Our reply to an objection made on our answer to query no. 1039 regarding "Self reformation and Jamaat work in Mauritius".

Answer

The entire body may be sound and healthy but if only one part of it is diagnosed with cancer, it will suffice to destroy the entire body. It is not pleasing for the doctor to tell the patient that he is suffering from cancer but he has to do it and advise the latter of the necessary steps that he has to take.

This is what the Ulama are actually doing. But don't just take this reply and then judge the Ulama. Rather take into consideration the steps that were taken and voiced out by JUM in order to promote and improve this noble work.

It is no secret that the Jamiat Ul Ulama has always been supportive and has always stood in favour of jamaat. The steps that were taken by JUM are due to the fear that this noble jamaat becomes a deviated sect as other sects of bida’at.

Undoubtedly, a very dangerous and very harmful issue must have arised that led elders like Maulana Ibrahim Devla, Ml Ahmad laat etc to leave the markaz of Nizamuddeen.

The brother who responded to our fatwa should evaluate his position, his knowledge and experience in respect to the knowledge, and experience of institutions like Darul Uloom Deoband and Saharanpur, the Darul Iftaa all over the world and the Ulama in general etc. If he still considers his position to be the right one, then according to us, he is similar to a blind person. It is useless to talk about colours infront of a blind person. The same error had been committed by ghair muqallideen by considering themselves knowing deen better than Imaam Abu Hanifah and other Aimmah.

Concerning the issue of perception, it may be clarified by the following example and explanation : An Imaam is dressed properly according to Shariah, knows qiraat and read with a melodious voice, knows the masaail of tahaarat and salaat but is well shaved. How should a Mufti proceed if he is asked to issue a fatwah? Would it be erroneous for the Mufti to say that it is makroohe tahreemi to perform salaat behind such Imaam? Can one claim, here also, that everything is fine besides the beard?

In regards to the brother's saying:

''One person may find a glass half filled with water while another may find it half empty. Alhamdulillah in an era where muslims are becoming so materialistic and hardly able to spare time for self reformation and ibaadah. I think it will be wise on our part to advise..."

We say that this depends on circumstances. There are actually 3 situations to a half-empty glass:

1. Encouraging

2. Satisfactory 

3. Alarming

If a glass was empty and now it is half-filled, that's encouraging. If it is now filled to a sufficient amount, that's satisfactory. But if it was filled to capacity, then it decreased to half its quantity, then that's alarming.

Jamaat work was much better initially. Now that it is deteriorating, what should be taken in consideration? The amount that has been preserved or the amount that is deteriorating.

Let's take an example to elucidate this matter: 

If a student always scores 99 and this time, he scores 59, one teacher may say that at least he passed. But a good teacher would say "must work harder, it's alarming!" as his performance is deteriorating. If another student always score 30 and this time, he scores 49, the teacher would say "worked hard".

The first student may say to the second one : "you got a better remark than me while I scored better marks than you." The second student would reply : "Yes, but mine is going up and yours is going down."

We would like to meet the brother and discuss the matter with him.