (all) the gods all into One God. Verily, this is a curious thing!”} [Surah Saad (38):5]

So don’t be amazed by the good manners of the Sufees, the Rawaafidh, the Mu`tazilah, or the Kuffaar, because this is how Shaitaan wants to deceive us. Always remember teaching/learning `Aqeedah comes first. Do not be content with learning good manners with the creation as the primary subject while `Aqeedah is given a secondary preference.

PART 2

The deception of Shaitaan:

One of the greatest deceptions of Shaitaan is in making the people believe that this Ummah will never fall in Shirk again.

Narrated Thawbaan: Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ❝…The Last Hour will not come until some groups of my nation worship idols…❞ [Sunan Abu Dawood (4252) and graded as Saheeh by Shaikh Al-Albaanee]

Narrated Abu Hurairah: Allaah's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ❝The Hour will not be established till the women of the tribe of Daus will be seen going round Dhi-al-Khalasah.❞ Dhi-al-Khalasah was the idol of the Daus tribe which they used to worship in the Pre-Islaamic Period of ignorance. [Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree Vol. 9, Hadeeth 232, Saheeh Muslim (6944)]

PART 3

Abu Taalib and his good behavior towards the Prophet and Islaam:

If social work and good manners, along with wrong `Aqeedah was of any benefit then Abu Taalib would have been the foremost to reap its fruits. It would have benefited Ibn Jud`aan who, in the days of ignorance, used to maintain ties of kinship and feed the poor. [Saheeh Muslim]. But since they died upon Kufr, their good manners did not protect them from the punishment of the Hellfire.

In the midst of the Believers there are those who call toward Wahdatul Wujood (i.e. everything that exist is Allaah), or have the `Aqeedah of Jahmiyyah, or who beseech the dead, or seek protection in talisman and amulets; all these actions and beliefs are closer to Kufr than to Imaan. If these matters are not clarified to the people then how will they be saved from the punishment of the Hellfire?

One has to learn how to pray, as well as to learn who he is praying to!

PART 4

Before establishing worship it is important to know whom to worship:

Some of the bad consequences of not learning the proper `Aqeedah:

1. The People of the Book - do not know how to pronounce the name of their Lord. There can be no greater misguidance than this. They have been deprived of even knowing the true name of their Lord.

2. Unlike the People of the Book – there are some Muslims who say that we can call Allaah by any name, even by those names which are not mentioned in the Qur’aan or the Authentic Ahaadeeth, or even if they are the names of Hindu gods.

Look at the contrast: On one hand we have the People of the Book who do not know the name of their Lord, and then we have some Muslims who want to add and give their Lord names from their own imagination and liking.

3. The Christians – used their imagination and gave their Lord human characteristics - a god who got tired and rested; a god who made mistakes; a god who has weaknesses.

4. The Mu`attilah – like the Christians, used their imagination but ended up depriving God of all His Names and Attributes, even those which He had affirmed for Himself.

5. The atheists – a lot of Christians turned towards atheism and denied the existence of god because of the absurdities that were attributed in their books to the Creator.

6. The Hindus – divided the powers of God and ended up creating many “gods”. There is one god who creates, the other who sustains and the one who destroys. They have a god of wealth, a god of Sun or thunder or light. Even the animals are not exempted from their worship; they worship monkeys, elephants, cows, snakes etc.

7. The Arabs in the Jaahiliyyah used to call their “gods” with names that were taken from the Names of Allaah like Al-Laat from al-Ilaah , Al-`Uzza from al-`Azeez and al-Manaat from al-Mannaan.  All of this is from Ilhaad (deviation, injustice). For them calling upon Allaah was not appropriate as He was too High and too Pure for them to call Him directly, so they invented these substitutes, their Laat, Manaat and `Uzzah.

PART 5

Conclusion of part 4:

Those who want to belittle the subject on Tawheed and `Aqeedah are directly or indirectly contributing in distancing the creation away from the Creator. Can’t one see that deviation began when people started having misconception about the True Essence of their Lord? How can we know about our Lord if we do not learn about Him? Is it not the case that when we read the Seerah (biography) of our Prophet ﷺ, our love for him increases? Similarly, the more we learn Tawheed and the more we know about our Lord, the more our love and obedience for Him تعالى increases.

