40 Days in Northern Thailand

In November 2007, I joined a jamaat of 40 days bound for Northern Thailand. Our jamaat consisted of 10 persons including me. The others were Haji Julaihi and Haji Muhammad Kamal of Brunei; Haji Sabaruddin of Melaka; Abdul Samad of Pahang; Zulkefli of Johor; Haji Harun, Nor Azha, Yuzli, and Farak Khan of Kuala Lumpur. We spent the first ten days of our chillah doing the dakwah and tabligh effort in Shah Alam while making travel arrangement to Thailand.

Prior to that, I had sat in tafakud (which is a screening and interview process conducted by the appointed responsible old workers of the tablighi jamaat) twice in the same year and passed both tafakud. The first one, in a jamaat scheduled to make effort for 4 months in Madagascar. And the second time, in a masturat jamaat (husband and wife) bound to India and Pakistan for 2 months. Sadly in both occasions, I had failed to join the intended journey.

We arrived at Bangkok International Airport at 9.35pm and arrived at Mimburi Markaz at 11.05pm. Thailand has two main dakwah and tabligh markaz. The markaz for Southern Thailand is Yala and the markaz for Northern Thailand is situated at 2/1 Moo.8 Ratuthit Rd, Khwaeng, Saensab, Khet. Mimburi 10510, Bangkok, Thailand. As usual, one of the first thing for us to do when traveling abroad is to note down the local solah time: Fajr 4.56am, Dzuhur 12.30pm, Asr 4.00pm, Maghreb 5.48pm and Isya' 7.45pm.

Mimburi markaz is a large double-story building near an open field. After registering as guests, Harun and a student at Yala Markaz, Yusof, served us delicious late night meals.

The majority of people of Southern Thai are Malay-speaking Muslims, whereas Northern Thailand people are predominantly Budhists who only speak Thai language. At the time, Yala syura consisted of  Haji Abdurrahman Patlong, Haji Man Golok, Ustaz Mahmud and Haji Zakariya whilst Bangkok syura consisted of Babu Bhai, Haji Abdurrahman and Haji Musa. Babu Bhai, one of the syura of Mimburi Markaz met our jamaat the next day, taking ehwal of and making consultation with our jamaat and gave the routes for our jamaat. We were given the task to make effort mainly on the immigrant Pathans who had become the citizens of Thailand and their second generation, since one of our jamaat members, Farak Khan, spoke Pushto language fluently. It was also decided that three Thai brothers from Yala markaz would join our jamaat, mainly as our guides, assistants and translators. Alhamdulillaah, it served us well and good as none of us could speak or understand Thai language, though I had to remind the Malaysian brothers in our jamaat not to use bombastic words or sentences, and to only stick to plain simple Malay language since our Yala brothers only know Kelantan Malay dialect.

The Mimburi markaz provided us with a driven 13-seater van to our first route - Masjid Baitul Nur, Nakhon Sawan. Alhamdulillaah, here we managed to tasykil Fasal Maula to join our jamaat in the journey through a lot of convincing by Farak Khan. Fasal Maula was a huge man in his 40s with a thunderous voice who unintentionally manage to scare a few fragile soft-spoken Malay brothers in our jamaat. It was funny really.

After three days, we moved to Masjid Muhammadeeyah, Chainat. It was one of the few Shafi'e masjids in Northern Thailand. Most masjids were built by the early Pathan who were Hanafis in the school of jurisprudence. We were in the company of Imam Muhammad, Ya'kob Khan, Fandi Ahmad, Sulayman, Haji Abdullah, Shayahan, Ibrahim, Mubin and Lala Jahangir Khan, to name a few. I've visited a Pathan by the name of Sayid who lived nearby the masjid. He was a butcher and cow breeder. The Pathans in Thailand are known to control the halal livestock industry. They are breeders and own halal slaughter houses. At times they export live cows across border to Malaysia. They take pride in their work. It is common that the word "PATAN" is ingrained on the steel gate of a Pathan's house or a large skull of cow is hung on the gate.  

