Tadbir-e-Falah wa Najat wa Islah

بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم

نحمدہ ونصلی علی رسول الکریم

From Calcutta, 65 Loutola Street. Submitted by Haji Munshi Lal Khan Sahib on
19 Rabi al-Awwal 1331 AH:

After presenting my respectful greetings and expressing the desire to kiss your
feet, I humbly submit that I am sending the issues of Al-Mu'ayyad for your
review. Please advise: What should Muslims do nowadays, and what is the proper
way to provide assistance to the Turks?

To my respected brother in the spiritual path, the supporter of the Sunnah and
eradicator of innovation, Haji Lal Khan Sahib, may his honour remain exalted:
Peace and Allah's mercy and blessings be upon you.

Six issues of Al-Mu'ayyad arrived, and I read them thoroughly. I had imagined
that perhaps they contained some joyful news, but, contrary to this, they were
filled with reports of grief and sorrow. Were the atrocities inflicted upon
innocent Muslims, and the inability of the government to protect them, not
already sufficient cause for sorrow? Beyond this, there was the report of the
Turks' recent change, which confirmed my concern.

Allah, the Most Generous, through the blessing of His Beloved ﷺ, open the eyes
of us and our Muslim brothers, reform our hearts and circumstances, pardon our
errors, send us aid from the unseen, and grant Islam and the Muslims decisive
victory. O Lord of Truth, accept this prayer. Allah is sufficient for us, and
He is the Best Disposer of affairs. There is no power and no strength except
through Allah, the Most High, the Almighty.

One must not lose heart. Allah Most High says:

إِنَّ اللهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا مَا بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ

And He says:

وَلَا تَيْأَسُوا مِنْ رَوْحِ اللهِ إِنَّهُ لَا يَيْأَسُ مِنْ رَوْحِ اللهِ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْكَافِرُونَ

Allah, the One, the Almighty, is the Protector and Helper of this religion over
all things. He says:

وَكَانَ حَقًّا عَلَيْنَا نَصْرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

And He says:

وَأَنْتُمُ الْأَعْلَوْنَ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ

The Leader of the Messengers, our master, the Eminent Prophet ﷺ, said:

لَا تَزَالُ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي ظَاهِرِينَ عَلَى الْحَقِّ لَا يَضُرُّهُمْ مَنْ خَذَلَهُمْ وَلَا مَنْ خَالَفَهُمْ حَتّىٰ يَأْتِيَ أَمْرُ اللهِ وَهُمْ عَلَى ذٰلِكَ غَالِبُونَ

Here, Allah's command refers to the true promise during which the Sultan will be
martyred and Islamic rule will no longer remain. The Christians will rule the
whole world. If, God forbid, that time has arrived, it will certainly come to
pass and there will be no remedy, but it will last only for a few days. Soon
afterwards the Imam will appear. Then our master, Ruhullah, Isa the Messiah,
علیہ الصلوۃ والسلام, will descend with honour, and disbelief will be driven out
from the entire world. The whole earth will have one community, the Islamic
community, and one religion, the religion of Ahl al-Sunnah.

Knowledge of the unseen belongs to Allah Almighty, and then, through His granting
it, to His Beloved ﷺ. But, as far as I can see, God willing, that time has not
yet arrived. If it has, divine assistance will certainly descend and the cursed
disbelievers will meet the consequence of their deeds. In any case, what remedy
does a helpless servant possess besides supplication? Our Lord will have mercy
upon our miserable state and send His help. He will end the shocks that have
already struck us:

زُلْزِلُوا زِلْزَالًا شَدِيدًا

And He will fulfil the glad tidings:

أَلَا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللهِ قَرِيبٌ

Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs.

You ask what Muslims should do. What answer can I give? Allah Almighty has
purchased the lives and wealth of the Muslims in exchange for Paradise:

إِنَّ اللهَ اشْتَرَىٰ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَأَمْوَالَهُمْ بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ الْجَنَّةَ

Yet we refuse to hand over the commodity while asking for its price. Indian
Muslims do not have the strength to leave their homeland, wealth, families and
children, travel thousands of miles, and join the Muslims on the battlefield.
But they can give wealth. Everyone can see the condition of this as well. While
all these things are happening to Muslims there, here the same gatherings, the
same amusements, the same theatres, the same entertainments, the same shows,
games, heedlessness and wasteful spending continue. Nothing is lacking.

A person recently gave fifty thousand for a worldly celebration. A woman gave
fifty thousand to a pleasure gathering. A wealthy man gave one hundred and fifty
thousand to a college, and more than three million has been collected for a
university. In one night, twenty-six thousand was collected for it from this
impoverished city. In Bombay, a person of a lower rank purchased a single room
for twenty-six thousand rupees merely because it adjoined his spacious residence;
I have seen that residence myself.

