BEGGING: Disgracing the Da'wah to Build a Masjid
Shaykh Muqbil ibn Haadee al-Waadi'ee (rahimahullaah)
Source: his book "Thamm al-Mas'alah" (p.5-8)
All praise is for Allaah, the Lord of all that exists. May Allaah raise the rank of our Messenger, and that of his family and companions. I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship other than Allaah, who is alone and without partners. And I further testify that Muhammad was His slave and Messenger.
To proceed: From the greatest of Allaah's Blessings upon a person is the blessing of wealth. By way of it family ties are maintained, and this is something that causes one to have a long life and financial prosperity, as he (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa 'alaa aalihi wa sallam) said:
"Whoever would like to have his lifespan extended and his provisions increased, then let him maintain family ties."
This hadeeth is agreed upon (by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim), from the narration of Anas. Al-Bukhaaree also collected it from the narration of Aboo Hurayrah.
Furthermore, it is due to wealth, if a person spends it correctly and sincerely, that one attains a great reward. Allaah, the Glorified and Exalted, has said:
( The example of those who spend their wealth in the Way of Allaah is like a grain (of corn) that causes the growth of seven ears, each ear having 100 grains. And Allaah multiplies the reward of whomever He pleases, and Allaah is Sufficient (for all the creation's needs), All-Knowing. Those who spend their wealth in the Way of Allaah, and do not follow up what they have given with reminders of their generosity or (other) harmful actions, their reward is with their Lord, no fear shall overtake them, nor shall they grieve. ) [1]
And Allaah, the Glorified and Exalted, has said:
( Those who spend their wealth by night and by day, secretly and openly, will have their reward with their Lord, no fear shall overtake them, nor shall they grieve. ) [2]
Using wealth can also win over those who have strayed or rebelled, as the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa 'alaa aalihi wa sallam) used to give to people while they hated him (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa 'alaa aalihi wa sallam), and only a short time later he would become the most beloved of all the creation to them.
Such is the case of wealth! And there are two types of people who do not manage it properly:
[1]: The first kind are the businessmen who do not take proper care to spend it in the Islamically legislated ways. Perhaps some of them do not even pay zakaat, and others pay zakaat to other than the Islamically legislated recipients, supporting hizbiyyah (bigoted partisanship), that which has divided the Muslims and weakened them.
The businessmen doing this do not even realize that they are cooperating with others in affairs of falsehood, and he may be helping to spread Soofiyyah (Sufism) or Tashay-yu' (Shiism), two innovations that have stood as obstacles in the path of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa 'alaa aalihi wa sallam).
[2]: What is even uglier than this is what a student of knowledge may do. He wastes his time and disgraces the knowledge and the da'wah by going to the land of the Haramayn (Makkah and al-Madeenah), then on to Kuwait, and then Qatar, and on to Abu Dhabi? What is it with you, yaa Fulaan?
He will say, "I have a debt," or, "I want to build a masjid with housing for the imam (while he is the imam), I want a car for the da'wah, and I want to get married."
Oh! Oh! Verily the search for knowledge that leads to begging has no goodness in it!
And had the people of knowledge safeguarded it (the knowledge), it would have safeguarded them,
And if they had revered it, then they themselves would have become revered;
But they disgraced it, so it disgraced (them), and they polluted
Its reputation by acts of greed, ending up lowly and debased.
And I have never seen anyone more focused on employing thievery tactics to get the people's money than al-Ikhwaan al-Muflisoon... [3]
...And I have never seen anyone more focused on employing thievery tactics to get the people's money than al-Ikhwaan al-Muflisoon [3]. They make the people believe that every issue that they are raising money for is the very religion of Islam, and that if money is not raised for it, then disbelief will gain victory over Islam! This is the case with them, issue after issue; every time one issue ends (and the people find that it has had no effect in helping the Religion, instead it may have even disgraced the Religion), they occupy the people with yet another one.
Where are the fruits of these demonstrations of yours that you blindly follow the enemies of Islam in? And where are the fruits of the "Conference of Unity and Peace"? And where are the fruits of the taaghoot elections?