We then moved to Masjid Nurul Islam, 25/1 Soi Promnakon 2, Taklee in the province of Nakhon Sawan. Usually after mesyuarah upon arrival at any masjid, we would disperse in pairs going near and around the masjid to meet as many Muslims as possible as a mode of announcing the arrival of jamaat at their masjid and that the effort of dakwah and tabligh was actively taking place in their area. Saud Khan, Abdullah, Imran Khan, Dawud Khan, Nawaz Khan, Mahmood Cha, Abdul Aziz, Lala Tuti Khan, Mahyuddin (malay Bangkok), Abdul Latif (caretaker) and Imam Usman are a few names that I could remember.

Somehow the word "tien shierg" in Thai language or "khaat" in pushto language is written in my notebook. Perhaps in the guest area of the masjid there was a couple of traditional woven bed used in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or charpai as they called it elsewhere in the Indian subcontinent.

Then we moved back to Nakhon Sawan town to Masjid Pakistan, Nakhon Sawan. The masjid was established in 1380H/1960 or 1961. It was situated at the town centre. Among the brothers that gave us nusrah were Lala Saiful Rahman who was born in Buner-KPK, Imam Ahmad Myanmar, Umar Farouq Myanmar, Ishaq, Farhad and Sardar Khan.

Then we travelled further north to the next route - Masjid Pakistan, Pitsanulok. As the journey was far, we arrived quite late after Dzuhur. Zul and I quickly went to the market to find some ingredients for fast cooking meal. We prepared nasi goreng or fried rice. It turned out as the hottest fried rice that I had ever tasted because we underestimated the Thai chillies. Tablighi brothers are thought not to complain but pity them all who had to eat with grimace and tearful eyes. Picture someone wrinkling his nose, squeezing his eyes shut, and twisting his mouth and you'll have a solid mental image of a grimace...haha. After that our jamaat was not allowed to cook by the locals and food was abundant from the nusrah.  Abdul Basit, Bacha Khan, Ali Khan of Pichit, Muhammad Khan, siblings Yusof Khan and Hakeem Khan and also Mullah Shafiqul Nabi were among the local brothers that jointly making effort with us, completing the two main element of dakwah and tabligh effort ie. hijrah and nusrah. Mullah sahab was an aalim from Swabi-KPK. I've gain much benefits sitting in his company. 

Yusof Khan and Abdul Basit joined our jamaat to the next route further up north - Masjid Ad-Dai'e, Tha Sao, Mueang, Uttaradit. Abdul Basit's parents lived in Uttaradit. The weather was very cold over there, especially in November and December. The masjid had been built on his father, Zamalak Khan's land. The whole family of Zamalak Khan embraced the effort of dakwah and tabligh; his sons Abdul Basit and Muhammad Yassin and his son-in-law Muhammad Zarim. Zamalak Khan owned and operated a small studio for licensed local radio-broadcasting on his land. I remember the local DJ announced our jamaat's arrival to Uttaradit during her broadcast.  There were also other brothers, namely Jamal of Chieng Mai, Romli of Yala, Ariffin a committee member of the masjid and Ziarad Khan who accompanied us during our stay at Uttaradit.

We thought of going even further up north to Chieng Rai but decided to travel back south to Masjid Diya ul-Islam, Phichit. Ali Khan and Abdul Basit drove us in two vehicles to Phichit.  Nuruddin of Nakhon Sittamarat, Yassin, Imam Ismail and Lala Mama were the locals that joined us at the masjid. 

"Zuuh" (let's go) "Zarur para zey" (you must come), were repeatedly uttered in Pushto language by Farak Khan in making cash tasykil to a Pathan man who was a butcher in the wet market to come the masjid. And the man came straightaway leaving his stall. Earlier on, the same man shooed off a couple of Malay brothers from our jamaat who went to his stall for khususi mulaqat. I then sent Farak Khan and another person to him. The moment he saw a fellow Pathan from Malaysia came to him, he immediately turned into a more mellow personality and pleasantly greeted Farak Khan, free from harshness. I realised that it is an important mode of dakwah which had been practised and taught by Rasulullaah SAW that whenever circumstances required, an Aws might be better accepted by his fellow Aws tribe, a Khazraj might be better accepted by his Khazraj tribe, similarly applicable to other tribes and nations. There are numerous examples of the Sahabah radiyalaahu anhum regarding this as well.