The enthusiasm being shown for helping oppressed Islam rises to the heavens,
while the genuine action being taken remains beneath the earth. What hope can
there be? The only expression of sympathy offered is a boycott of European
goods. I do not approve of it, nor do I see any benefit for Muslims in it.

First, these are merely words. People will neither agree upon it nor maintain
it. The first to break the pledge will be the gentlemen who cannot manage
without European goods. And what is meant by Europe? Earlier, only Italian goods
were boycotted. How many followed that boycott, and for how many days did they
maintain it? Even if Europe suffered, how much harm would it cause? And if it
caused harm, what benefit would result? For every one harm inflicted upon the
Turks, they could inflict ten upon us.

Therefore, intending to cause harm is merely a sign of weakness and defeat. It
would be better for Muslims to remain upon the path of safety, not imitate the
methods of an evil nation, and not provide an unnecessary opportunity for people
to suspect them.

If they wish to improve their condition, was it necessary to wait for these wars?
They should have done the following in any case.

all their affairs into their own hands and settle their disputes themselves.
The millions of rupees spent on stamps and legal representation would then
remain within their households instead of destroying them.

remains within the community. They should develop their crafts and trade so
that they do not depend on another nation for anything. Europeans and
Americans should not be allowed to take a small quantity of copper, fashion
it into a manufactured object, call it a watch or something similar, and take
a quarter-seer of silver in exchange.

places should establish banks for their Muslim brothers. Interest has been
decisively forbidden by the Sacred Law, but hundreds of other lawful methods
of earning profit have been permitted. Their details are found in the books
of fiqh, and one particularly easy method has already been published in
Kifl al-Faqih al-Fahim. If profit were earned through these lawful methods,
the wealthy would benefit, the needs of their brothers would be met, and the
properties of Muslims would be protected from continually falling into the
hands of moneylenders. If a moneylender acquired property, it should at least
remain with a Muslim; it should not be that Muslims become destitute while
moneylenders prosper.

everything. Holding firmly to its rope raised the earlier Muslims to lofty
ranks and established their awe throughout the world. It made those who had
no bread for the night masters of crowned kings. Abandoning it has cast later
generations into disgrace.

The firm religion is attached to religious knowledge. Learn the knowledge of
religion and then act upon it; it shows those who desire life in both worlds the
way to attain it. O blind ones! What you consider progress is severe decline,
and what you consider honour is extreme disgrace.

If Muslims adopt these four measures, their present condition will improve,
God willing. This answers your question. But what benefit is there in a question
and an answer when no one acts upon it?

Consider the condition of our actions. First, people refuse to accept even the
smallest reduction in their claim when settling a dispute at home. They go to
court, and although the matter could have been resolved within the household,
they calmly spend two thousand from each side over every small piece of land.
Can you change these habits?

فَهَلْ أَنْتُمْ مُنْتَهُونَ

Second, members of respectable families consider crafts and trade shameful, but
regard humiliating employment, suffering insults, unlawful work and unlawful
wealth as honour and distinction. Even those who trade do not have enough sense
to purchase from their own community, even if the price is a little higher,
because the profit would go to their brother. Europeans purchase local goods
when they are as good as foreign goods and even cheaper, yet our people purchase
foreign goods at a higher price.

The sellers are also at fault. A Hindu merchant accepts a small profit, while a
Muslim merchant will not accept less than a quarter-rupee, and the goods are
often worse as well. The Hindu understands the principles of trade: the smaller
the profit, the greater the sales. The Muslim merchant wants to take all the
profit from a single buyer, so buyers are forced to purchase from Hindus. Can
you abandon these habits?

Third, most wealthy men are occupied with unlawful pleasures. They spend
thousands and hundreds of thousands on dancing, music, immodesty and foolish
entertainments, calling it fame and status, yet dislike giving even a small sum
to save the life of a dying brother.

Those who learned financial dealings from moneylenders, why do they not turn to
lawful profit? What concern have they with religion or with the commands of
Allah and His Messenger? Circumcision made them Muslim and the meat of the cow
has preserved their Islam; what more do they need? They do not think that they
will die, stand before Allah Almighty, or account for their deeds.

Then they take interest as well. A Hindu may ask for twelve annas, but they will
not accept less than one and a half or two rupees. Necessity forces people into
the hands of moneylenders, and they surrender their properties to them.

Fourth, the condition of education is deplorable. People regard passing the
intermediate examination as though it makes a person the absolute provider.
Employment imposes age and examination conditions, while the education itself
is so unproductive that it is of no use throughout life and is not even needed
for the employment it seeks. The early years, which are the proper time for
education, are wasted in this way.

