Importance of Du’a (Supplication) in the work of Tableegh

While explaining the grandeur of the of Tableegh, Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi rahimahullah mentions:

Thereafter every individual should do whatever best they can do. They must engage in the effort as much as possible. If someone does not even have knowledge or money (to participate) then atleast they have a tongue. Make use of it, i.e encourage others towards this duty.

لا خيل عندك تهديها و لامال
فليسعد النطق ان لم يسعد الحال

You have no horse to gift nor is there any wealth
Then prepare your tongue if the conditions are not ready

Anyway, first try to with your life, i.e go yourself and spend your time in propagation. If you are not able to do so then give your money in place of yourself. And if that is not in your capacity then aid the work with your tongue. This is to say that you encourage those who have the ability. If, for any reason, you do not have this much ability as well, then say all that to Allah Ta'ala. Do Du'a that. 'O Allah, have your mercy on Mulsims and help Islam. Establish Haqq as Haqq and expose the Baatil (falsehood) in the form of Baatil.'

Although I have advised this (about dua) in the end of my talk, but this is most important. Also, do not think that since this is most important I shall suffice with this and leave everything else. Like some enthusiasts start to flow only in one direction.

If it were so (that only one aspect of religion were of prime importance) then that ignorant Shah Saheb would have the best argument for us. This ignorant Shah Saheb would not pray at all and would say that I have a daleel for it. Allah Ta'ala has said,

وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ

And the Dhikr of Allah is the greatest (Qur'an 29:45)

Hence he would say that I shall from now own only do “Allah Allah”. There is no need for either Salah or for Fasting.

I told him that one action being greater does not mean that one turns away from the smaller actions. Look, if you have three sons and one of them is sane and mature. (That one provides you with the benefit a son ought to provide) Then would you kill the remaining two? Not at all! Hence, “And the Dhikr of Allah is the greatest”means that Qur'an and Salah etc. are most vituous since they are all forms of dhikr.

And since dhikr of Allah is greatest, then salah became the greatest as well. Shah Saheb could not think of an answer because now the explanation of the ayah had only two possibilities. Either dhikr of Allah meant Salah, as mentioned above, or the dhikr was referring to the more customary meaning of “Allah Allah”. So in presence of these possibilities, and taking aid from other evidences it becomes affirmed that dhikr of Allah is also for Salah as well.

Hence many are confused with regards to the supplication as well, so that needs to be understood as well. The meaning of supplication being most important is not that others plannings (or aspects of aiding the effort) are not important. This is because supplication includes those aspects within itself. One form of supplication is Qawli (by tongue), and the other supplication (du'a) is Fe'li (by action).

And if you feel that supplication only includes speech, then follow the path of Shah Saheb and in your yearning for an offspring start making verbal supplication. Have conviction that, like Shah Saheb, the verbal supplication will get you your child even though you have not gone close to the Fe'li supplication of doing Nikah.

My brothers, have you ever relied on your supplication in such a way, that you did not enter into Nikah and wished that Allah would grant you a child? The actions which are required for that supplication to come about need to be done.

The example comes from hadeeth shareef that a Sahabi asked Rasulullah salallahu alayhi wasallam that, 'should I tie the camel and then do tawakkul (reliance) or should I rely on Allah alone?' Rasulullah salallahu alayhi wasallam said, 'Tie the camel and then rely on Allah'. So this is reliance on Allah.

Now in this example relying on the rope alone is heresy and denunciation of religion, and relying only on Allah and not making any amends through means is foolishness and ignorance. Combining both is intelligence and reliance.

Da'wah and Tableegh, Pg. 326