At this stage I feel compel to write briefly but specifically about the Pathans in Thailand. It is believed that hundreds of Sunni Pathans left their motherlands for Thailand, then known as Siam, in the early 1900s. In 1970s, Siamese Pathans were infamously well-known for being ring-leaders or their mafia-like involvement in vices and criminal activities. A Pathan ring-lord might ruled three or four changwat or provinces in the sense that the mere mention of his name brought fear to the people in those provinces. The first generation of Pathans that married local Thai women eventually have children who are called luk khrueng.  In a narrow sense, luk khrueng is a Thai term referring to a person of mixed Thai and foreign origin. A large number of Pathan's luk khrueng were raised as Muslims but later converted to Buddhism. There are numerous sad stories about daughters of Pathan who got married to Thai men and later lost her faith in Islam. Even some first generation Pathan men were not spared of the fitan for not being able to hold firmly their faith and practices of Islam. We've been told by the local brothers that it had happened many times that a Thai wife and family of a Pathan man brought the dead body of her husband to the masjid and left to be buried. They returned home leaving Islam behind. Islam died in the family with the death of the husband. 

Nevertheless, alhamdulillaah, when many Thai Pathans started to embrace the effort of dakwah, Allah Ta'ala changed their way of life and the way of lives of their family and many others back to the true way of lives of Rasulullaah SAW and the Sahabah radiyaal laahu anhum. All praise only to Allah Most Merciful. One of such person who had been blessed by Allah Most High is a Pathan who is well-known by many as Lala Abdul Wahab.   

I was told that during his youth time, Lala Abdul Wahab was a singer performing Bollywood songs at hotels and nightclubs in Golok, a town bordering Malaysia. Back then Golok was infamous with vices activities. A jamaat from Pakistan came to Masjid Pakistan Golok and stayed there for a few days. They visited Lala Abdul Wahab at the place where he performed and encourage him to come to the masjid. Though he treated them well, Lala Abdul Wahab gave all sort of excuses not to go to the masjid, one of which he told them he was not properly dress for the occasion to follow them to the masjid. The next day, the Pakistanis jamaat  paid him another visit and to his surprise, they brought with them a set of kurta and shalwar neatly ironed as a gift for him. His heart was softened by their care and kindness. Lala Abdul Wahab followed them to the masjid and never returned to singing ever since. He had devoted his time and self to the effort of dakwah and tabligh. Many many people had their lives reformed back to the true path of Islam through the effort and sacrifice of Lala Abdul Wahab. Murderers and pimps turned to namazis. Brutal criminals turned to dai'e. I heard that he now runs a madrasah which is situated at Lumna Rai, on the way to Bangkok.

From Phichit, our jamaat went to Masjid Wang Chom Phu, Phetchabun. Here our jamaat had been made busy day and night by Hassan Khan and the other hardworking brothers - Imam Shabir Ahmad Myanmar, Idris, Musa, Roshan Khan, Muhammad Nur Khan Abdul Haq Khan, Anas the soldier, Habib Khan, Abdul Kareem, Nawab Khan, Rahmatullah Myanmar, Umar, Abdul Jalil Myanmar and Musa.  Hassan Khan has a child, Matin Khan who he always brought with him to be with our jamaat. Hassan Khan and the other brothers made an effort to gather many womenfolk at a place adjoining the masjid for us to deliver a masturat bayaan. Most of the brothers in Petchabun and the places before were the fruits of labour and sacrifice of Lala Abdul Wahab.  

