عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ” يُوشِكُ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَانٌ لَا يَبْقَى مِنَ الْإِسْلَامِ إِلَّا اسْمُهُ، وَلَا يَبْقَى مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ إِلَّا رَسْمُهُ، مَسَاجِدُهُمْ عَامِرَةٌ وَهِيَ خَرَابٌ مِنَ الْهُدَى، عُلَمَاؤُهُمْ شَرُّ مَنْ تَحْتَ أَدِيمِ السَّمَاءِ مَنْ عِنْدَهُمْ تَخْرُجُ الْفِتْنَةُ وَفِيهِمْ تَعُودُ
Hadhrat Ali bin Talib (radhiallahu anhu) said that Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “Soon there will dawn an era upon people (when) nothing will remain of Islam except the name, nothing will remain of the Qur`aan except its text, their Musaajid will be populated but devoid of guidance; their Ulama will be the worst (of all creation) under the canopy of the sky, from them will emanate fitnah and it will return to them (hemming them in).”
The misguided crew calling themselves the “Deen Team” have yet again embarked on a ludicrous venture offering material and worldly recompense for performing Fardh Salaat with Jamaat. In their poster entitled “Fajr First” they brazenly and unashamedly state that this is an: “Incentive based campaign”.
A compulsory Ibaadat, where no Muslim has a choice of abandoning or even delaying or procrastinating, is being offered up for monetary recompense – La Howla wa la Quwwata. The Hadith cited above distinctly describes the type of ‘ulama’ involved in such activities. They are undoubtedly the worst of all creation – even worse than the worst and lowly of animals. They are literally selling the Deen.
Their hashtag of #fillupthemasjid is clearly an enactment of the Hadith where Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) prophesied the Musaajid will be populated and full, but devoid of guidance. What example or source of guidance would someone who only attends Salaat because there is some material recompense involved, engender? This “Deen Team” and their stupid campaigns are portents to the advent of Qiyaamat.
Instead of advising parents to encourage their children to perform Salaat, or to engage in delivering talks outlining the importance of Salaat and the punishments for discarding it, they opt for a shaitaani ‘incentive’ of paying someone to fulfil their obligatory duty!
When the Ahaadith likens a person who performs Salaat for show as having committed shirk (ascribing partners to Allah Ta`ala), what can be said of someone who will attend Salaat in the Musjid because he is being offered a prize in lieu of it?
The Hadith of Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) regarding Salaat for the youth is crystal clear:
قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ مُرُوا الصَّبِيَّ بِالصَّلاَةِ إِذَا بَلَغَ سَبْعَ سِنِينَ وَإِذَا بَلَغَ عَشْرَ سِنِينَ فَاضْرِبُوهُ عَلَيْهَا ” .
Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “Instruct children with Salaat when they reach the age of seven and when they reach the age of ten, admonish (hit) them for it.”
The instruction of our beloved Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) – who was a mercy unto mankind – with regard to guiding children to perform salaat is clear. The parents should inculcate the habit of salaat in them from an early age. If by the age of ten they still do not perform Salaat, the parents should reprimand them. The Hadith doesn’t tell us to give them sweeties or dinars and dirhams. Firm admonition is required.
However, in today’s times, when even the parents are so lax in the performance of Salaat, we cannot expect any better from their children. It is the duty of the Ulama – the Asaatiza at the Maktab – to encourage the children to perform Salaat.
An Ustaad or Imaam, if he has true concern for the child, will even perhaps devise a system where the children are picked up from their homes and brought to the Musjid. What is the need, or Shar`i justification, for offering a prize?
This inane method of rewarding them for attending the Musjid is not only alien to Islam, but it also subtly inculcates shirk (polytheism). The wording on their poster: “Close to R100 000 in prizes up for grabs”, is clearly synonymous of kuffaar ideology. How can one equate the Hadith from Bukhari which they quote in their poster, with R100 000 being “up for grabs” for fulfilling an obligatory Islamic tenet?
Do these molvis even apply their minds to its bare minimum?
All these stunts are mere tactics for these molvis to justify their misappropriation of public funds in the form of their salaries.
Neither their methods nor they, have any affiliation to true Deen. Their Imaan has been thoroughly eroded by western influence and association. These molvis of the ‘Deen Team’ are not merely satisfied being ‘scholars for dollars’ themselves, but they wish to perpetuate this legacy amongst the Muslim youth.
May Allah Ta`ala guide this Ummah to recognise Haq from Baatil.
May Allah Ta`ala guide this Ummah.