[Read as PDF: https://authenticseerah.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/an-advice-to-those-inviting-to-or-attending-motivational.pdf ]
Assalamualaikum brothers & sisters. This is a sincere Naseehah to everyone in general with regards to ‘Attending sessions by motivational speakers’.
First of all, no one should read this as a ‘warning against any speaker’j, or as a ‘refutation’. This is a general advice to all and a particular one to those inviting or about to invite ‘motivation speaker(s)’.
Second, no one should assume that the issues I will be mentioning here are only about ‘unqualified speakers’, as many would love to assume. Actually the problem is even with some graduates and scholars from Islamic Universities.
Third, our intention is only Islaah (rectification), as much as is possible from our end. This applies to all of the Ummah, we all are are imperfect, and we all need someone, to correct us time and again.
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Motivational speakers help energise the youth and their parents towards a beneficial goal, and they have their beneficial space in the society. However the speaker, the organisers and those who attend the sessions (the audience) need to keep some things in mind as they give their ears to these speakers.
With regards to the speakers, it is their responsibility that they confirm whatever they are presenting of facts (Islamic or scientific, Hadith or quotes of the wise men) to be authentic. It has been observed time and again, for example, that even after The Qur’an And Sunnah are filled with Ayaat and Ahadith of the ‘Rights of Parents’ some speakers would use an extremely weak or fabricated narration.
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Say for example, (The Hadith:) “A righteous child who looks upon his parents, even a single glance of genuine affection, receives a reward from Allah equal to the reward of an accepted Hajj.” A simple checking through Hadith Softwares, or even Google search, will show that, ‘Imam Adh-Dhahabi said that this Hadith is Munkar (rejected), and Imam Al-Albani said ‘Fabricated”.
You may think what’s wrong even if the statement is not a Hadith?! Doesn’t it have a good meaning!? My dear brother, it’s a major sin, Major Haram action, to spread false quotes and attributing it to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Because he ﷺ said, “Whoever ascribes to me what I have not said then (surely) let him occupy his seat in Hell-fire.” (Al-Bukhari 109)
This is just one example, and two other examples I heard some of these speakers telling is, ‘The Jewish lady who used to throw thrash upon the Prophet ﷺ’ and ‘The Jewish lady whose luggage was carried by the Prophet ﷺ’. These examples are enough. In-Sha-Allah.*
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It is the responsibility of the event organisers that they’ve to make it clear to the respected speaker, at least a week or some days before the event, that the Hadiths (Ahadith) quoted or facts mentioned (even worldly issues) must be authentic and reliable.
Also the organisers must have a student of knowledge or Islamic scholar as a note-taker who can note down any mistake done while mentioning something from the Prophet ﷺ or the Sahabah. At the end of the lecture, the Islamic scholar can politely with wisdom inform the audience that such-and-such a thing mentioned was not authentic. It may seem apparently offensive and hurting to the speaker, but if politely done, and if the speaker is a sincere individual, he will accept it In-Sha-Allah.
Even if he gets offended and angry, we’ve to understand that, our priority must be to not allow our stage to be a place from where a major sin happens and a false narration is spread.
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Whatever I mentioned above, regarding speakers and presenting authentic Hadiths, also applies to Islamic students of knowledge and graduates, who give classes around us. They must use the knowledge of research and cross verifying that they learnt in their institutions, to prepare their classes.
Many of our brothers, even after spending 5-6 years or more studying pure Islamic sciences, just watch a few lectures online and quickly prepare their classes. I myself have watched/heard some of these lectures in English, Urdu and Beary, and Subhanallah, seems like they did not even bother to look it up before putting it out.
Not only did some of them mention extremely weak and fabricated narrations, some of them also presented (unintentionally) some ‘made-up’ stories to present their lecture. They didn’t do it purposely, I assume positively In-Sha-Allah, rather they were just careless about conveying the religion and copied it from somewhere else.
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With regards to those who attend the events, you’ve to be careful of a few things. And you’ve to be extra careful if you are a ‘student of Islamic knowledge’.
*(1)Always carry a small booklet to these sessions, and make notes of especially the Ahadith mentioned.*
*(2)Never assume, if you’re listening to a class/speech, or are preparing for a class/speech, that a story mentioned in books published by Darussalam (Riyadh, KSA) is automatically authentic and acceptable. Rather, the fact of the matter is that, if it is from Darussalam Publications, do an extra and meticulous cross checking. Because from my personal experience I have seen that Darussalam Publishers’ Seerah Books with the title ‘Golden Stories of …’ are filled with baseless and fabricated narrations.