Our last route in Thailand was Masjid Kaewnimit which is situated in the outer part of Bangkok city. This masjid is quite special since it was in the middle of Thai Malay community who originated from Southern Thai. Most of them were still able to speak Malay. In the vicinity of Masjid Kaewnimit, there were Surau Deanul Islam, Surau Nurul Islam, Surau Darul Uloom and Masjid 'Alaa. Among the many people who gave us nusrah were Abdul Karim, Jamaluddin@Sufi Sahb (Myanmar), Haji Yahya, Haji Habib, Haji Abdurrahman Adam, Haji Muhammad, Abdul Hakim Masjid 'Ala, youngsters Fadin, Yusof, Ridwan and Mansur.

We met a Malaysian man who was working in Bangkok. He never traveled in jamaat for dakwah but spent a few days with us in Masjid Kaewnimit that he frequented for Friday namaaz every week.  He asked us a peculiar question as to why dakwah and tabligh in Thailand is different from Malaysia. We asked him to explain what he sees as the difference. He told us that from his observation, all the chairmen and trustees of the masjid and imams and the ulama in Thailand are actively participating or lending support to the effort of dakwah and tabligh but it cannot be said the same in Malaysia. We explained to him that just as we all make qiyam, ruku' and sajdah in solah following one imam, the same is the case of the effort of dakwah and tabligh, whether in Thailand, Malaysia or every other part of the world. All of us are trying to revive and emulate what had been the original dakwah and tabligh effort of Rasulullah sallaaahu alayhi wassalam and the Sahabah radiyalaahu anhum. They are truly our elders and our source of guidance.

Nevertheless, the Malaysian brother raised a valid point. The responsible trustees and imams of the masjids and the ulama in Thailand do get involve and participate more in the effort of dakwah and tabligh. However, through my own observation, the ulama in Thailand generally stepped down to the level of the ordinary men in order to be part and parcel of the public. When we first sat down in consultation with the local Muslims at Masjid Keawnimit, we did not realise that among them are a few ulama' who had spent many years studying in Jordan, Mesir and Yemen. They sat and mixed around with the ordinary men and became part of them. Truly you can see the meaning of what is suggested by our solafussolihin that the reformation of ordinary men could be attained by sitting in the company of the ulama', and the reformation of the ulama' could be attained by sitting with the ordinary men. Scholars and men of knowledge are tested on their characters and patience when at times they have to bear the roughness and ignorance of the ordinary men. Even Rasulullaah SAW himself had endured and tolerated patiently the crudeness of the illiterate Bedouins. 

At the close of our journey, we hope that Allah Ta'ala accepted our little sacrifice of time, self and wealth for the uplifting of Deen in our lives and the lives of Muslims in Thailand and as a mean of preparation for the Thailand Ijtima' to be held on 1-3 February 2008.

Chatchuchat market, Ranchit market.

A day before we returned home, Khairon from Shah Alam, who was living in Bangkok brought us around Suanlun Night Bazaar, Chatchuchat market and Ranchit market where we bought some gifts for our dear one at home.

Our journey ended on 14th December 2007.

The IPB Journey: Madhya Pradesh

The first time that I arrived in India was on March 2000 for the IPB journey. After a few days at Nizamuddin Markaz, we were gathered in a jamaat for tasykil. This time six other persons also joined us - Abdul Latif from Johor and Hafiz from Sarawak, both are haafiz of the Qur'an; Azwa, an Indonesian who lived in Malaysia; Engku Zainuddin and Pak Awang from Terengganu and another person whom I could not recall.

Whilst in Bangladesh our jamaat of six Malaysians were combined with eight local brothers and the amir was amongst us Malaysians. In India, two Malaysian jamaat of six persons each were combined together making a jamaat of twelve Malaysians and two local brothers. The amir was from the local brother. Our amir was Abdul Aziz Mehdi from Tamil Nadu. He could speak urdu as well as his native language, Tamil and he also could speak a little English. His understanding of English language was better than spoken. Our jamaat had been tasykil  to Bilaspur and Bhilai in Madhya Pradesh (MP).

