In this world, there are some rules and regulations regarding every work. If the rules of any work are not followed, sometimes it may cause loss instead of bringing benefits. For example, if a driver does not do the driving by following traffic rules, he may even lose his life. Similarly, there are some rules as well as precautions of giving Tarbiyyah. If they are not observed, it may cause damage. Let’s read some precautions of giving Tarbiyyah.
Avoid long conversation while giving Tarbiyyah
One of the things that should be taken care of while giving Tarbiyyah is that the conversation should not be too long because the other person may get bored with it. Try to state your purpose in minimum number of words so that the person listening to you remains attentive and the thing you have said is etched on his mind. The sentences we have been given by Shaykh-e-Tareeqat, Ameer-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat دَامَـتْ بَـرَكَـاتُـهُـمُ الْـعَـالِـيَـه for presenting the call towards righteousness during a Madani visit consist of a few lines which are short and comprehensive. There are many sentences in blessed Ahadees which are quite short with respect to the number of words, but they carry a large number of meanings. These sentences are called Jawami’-ul-Kalim [جَوَامِعُ الْکَلِم]. Let’s read three blessed Ahadees here.
مَاجُمِعَ شَيْءٌ اِلٰى شَيْءٍ اَفْضَلَ مِنْ حِلْمٍ اِلٰی عِلْم i.e., Nothing ever adjoined to a thing better than forbearance adjoined to knowledge. (Mu’jam Awsat, vol. 3, pp. 362, Hadees 4846)
اَلْاِقْتِصَادُ فِي النَّفَقَةِ نِصْفُ الْمَعِيشَةِ وَالتَّوَدُّدُ اِلَی النَّاسِ نِصْفُ الْعَقْلِ وَحُسْنُ السُّؤَالِ نِصْفُ الْعِلْمِ i.e., Moderation in spending is half economy, and to love people is half-intelligence, and a good question is half-knowledge. (Shu’ab-ul-Iman, vol. 5, pp. 254, Hadees 6568)
مِنْ شَرِّ النَّاسِ مَنْزِلَةً عِنْدَ اللّٰهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عَبْدٌ اَذْهَبَ آخِرَتَهُ بِدُنْيَا غَیْرِہٖ i.e., On the Day of Judgment, in the sight of Allah Almighty, the person will have the worst status who has destroyed his Hereafter for the sake of the world of someone else. (Ibn-e-Majah, vol. 4, pp. 339, Hadees 3966)
From these blessed Ahadees, it can be concluded that our Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم used to have a conversation by using very few words which meaning-wise are also comprehensive.
Give Tarbiyyah as per situation
In the same way, to give Tarbiyyah all the time causes boredom or rather sometimes even reaction. Giving untimely Tarbiyyah causes loss instead of bringing benefits. Sayyiduna Abdullah Bin Masood رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ would deliver sermon every Thursday. When a wish to deliver a sermon daily was expressed to him, he said: I dislike making you feel bored. I take care of you as the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم used to do so with us for fear of boredom. (Bukhari, vol. 1, pp. 42, Hadees 70) Therefore the person giving Tarbiyyah should keep finding a favourable opportunity for giving Tarbiyyah and then as he gets the opportunity, he should get the most out of it; he should not be negligent in giving Tarbiyyah.
Worthlessness of the World
Once the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم passed by a dead goat. He صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم asked his companions: Do you know how much worthless this goat is for its owner? Then he صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: By the Almighty in Whose control my soul is! As much as this goat is worthless for its owner, this world is even more worthless and contemptible in the sight of Allah. For Allah if the value and worth of this world was equivalent to even the wing of a mosquito, He would never let any unbeliever drink even a drop of it. (Ibn-e-Majah, vol. 4, pp. 427, Hadees 4110)
In Paradise, handkerchiefs of Sa’d are much better
Similarly, when blessed companions would be attracted by anything of this world, as per the situation and using a wonderful strategy, the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would call their attention to the Hereafter. Once, a silk cloth was presented to the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم as a gift; one after another, blessed companions started taking the cloth in their hands and started wondering at its beauty and softness. The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم asked: Do you wonder at this? The blessed companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ said: Yes, O Rasoolullah! You said, وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِہٖ لَمَنَادِيلُ سَعْدٍ فِي الجَنَّةِ خَيْرٌ مِنْهَا By the Almighty in Whose control my soul is! In the Paradise, the handkerchiefs of Sa’d (Bin Mu’az) are much better than this. (Bukhari, vol. 4, pp. 285, Hadees 6640)
Just imagine how the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, taking advantage of the opportunity, used to develop the mind and thought of his companions and improve their capabilities. On different occasions, he صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم instilled the worthlessness of the world into the minds of his companions in such a manner that the apparent beauty of the world and its charm could never attract them again.
Tarbiyyah by Practice
While giving Tarbiyyah if you feel that whatever you say will not prove useful and effective and the person listening to you will not be satisfied completely, give Tarbiyyah practically along with giving Tarbiyyah verbally and demonstrate how to do it. A person came to the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and humbly said: O Rasoolullah! كَيْفَ الطُّهُورُ How is Wudu performed? The Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم ordered some water in a pot (and demonstrated how to make Wudu completely, then said). The one who adds something to this or reduces something from it, he does wrong thing and trangresses. (Abu Dawood, vol. 1, pp. 78, Hadees 135)
Whoever wants to learn the correct method of Wudu practically must travel with the Madani Qafilahs of Dawat-e-Islami as this can only be learned in a good way in the company of devotees of Rasool. I plead with the devotees of Rasool to travel with Qafilahs every month and strive to give Tarbiyyah to themselves and others.
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