Tariq Jamil’s Understanding of the Deen

21 Thul-Qa’dah 1439/4 August 2018

In his Durban venue, on the 2^nd of July 2018, Tariq Jamil said, “…Have your differences. Whether you tie your hand here or here (below navel / above) or leave them on the sides, your Salaah will be accepted by Allah…”

Our response to the above: Muslims are divided in four Mathabs, viz. Hanafi, Maliki, Shaafi’ and Hambali. Anyone who chooses a fifth Mathab is on the path of deviation. Likewise, anyone who mixes two or more Mathabs is also on the road of deviation.

We have to learn a particular Mathab and accordingly, make Amal on it. We have no license, certificate and permission to invent a fifth Mathab or pick and choose Laws and Methods of different Mathabs to suit us. Following and sticking onto one Mathab is called being a ‘Muqallid’—A follower of any of the four correct Mathabs. And each Mathab is on Haq.

Some Mathabs differ on certain issues. But each great Imaam of his respective Mathab has a solid proof and reason in what he deemed appropriate to be the practice of his Mathab. Hence, all four Mathabs stem from the Qur’an, Sunnah, Ijma’ and Qiyaas. In short and in a simple way, each Mathab follows the Usools (Rules and Regulations of formulation and deducing Laws and Rules of Deen etc.) of Islaam.

The majority of South Africans are Muqallideen (followers) of the Hanafi Mathab who tie their hands under the navel in Salaah (the men), while the Shaafi’ Mathab says the hands should be tied above the navel, yet the Maliki Mathab says one should keep one’s hands on the sides during the Fardh Salaah, but can fold them during Nafl Salaah etc.

On the other hand, the Shia’ahs also leave their hands on the side. While the Shi’ahs is no Mathab of Deen, their proof and action will be unacceptable and incorrect.

The Maliki’s proof for this is governed by the Rules and Regulations (Usool) of deducing the Laws of Deen, and they have valid grounds for this.

By Tariq Jamil openly announcing that wherever you tie your hands, whether under the navel, above the navel or on the sides, is so-to-say ‘acceptable’. Whereas, by being a Hanafi or Shaafi’ etc., one is actually a member of the Mathab and it is incumbent to follow the way of one’s Mathab strictly, at all times.

No one can mix Mathabs up. No one can chop and change, cut and trim from other Mathabs and blend it with his Mathab to make a fifth deviated Mathab which we can call a “Cocktail flavoured Mathab”! And Tariq Jamil has no right to do so.

One has to be a member of one particular Mathab, and it is imperative upon us to abide by the Masaa’il of our Mathab.

Tariq Jamil has made this issue feel ‘light’ on the scales of Taqleed (following an Imaam of a Mathab). He has opened the door for anyone to perform Salaah anyhow. He has opened the door of blending few or all Mathabs together. What will be left of our generations then? What Mathab will they follow? When they feel like, they’ll tie their hands above their navel and at other times under their navel!

And this is how Shaitaan plays. He makes people first treat some important aspect—in our case, the following of a Mathab, very light. When he succeeds in this, he makes them, or by then their children, treat the whole of Deen as ‘light’.

Therefore, by Tariq Jamil mentioning this dangerous statement, he makes the following of a Mathab appear to be very ‘light’ in the eyes of the public. He has no right, authority or license in the Shari’ah to utter statements like this. It is a totally dangerous, incorrect and wrong statement which he has made.

The organizers of Tariq Jamil’s tour to SA., should restrict his coming to SA. only for sightseeing. He deserved not to be given any platform in any Muslim venue or even a Kaafir venue such as the Gallagher Estate. Had he come just for sightseeing, like a trip to the Kruger National Park, a boat ride in the ocean or a hike to the top of Table Mountain with the Ulama and Radio staff who promoted his coming, would have saved the masses from confusion, Salafi’ism and also Shi’ism. For indeed, many of the innocent laymen can be hoodwinked into believing that following a Mathab is not incumbent after listening to Tariq Jamil’s talks.

The members of the Fordsburg Jamiat and their Radio should learn a great lesson by the colossal error they have made by promoting Tariq Jamil, his talks and his venues. For indeed, the result in such clumsiness could lead to a near-future generation of only Salafis and Shi’ahs! And why not, since Tariq Jamil treats the following of a Mathab as something ‘light’? Why not, when Tariq Jamil disagrees to having differences, without explaining the current issues of SA Muslims?

How will the masses be saved from their Fitnahs if the Ulama do not expose the deviated sects and the differences we have with them?