Abandoning the Sunnah for social work

Calling the non-Muslims towards Islam, setting up classes, giving books, using satellite, working for the welfare of the Ummah, trying to remove the backwardness of the Ummah, building orphanages and schools, thinking about the widows and the orphans, striving for the betterment of the humanity are indeed honorable works and an obligation upon the people who are worthy of doing it.

 Neglecting such works is definitely an error. It is definitely not the way of the Sahaba and the Tabi’een. But think about it, will all this work stop if we simultaneously follow the Sunnah? By following the minor Sunnah will these works have no Barakah? By following the Sunnah will the help of Allah not come? Can these things be done only by making some mistakes, by disobeying, by not following the Sunnah? For fourteen hundred years have the scholars, the scientists, the leaders sidelined the Sunnah or closed their eyes upon the smaller Sunan and ruled over the world? 

The truth is that the leader who applied the Sunnah in their personal lives and their political lives were the ones that made Islam the most prosperous. If we remember Umar bin Abdul Aziz, Muhammad bin Qasim, Imam Abu Haneefa, Imam Bukhari, Salahuddin Ayyubi, Imam ibn Taymiyyah and other reformers with respect, it is because they were the true followers of the Prophet (Peace be upon him), and to spread his way, his teachings they gave up everything they had. In fact, it was their deep love for the Prophet (Peace be upon him), and then acting upon even the minor Sunan that made their faith even stronger and increased their level of piety and brought them closer to Allah! They were blessed with the love of the religion, they became true to the Ayah: “So flee to Allah” (Surah Dhariyat :50) They became the true examples of the hadith: “A slave keeps getting closer to me through the supererogatory acts.” Not just their hearts, but every part of their body was religious so they did not accept making a mistake. 

Once the slave of Abu Bakr As Siddiq (May Allah be pleased with him) offered him some milk. He drank the milk and then asked about it. The slave said that he had received it as a wage for soothsaying. At this, Abu Bakr (RadiAllahu Anhu) immediately put his fingers into his throat and vomited as much as possible. Sahih Al Bukhari: 3842

Some sayings have narrated that after that he looked towards the sky and said: “O Allah, whatever I could vomit I have, but what has gone in the stomach or mixed in my blood I ask forgiveness for that.”

Sheikh Abdus Salam al-Madani 

Ameer Jamiat Ahle Hadith Chennai President majilis e Ulema e Ahle Hadith Telangana