TO ATTEND THE MUSAAJID OR NOT?
ALLAH RABBUL IZZAT CLEARLY OUTLINES THE CRITERIA
&
THE AHAADITH DRAWS A DIRECT LINK BETWEEN DISEASES AND DESOLATE MUSAAJID
Allah Ta`ala declares in Surah Taubah, Aayat 18:
“Only those attend the Musaajid of Allah who believe in Allah and the Last Day, who establish Salaah, who pay Zakaah and who fear Allah only. It is they who are rightly guided”.
There has been much debacle surrounding the opening and re-opening of the Musaajid following the oppressive lockdown. Allah Ta`ala in His Infinite Wisdom has utilised this crisis as a criterion to distinguish between Imaan and Nifaaq. The Aayat cited above clearly and unambiguously outlines the answer to the question every simple Muslim has been mulling in his mind. We mention “simple Muslim” because to every true believer, this issue is a “no-brainer”. Every true believer knows, understands and accepts fully that Fardh Salaat with congregation in the Musjid for men is COMPULSORY. Viruses, plagues, pandemics, etc. are not and never were an excuse to abandon the Musaajid! There is a plethora of Saheeh Ahaadith to substantiate this ruling. We, as well as many Ulama-e-Haqq have cited these Ahaadith in other articles. The present ‘crisis’ which some may refer to as a ‘pandemic’ is also nothing new in the history of mankind and Islam. We have evidence from the lives of the Sahaabah (radhiallahu anhum) – more specifically the Khulafa-e-Raashideen – who had experienced genuine plagues, and yet their lives as Mu`mineen continued as normal, insofar, as their attendance in the Musjid was concerned.
The Aayat above clearly outlines the quality of people who attend the Musaajid. This Aayat has two implications.
Firstly, it refers to the fact that disbelievers do not and are not allowed to enter and attend our Musaajid.
Secondly, it shows that those who do not attend the Musaajid do not have Imaan in Allah Ta`ala and also that they have no fear for Him. The present scenario superimposes perfectly on the end of the Aayat. Those ‘muslim’ men who prefer remaining in their homes – and are even challenging the True Believers in a secular court to maintain this status quo of theirs, are not merely people who have no Imaan in Allah Ta`ala, they most certainly do not fear Him. Their fear for the virus is what terrifies their emergence for Salaat to the Musaajid!
We implore all believers to ponder over this Aayat and apply it to the present scenario. They will get the answer they seek and they will also get clarification on the status of those who are fighting tooth and nail to keep the Musaajid closed.
To further elaborate on this Aayat, we will cite hereunder a few excerpts from some well-known Tafseer Kutub, to demonstrate to the ‘simple’ Muslim that our plea and that of all the other Ulama-e-Haqq, is not the view of contemporary individuals, but they are based on authentic statements gleaned from authentic Islamic sources
TAFSEER IBN KATHEER:
“It has been reported from Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) that he said, ‘When you see a man frequenting and attending the Musjid, then bear testimony to his Imaan, because Allah Ta`ala said, “Only those attend the Musaajid of Allah, who believe in Allah…’”
“This is why when Allah Ta`ala says, ‘Only those attend the Musaajid…’, HE is bearing testimony to the Imaan of the attendees of the Musaajid.’”
“It is reported by Tirmidhi, Ibn Mardawaihi and Haakim in his Mustadrak from the Hadith of Abdullah bin Wahab…from Anas bin Maalik, who said, Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, ‘Indeed the attendees of the Musaajid are the friends of Allah.’”
TAKE CAREFUL NOTE OF THE FOLLOWING AHAADITH THAT APPEAR IN IBN KATHEER SPECIFICALLY PERTAINING TO THE DIRECT RELATION BETWEEN THE VIRUS AND THE MUSAAJID
إِذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ عَاهَةً، نَظَرَ إِلَى أَهْلِ الْمَسَاجِدِ، فَصَرَفَ عَنْهُمْ
“It has been narrated by Daarqutni…from Anas, marfoo`an, ‘When Allah intends a disease upon a nation, then He looks at the people of the Musaajid (attendees of the Musaajid), whereafter He turns it away from them.”
[The hadith above does not need any further elucidation or interpretation. Our present circumstance speaks volumes and bears testimony to it. By keeping the Musaajid closed, we are merely prolonging the Divine Punishment and Decree. Based on this Hadith, the disease was released on mankind because of their pathetic attendance and behaviour at the Houses of Allah Ta`ala. And now the Munaafiqeen are clamouring to keep them closed…….INNA LILLAHI! This is a classic case of compounded darkness and Divine Chastisement.]
