THE TRIAL OF JALABI PRACTICE IN OUR SOCIETY

Ibn Abdillah As-sudaisiy Al-Iloori

INTRODUCTION

Jalabi in our contemporary society is commonly known but not limited to mean the act of offering dua' (prayer) service to people. Those who do this as a job are often offered material benefits, such as food, cash and some other material items, depending on the level of generosity of their host. In most cases, if the material benefits are not made available after the du'a, it doesn't sit well with those who attend the prayer because it is always expected. The host too is aware of its sanctity and wouldn't like to disappoint his or her guests. Those Alfas have tied the concept of du'a with 'saara' (charity). They make people to believe if they offer prayer for them, they must do that 'saara' or give 'owo adua' for their prayer to be accepted. They will say : prayer is the sword of a Muslim and 'saara' (charity) is its feather. This belief has no basis in the Sunnnah. It is not a must for someone to do sadaqah after making du'a. Based on the erroneous belief that du'a can't fly without sadaqah, the host of a prayer session would make sure something is given for the prayer offered, no matter how hard things are for him or her. unfortunately, this practice had turned many Alfas to glorified beggars.

In Islaam, du'a and charity are independent acts of ibaadah which must be done with good intention and in accordance with the Sunnah. A lot of bid'ah are attached to the concept of 'saara' in our society. In fact, some of those bid'ah can lead a Muslim out of Islaam if proper care is not taken. Some people could be ordered to slaughter something without basis in the Sunnah or on the command of some Jins. This and many more evils are attached to jalabi business. Apart the fact that gathering for the purpose of offering du'a in congregation is a form of bid'ah, the attitude of expecting material benefits in return after the prayer makes the intentions of persons involved questionable.

From the genesis of jalabi concept is that many Muslims of the past and present generations lack proper understanding of Islaam as practiced by the Prophet صلىالله عليه وسلم and the companions رضي الله عنهم. This prevent many people from understanding the concept of dua' as provided in the Quran and sunnah. By virtue of their ignorance, it becomes very easy for them to be confused with the believe that they cannot offer dua' on their own. Some people (Alfas) have made them to believe that their voice cannot reach Allaah. They make them believe that they (the Alfas) are meant to serve as intermediary between them and Allah. One of the jalabi Alfas once said this in one of his open lectures:

"Enu tiyin ole de odo Olohun" (Your mouths cannot reach Allah), "iwo gbe N10m wa wo... (You bring N10m). Anyone who says you will not win, i will tell Allah to deal with them".

This is totally against the provisions of the shari'ah. Apart from the Messengers and Prophets عليهم السلام, it is very wrong for anyone to think he can be a link between Allaah and His servants. Moreso, du'a is meant to be a direct communication between a servant and his Lord.

DU'A IN THE CONTEXT OF THE SHARI'AH:

Dua' as far as the shari'ah is concerned is an act of worship and every Muslim must know how to supplicate Allaah for help and assistance in accordance with the Sunnah of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. It is an obligation upon every believer to solicit Allaah alone for his or her needs always. It is a serious sin for a Muslim not to offer dua'. It is a form of remembrance and a fardul 'ain (individual responsibility) upon every Muslims. And Muslim must know thag when he calls Allaah, He سبحانه وتعالى hears and is capable of solving his problems. Allaah says:

وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ ۖ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ

"And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided" (Q2:186)

This verse shows that one can call on Allaah at any time by himself. The call should be direct and not through any professional jalabi Alfas. Although it may not be wrong for a Muslim to urge his fellow Muslim to put him in his private dua'. But this must not be turned into a business venture. A Muslim should not professionalized du'a services in such a way that he makes money or any other material benefit through it. If he must offer du'a for his fellow Muslim, it must not be for the sake of money or any other thing material. It must be for Allah's sake. The scholars have made us to believe, based on some traditions, that if you wish any good for your brother in Islaam; the goodness would automatically be for you too. Therefore, commercialization of something that is meant to be an act of 'ibaadah is ridiculous and outrageous. Allaah says in in another verse:

وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِين

"And your Lord says, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you." Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible." (Suratul Ghaafir: 60)َ

HOW SHOULD DU'A BE OFFERED?:

If we are to offer du'a for ourselves or in favour of a fellow Muslim, how should we conduct it? Should it be done the way we like or the way one Alfa or Shehu prescribe? The answer is clear; every form of du'a must be offered based on the provisions of the Qur'an and Sunnah, because it is a form of 'ibaadah. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was the best of those who offered du'a and we must emulate him. We must not offer du'a in ways that he did not offer dua.

Consequently, those who engage in Jalabi business today have violate this rule in many ways. They are fond of so many bid'ah activities in their du'a, some of which even lead to kufr or shirk. The prevalent habit of chanting adhkaar in congregation is not proper because the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not do dhikr in that manner. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not gather people to recite the Qur'an in congregation. It is even against the ethics of the Sunnah and adab of Qur'an recitation to be reciting different parts of the Qur'an together at the same time without composure and coherence.

Many of those who recite the Qur'an in congregational du'a do not recite properly. They over-speed and recite wrongly. This practice is unsunnatic. There is no justification from the Qur'an and Sunnah for it. Besides, the Qur'an was not revealed for the purpose of doing business or getting money with it through du'a. As for those who teach the Qur'an, their case is different. They can be paid for work done if they want to be paid. Some Alfas would go to homes of politicians and the rich to recite Suratu Yasin, Waaqi'ah, Mulk etc and get money. This is not Sunnatic. The Qur'an is not to be used this manner. We must change this questionable attitude. Apart from this, in their du'a, they chant all kinds of bid'ah assalatu (ways of seeking blessings upon the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم ). They recite dalailu khairaat, solaatul faatih etc. These are also against the Sunnah.

The ideal thing is for every individual Muslim to learn how to offer du'a and the du'a separately. The argument that it is permissible to recite the Qur'an in congregation since it is permissible to offer solaah in congregation is untenable. The act of performing solaah is different from the act of making du'a, even though both are forms of ibaadah. We can only do in congregation what the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did in congregation.

CONCEPT OF RUQYAH:

It is unfortunate that some people are equating their own devilish traditional pagan incantations with ruqyah du'a that are specifically prescribed by the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. This is mischievous. Ruqyah is not incantation. It consists of du'a from the verses of the Qur'an and Sunnah. There is nothing wrong with Muslim reciting ruqyah for himself. That is permissible; indeed it is a good Sunnah because the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم used to recite ruqyah for himself, and some of his companions رضي الله عنهم recited ruqyah for themselves.

It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah رضي الله عنها said: When the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم was ill, he would recite al-Mi’wadhatayn over himself and spit drily. When his pain grew intense, I recited over him and wiped him with his own hand, seeking its barakah (blessing).” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4728; Muslim, 2192)

To be continued in sha Allaah...