ANTI – SUNNAH MISCHIEF – MAKERS
Every now and again there arise in the community persons with modernistic leanings endeavouring to introduce their opinions and fancies into the Shariah. They are bent on creating problems and controversies among Muslims. They have deviated from the Sunnah, hence they attempt to introduce their un-Islaamic practices under Shar’i guise. One such example was the recent delivery of the Jumu’ah Khutbah in English by a certain misguided sheikh in one of the Masjids in the Transvaal.
He was asked to deliver the Khutbah. Little did the musallis suspect him to introduce his bid’ah. After he recited the Khutbah in English, the local Imaam repeated the Khutbah in Arabic. A controversy was the logical consequence.
To avoid such controversies, the Imaam or the mutawallis of Masaajid should not request just any tom, dick or harry to lead the Salaat or the Khutbah. It is essential to first ascertain the credentials of a visiting sheikh/maulana. His leanings and views have to be ascertained before the Masjid platform is granted to him. If this is done, unnecessary controversies will be obviated. Further, a platform for baatil and bid’ah is provided by offering the Musallaa to every roving non-entity.
People who are out to scuttle the Sunnah or bring about changes in the fourteen hundred year practices of the Ummah should never be permitted to mount a platform in the Muslim community. These people who wish to diverge from the Sunnah are out to destroy the Deen. They gnaw at the foundations of the Deen by subtle tampering with the Ahkaam of the Shariah. The ultimate result of the misinterpretations of the modernists is kufr. The Ummah cannot tolerate the slightest deviation from the practices established by the Ijma’ (Consensus) of the Ummah. It is indeed sad and ludicrous that non-entities in this belated age in such close proximity to Qiyaamah have deemed it appropriate to alter the practices of Islaam. Unwary Muslims, either because of their gullibility or ignorance, fall prey to the snares laid by these deviates. Deeni matter cannot be trifled with. Muslims should be more careful and beware of shayaateen masquerading as learned men of the Deen.
If there was a need for the Jumu’ah Khutbah to be delivered in the language understood by the people, the Sahaabah who were the first and greatest Muballigheen of Islaam would have adopted this measure unhesitatingly. There was a greater need for Tableegh of Islaam in the early days when Islaam had not yet reached the masses in the various lands. However, despite this need, the Sahaabah did not consider it Islaamic to introduce a non-Arabic Khutbah. The Khutbah was always retained in the Arabic language although there were non-Arab Sahaabah. It is abundantly clear from the evidence of the Shariah that it is not permissible to recite the Khutbah in any language other than Arabic.