﴿وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِ اللَّـهِ أَندَادًا يُحِبُّونَهُمْ كَحُبِّ اللَّـهِ ۖ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِّلَّـهِ﴾

{And among mankind are some who take (for worship) others besides Allaah as rivals (to Allaah). They love them as they love Allaah. But those who believe, love Allaah more (than anything else).} [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 165]

PART 6

In the footsteps of those who preceded them:

If the people do not like to attend the gatherings in which Tawheed and matters of `Aqeedah are taught then it is not the fault of the scholars. It is not for the scholars to change their ways. Rather, such people are following the footsteps of those before them.

Allaah تعالى says:

﴿وَإِذَا ذَكَرْتَ رَبَّكَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ وَحْدَهُ وَلَّوْا عَلَىٰ أَدْبَارِهِمْ نُفُورًا﴾

{And when you (O Muhammad) make mention of your Lord Alone [Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah] in the Qur'aan, they turn on their backs, fleeing in extreme dislikeness.} [Surah al-Israa' (17): 46]

Also note that whenever Nooh عليه السلام called his people towards Tawheed, they used to flee from him and thrust their fingers in their ears so that they do not hear his message. [Surah Nooh (71): 5-7]

And it is not like the scholars are backward people or who don’t make use of the technology. They conduct live Duroos; they visit different places, cities and countries; their lectures are available online for those who cannot attend in person; their books are available for those who want to take benefit.

Moreover, the scholars talk on the Subject of `Aqeedah and they also address the day to day issues affecting the Muslim lives. The scholars do teach at the level that every common man would understand. The whole purpose of having the scholars is for clarifying the issues for the general public.

The people have to get their priorities straight!

PART 7

It is a sign that people are heading towards destruction when they abandon the Scholars and flock towards the “Celebrity” speakers, which is the fulfilment of the Prophecy:

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ❝Allaah will not deprive you of knowledge after he has given it to you, but it will be taken away through the death of the scholars with their knowledge. Then there will remain ignorant people who, when consulted, will give verdicts according to their opinions whereby they will mislead others and go astray.❞

[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (7307)]

The “Celebrity” speakers’ taking over the scholars is bound to happen because many scholars have died, many are in their old age, and because many people cannot distinguish between a good orator and a scholar.

Narrated `Abdullaah bin `Umaar رضي الله عنهما: Two men came from the East and addressed the people who wondered at their eloquent speeches. On that Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ❝Some eloquent speech is as effective as magic.❞ [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (5146, 5767)]

PART 8

A quick but important lesson in History:

As Allaah تعالى says:

﴿وَذَكِّرْ فَإِنَّ الذِّكْرَىٰ تَنفَعُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ﴾

{And remind, for indeed, the reminder benefits the believers.} [Surah al-Dhaariyaat (51): 55]

To anyone who still has doubts that the matters of `Aqeedah and warning against Bid`ah are secondary issues, while the current social vices (examples: drugs, marriage discords, oppression, ill treatment of women) are of primary importance:

First, a quick lesson in history: The Mushriks at the time of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم were drowned in all sorts of vices and evils: Shirk, gambling, prostitution, fornication, consuming intoxicants, walking around the Ka`bah naked, burying the young girls alive, oppression towards women etc., yet the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم began their Tafsiyah wal-Tarbiyah (purification and nurturing/education) with correcting their `Aqeedah and building their Imaan.

For 13 years the only call of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was calling people towards Tawheed. Praying 5 times a day was only established 2 years before migrating to Madeenah. All the other commands regarding Fasting in Ramadhaan, paying Zakaah etc.; and all the prohibitions regarding consuming of intoxicants, gambling etc. were revealed after the migration. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم DID NOT SAY: O let me stop them from consuming intoxicants and fornication first and then I will call them towards the correct `Aqeedah.

PART 9

The method of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and those who follow him:

Not only was this the method of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, but it was also the way of all those who followed him. The scholars from the first 3 generations till the present day gave much emphasis to learning and teaching Tawheed due to the many obvious reasons mentioned in the Kitaab and the Sunnah:

1. The Prophet ﷺ said that the reward for reciting Surah al-Ikhlaas is equivalent to reciting one-third of the Qur’aan.

2. Allaah تعالى mentioned in the Qur’aan to learn about لا إله إلّا الله. [Surah Muhammad (47): 19]

3. The core purpose of sending the Messengers was to invite the people towards Tawheed and warn them against Shirk. [Surah al-Nahl (16): 36]

4. The Prophet ﷺ sent Mu`aadh to Yemen instructing him to teach Tawheed first to the people. He ﷺ also made learning Tawheed a condition to learn other things as he said: ❝If they learn that (Tawheed), tell them that Allaah has enjoined on them, five prayers...❞ [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree] and in another narration it is: ❝and when they come to know Allaah, inform them that Allaah has enjoined on them, five prayers…❞ [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim]

5. When Jibreel عليه السلام asked the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم about Islaam, he صلى الله عليه وسلم first mentioned لا إله إلا الله, then prayer, then Zakaah, then Fasting and then Hajj. [If one analyzes, they will know that Hajj was made compulsory only near to the end of the Prophet’s mission. So from this it is understood that this incident - of Jibreel عليه السلام - took place near the end of the Prophet’s life, which also means that after 23 years of preaching and teaching to the Companions, these questions were still asked for the purpose of strengthening the Imaan of the Believers and for teaching them the priorities in the Deen.]

6. In the authentic narration in Sunan Ibn Maajah and other books of Hadeeth, the Companions said: ❝We were first taught about Imaan before we were taught the Qur’aan.❞

So he صلى الله عليه وسلم established it by his sayings, his actions and by his instructions, that the call to Tawheed is given precedence over all the other matters.

PART 10

Corruption of the heart is worse than the corruption of the body:

The worst corruption is not that of the BODY, rather the corruption of the HEART, as the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Beware! There is a piece of flesh in the body if it becomes good (reformed) the whole body becomes good but if it gets spoilt the whole body gets spoilt and that is the heart.” [Agreed upon]

And nothing affects the heart worse than Shirk.

Peace, tranquility and guidance are only possible when there is eradication of Shirk:

﴿فَأَيُّ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ أَحَقُّ بِالْأَمْنِ ۖ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ * الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوا إِيمَانَهُم بِظُلْمٍ أُولَـٰئِكَ لَهُمُ الْأَمْنُ وَهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ﴾

{(So) which of the two parties has more right to be in security? If you but know! It is those who believe (in the Oneness of Allaah and worship none but Him Alone) and confuse not their belief with Dhulm (Shirk), for them (only) there is security and they are the guided.} [Surah al-An`aam (6): 81-82]

Shirk is the biggest Dhulm that man does upon himself. So how can this be of secondary importance?

PART 11

People have more concern for the rights of the creation than for the rights of the Creator:

When the love for Allaah تعالى, His Deen, and His Prophet enters the heart, the person will automatically work hard on avoiding sins. If the `Aqeedah is not taught and is neglected for the youth just because today’s youth are indulging in drugs and other vices, then nothing can get them on the right track except for lessons on `Aqeedah, lessons on Tawheed and Manhaj. It was already mentioned earlier how the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم started preaching about Tawheed and `Aqeedah even though such vices were done in abundance.

When finally the Aayah regarding the prohibition of consuming intoxicants was revealed, it was the Companions’ firm faith in Allaah تعالى that made them stop consuming it that very moment. They did not have any second thoughts, they did not say let us have our last drink and then we’ll stop. They did not wait to finish whatever wine was remaining in the containers; rather, they overturned theses containers there and then.

So the fact of the matter is, some people are deviating away from Islaam because they are not being taught these issues of `Aqeedah and Manhaj. There are many who pray 5 times a day, pay Zakaah etc., but also do grave worship, ask by other than Allaah and believe that amulets and talisman can protect them against any disasters.

WHAT USE IS THE PRAYER IF THE PERSON IS ALSO COMMITTING SHIRK? Did not Allaah تعالى many times say in the Qur’aan that the actions of the Kuffaar and Mushriks will be made into dust on the Day of Judgment and that they will never enter Paradise and Hell will be their final abode?

PART 12

Warning against Bid`ah:

No topic on Tawheed is complete except with warning against Shirk!

No topic on Sunnah is complete except with warning against Bid`ah!

No topic on `Aqeedah is complete except with warning against the Ahl al-Dhalaal (the deviant groups and individuals)!

Is it not the case that when you teach and talk about prayer, you also warn about its nullifiers?!

Is it not the case that when you teach how to make Wudhu (ablution), you also teach what nullifies it?!

Did not the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم warned against Bid`ah every Friday in the Khutbah even though there was no Bid`ah at that time??!