We took a train to Bilaspur, MP from Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station. The journey itself was about nineteen hours of exotic experience. I had rarely travelled by train in Malaysia, I recalled only a couple of time in my lifetime. However, I had travelled by train across fourteen countries in Europe within a month during my student days: England-Belgium-Netherlands-Denmark-Sweden-Norway-Germany-Austria-Italy-Switzerland-Cote d'Azur-Spain-Morocco-Spain-France-England. Even then the excitement and experience of travelling by train in India is beyond imagination.

Every few minutes there were voices of chaiwalas that cried "Chai! Chai! Garam chai!" At first I was amused with the chaiwalas who walked back and forth passing us. Occasionally, we stop the chaiwalas for a few cups of chai. One cup was not enough since we were used to chai that was served in a big glass in Malaysia. One thing for sure, the best chai is from India and Pakistan. Eventually, the voices of chaiwalas became irritating while you were sleeping or trying to get a nap. Many other sellers also walked back and forth on the train selling all sort of things that you would never imagine were saleable in Malaysia.

Back then in the year 2000, Madhya Pradesh (MP) were governed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a Hindu nationalist political party. Unlike other states that were governed by the majority Congress Party, the MP state prohibited the slaughtering of cows that were considered sacred by the Hindus. Buffaloes could be slaughtered but not cows. In fact most cows were adorned with colourful fabric, bells and turmeric powder and wondering around on streets and even in train stations. When we entered the state of Madhya Pradesh, we could see piles of bones from dead cows on the fields along the train line. What a waste of food that could benefit poor peoples. But of course the Hindus think differently from us Muslims.

On the other hand, there was a couple of circumstances that really amazed me in relation to the Hindus in India that I encountered on the journey. In the first circumstances, when two or three of us were praying with jamaah in the train at a time on the walkway. It is possible to perform solat with jamaah on the Indian trains as the carriage space is large, well at least they are larger than Malaysian trains. Whilst we were praying, all the people on both side of the walkway stopped and quietly waited until we finished our prayer. We could hear them whispering to the people behind, "Musalman namaz" (Muslims are praying). I was blown away and overwhelmed as to how considerate they were to us. Even the chaiwala patiently waited for us to finish our prayer. Allah Ta'ala had certainly honoured us. On another occasion in Bhillai or Bilaspur, a few Hindu mothers huddling their babies waited at the steps outside the masjid asking us to bless their children. "Baba! Baba!" they called us and nudged their babies towards us. We were really astonished by the sight, so much so that we did not know how to react. A local brother told us to recite Fatiha and pray for hidayat for them. So we recited surah Fatiha and blew softly on the babies' foreheads. May Allah give hidayat to the mothers and the children.

Haji Sheikh Aslam, an old-karkun in his 50s from Bilaspur joined us for the duration of our chillah in Madhya Pradesh. He acted as an assistant to our amir, rehber (guide) and translator to our jamaat. 

Throughout our tasykil in Bhillai and Bilaspur, we were urged not to wonder out from masjid alone without any local brother accompanying us. Perhaps they were worried of any harm that might befall us especially our safety as foreign mehman (guest). Back then, I also noticed that some of the local Muslims were not so friendly with us. I came across a few persons who looked like namazi people but would not return our smile and salam. They looked angry all the time. Once, on our way moving from a masjid to another masjid, an auto-rickshaw driver mistakenly dropped some of our jamaat at a different masjid rather than on the stated rukh (route). Before we could perform solat tahiyyat-ul masjid, two or three persons came rushing towards us yelling, "Tablighi jamaat! Khanna, pinna, sonna, pakhana karna. Jao! Jao!" I leave it to you to find out the meaning yourself...haha. Though we ended up leaving the masjid to join the rest of our jamaat at the intended masjid, we had a good laugh about what happened. 

