Allah has advised us in the Qur’an to hold on to the Sunnah and abstain from everything else. The Sunnah of Nabi ﷺ is our blueprint for success in our businesses, marriages, dealings and life in general. There is no other lifestyle that will yield Allah’s pleasure. Allah has informed us of this in the Qur’an and Nabi ﷺ has made it clear too.
Unfortunately, time and time again we forget this principle. Knowingly or unknowingly, we make the kuffar lifestyle our blueprint. We assume we are doing well under the banner of Islam, but know that there is little Islam left when we stray so far from the Sunnah. If you want to understand how nafs and Shaytaan work, just observe a child. He will always push the boundaries, trying to get away with a little more each time. If that child is left undisciplined, he will continue until his behaviour becomes unmanageable. Likewise, if Ulama do not speak out against Shaytaan’s work, it will continue to spread until it reaches unmanageable heights.
Shaykh Yunus Patel رحمة الله عليه warned us about souks like the Al Ansaar Souk. Every year, they push the boundaries little by little, hoping to get away with it. When our Ulama would speak out against this Souk, the community would say that we are just exaggerating! Now this year, they bought the “Deen Squad” to perform like rock stars on a stage in front of young, screaming, modestly-dressed Muslim girls. There is nothing deeni about their squad. They sing songs with musical instruments promoting Shias in their music.
How can that be classified as Nasheeds – a spiritual piece, recited to bring people closer to Allah? Furthermore, when Shia music is played, how can such an event still be considered Islamic – Islamic implying that it will bring people closer to Allah?
The reality is, this event is not at all Islamic. Nasheeds have existed since the prophetic era, recited to bring people closer to Allah. The kuffar blueprint for musicians is to work on the tune, make a music video, perform, become famous and make money. It has become an industry, far from the Sunnah. Remember, straying from the Sunnah will only take matters from bad to worse.
People make excuses that perhaps the organisers did not know. When people organise an event, they do their research before inviting speakers and artists. They must have researched and known how these two musicians would perform but they went ahead anyway, because making money seems to be more important than upholding the Deen. When that is the case, call the event an event, not “Islamic”. However, of course, that will not be profitable for them. Hence, they, the Ship Cruise organisers and all such event organisers refrain from doing so.
If you want to see “Islamic”, do not look towards a lone Maulana/Mufti endorsing such events. Look towards the akaabireen. They have been tirelessly serving Allah’s deen for decades, they are pillars of guidance for us. Akaabireen like Shaykh Abdul Hamid Ishaq (DB), Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (DB), Shaykh Shabbir Saloojee (DB) and Dr Hansa (DB). Hold on to them, for they held on to their seniors, who held on to their seniors, who held on to the tabieen, who held on to the Sahaaba رضي الله عنهم, who held on to Rasulullah ﷺ. That is our link, the Sunnah is guaranteed Islamic, there is no “Islamic event” that can do better than the Sunnah.
When a person gets wounded, he will clean it first with dettol. That will burn and pain. After a while, he can put a plaster on and perhaps rub cream or vaseline on the area. That will soothe, moisturise and feel nice against the skin. It will feel relieving. However, the truth is, the main benefit came from the burn. If he was not prepared to go through the burn to clean the wound and he just applied cream instead, chances are, the area will get infected. This is precisely what is happening in the Ummah. We think we are benefitting people but underneath the hype is a deep wound, that will never heal. Not until we swallow the bitter truth, burn our desires and follow Islam for what is – simply the Qur’an and Sunnah.
The truth has to be spoken for the sake of Allah. And that bitter truth is, we are following the western lifestyle more than the Sunnah. Not only in our events, but in our weddings too. Then we wonder why there is a sharp rise in marital breakdowns. In our businesses, we wonder why there is little barakah whist playing music, selling haram and engaging in interest dealings. In our families, we wonder why the kids have strayed, whilst upgrading our TVs at every given opportunity. Isn’t the answer so obvious? We are leaving the Sunnah, and that can only and will only take matters from bad to worse. The Al Ansaar Souk is just one example, there are many more all around us. May Allah enable us to realise, change, and turn to the Sunnah before it is too late, Aameen.
— Shaykh Dawood Seedat حفظه الله
Above is an extract from Shaykh’s talk on 25/12/17 in Masjid-ut-Taqwa, Pietermaritzburg. To listen to the full talk, please click here.
BismiLLAAH. Souk 2018 is just 3 months away. Rather than making noise when something goes wrong,it would be recommended to remind the public, prospective stall-holders, advertisers, supporters, presenters on the Radio of the harm both Radio al-Ansaar and the Souk do to us.
Because the pressure is not constant, we see that the Radio is now, by and large, “captured”by groupings that do condone acts that are contrary to the teachings in the Qur’an and Sahih Ahadith.
I have, single-handedly, being appealing to people in the Radio to shut it down for many, many years. I have quoted simple lessons from Qur’an and Sahih Ahadith to support my call. However, as someone recently told me, “Why should they listen to you? Who is Mahmood? You are, to them, a no-body.”
Granted, I am no-one – in their eyes. But in the Final Analysis, my pressure will be weighty, in-shaa-ALLAH.
But then the Radio and the Foundation are just 2 of the media that waste our time. Cii, iTV, al-Qalam, Islam Today, and so many publications, radio and tv need to be shut down as well.