Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Mr. Burhan,

I appreciate your effort in bringing the truth out from the Holy Quran and trying to educate Bohras but to be frank I dont think you will succeed in your mission simply because the Bohras are mindless cowards, they are selfish and ignorant, they have sold themselves to Syedna, totally brain washed by Syedna and educating these crazy fanatics is impossible, so I think you are wasting your precious time for sure and I frankly think animals have more brains than Bohras!!!!

Regards

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Are we wasting time?

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

My beloved brother, we can understand your desperation, but we humbly urge you to be more patient and steadfast when spreading the Truth of Islam. Allah has not made it our duty to convert everyone to Islam; but rather, He has made it our duty to invite all who want to hear good caution, to the words of wisdom from Allah and His Messenger (saws). Allah teaches us in the Holy Quran, that whenever He sent the Message of Truth to the people, there were always some wicked people who opposed and fought the Truth. Our duty is only to invite them with wisdom and patience to the clear guidance and teachings of the Holy Quran. To believe or deny the Revelations of Allah is a choice every person has to make on his own.

The truth is brother, we have found our Bohra brethren to be amongst some of the best human beings on earth. The majority of them are humble, charitable, honest, non-violent, and truly committed to their beliefs. They probably work harder for their deen and practice their rites and rituals with more fervor than most of the other believers. Their biggest crime is that they are heavily involved in the heinous sin of ‘shirk’. If only they would read the Holy Quran with understanding, they would realize that this sin is so big and so grave in the sight of Allah Subhanah, that He has forbidden Paradise to all those who practice ‘shirk’. Allah declares in the Quran that He will forgive any sin, other than this heinous sin of ‘shirk’. And unfortunately, most of our brethren are heavily involved in this heinous sin, without even realizing it. We believe that if we can get our Bohra brethren to read the Holy Quran with understanding even once, they will surely turn to Allah in repentance and become true believers.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 72:Whoever commits ‘shirk’ (invoking anything with Allah), Allah shall forbid for him Paradise, and Hell shall be his abode. And for such wrong doers there will be no one to help.

Allah says in the Quran: Chapter 4 Surah An-Nisa Verse 48:Shirk (associating other deities with Allah) is the only sin that Allah does not forgive, and He forgives, whomsoever He pleases, sins other than this. For whosoever associates any other partner with Allah, does indeed forge a big lie and commits the most heinous sin

The truth is brother, whenever a people follow a way, they do so with ‘ikhlaas’ and commitment. The Bohras are Bohras because they were born in that deen, and they just followed their elders and their forefathers without ever referring to the guidance sent by Allah. Thus when a people are born on a particular way, it becomes very difficult for them to change the views and beliefs they found their forefathers on; even if they are wrong! The hierarchy makes sure the common Bohras are kept far away from the clear guidance and teachings of the Holy Quran, so that they are constantly able to subjugate them to their slavery, in the name and garb of Islam. Allah tells us in the Quran that whenever the Prophets were sent to their people, the first thing these people of the habitations said was that they would never leave the ways of their forefathers.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 43 Surah Zukhruf verse 22-25:Nay! But they say, “We found our forefathers on a way and we are only walking in their footsteps.” Even so, whenever before you We sent a warner to a habitation, its people of means said, “We have found our forefathers on a way and we are only following in their footsteps.” Every Prophet asked them, “Will you still go on following the same old way even if I guide you to a more right way than that you found your forefathers following?” They replied, “We disbelieve the religion with which you have been sent.” Consequently, We took vengeance on them. Just consider what was the end of those who denied.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 170-171:When it is said to them, “Follow the Commands that Allah has sent down”, they reply, “We will follow only what we found our forefathers practicing.” Well, will they go on following their forefathers even though they did not use common sense and did not find the Right Way! The mental condition of those who rejected the way of Allah may be likened to that of the cattle whom the shepherd calls but they hear nothing except the sound of shouts and cries. They are deaf, they are dumb, they are blind; therefore they do not understand anything.

Your Comment: so I think you are wasting your precious time for sure.

My beloved brother, we as believers must recognize that the most important work that can be done, is the work that is done for the sake of Allah. And the most valuable time that is spent, is the one that is spent in the Cause of Allah. Allah has commanded the believers to invite mankind to the Truth of Islam, and when one does what His Creator commands him to do, it is, without a doubt, the most valuable work that can be done.

Allah says in the Holy Quran: Chapter 16, Surah An-Nahl Ayat 125:Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and excellent admonition and argue with people in the best manner. Your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Way and who is Rightly guided.

Allah has blessed our forum to invite in excess of 40,000 brothers and sisters every week to the guidance of the Holy Quran. And you will be pleased to learn that through these humble efforts of ours, Allah has honored several brothers and sisters from all over the world to leave their practice of ‘shirk’ and come to the Way of Allah. We have received several emails from our Bohra brothers and sisters who have reformed themselves and aligned their lives with the clear guidance and teachings of the Holy Quran. We admit that are efforts are weak, and our short-comings are many…. And it is only the Mercy, Grace and Blessing of Allah, that He has honored us to do this humble work for His Pleasure Alone. We ask for no reward and no appreciation whatsoever; our reward is with our Lord and Creator, and to Him Alone we turn in repentance.

Thus brother, we humbly request you to be more patient and forbearing for the sake of Allah and His Cause. Our examples and role models should always be the Prophets of Allah in whatever we do, and Allah says in the Holy Quran that Prophet Noah (a.s.) invited his people for a period of 950 years and only a handful believed! Prophet Abraham (a.s.) invited his people for a lifetime, and none except his family believed! Prophet Mohamed (saws) invited his people for thirteen long years during the Makkan period, and less than a hundred people believed and migrated with him to Medina. But they never lost heart and never gave up wishing well for their people. These noble souls of Allah should be our role models and our examples to follow.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan