Close Encounter of the Tablighi Jamaat: Part 5 - The First 3 Days

The hijrah (migration) of the Sahabah radiyalaahu anhum highlights how they left their dearly loved homelands, an act that is extremely difficult for a person. They also left with the intention of never returning until their deaths. The hijrah was more beloved to them than the world and all its pleasures and that they gave preference to the Deen above mundane pleasures and were not concerned when these pleasures were lost. The Sahabah travelled from place to place to protect the Deen from evil, as if they were specially created for the Aakhirah and were its sons. It therefore appeared as if this world was created for them.

In February 1997, I finally had the sense and courage to take a leave on Friday to join my brother in a 3 days jamaat when I took a flight from Kuala Lumpur to join the jamaat in Johor Bharu. It was an experience beyond descriptions. Suffice to say that on the third day, I burst into tears with unexplainable emotions. I, for instance, could attempt to explain to you the taste of durian (a local exotic fruit) but you will not be able to appreciate it until you yourself tasted it. Verily, at the end of the 3 days, Islam had entered into me. I recalled a conversation that my brother had with my mother years ago when she asked him how he felt after his first 'going out for dakwah' for 3 days. My brother said, "I just became a Muslim." Indeed, I too just became a Muslim after my first 3 days in dakwah and tabligh effort.

Everything immediately changed for me right after the 3 days in the path of Allah. On the return flight, I saw a couple of monks with large beads in their hands. I thought, "O Allah! They are in the baathil belief, but yet they make effort to please whatever that they worship." I felt deed sympathy to the monks and at the same time I could not remember the last time that I made wird or zikr of Allah before the 3 days that I spent in absolute deeni environment. How I had wasted much of my time and age. The one disturbing question that always buried deep into my heart which, for ages, remained unanswered, "Did Allah create me only to live my daily routines of life like the non-believers - wake up, eat, work, eat, sleep?" 

Alhamdulillah, all praise belongs only to Allah, within that blessed 3 days short time frame, Allah Ta'ala had given me a crystal clear answer for it. We are engrossed in businesses, occupations, farming and so many other engagements. It is only in these pursuits that all our time is spent. We have begun to serve the things that ought to be our servants. It is therefore necessary that we make the object the purpose of our lives which Rasulullah sallalaahu alayhi wassalam was sent for and which was placed on the shoulders of the Sahabah radiyalaahu anhum. We should make this concern as our concern. Our mindset should be that we have been sent to this world for the responsibility of dakwah and tabligh and although we may engage in business, the business is the servant while Deen is to be served and is the true objective.