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(Mark my words throughout this write-up, I say- ‘extremely weak’, ‘baseless’, ‘fabrication’ etc.,- because there is an important difference between ‘weak’ and ‘extremely weak’, that only students of knowledge know, and we need not explain that here. I am not condemning the use of slightly weak narrations here in this write-up for a particular reason.)
Another important issue. We’ve to agree that modern scientific education is very important and necessary for the Muslim Ummah, some parts of it may be a communal obligation as well (Fard Kifayah).
However, Islamic institution, especially the Salafi ones (because Salafis/Ahle-Hadis claim that they wish to follow the strict interpretation of Islam according to the Sahabah’s way), should be careful of promoting motivational speakers who in their talks are known to belittle the concept of ‘gender segregation’, ‘full Islamic Hijab’ etc.
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My cousin (female) once attended a ‘Salafi’ motivational event a few years back where all the organizers were Mutanaqqibaat (Niqabis), yet the female motivational speakers mocked the students for covering their faces and wearing gloves in a very insulting manner. Yet, the organisers didn’t have the Gheerah (self respect) for the Deen to even politely clarify the issue after her motivational talk was over.
I saw another young speaker, condemning the idea of not sending our daughters to mixed schools, and no one in the end corrected him.
So if Salafi institutions, are calling or promoting such individuals, please do a careful background check. Remember, our strict interpretation (people call it extreme) of the Deen, according to the Sahabah’s way, is the balanced interpretation of the religion of Islam. And we have to maintain it that In-Sha-Allah, or else, do whatever you wish, but remove the title of ‘Salafi/Ahle-Hadis’ from yourselves.
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Last point, I feel people will not agree to it, but still, we’ve been sent to just convey to the people and not force them, so I will mention it here.
The scholars overall (with some exceptions) have agreed that ‘printed images’ are prohibited and ‘digtal images/videos’ are ‘ok’ , except for passports and documents etc,. I remember years ago when Shaikh Anees-ur-Rehman (Hafidhahullah) spoke about using printed images for Da’wah purposes, said, ‘There is no Barakah (blessings) in the Da’wah that happens these days because of the use of pictures’ (او كما قال).
The Prophet ﷺ said,”The people who will receive the severest punishment from Allah will be the picture makers.” (Al-Bukhari 5950)
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So we’ve to avoid, printing posters, large or small, with images of the speaker, in order to not fall under the previous Hadith. Alhamdulillah, today we have social media, and you all know better, that we can In-Sha-Allah, make short clips or posters for WhatsApp/Instagram statuses and promote the event (as digital images are ok). If need be, we can print huge posters with just the name and details of the events.
If the organisers have already printed such posters, Salafi Masaajids and institutions,should not allow them to be pasted outside their campuses, rather they may cover the face or print out new face-less posters for themselves.
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Lastly, every such session, should either begin with or end with, a short message, a short talk of the importance of sticking to the religion, and not compromising on Islamic values like, Tawheed, Salah (Namaz), full Islamic Hijab, and the importance of staying away from major sins (like various types of Shirk, love affairs, fornication, drugs etc.).
The students, since a great majority would be Muslims (if the organisers are Muslims), must be encouraged to study the Islamic religion and read Islamic books on a daily basis.
They have to be warned in a direct or indirect manner against the dangers of atheism and LGBT, they’ve to be reminded that they must be an asset to this Ummah (the Muslim nation) and our country as well.
They must be reminded that their actions, positive or negative, will either way affect the image of the Muslims in the society. They’ve to be reminded that their main goal is the Akhirah (The Next Life), come what may.
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These were some points I wanted to mention. I end by what Shuaib (Alaihis Salam) said to this people, (ان اريد الا الاصلاح ما استطعت) “I only intend reform as much as I’m able to. (Al-Qur’an 11:88)”
May Allah accept this from me and rectify our condition, may Allah accept the efforts of one and all, who work to serve the religion and the Ummah.
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-Mohammed Manna (Currently a student of B.A Islamic Studies (3rd Year, distance) and M.A Islamic Studies (1st Year, online).
(24th October 2023)
Saheehus-Seerah 