We say this out of sadness over what is happening to the Religion, and out of anguish over the realities of the affairs being twisted around, not that we are jealous of all the money they have gathered, as they will be questioned about that on the Day of Judgment.
And lastly, I advise those who are out of breath from their efforts to raise money: Allaah has already instructed the one who is not able to get married about what he is to do:
( And let those who are not able to marry remain chaste
until Allaah enriches them from His Favor. ) [4]
And in the two Saheehs (al-Bukhaaree and Muslim), on the authority of Ibn Mas'ood (may Allaah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa 'alaa aalihi wa sallam) said:
"O assembly of young men! Whoever of you is able to marry, then let him get married, as it is better for keeping gazes lowered and chastity protected. And whoever is not able, then upon him is fasting, as it is a kind of restraint (that keeps him from going after his desires)."
Just as I also advise the wealthy to assist him without him having to ask, so that he can dedicate himself fully to knowledge and teaching.
And the one who has debts: I advise him to work, so that Allaah takes care of his debts.
And similarly, for the sake of building a masjid, it is not permissible for someone to disgrace himself. It is not allowed to disgrace knowledge and the da'wah for the sake of building a masjid. When the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa 'alaa aalihi wa sallam) wanted to build a masjid, he said:
"Give me a price for your property, O Banee an-Najjaar!"
Meaning: so that a masjid can be built on it.
They replied, "Rather, it is for Allaah and His Messenger." [5]
It is possible to build a masjid with clay and bricks for about YR 100,000. [6] And the time you waste begging could be spent constructing the masjid, working in it, and inviting the people to work with their own hands.
We are in no need of wealth that disgraces knowledge and the call to Allaah, or wealth that calls to hizbiyyah or turns the masjids into places of begging!
And O Allaah! How many great callers to Islam have you seen memorize the verses that encourage charity, going from masjid to masjid, (calling out):
( And whatever good (wealth) you put forth for your own selves, then you will find it with Allaah, better and more greatly rewarded. ) [7]
The poor individual has gone from being a caller to a beggar! And the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa 'alaa aalihi wa sallam) spoke the truth when he said:
"Every nation has a trial, and the trial of my nation is money." [8]
And look at these organizations of yours, those that are not allowed to operate except under certain stipulations: that they work under the Social Services' supervision; that they hold elections in them; that they keep their money in a ribaa-based bank. With all of this, the people of such organizations try to trick the people, saying: "Is building masjids and wells and taking care of orphans haraam?"
It is to be said to them: O you tricksters! Who told you that these things are haraam? What is haraam is hizbiyyah, splitting up the Muslims, and wasting your time begging!
And making 'umrah in Ramadan has been changed into (a journey of) begging:
O assembly of recitors, O salt of the land!
What will rectify the salt, once the salt has gone bad?
FOOTNOTES (by Abul-'Abbaas):
[1] a translation of the meaning of Soorah al-Baqarah (2):261-262, based on Ibn Katheer's explanation
[2] a translation of the meaning of Soorah al-Baqarah (2):274
[3] The shaykh is referring to the sect: "Al-Ikhwaan al-Muslimoon" (the Muslim Brotherhood).
[3] The shaykh is referring to the sect: "Al-Ikhwaan al-Muslimoon" (the Muslim Brotherhood).
[4] a translation of the meaning of Soorah an-Noor (24):33
[5] Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (428), Saheeh Muslim (1173), and others; on the authority of Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him). This was when the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) first came to al-Madeenah. It is important to note that he did not ask them to give their property to build the masjid, while they were Muslims from the generous and capable Ansaar!
[6] 100,000 Yemeni riyals is currently less than $1000. However, in December of 1994 (close to the time when the shaykh wrote this), it may have been equivalent to up to $8000.
[7] a translation of the meaning of Soorah al-Muzzammil (73):20
[8] Sunan at-Tirmithee (2336), Musnad Ahmad (4/160), and others; on the authority of Ka'b ibn 'Iyaadh (may Allaah be pleased with him). It was authenticated by at-Tirmithee, al-Haakim, Ibn Hibbaan, as mentioned by Ibn Hajr in Fat-hul-Baaree (11/295). See also: Silsilatul-Ahaadeethis-Saheehah (592).