My Conversation with a Barelvi Brother

Assalamalaikum :)

It all began with my zeal and enthusiasm to share the light of Allah with everyone around me.

We had a visitor in our house during Ramadan. I knew he belonged to the Barelvi school of Aqaid because he had spoken about it previously.

I thought of this as a perfect opportunity to test out my skills of debating and reasoning as I was always in awe of the speakers speaking openly and proudly for the sake of Allah Subhanawataala and His deen.

He used to go to this specific mosque in Otahuhu and I used to go to Masjid at Taqwa which is 2 streets away from our house. The reason why he went there was obvious for us because of the difference in Aqaid of the Barelvis and Ahlul Hadees.

We always thought that we should find an opportunity to speak to him about what we believed to be not the correct practices in the Barelvi school of thought (according to Quran and Hadees).

One fine evening, eventually I found him alone, having returned from iftaar, watching tv.

I went up to him and politely started the conversation.

Me : Uncle, why don’t you go with me to the Masjid at Taqwa.

Uncle : We don’t pray behind the Imam in Masjid at Taqwa.

Me : Why Uncle?

Uncle : They regard the Prophet as their Brother (Woh Nabi Salallahoalaihiwassalam ko Bhai maante hain) They don’t do milaad.

Me : Really?! I don’t think that is the case. There is a lot of misinformation. They believe the Prophet to be the Prophet of Allah. Respecting loving and revering him more then any other human. There was no human better than the Prophet peace be upon him. Yes they don’t elevate His status like the Barelvis because that is exactly what he forbade us to do in the hadith where he states that ‘Don’t elevate my status like the Nasara did with Isa peace be upon him’. None of the companions did milaad.

Uncle : No. Do you know that when we send durood to the Prophet, it is absolutely guaranteed that it reaches him (implying that even our salah is not guaranteed to reach Allah but the durood is guaranteed to reach the Prophet pbuh).

Me: Uncle I believe that is totally wrong and a lot of misguidance and misinformation.

Uncle : I follow this path because my parents have told me that this is what I must follow.

Me: But Allah tells us not to follow the path of our forefathers blindly. In fact we should read, learn and investigate ourselves.

At this point, there is a bit of tension between us and he can see that I am getting on the case and I pull back as it is getting uncomfortable. We end the conversation abruptly.

It was evident that the Uncle that I conversed with was not well informed in the deen let alone Barelvi school of thought.

I myself come from the subcontinental region where it is almost a crime to go against the beliefs of the forefathers.

The lessons learnt are:

1) Gain knowledge of the deen. Knowledge of all schools of thoughts. And truth will separate itself from falsehood and Allah will guide us if we sincerely seek it.

2) Once you find the truth, accept the mistakes and accept the necessity to make a change to benefit yourself first and foremost and then looking to transform your family and then look towards the bigger purpose of a Momin and Muslim - the betterment of society.

3) The common Barelvi does not know what the Salafis/Wahabis/AhlulHadeeth believe. They are only told lies and it sticks as a dogma. Mind you noone calls himself a Wahhabi - this is a title given by the haters - and note al Wahhab is a name of Allah. The common Barelvi blindly follows his forefathers whereas Allah forbids mankind to blindly follow even your father if he has the wrong doctrine. (The Prophet pbuh was told to overthrow the false idols and gods of his forefathers. Prophet Ibrahim alaihsalam prayed for his father who was an idol worshiper who didn't want to give up his idol worship. Allah will not forgive his father according to the Quran.) 

4) Quran tafseer is very important for our Barelvi brothers and sisters and as well as for everyone of us. That will open their heart to the truth. 

I used to do some strange practices when I was a kid. I remember we used to go to mazaar(graves) and I would make the dua to the Peer Saheb himself Nauzubillah. Then I slowly got taught that I cannot make dua to the Pious Saint. I have to make it to Allah but through the actions of the piousness of the Saint as a waseela, tawassul (intercession). But when I learnt about the Quran, intercession is only mentioned twice in the whole Quran. I know now that Intercession is only for the Prophet peace be upon him on the Day of Judgement and on whom Allah bestows the right of intercession.

Lots of other practices that I used to do and will write in a separate blog and some of my family still do. 

The conversation above does not contain those exact words that we spoke but more or less contains extracts of the main core of the conversation. 

Everything bad I have said is from the evils of my own self. Everything good and beneficial is from Allah SubhanaWa Taala the Originator of Existence and Goodness.

Wassalam Brothers and Sisters. Peace be with you :)