I can remember an incident while I was in Saudi Arabia and doing my job there. My accommodation was in a Camp in Al-Jubal Industrial City. I was the only Ahmadi that time at my Camp. I used to offer my Salah lonely in my room. Nobody was aware of myself being an Ahmadi. My friends always used to ask me why I do not offer Salah with them and go to mosque? But I was undone due to the restrictions there and could not expose myself as being to be an Ahmadi. Some of my friends complained to the Egyptian Mutawwa…I mean the Khateeb of the Camp’s mosque. He called me for explanation and asked me why I do not offer Salah in the mosque behind his Imamat. I was in trouble. Remember….that is Saudi Arabia!!!!!! An idea suddenly crept into my mind. I asked him whether he can assure me that if I do not offer Salah behind his Imamat..then I shall definitely go to hell?? And he should also assure me that, if I offered Salah behind his Imamat, then surely…I shall go to Heaven??? That Mutawwa was educated from Al-Azhar University of Egypt!!! For a moment he kept silence and then said, “ No I cannot say confidently”. I asked him whether he was aware of the fact that there is a Hadeeth of the Holy Prophet(SAS)…regarding the division of Muslim Ummah into 73 sects…and KULLUHUM FIN’NAARE ILLA WAHIDA…. And as he himself was an Aalim…so he replied in assertive. Then I asked him, whether he is 100% sure that the sect to which he belongs is ‘that’ Najji Firqah!!!! He replied that he is not sure about that…and said that…all sects/firqas claim to be on right path but nobody’s claim can be proven. So, I got relived and relaxed. I asked him, “My dear Aalim! If you are extremely hungry and somebody presents in front of you 73 apples and the presenter warns you clearly, that out of these 73 apples, only one is non-poisonous and rest 72 are poisonous…but no marks on any apple…which one is poisonous and which is non-poisonous…but all look very beautiful and very nice and increase your appetite…..so what shall you do? You will eat an apple with a doubt in your mind or you will abstain from doing so?”
73 Apples. All are poisonous except only one.
That Aalim replied, “ How come I eat an apple, about which, I am not 100 % sure, whether that is poisonous or non-poisonous?”….I told him that exactly the same thing I was doing!!!!! As I am not sure about his status and he too is doubtful about his own status, then why should I make him my Imam in a doubt ???? Suppose I offered my Salah behind his Imamat, and in the Sight of Allah…he belongs to Naari Firqah…then my prayers will go futile. Better to keep abstain from doing that until and unless he proves with conviction, that he belongs to Naaji Firqah !!!!! It is wise not to eat any poisonous apple with a doubt in mind…but keep oneself hungry !!!! So it is wise to go for one time virtue…instead of twenty seven times virtue with a poisonous doubt in mind !!!!!! He smiled and was satisfied with my reply and thus I was saved by Allah Ta’ala….
Categories: Saudi Arabia
Great story! Allah bless that Imam too… (and show him towards the one good ‘apple’)…
Masha-Allah! Great analogy and very good response in that situation. However, I beg to state that in normal circumstances, without any fear of repercussions we can say that not all apples are equally nice but with different hues and taste. The only thing we need to do is to check which one of them looks and tastes like the apple mentioned in the Holy Qur`an and Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (sa).
Thanks a lot for this post. Currently, I am also alone in my area. When I make prayer in University compound people come and ask me for Group Prayer with them.
I always try to refuse they have not ask me “Why?” yet!
If they do ask me then, I will try to give similar answer. Insha Allah.
I am really grateful for this post. Jazakeller.
SubhanAllah.. Allah bless u brother!!
According to the situation the answer was perfect, it is called ( Hikmat ).
Actually When Muhammad( SAW)narrated this Hadeeth , His companions ( Sahabah ) ask how will be distinguished that Right one, Hazoor replied that will be a Jammat.
In Islam a Jammat is established under the Caliph system ( Nizam-E-Khilafat)only.
Allahamdolillah Jammat-E-Ahmadiyya is the only one Jammat having the true Islamic system of Khilafat- Alla-Minhaj-E-Nabuwa given by our Allah Al-Mighty through the promised Messiah(Messiah-E-Muhammadi)
So the solution of puzzle was already given by The Great Narrator Muhammad(SAW)of this Hadeeth.
(Ek Nishan Kafi Hai Gar Dil Main Ho Khuf-E-Kirdigar).
Yes, only Allah could have guided you to this very logical and reasonable response. Subhanallah and many thanks for this post, Alhamdulillah and God bless you.
It is very,Logical and wise Answer to that Imam.
And A good responcse in difficult sitiation.
JazakAllah
But take care! Not every Imam might be as understanding as the one in this original story.
Jazak’Allah @Rafiq A. Tschannen sahib, @Ansar Raza sahib, @Khwaja Tariq Shamim sahib, @Mustafa sahib, @Arooj Najmussaqib sahiba, @MNA KHAN sahib, @Raziya Mohamedali sahiba and @Tanveer Akhter Khan sahib for nice coments.
Well said Janab Rafiq A. Tschannen sahib in his last comment “But take care! Not every Imam might be as understanding as the one in this original story”.
Very true…all Imams are not alike. The Imam in this story was really a nice person. I used to meet him regularly during leisure hours. We would discuss so many things. He used to call me Indian Mutawwa showing his sense of humor. One day he told me that some friends had complained to him regarding me..that I was a follower of some Indian scholar (name he forgot to mention !) who claimed prophet-hood. But he did not ask me much to explain about the allegations my friends had leveled against me.