Quenching A Future Imam's Learning Aspiration
[Continuing from the talk of “Obligation of Tableegh”, Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi r.a says] “…(Our condition is such that When) men come home, they have no concern except getting angry at their wives either due to food or for (not) ironing ones clothes (etc.). They will not say a single religious thing to their families. …
South Africa is a place where you can truly say that east has met the west. The facilities are that of the west and yet the people are that of the east. As my teacher normally comments that S. Africa is one of the very few countries that can provide drinkable tap water. It is hard to accept but it is very true once you see the actual S. Africa and not the one concocted by your imagination. (At one time I even had a concept of South Africa being a famine stricken land with no water, where I will have to travel a mile to get water for the daily necessities)…..
[In a talk expounding the need for attaining Quranic Education, Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi r.a states]
“The correct method of attaining Secular Education is to:
Firstly, acquire religious education. One should consult an Alim and chart out a course for oneself.
Secondly, one should keep a connection with the company of Ulama.
Thirdly, refrain from reading books from different methodologies and only read the material of Ulama e Haqq.
One letter came which said that, “I have been thinking a lot about which sin I might have committed in lieu of which I am facing such difficulties.” I replied to him that the time when you did not have any difficulty, did you ever think in lieu of which good deeds are you relishing the good easy life?
Almost a decade ago I had stepped out of my country for the first time. I had set abroad towards Canada for the purpose of my academics. I had no idea how long this journey would be. Crossing the Atlantic and as they say, “the seven seas and the lands” I landed in Toronto. This was all new to me as I was only 17 at that time. It didn’t take long for me to realize that “Hijrah” is not an easy thing….
“What should we do with such an advancement and education which destroys ones religion? Such education is worthy of being burnt to ashes. The reason (often given) for the need of this secular education is so that on may earn ones livelihood. Although even in this notion, we take an issue with the term ‘need’ because the advancement of the world does not revolve around secular education, it can be achieved in a much better sense through trading etc., but the new age has accepted this notion so blindly that it considers even challenging it an ignorance.
“Allah (SWT) is giving us the commandment of tableegh (especially) with regards to this calamity of apostasy which is spreading widely (within our ummah). Tableegh needs to be done to those Muslim brothers who are caught in this calamity or have a fear of being caught.