But warning against Shirk and Bid`ah is a secondary issue for so many “Celebrity” speakers?! Whereas Allaah تعالى says:

﴿فَلْيَحْذَرِ الَّذِينَ يُخَالِفُونَ عَنْ أَمْرِهِ أَن تُصِيبَهُمْ فِتْنَةٌ أَوْ يُصِيبَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ﴾

{And let those who oppose the Messenger's commandment, beware lest some Fitnah should befall them or a painful torment be inflicted on them} [Surah al-Noor (24):63]

Is it not FITNAH in this world that we have problem of drugs, consuming intoxicants, fornication, disobedient children etc.?! Where not the Muslims defeated in the Battle of Uhud because the command of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was disobeyed?

This is a clear threat from Allaah تعالى with the punishment in this world to anyone who opposes the Sunnah. If this was not enough, those who do Bid`ah will be driven away from the Prophet’s cistern on the Day of Judgment. So, do you still consider this to be a secondary issue?

PART 13

How will good manners help the people if they meet Allaah with SHIRK?

Will not that be the Day when a person flees from his brother, his parents, his wife and children? Will not friends be enemies of one another on that Day EXCEPT FOR THE MUTTAQOON? The Day whereon neither wealth nor relationship will be of any benefit, except for the one who comes to Allaah with a sound heart (free of Shirk)!

Good manners are beneficial in the Hereafter only when they are accompanied with Tawheed and correct `Aqeedah.

`Abdullaah Ibn `Umar رضي الله عنهما said regarding those who have wrong `Aqeedah: ❝If any one of them (who does not believe in the Divine Decree) had with him gold equal to the bulk of (the mountain) Uhud and spent it (in the way of Allaah), Allaah would not accept it unless he affirmed his faith in Divine Decree.❞

[Saheeh Muslim (1)]

PART 14

We are against watering down of the religion!

No doubt that the current social issues have to be addressed, but the solution is in following and tackling the situation the way the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had addressed it and handled it. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

❝The Deen (Religion) is al-Naseehah (sincerity).❞

The people said: To whom? The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

❝1) To Allaah

2) His Book

3) His Messenger

4) To the Imaams (rulers and scholars) of the Muslims

5) And the Muslims in general.❞

[Saheeh Muslim (98). This Hadeeth has also been reported from Abu Hurairah, Ibn `Umar, Ibn `Abbaas رضي الله عنهم in Sunan al-Tirmidhee, Sunan al-Nasaa’ee and Musnad Ahmad and others. See “Irwaa’ al-Ghaleel” (26/1/62-63) of Shaikh al-Albaanee]

This Hadeeth clearly sets for us the priorities in our religion: to begin with the right of the Creator first.

But as for these “Celebrity” speakers, one would hardly find them speaking about Tawheed and `Aqeedah, or warning against Shirk and Bid`ah. Rather, we find some of them discouraging people from these topics, while some others would SKIP the Aayaat on `Aqeedah while giving Tafseer of the Qur’aan.

Example: one of these “Celebrity” speakers (“Mufti” Menk) gave Tafseer of Surah Taha. In his 90+ minutes recording on the Tafseer on Surah Taahaa in which he skips the 4 Aayaat on Istawa (from Aayah 5 to 8)! He began with Aayaat 1 till 4, he skips Aayaat 5 to 8, and then continues from 9 onwards.

This watering down of the religion is what we are against!

PART 15

Not something new:

What has been posted in the past few days is not something new; rather it is common knowledge which most of us know. But then again there are many who don’t know the truth so they reject it, as Allaah تعالى says:

﴿بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ الْحَقَّ ۖ فَهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ﴾

{But nay, most of them do not know the truth, and so they stubbornly turn away [from it]} [Surah al-Anbiyaa’ (21): 24]

But many detest the truth even after knowing it because of their emotional attachment towards these “Celebrity” speakers.

﴿لَقَدْ جِئْنَاكُم بِالْحَقِّ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَكُمْ لِلْحَقِّ كَارِهُونَ﴾

{Indeed, We have conveyed the truth unto you; but most of you abhor the truth.} [Surah al-Zukhruf (43): 78]

﴿بَلْ جَاءَهُم بِالْحَقِّ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ لِلْحَقِّ كَارِهُونَ﴾

{Rather, he brought them the truth, but most of them, to the truth, are averse.} [Surah al-Mu’minoon (23): 70] 

And Allaah is the one who grants success.