Eloquent Discourse on Tabligh: A Scholarly Review of All

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

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This article has been translated by AI for accessibility purposes. For the original Urdu text, please refer to this link: https://t.me/DrAkramNadwi/5757

Eloquent Discourse on the Rulings of Tabligh

Allama Muhammad Farooq Itarani (d. 2000 CE), may Allah have mercy on him, was a graduate of Darul Uloom Mazahirul Uloom Saharanpur, a disciple and successor of Shah Wasiullah Fathpuri, may Allah have mercy on him, a profound scholar, meticulous thinker, and a man of righteous deeds, known for his asceticism and piety. He dedicated his life to spreading knowledge. May Allah elevate his ranks.

Recently, I came across Allama Farooq’s book titled Al-Kalam Al-Balegh fi Ahkam Al-Tabligh (Eloquent Discourse on the Rulings of Tabligh), which provides a scholarly critique of the Tablighi Jamaat. Constructive criticism leads to reform and advances the caravan of knowledge. I hope that members of the Tablighi Jamaat will study this book with sincerity and reflect seriously on its discussions.

It is essential to understand that criticism does not mean the destruction of an entity. The work of Tabligh should not stop due to such critique. Rather, efforts should be made for its reform. This is the same advice that Maulana Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi, may Allah have mercy on him, gave, though in a different manner.

This book contains foundational discussions on innovation (bid‘ah) that particularly attracted me and provided me with significant benefits.

During my time at Nadwa, I had studied Imam Ibn Taymiyyah’s works on sunnah and bid‘ah, which had clarified the distinction between the two in my mind. After moving to England, one of the early books I read was Imam Al-Shatibi’s Al-I‘tisam. Although the copy I had was incomplete, I studied it thoroughly, took notes, and later read and taught Al-Muwafaqat. As a result, I developed a principled understanding of the difference between sunnah and bid‘ah. In some aspects, I found Al-Shatibi’s explanations to be clearer, stronger, and more effective than those of Ibn Taymiyyah.

Unfortunately, Urdu literature on the topic of sunnah and bid‘ah has been lacking in scholarly depth, often veering toward polemics and debate rather than research. However, upon reading this book after so long, I was pleasantly surprised to find an Urdu book that meets scholarly standards. The author extensively referenced Al-I‘tisam and cited it frequently throughout the text.

The author writes under the heading Harf-e-Aghaz:
“An act is only considered Islamic when it is established by Islamic evidence. If an act is not proven by Islamic evidence, no matter how noble or beneficial it may appear, it cannot be considered Islamic. It will be un-Islamic.” (Page 41)

This statement left me astonished. Could a scholar from the Indian subcontinent express such clarity and courage in their discourse?

The author continues with the same clarity, stating:
“Since the criterion for determining whether an act is Islamic or innovative is Islamic evidence, any act not supported by evidence—regardless of its widespread practice among scholars, popularity among the masses, or global fame—cannot be considered valid in Shari‘ah. Similarly, if an act results in apparent benefits, such as non-Muslims embracing Islam, numerous mosques being built, or many people becoming pious and prayerful, these factors are not valid proofs in Shari‘ah. Such factors cannot determine the correctness or incorrectness of an act.” (Pages 42–43)

The author supports his argument with a passage from Al-Shatibi’s Al-I‘tisam and references verses from the Qur’an.

The book also discusses the concept of bid‘ah in light of Hadith and the statements of scholars. A particularly insightful section is titled:
“Just as the actions of the Prophet are Sunnah, so too is his abstinence from certain acts.” (Pages 53–54)

The book includes a discussion titled “Tabligh as an Absolute Command,” which reflects the author’s scholarly depth. A subsection of this discussion, “The Proof of an Absolute Command Does Not Establish a Conditional Command,” highlights the author’s meticulous reasoning and ijtihad. He writes:
“One of the fundamental errors of the people of innovation is deriving specific and conditional rulings from general and absolute commands. This is never valid unless there is explicit evidence to substantiate the specificity and conditions.” (Page 99)

The author cites passages from Al-Shatibi to support his argument. A thorough study of this discussion would debunk many flawed arguments presented by scholars and spiritual leaders.

The book comprises 563 pages and contains invaluable principles. Due to the constraints of this brief review, it is impossible to highlight all its aspects. After reading this book, I repeatedly regretted not having acquainted myself with such a distinguished scholar during his lifetime. I would have sought his guidance and permission to benefit from his knowledge. Alas, this was not destined. As the Hadith scholars say, “Listening is a provision from Allah.”

The purpose of this review is not to analyze the critiques leveled against the Tablighi Jamaat. I leave this task to others. Even if I were to form an opinion on these criticisms, it might lack objectivity, as I have been associated with the Jamaat since childhood and have greatly benefited from it.

At certain points, the book adopts a polemical tone. While this could be considered a drawback, it may be attributed to the subject matter, as the book’s primary focus is criticism. Aside from this, the book is unparalleled in the Urdu language on this topic.

I believe that the administrators of madrasas in the Indian subcontinent should include this book in their curriculum. If this is not possible, at the very least, students should be encouraged to study it.