23rd Oct 2021 (THQH Masjid, District Attock)
Sitting in Masjid besides a beautiful garden, inside Tehsil Head Quarter (THQ) Hospital (in Jand, which is a prepossessing small city of District Attock, Punjab), I was busy with my evening dhikr. In the mean while the man offering prayer besides me asked something regarding the odd design of partitioning the Masjid with a masonry wall. I replied with incognizance and said that I myself am a traveler and not a resident. Knowing that I was there for tableegh and that I am going to spend 4 months, his happiness knew no bounds despite the fact that we just met a few minutes ago. Then he told his story through which the reason of his happiness started making sense. This man was above 60, with facial features explaining a lot of stories.
I believe that every person we meet in our life, is a complete story in himself/herself. Some put forward it in words, some through actions, and some through stories.
This man had an interesting story, which I would tell you all too, in order to put in my small effort to eliminate the wrong concept of Tableegh many people have in mind.
The story starts with this old man having a lot of bad habits which a rich, balky, ill mannered man could have. His family was numbardar for decades. He was all too busy with his life’ vicissitudes. It was popular in his neighborhood that whenever Imam Masjid’ son calls for prayer (call out Azan) everyone just gets overwhelmed with the boy’s beautiful voice. Therefore one day, the sun was all set to set in the west and the call for prayer of Maghrib started. This old man, listening to azan started moving towards the Masjid which was of course called out by Imam Masjid’s son. After Azan, he said to himself, “Ok, the Azan was beautiful. Now I have some errands to run, let’s go.” In the meanwhile the congregational prayer was all set to be performed. All this scene made him a bit ashamed for not offering the prayer which made him stay and he offered Maghrib. Just after the end of Namaz with “Assalamoalikum Warahmatullah” a fine, well dressed, well versed man stood up and started saying, “Allah Taala has put mine and your’ whole success in following Islam…”. This old man says and I quote, “The man seems all good as per the appearance. Anyways anything on this earth can happen to anyone. I will definitely help him with the money I have in my pocket.” After the whole Namaz, people gathered and another fine man, well dressed, well versed started bayan. In bayan, whole explanation was about Allah Taala, the life of Rasool Allah (SAWW), and why we all should follow Islam as the demand of ALLAH TAALA is? After that bayan, another debonair man stood and asked everyone to intend regarding how much time they will spend in Tableegh. This old man thought that may be now is the point when I will give them the money. So he stood up and said, “I intend to deliver this Rs 6000 for the cause of Tableegh.” He says that later on he realized, it was his mistake to think that those people were asking for money. He than at first went for 3 days for Tableegh and later on understood the whole concept of Tableegh. A part of which is that one needs spend his own money when he goes for Tableegh. The people going for Tableegh neither ask for food, nor shelter. Rather all they ask is to embrace the teachings of Islam and Rasool Allah (SAWW) and apply them in your own lives.
