Excerpts from a booklet entitled "The Letters of Maulana Saeed Ahmad Khan Saheb": Translated by Maulana Mohammed Kadwa (Publisher: Idara Isha'at-e-Diniyat (P) Ltd.
Following the recitation of a few verses from the Holy Quran, Hadhrat Maulana continued: Do not look at who controls the country and the lands. the most favourable outcome will be for that of the people of taqwa - the pious. The mission of dakwah is a very powerful and dynamic force to be reckoned with. Don't ever attribute the work of dakwah to yourself with the intention to boost your self-image and increase your wealth. Don't employ the work of dakwah as a means of income. Whilst despatching a jamaat to America, Bhai Abdul Wahhab (of Raiwind, Pakistan) vehemently instructed the members of the jamaat not to talk about business nor engage in any financial transaction. Upon the jamaat return, one of them remarked, "Although we didn't talk about business nor did we engage in any commercial activities, we still did business." Bhai Abdul wahhab was astonished. He asked, "How else did you conduct business then?" He answered, "The only thing we did is that we analysed the goods on the American market resolving to manufacture and export the same products on our return home."
Dakwah should be for the sole pleasure of Allah Ta'ala so that the Deen of Allah is elevated and the life-style of Rasulullah sallalaahu alayh wasallam is spread and promoted. This should be our chief objective. If you suffer any pecuniary or physical loss in support of this cause, express gratitude unto Allah Ta'ala.
Dakwah should be instituted with a firm belief in the unseen. The one who engages in dakwah on the basis of what he sees, is not engaged in dakwah in the true sense of the word. Many Sahabah radiyalaahu anhum passed away during the life-time of Rasulullah sallalaahu alayhi wasallam. What did they take with them following the mission of dakwah? Friends! Many when not even fully shrouded with the kaffan. Some died in extreme thirst and hardship. The vision was focussed towards the unseen.
Invite unto Allah Ta'ala. Don't take up dakwah for personal following and honour nor for your own vested interests or else it would result in the unseen help of Allah Ta'ala being withdrawn. If one engages in dakwah making his worldly pursuits his objective, he will be overwhelmed by the misfortunes of the creation and duped into focusing his attention exclusively towards the asbaab (means and causes). If we look towards the unseen, the divine help of Allah Ta'ala will no doubt descend, regardless of our limited means. Allah Ta'ala manifested this fact when He assisted, in the Battle of Badr, the 313 Sahabah radiyalaahu anhum who centred the vision upon the unseen. On the other hand, He taught them a lesson in the Battle of Hunayn wherein they relied upon their means and resources.
If one advances whilst directing his attention towards the unseen in spite of all the obstacles he is faced with, Allah Ta'ala will eradicate them all as though they are cobwebs being destroyed.
We refer to 'purana saati' (veteran workers) as those who have spent 10-20 years in this field or as those who spend 4 months in this field even though they lack in conforming to the local dakwah principles. In actual fact, a veteran worker is he who takes part in ta'leem and ghusht and spends 3 days monthly and 40 days yearly in this path whilst strictly adhering to the principles. The one who has spent 10-20 years whilst shying away from the dakwah principles cannot be referred to as veteran worker. Dakwah should be extended towards this (i.e. taking heed of the principles) whilst endeavouring to inculcate the same within us.
Daescribing a few examples, Hadhrat Maulana went on to say: I once invited my brother to spend 40 days in the path of Allah. Scattering his farming tools before him, he retorted, "How can I ever come out from all this." Look at the glory of Allah that the very next day he was involved in some fight resulting in a broken skull. He finally had to spend two months in hospital. He could not sacrifice 40 days for the sake of Allah, was compelled to spend two months in hospital.
The superintendent of a musafir khana (travellers inn) was once asked to come out for 3 days with a jamaat visiting the suburbs of Madinah Munawarrah. He excused himself saying, "I am charged with such duties in the musafir khana that taking leave for just one night is not possible." Sometime later I met him in Makkah Mukarramah. Upon inquiring, he said, "I am waiting for the last 10 days for my daughter who is expected to arrive from Zahran and I fear an additional 10-day wait." The problem is that the prestige of Deen has vanished (from the hearts of the people). That is why he could not sacrifice 3 days for Deen but he wasted 10-20 days for his daughter.
I once invited a soldier (to come out into the path of Allah Ta'ala). He forwarded many excuses saying, "How can I ever go out? Are you aware of the punishment meted out for absenteeism and so forth." I said, "I am sure it would be less severe than the punishment of Jahannam." He made preparations to leave for 4 months, officially took leave and set out in the path of Allah. When he finally returned after an absence of 5 months instead of the official 4 months, a thick file of complaints were lodged against him. When asked about the reason for his extended absence, he replied, "I went to learn about Deen and Imaan. Hence the slight delay." When this complaint was lodged with the senior officer, he wrote out, "I am in urgent need of a man who has the attributes of this person." Without delay, he issued an order favouring his reinstatement and promotion.