I heard certain people said that at the time, the Muslims of Madhya Pradesh were predominantly Barelwis and the Barelwis did not like tablighi jamaat because they were seen as Deobandis, or some Barelwis even associating the jamaat with Wahabbis, particularly the jamaat from Arab countries. However, to me it was just plain ignorance or lack of knowledge on certain people. Hadzrat Maulana Muhammad Yusuf Ludhianwi rahmatullaahi alayhi said, "The phrase "Deobandi-Barelwi difference" is surprising and odd. There is no sound basis for any difference between the Deobandis and Barelwis. The reason being that both these groups are passionate followers of the Hanafi madzhab. In so far as Aqaa'id both these groups accept and follow the teachings of Imaam Abul Hassan Ash'ari and Imaam Abu Mansoor Maturidi  rahmatullaahi alayhim. Both these groups accept and take ba'yt to all four silsilahs of tasawwuf, viz. Qaadiri, Chisti, Saharwardi and Naqsyabandi. Both theses groups are in all respect followers of the Ahle Sunnah Wal Jamaah.They also acknowledge to and accept the reverence of the Sahabah, Tabi'een and Aimmah-e-Mujtahiddeen. They are muqallids of Hadzrat Imam Abu Hanfah rahmatullaahi alayhi and accept the authority right up to Mujaddid Alfe Thaani and Shah Abdul Aziz Muhaddith Dehlawi rahmatullaahi alayhima. However, there are some differences between these two groups in a few masaa'il.... With regard to these masaa'il, that group is on haq whose beliefs are in conformity with the Qur'an, Sunnah of Nabi Sallaalaahu Alayhi Wasallam, practices of the Sahabah radiyalaahu anhum and the fiqh of Imam Abu Hanifah rahmatullaahi alayhi (as a widely accepted madzhad in the Indo-pak continent). The other group is in error."

I mention this karguzari here not to mean any negativity or harm towards anyone or any group of people. Truly it was a precious knowledge and wonderful experience to me. I treasure every single moment of my time during the IPB journey to correct my Imaan and Aamal and for the correction of Imaan and Aamal of all mankind one must struggle to revive the effort of dakwah in the way of Rasulullaah SAW throughout the world. 

The IPB Journey: The Nizamuddin Markaz

All praise is for Allah Ta'ala. We praise Him and seek help from Him. We believe in Him and have complete trust in Him. There can be none to misguide the person whom Allah Ta'ala has guided and there can be none to guide the person whom Allah Ta'ala has caused to go astray.

The Banglawali Masjid at Basti Nizamuddin, Delhi which is the markaz of dakwah and tabligh was something that I had imagined differently. The markaz is situated at the place generally known and named after Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, a famous waliyullah. Most of the people that I know would tell you the same thing and have the same feeling when first set foot the Nizamuddin Markaz. Here, the original effort of Rasulullaah Sallalaahu Alayhi Wasallam and the Sahabah Radiyalaahu Anhum had been revived about a hundred years ago.

"Maulana Ilyas rahmatullaah alayhi said that the purpose of this work is to revive what Rasulullaah SAW had brought to us. Maulana Yusuf rahmatullaah alayhi explained further that the aim of this work is to raise the status of Muslims to the level where Rasulullaah SAW had left for us. What is the level? One hundred percent of Muslims, men and women, are all dai'e. One hundred percent of Muslims pray, tilawah of the Qur'an, zikir and du'a. When we reach this level the masjids will be full of aamal for twenty four hours. Only then will hidayah from Allah will come to the people until the enemies of Islam will also receive hidayah from Allah Ta'ala. This level is still far from us but we have to keep on continue walking on the path. When we know where the destination is, it does not matter if we are moving slow or fast, we will definitely reach the destination." These are the excerpt of many bayaan in Nizamuddin Markaz that I managed to scribble in my note books. 

Sitting in the company of the pious and the scholars of dakwah like Maulana Saad, Maulana Zubair, Maulana Mustaqim, Maulana Sulaiman and others rahmatullah alayhim certainly could help us in attaining self-reformation. Alhamdulillah, this attribute is still prevalent at the Nizamuddin Markaz till today where one could tremendously benefit from sitting in the company of Hazratji Maulana Saad damat barakatuhu and the other elders of dakwah and tabligh effort and the mukhlisin from all over the world.