There is then a dispute over passing. Students fail three times and continue
clinging to the same path. By a strange fate, Muslims are often the ones made
to fail. Even if a person eventually passes, there is no certainty of employment;
and if he obtains it, it is plainly humiliating. If he gradually gains worldly
honour, it may still be a thousandfold disgrace according to the Sacred Law.
When will he learn religious knowledge, understand religion, and distinguish
between good and evil?

The result is inevitably that they mock religion and begin to regard their
forefathers as uncivilized, savage, ignorant, rustic, incompetent, foolish and
stupid. Even if this were progress, hypothetically, it would be hundreds of
millions of times worse than having no such progress. Will you abandon the
blessings of religious knowledge?

فَهَلْ أَنْتُمْ مُنْتَهُونَ

These are the causes and these are the reasons. If seeking a cure for an illness
while preserving its cause is not foolishness, then what is it? This has
humiliated you and made other nations laugh at you. Yet those blind in their eyes
continue mourning this distorted “progress,” crying, “Alas for our nation! We
have removed the rope of Islam from our necks and become free. Why have you
become porters?” In reality, this freedom is imprisonment in severe disgrace.
The recent event of the Turks is a living example of it. There is no power and
no strength except through Allah, the Most High, the Almighty.

People of judgment should consider these causes. If my view is correct, hold
meetings in every city and town and establish Muslims upon these four measures.
If your condition does not improve, then complain. Do not think that one person's
action achieves nothing. If everyone thinks this way, no one will do anything.
Rather, every person should think: “I am the one who must do it.” Then, God
willing, everyone will act.

Begin this in a few places. One melon takes the colour of another when placed
beside it; God willing, the practice will become widespread. Then you will see
its blessings. The same noble verse recited at the beginning of this address is
a warning against changing towards evil and glad tidings for changing towards
good: “Indeed, Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change
what is within themselves.”

Allah gives glad tidings that if you abandon your wrong practices, He will change
your wretched condition and replace disgrace with honour. O our Lord, open our
eyes and lead us upon the path You favour, through the blessing of the Sun of
the Messengers and the Moon of Madinah ﷺ, and upon his family and companions.
Accept this prayer. Ameen.

As for the four measures, Muslims do not appear to have adopted even one of them.
Regarding assistance to the Turks, thousands of elegies have been recited, but,
apart from some poor people, neither the wealthy and leaders nor the rulers of
the world have made a meaningful contribution. Those capable of military aid,
and those able to send hundreds of thousands of pounds, remain careless, as if
they had heard nothing.

Leave them to their concerns and their judgment. Speak of your own efforts:
How much has been collected by those who claim to sympathize with Islam? The
expenses of war are not so small. More is spent in a single day of fighting than
the amount already collected.

Even now, if every Muslim in India, rich or poor, noble or ordinary, were to give
one month's income with sincere faith, it would not be difficult to live twelve
months on the remaining eleven months' income. If Allah Almighty wills, millions
of pounds could be collected.

More than three million has been gathered for a university by cutting into the
food of the poor, and interest has accrued on it, already exceeding forty
thousand. The university has not even been built. Do not give this money from
your households; send it in the path of Allah, the One, the Almighty. If Islam
remains, the university's not being built will cause no harm. If Islam does not
remain, what benefit will the university provide?

Indeed, we say that even then it will never be built. What will happen at that
time is too early to describe. If, hypothetically, a narrow-hearted miser is not
willing to give even another person's money in this way, then give the entire
amount to an Islamic government as an interest-free loan for the preservation of
Islam.

What more can I say? Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of
affairs. There is no power and no strength except through Allah, the Most High,
the Almighty. Allah Most High knows best; His knowledge is perfect and most
complete.

Written by His sinful servant, Ahmad Raza al-Barelwi, may he be pardoned, through
Muhammad, the Unschooled Prophet ﷺ.

Seal of the Dar al-Ifta, Madrasa Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah, Bareilly.

Corrected by Ijaz al-Razavi, with the note of Kazimi, resident at the shrine of
Data Sahib.

The answer is correct, and Allah Most High knows best.

Muhammad Raza Khan al-Qadiri, may he be pardoned.

The answer is correct.

The poor servant, Husayn Ahmad al-Ashiqi al-Nahrawi, may the Powerful Lord pardon
him.

The respondent has answered correctly. May Allah reward him and grant him
abundant recompense.

The poor servant, Mustafa Raza al-Qadiri al-Nuri, may Allah forgive him and his
parents.

The answer is correct, and Allah Most High knows the truth best.

The poor servant, Amjad Ali al-A'zami al-Razavi, may he be pardoned.

I bear witness to the correctness of this reference.

The poor servant, Nawab Mirza Razavi Barelwi, may the Powerful Lord pardon him.