There was a telephone operator in Sudanese fire brigade whose job was to notify his co-workers in the event of any emergencies. Following extensive mehnat (effort) upon him, he set out for one chilla (40 days) and returned to work with a grave concern for his solah. Leaving his work aside, he would proceed towards solah whenever the prescribed hour of solah would approach. Upon witnessing this scene on various occasions, one of the officers asked, "Where are you off to? What would happen in the event of any calls coming in about an outbreak of fire?" He replied, "I am off to extinguish a fire that is much more intense than the fire of this world." (In Fadha'il Solah, Section 1 Hadith No. 8, it has been narrated in detail that Rasulullah sallalaahu alayhi wasallam said, "As the time of solah approaches, an angel calls out, 'O children of Adam! Rise and extinguish the fire you have started burning upon yourself because of your sins.') When this report reached the chief officer who was a Christian by faith, he said, "Unconditional permission is granted for worshiping the Almighty. And the officer who was preventing him from worship should serve relief for him during solah times."
When Babu Shabeer Saheb set out for 4 months to America, 6 instead of 4 months had elapsed by the time he returned from Makkah and other places. At that time he was holding a post of deputy director in a certain company. Upon his return he was informed that he is dismissed from his post. He suffered no grief nor was he concerned in the least bit. Look at the grandeur of Allah Ta'ala that the director retired, the second in line had either died or was involved in some misfortune or the other. Filling the vacuum had, as a result, become a perplexing issue. Finally an order appointing Babu Shabeer as the new director was issued. Even after spending 6 months instead of 4, he was promoted from deputy director to director. (The idea is to come out into the path of dakwah and tabligh and build yaqeen that everything is possible from Allah Ta'ala).
Intending to spend time in the path of Allah, a brother in Pakistan applied for a passport. The order was issued (from the top) that his application should be turned down. he used to visit the immigration office every 8 days and every time his request was turned down by the officials retorting, "You are still adamant in spite of being refused on so many occasions!" One one occasion, the official's fury had reached a point of indignation. "Your application has been rejected but yet you still insist on harassing us!?", he reproached. The applicant countered back, "If I had applied considering you to be Allah, I would have never approached you. I believe Allah to be the true Allah - if He wills, I will get a passport." Without delay, an order was issued that he be granted a passport.
Friends! The promise of Allah's assistance is subjected to dakwah. "If you help (the cause of) Allah, He will help you." [Surah 47, Verse 7]
Remember, we are nurtured by a transcendal system and with (the barakat) of solah were are being (spiritually) fostered. Medium and causes play no role in this whatsoever. However, means and medium may be adopted according to need. Our minds should be focused upon the unseen system of Allah. He will ensure that all our needs are met with the work of dakwah.
Recalling the poverty of the Sahabah radiyalaahu anhum who took part in Sariyatul Ambar (the expedition of Ambar), Hadhrat Maulana said: The Sahabah who took part in this expedition used to survive on a single date for 24 hours at a stretch. They would suck on the date followed by a sip of water. Consequently, in accordance of His divine code, Allah Ta'ala assisted them in such way that He provided them with a huge sea-fish that according to Bukhari's narration, they lived on it for 18 days and according to Bayhaqi's narration the fish lasted them for a whole month. Part of the fish still remained as they returned to madinah Munawarrah. Remarking upon this, Rasulullah sallalaahu alayhi wasallam said, "This is the sustenance of Allah Ta'ala which He provided for you." Describing the size of the fish, Hadhrat Maulana said: The oil its eye socket contained, was likened to a well. At least 8 or 9 of the Sahabah jumped into it massaging themselves with the oil whilst supplementing their strength at the same time.
We are not veteran workers as yet. People refer to us as purana saati or veteran workers because of the time we spent in this field whereas, on account of our attributes, we are not fit to be called veteran. A veteran is he whose sacrifices and attributes are always on the increase. As a person intensifies his sacrifices, so will his commendable attributes increase. "Veterans" are those who consistently make du'a for the removal of all hurdles (and continue treading the path).
Allah Ta'ala will undoubtly bring the day when jamaats will set out from here (Britain) to all corners of the world. Many find setting out in jamaats a great burden on themselves but they get familiar and settle down once they set out and proceed. Therefore brothers! Form an intention and present yourselves for 4 months each.
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