People from all over the world went to the Nizamuddin Markaz to learn first hand the original effort of dakwah that had been carried out by Rasulullaah SAW and the Sahabah r.anhum. The elders at the Nizamuddin Markaz wish that jamaat are being dispatched all over the world and jamaat are everywhere. They also wish that every masjid throughout the world is full of aamal for 24 hours like the Masjid Nabawi during the time of Rasulullaah SAW. When addressing some people during karguzari at Nizamuddin Markaz, Maulana Sulaiman r.alayhi said that we all should have fikr and concern that perfect Deen should come to our lives and the lives of all mankind. Maulana Sulaiman told us that even this fikr and concern is not enough. The true and perfect fikr and intention is that  perfect Deen should come to our lives and the lives of all mankind AND 100% men and women calling mankind towards the perfect Deen until the day of Qiyamah.

In Nizamuddin Markaz you would not hear words except the words of dakwah. The mahul or atmosphere of dakwah and the atmosphere of practical sunnah on the people from all over the world who gathered at the Markaz.

"Brothers! Why do we go out in the path of Allah? Mianji Mehrab said we go out in the path of Allah to bring out the wrong belief of greatness of the world from our heart. In order for us to have the right relationship with our Creator, we must get rid of the wrong belief in the creations. Rasulullaah SAW had spent thirteen years making effort to bring out the greatness of the world from the hearts of the Sahabah radiyalaahu anhum. If a carcass of an animal fell into a well, we must first remove the carcass and clean the water. Water will not be clean if the carcass is still in the well, not thrown out. The world is like the carcass. And then we have to make the effort on Deen with constancy and move forward. Allah Ta'ala created this world for mankind, but Allah Ta'ala revealed how to use our lives living in this world. Thus, we go out in the path of Allah with the intention of (1) making effort on our imaan and aamal, and (2) learning the effort of Rasulullaah SAW. Save the Ummah by learning Deen and teaching Deen, learning Deen and inviting the people to make effort on Deen. Dai'e bano, dai'e banao.

Many people who are not well acquainted with the work of dakwah and tabligh confuse Nizamuddin Dakwah and Tabligh Markaz (Banglawali Masjid) with Nizamuddin dargah. The difference is like heaven and earth. Nizamuddin markaz is the proponent of sunnah, whereas Nizamuddin dargah is the proponent of shirk and bida'ah. Nizamuddin dargah is actually a kubr or tomb or shrine of the well-known waliyullah, Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya that had been turned by the ignorant Muslims as a place of wrongful worshipping. No doubt Nizamuddin dargah is more well-known to the ordinary Indians, Muslims or non-Muslims, than Nizamuddin markaz. Once during my subsequent frequent visits to the Nizamuddin markaz, the auto rickshaw man dropped me at Nizamuddin dargah when I asked for a ride to Nizamuddin markaz. Since then I had to always make sure the rides that I took dropped me to the correct place. On my first visit to Nizamuddin markaz, once exploring the surrounding areas I came close to the Nizamuddin dargah. I could feel the change in the surrounding environment as I walked closer to the dargah, gloomed dark faces and unfriendly people appeared more before me as I walked closer through the small alleys. I felt weirdly uncomfortable that I had to turn around and walked away from the dargah. It was my own personal feeling.

The Nizamuddin markaz also hosts a madrasah called Kashiful Uloom. Thus the Nizamuddin markaz not only confine dakwah and tabligh as its main activity, it is also completed by three other main activities, namely ta'leem, ibadaat and khidmat. All the four main activities had been the core activities of the Masjid Nabawi during the time of Rasulullaah SAW and the Sahabah radiyalaahu anhum. 

A world gathering for mesyuarat or consultation is held at the Nizamuddin Markaz every three months. As the effort of dakwah and tabligh had first been revived in Nizamuddin Markaz, those who are actively involved in the effort all around the world are invited to every meeting. The work of dakwah had begun at the Nizamuddin Markaz and more in Makkah al-Mukarammah. Now Hazratji Maulana Sa'ad Kandhlawi, the fourth amir of the effort, and other persons who who make the effort of dakwah and tabligh as their purpose of lives, always hold muzakarah to set forth the usool and tartib of the work at the Markaz. And the people who strive hard in the effort are invited to the meetings.