يَقُولُ اللَّهُ: وَعِزَّتِي وَجَلَالِي، إِنِّي لَأَهِمُّ بِأَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ عَذَابًا، فَإِذَا نَظَرْتُ إِلَى عُمَّارِ بُيُوتِي وَإِلَى الْمُتَحَابِّينَ فِيَّ، وَإِلَى الْمُسْتَغْفِرِينَ بِالْأَسْحَارِ، صَرَفْتُ ذَلِكَ عَنْهُمْ
“Saalih Muriyy, reports from Thaabit, from Anas, marfoo`an, ‘Allah Ta`ala says, ‘By My Honour and Grandeur! Indeed when I intend a punishment upon the inhabitants of earth, then I look at the attendees of My Houses, and at those who love each other for Me, and at those who seek My forgiveness in the early morning, (thereafter) I turn it (the punishment) away from them.’”
“Imaam Ahmed said, ‘Rauh reports from Saeed, from Qatadah, from`Ala bin Ziyad, from Muaaz bin Jabal, ‘Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, ‘Indeed Shaitaan is a wolf to man, just like the wolf is to the lone and separated sheep. Hence you should keep aloof from the edges, and hold firmly to the group (of believers) and to the Musjid.’”
TAFSEER QURTUBI
“The Ayat, ‘Only those attend the Musaajid of Allah…’ encompasses three masaa’il: Firstly, the statement of Allah, ‘Only those attend…’ is a proof of the testimony of the pure Imaan of the attendees in the Musaajid, because Allah Ta`ala has linked the two – (attendance in the Musaajid and Imaan in Him)…’”
TAFSEER BAIDHAWI
“Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, ‘Allah Ta`ala says, ‘My Houses on earth are the Musaajid. Indeed those who attend them are My guests. Thus, glad tidings to that servant who purifies himself at his home, then visits Me in My House. It is the right upon the Host that He honours His guest.’”
AD-DURRUL MANTHOOR
Among the Ahaadith cited in this Tafseer Kitaab under this Aayat is:
قَالَ رَسُول الله صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم إِذا عاهة من السَّمَاء أنزلت صرفت عَن عُمار الْمَسَاجِد
“Bazzar, Abu Ya`la, and Tibrani report in Al Ausat and Baihaqi from Anas bin Maalik (radhiallahu anhu) who said that Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, ‘When disease descends from the skies, it is averted from the inhabitants of the Musaajid.’”
[In light of this Hadith, can the advocators for the closure of the Musaajid still claim that the virus will be spread in the Musaajid??? THIS HADITH CLEARLY DENOUNCES THEIR ROTTEN THEORY. Their kufr and opposition to the blessed words of Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) has been exposed. Allah Ta`ala says that whatever His Nabi speaks is wahi (Divine Inspiration). What answer will these Munaafiqeen have for Allah Ta`ala on the Day of Qiyaamat? Incidentally this narration also appears in Faidhul Qadeer, vol. 2, page 208, Shu`abul Imaan, vol. 4, page 379 (Imaam Baihaqi has authenticated the Hadith), and Jamius Sagheer, Hadith 1678, page 105]
“Tibrani cites from Abu Umamah (radhiallahu anhu) who reports from Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wasallam), that he said, ‘Going and returning from the Musaajid are (like) Jihaad in the Path of Allah.’”
[When the cowards cannot even bear to attend the Musaajid today and earn the reward of Jihaad, how on earth will they ever answer the call to true Jihaad if it is ever made to them!]
OPEN THE MUSAAJID AND THE VIRUS WILL DISSIPATE
It makes absolutely no sense to keep the Musaajid closed. The Ahaadith show us that the presence of disease on earth is directly related to the attendance of believers at the Musaajid. The Musaajid can never be deemed avenues for the spreading of the virus as the Munaafiqeen and disbelievers stupidly claim. On the contrary, the continuous closure of the Musaajid will most certainly perpetuate the virus and increase the Anger and Punishment of Allah Rabbul Izzat. This is what the Hadith teaches us!
But then, after all, the Aayat cited right at the beginning makes apparent to everyone why the Munaafiqeen want the Musaajid to remain closed – they have no Imaan in Allah Ta`ala and His Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wasallam), and they have no fear for Him. They detest the Musaajid being opened because they have now found new friends (amicus curiae) in the kuffaar! Let it be known that Allah Ta`ala is sufficient for us.
May Allah Ta`ala save us from the evils of our nafs and shaitaan.