Competitions to encourage the performance of Salaah

Question:-

What is the view of the Darul Ifta with regards to the use of monetary incentives to draw people, in particular the youth, towards the masjid.

A competition was recently held in a town where children/youth up to a certain age were to register with an organization, and thereafter, attend a particular Salaah with Jamaat in a few Masaajid that were part of this competition.

The attendance was to be done for a certain number of days, after which successful candidates would be awarded. To maintain “integrity”, roll calls were also done for that particular Salaah.

I have failed to come to terms in comprehending this initiative, as I felt it to be in direct contradiction to the ways and methodologies set down by our Akabireen.

Furthermore, there exists a serious concern as to whether those that are a part of this competition are performing salaah for the pleasure of Allah Ta’ala (which should be the object of our life), or to gain the insignificant material incentives being given by this organization.

I humbly request respected Mufti Saheb to please advise as to what your position is on this matter.

Answer:-

Every Muslim is a slave of Allah Ta’ala and a slave submits to the will of his master. He has no choice whatsoever in his matters. Similarly, we too, have no choice of our own in our matters. We are required to abide by the commands of Allah Ta’ala every split moment of our lives.

With regards to Ibrahim Alaihis Salaaam, Allah Ta’ala states,

إذْ قَالَ لَهُ رَبُّهُ أَسْلِمْ قَالَ أَسْلَمْتُ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

When his (Ibrahim Alaihis Salaam’s) Rabb told him, Surrender (your will and soul), he replied, “I surrender to the Rabb of the universe.”

 In another verse Allah Ta’ala states,

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ ادْخُلُواْ فِي السِّلْمِ كَآفَّةً

“O you who have Imaan! Enter into Islam completely”

In fact, our lives belong to Allah Ta’ala. Allah Ta’ala has purchased our lives in lieu of Jannah. Allah Ta’ala states in Surah Taubah,

إِنَّ اللّهَ اشْتَرَى مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَأَمْوَالَهُم بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ الجَنَّةَ

“Indeed Allah Ta’ala has purchased from the Mu’mineen their lives and wealth in exchange of Jannah (for them)”

 

Part of submitting to the commands of Allah Ta’ala and entering into Islam completely, is through performing our 5 daily Salaah in the Masjid (for men). If a person fails in his duty in this regard, then he will be taken to task in the hereafter.

 

It is recorded in a narration of Tabrani and Bazzaar, narrated on the authority of Hadrat Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu that, when Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam was taken for Me’raj, he passed by a group of people whose heads were been crushed with rocks. After being crushed, the heads would return to their former state  (its original form.) This punishment then continued without coming to an end. Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam asked, “O Jibraeel, what is this?” He replied, “These are the people that were too proud to perform their Fardh Salaah.”

When the compulsion of Salaah is ordained by Allah Ta’ala, then how can a believer be offered an incentive to fulfill his duty to his Creator. The incentive for a believer is Jannah that has already been promised in the verse of Surah Taubah quoted above.

The method used by Tabligh Jamaat to remind brothers that they have forgotten their duty is by visiting their homes and bringing them to the Masjid. The Ulama use the pulpit to encourage brothers to perform their Salaah. Hence, we too, should not go beyond this. We are required to remind fellow Muslims and it is thereafter up to the individual to comply or not. Allah Ta’ala informs none other than Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam in the Quraan Sharif,

 

فَذَكِّرْ إِنَّمَا أَنتَ مُذَكِّرٌ لَّسْتَ عَلَيْهِم بِمُصَيْطِرٍ

“Remind O Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam, for you are one that reminds/advices. You have not been appointed as a warder (overseer) over them.”

 

This has always been the approach from the noble era of Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam to advise and encourage the Ummah. Never in the history of Islam was an incentive offered to weak Muslims to perform their duties towards their Creator.

If wealth will be used to get Muslims to perform Salaah (as is being done in this particular instance), then perhaps they will only perform Salaah as long as they receive the incentive. As soon as the incentive terminates, the performance of Salaah will also terminate, as the objective was the incentive.

Also, all our acts of Ibaadaat are carried out solely for the pleasure of Allah Ta’ala and not for any worldly motive or gain.

Allah Ta’ala states in Surah An’aam,

قُلْ إِنَّ صَلاَتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

 

“Say, Verily my Salaah, all my acts of worship, my life and my death are for Allah, the Rabb of the universe.”  

 

If the quality of sincerity is missing in our Ibaadaat then such Ibaadaat will be rejected in the court of Allah Ta’ala. Accepting any form of remuneration (for our Ibaadaat) indicates that our Ibaadaat is not carried out solely for the pleasure of Allah Ta’ala. Had the objective been fulfilling the command of Allah Ta’ala and pleasing Him, then one would have rejected the incentive or remuneration. He would have been attending the Masjid with the greatest amount of joy as he is being afforded the opportunity of presenting himself in the court of the greatest of kings.

In conclusion, we totally disapprove of the method where incentives are offered to Muslims to perform Salaah even though these may be children. In fact, this is worse as we will be destroying these children from their very childhood. This is just another plot of Shaytaan of destroying the sincerity and Ikhlaas of the Ummah. Perhaps, this is just the starting point and a time might arise when money will be offered to people to fast in the month of Ramadaan, to perform Hajj, and then finally people will be offered money to accept Islam. What will be the value of such Imaan, Salaah, fasts etc? Will it be accepted in the court of Allah Ta’ala? May Allah Ta’ala guide the Ummah towards righteousness and the pure Deen that was brought to us by none other than Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam. Ameen!

 

ALLAH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST!

ANSWERED BY:

Mufti Mohammed Desai

Date: 21 Shabaan 1443 / 24 March 2022