From the above explanation, it becomes clear as to what is compulsory and what is not. Therefore, it is harâm to adopt such a tone or attitude that would entail disrespect and belittling of the ‘ulamâ’. Imagine a person selling potatoes, vegetables and meat who goes out for Tablîgh and then says to the ‘ulamâ’: “This knowledge which you are studying and teaching is nothing. Go out for forty days in Tablîgh.” If he hears of an ‘âlim who never went out for forty days, then he says with regard to him: “All these ‘ulamâ’ remain sitting in their rooms, they are not doing any service to Islam.”

However, not all those engaged in Tablîgh are like this. Those who remained under the training of the elders are very balanced, but the majority are immature.

The Grand Mufti of Pakistan, Mufti Muhammad Shafî‘ rahimahullâh, said to me: “When Maulânâ Ilyâs Sâhib rahimahullâh was on his death bed, I went to visit him in Delhi. Maulânâ Ilyâs rahimahullâhsaid two things to me: ‘I have the fear that I am being put through istidrâj1because people are coming to me in groups after groups.” Mufti Shafî‘ rahimahullâh replied: “If it was really istidrâj, you would not have experienced this fear of it. Your fear that this respite might be istidrâj from Allah Ta’alais proof that you are not being put through this istidrâj [as a form of punishment]. This is because when a person is given a respite by Allah Ta’ala, he does not even perceive it as a respite.Allah Ta’alasays:

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“Those who belied Our verses, We will gradually seize them from whence they will not even know.”

In this verse,Allah Ta’alasays that We give them such respite for which lack of knowledge is essential. Allah Ta’alaput this idea in my heart, Muftî Shafî‘ Sâhib rahimahullâh did not mention it. Through the blessings of these elders, Allah Ta’alaput this idea into my heart now that those to whom Allah Ta’alagives respite, then despite His displeasure with them, He gives them of His bounties but they do not even realize that they are being given a respite.

The second thing that Maulânâ Ilyâs Sâhib rahimahullâh said was this: “Because there are few ‘ulamâ’ who are active in Tablîgh, I fear that the masses will not be able to uphold the limits of the Sharî‘ah.” Mufti Shafî‘ Sâhib rahimahullâh said: “When he said this, I remained silent. I gave no reply because there is no treatment for this.”

It is for this reason that in Sûrah at-Taubah, when Allah Ta’alasays:

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“Those who command good and prohibit evil”

He follows it with the words:

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“Those who uphold the limits of Allâh.”

It is only the person who knows what the limits of Allah Ta’alaare who can uphold His limits. The ‘ulamâ’ know the limits of Allah Ta’ala. It is therefore highly disrespectful to consider oneself independent of the ‘ulamâ’ or to scorn them merely because they do not go to Japan and America for Tablîgh, or to accuse them of sitting like ducks in a small pond, and that they are not attached to an international work of Tablîgh. Such a person will come to know on the day of Resurrection what a serious crime it is to scorn the ‘ulamâ’. Shah ‘Abdul ‘Azîz Muhaddith Dehlawî rahimahullâh states that it is kufrand a serious crime to scorn the ‘ulamâ’. Rasulullah (sallellaho alaihe wasallam) said:

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“The one who does not honour our ‘ulamâ’ is not of us.”

Based on this Hadîth, if a person has severed himself from Rasulullah (sallellaho alaihe wasallam), what can be said of him?