Question Summary:
1. a friend of mine wants to go to safr of 40 days in the rah of allah (in tabligh jamaat). he is of nearly 28 yrs old and married. but his parents are not allowing him to do so as….2. many deobandhi scholars have declared dr. zakeer naik as fitna. accroding to them though he tries to bring the true face of islam in front of the world with his lectures which is

Question Detail:

1. a friend of mine wants to go to safr of 40 days in the rah of allah (in tabligh jamaat). he is of nearly 28 yrs old and married. but his parents are not allowing him to do so as according to them these jamaat people brainwashes persons and tries to forbade them in doing jobs and performing responsibilities of family. likewise they have many other baseless believes against dawaat o tabligh. as disobeying parents is a major sin. but in these circumstances, to adhere to sunnah and to learn and practice den in life, can my friend go for 40 days, 4 months etc. against the will of his parents? please also give the answer if had not married yet.
2. many deobandhi scholars have declared dr. zakeer naik as fitna. accroding to them though he tries to bring the true face of islam in front of the world with his lectures which is being shattered by media, sometimes his comments and answers to many muslim brothers is in contradiction to the aqeedah of 4 majahbs. for example i myself has heard in his speech he says that women can perform salat in jamaat making one of them as imam. it is not correct according to hanafi majhab. likewise his many declaration and answers are controversial.

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
 
1) Alhamdulillah, it is commending to see the person’s will and desire to spend time in the path of Allah. Spending time in the path of Allah is indeed something of great importance. However, first and foremost Shari’ah has stressed great importance on respecting and honoring one’s parents. Allah Ta’ala mentions in the Holy Quran:
 وقضى ربك ألا تعبدوا إلا إياه وبالوالدين إحسانا إما يبلغن عندك الكبر أحدهما أو كلاهما فلا تقل لهمآ أف ولا تنهرهما وقل لهما قولا كريما (23) واخفض لهما جناح الذل من الرحمة وقل رب ارحمهما كما ربياني صغيرا(الاسراء 23-24)
“Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him, and do good to parents. If any one of them or both of them reach old age, do not say to them: uff (a word or expression of anger or contempt) and do not scold them, and address them with respectful words, Lord, be merciful to them as they have brought me up in my childhood”  [17:23-24]
ووصينا الإنسان بوالديه (اللقمان 14)
“We commanded man (to be good) in respect of his parents” [31:14]
Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said:
عن عبد الله بن مسعود قال قلت يا نبى الله أى الأعمال أقرب إلى الجنة قال « الصلاة على مواقيتها ». قلت وماذا يا نبى الله قال « بر الوالدين ». قلت وماذا يا نبى الله قال « الجهاد فى سبيل الله ».
“Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (RadiyAllahu Anhu) says: I said, O Messenger of Allah, which action is the closest to (attaining) paradise? Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: Prayer in its time. I said: Then what O Messenger of Allah? He said: Obedience to parents. I said: And then what O Messenger of Allah? He said: Striving in the path of Allah” (Sahih Muslim #263)
عن أبى هريرة قال جاء رجل إلى رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- فقال من أحق الناس بحسن صحابتى قال « أمك ». قال ثم من قال « ثم أمك ». قال ثم من قال « ثم أمك ». قال ثم من قال « ثم أبوك ».
“Abu Hurayrah (RadiyAllahu Anhu) says: A man came to Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) and said: Who is most worthy of my good companionship? Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: Your mother. The man said: Then who? Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: Your mother. The man said: Then who? Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: Your mother. The man said: Then who? Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: Your father.” (Sahih Muslim #6664)
عن ابن عباس ، قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : « من أصبح مطيعا في والديه أصبح له بابان مفتوحان من الجنة ، وإن كان واحدا فواحدا ، ومن أمسى عاصيا لله في والديه أصبح له بابان مفتوحان من النار ، وإن كان واحدا فواحدا » قال الرجل : وإن ظلماه ؟ قال : « وإن ظلماه ، وإن ظلماه ، وإن ظلماه »
 
“Ibn Abbas (RadiyAllahu Anhu) says that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: Whoever wakes up in a state where both his parents are happy with him, two doors of paradise are open for him. And if it is one (parent), then one (door of paradise will be open for him). And whoever goes to sleep in a state where his parents are unhappy with him, then two doors of Jahannam are open for him. And if it is one parent, then one (door of Jahannam) will be open. The man said: Even if they are oppressive? Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said: Even if they oppress, even if they oppress, even if they oppress!” (Shu’abul Iman lil-Bayhaqee #7679)
 
The abovementioned verses of the Holy Quran and the Ahadith of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) clearly state the importance of respecting and obeying one’s parents, even if one’s parents are oppressive. Although the person’s parents have been misinformed and misguided about the great work of Tableegh and are not permitting him to go out in the path of Allah, there are other possible solutions for him to adhere to the sunnah and bring deen into his life. Instead of trying to convince them to go for 40 days or 4 months, perhaps he can start out small and go out for 1 day, 3 days, etc. At the same time he should make dua that Allah Ta’ala guides them with the truth about the effort of Tableegh. If they do not even permit him to go for 1 day, 3 days, or any shorter period of time, then the person should at least try to spend as much time as possible in the masjid and in the company of a pious person under whom he can be guided. We ask Allah Ta;ala to make it easy for him.
 
2) Dr. Zakir Naik is known for his discussions and debates on comparative religions. He is a valuable asset of the Ummah in this regard. However, it is known that he is not a qualified ‘Alim of deen. Therefore, his views and discussions regarding Islamic sciences such as fiqh and aqeedah have no merit whatsoever. His condemnation of taqleed in itself is an indication of his lack in understanding fiqh. Our view and the view of the ulema in general is that he should focus on his field of comparative religion and leave other issues related to the Islamic sciences to the qualified ulema as was the noble habit and quality of Shaykh Ahmed Deedat (Rahimahullah). He respected the ulema and consulted with them. Moreover, even in his field of comparative religion Dr. Naik should consult with the ulema and propagate the deen under their guidance. We ask Allah Ta’ala to accept his efforts and to give him the tawfeeq to consult with the ulema. Hereunder are views of Dr. Zakir Naik from Darul-Uloom Deoband and Jamia Binoria in Pakistan:
 
http://darulifta-deoband.org/viewfatwa.jsp?ID=2415
 
http://www.jamiabinoria.net/efatawa/fatawa/27189.html
 
And Allah knows best
Wassalamu Alaikum
Ml. Asif Umar,
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah