Fatwa of the Noble Shaykh Muhammed Naasir-ud-Deen al-Albaanee regarding the Jamaa’ah at-Tableegh

He (Rahimahullaah) was asked:

"What is your opinion concerning the Jamaa’ah at-Tableegh? Is it permissible for a student of knowledge or other than him to go out with them under the guise of inviting to (the path of) Allaah?"

So he responded: The Jamaa’ah at-Tableegh does not uphold the manhaj of the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger and that which our Salaf as-Saalih were upon.

And if the situation was such, then it is not permissible to go out with them because it defies our manhaj in calling to the manhaj of the Salaf as-Saalih. So in the path of inviting to Allaah, then an ‘aalim (one who is knowledgeable) can go out with them but as for those (ignorant – without knowledge) who go out with them, then it is obligatory upon them to remain in their countries and (study Islaam) seek knowledge in their masaajid until there graduates from amongst them people of knowledge who hold study circles inviting to the path of Allaah.

As long as the situation is like that, it is upon the student of knowledge to invite these people (those from Jamaa’ah at-Tableegh) to study the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah and invite people to it.

And the Jamaa’ah at-Tableegh, with respect to da’wah to the Book and the Sunnah, do not intend by it a starting point, rather they consider that to be a divided call (da’wah)/approach; And because of this, they most resemble the Jamaa’ah of al-Ikhwaan al-Muslimeen.

They say their da’wah is based upon the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah, however this is mere idle talk for certainly they have no ‘aqeedah upon which they are united (which unites them) – so you find some are Maatureedee, others are Ash’aree, whilst others are Soofee and even some who have no madhhab (affiliation to any particular ideology).

This is because their da’wah is built upon amassing (the people), then gathering together and culturising/instructing them, and in reality they do not really have any culture. More than half a century has passed and there has not appeared from amongst them a scholar.

As for us, then we say instruct them, then gather together, such that the gathering together is based upon a foundation in which there is no doubt.

So the da’wah of the Jamaa’ah at-Tableegh is that of the Soofiyyah, they call to good manners, as for correcting the differing ‘aqeedah of the group, then they do not exert themselves one iota. This is because they believe this will cause differences (and splitting apart).

It came to pass that a brother, Sa’d al-Husayn had much correspondence with the leader of the Jamaa’ah at-Tableegh in India or Pakistan and it became clear from that they acknowledge (belief in) intercession and seeking help (from other than Allaah) and many other such things. And they require their people (members) to make bay’ah (oath of allegiance) based upon four issues: amongst them the Naqshbandiyyah methodology. So it is upon every tableeghee (one who ascribes to the Jamaa’ah at-Tableegh) to make bay’ah of these fundamentals (issues).

A questioner may ask: Indeed this group has corrected its faults (returned to Allaah) as a result of the efforts of many individuals and quite possibly many non-Muslims have accepted Islaam at their hands. Is this not sufficient (proof) for the permissibility of going out with them and participating in that which they call to?

So we say: Indeed we know these words and hear them a lot and know them to emanate from the Soofiyyah! For example, there is a Shaykh whose ‘aqeedah is incorrect and does not know anything about the Sunnah. Instead they deceitfully take from the wealth of the people, so together with this, many open sinners seek forgiveness from them!

So every group which invites to good, then it is imperative they should be in adherence (to the Qur'ân and the Sunnah), and (this) our approach is pure, so what are they (others) calling to?

Are they calling to adherence to the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Messenger and the ;aqeedah of the Salaf as-Saalih, abandoning blind following of the madhhabs to such an extent that they adhere to the Sunnah over and above their madhhab!? So the Jamaa’ah at-Tableegh do not have a knowledge-based (manhaj), rather, their manhaj is according to the place where they are to be found, so they change their "colours" to suit themselves. [al-Fataawa al-Imaaraatiyyah of al-Albaanee].