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 SIR

SALAM

PLEASE EXPLAIN ABOUT IJTEMA- THIS EVENT TAKES PLACE WITH HUGE GATHERING FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. IS IT SUNNAH? WAS IT TAKING PLACE DURING PROPHET'S LIFE?

I WOULD APPRECIATE IF YOU ANSWER.

THANKS

A SISTER

(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:

Significance of Ijtima

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.

‘Ijjtema’ is the Arabic word for gathering. When the believers gather for prayer it would constitute an ‘ijjtema’; the Friday or Jumuaa prayers would be an ‘ijjtema’; the Eid prayers would be an ‘ijjtema’; the Hajj would be considered an ‘ijjtema’; all such gatherings would be termed as ‘ijjtema’.

Indeed these and other gatherings or ‘ijjtema’ would take place at the time of the Messenger of Allah (saws); and all gatherings where the believers gather to learn the deen, or praise Allah Subhanah, or discuss the issues concerning the betterment of the believers would be a blessed gathering or ‘ijjtema’ in the sight of Allah Subhanah.

Hadith Qudsi 14

Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) has supernumerary Angels who rove about seeking out gatherings in which Allah's name is being invoked: they sit with them and fold their wings round each other, filling that which is between them and between the lowest heaven. When [the people in the gathering] depart, [the Angels] ascend and rise up to heaven. He (the Prophet (saws)) said: “Then Allah (Mighty and Sublime be He) asks them - [though] He is most knowing about them: ‘From where have you come?’ And they say: ‘We have come from some servants of Yours on Earth: they were glorifying You (Subhana llah), exalting you (Allahu akbar), witnessing that there is no god but You (La ilaha illa llah), praising You (Al-Hamdu lillah), and asking [favours] of You.’ He says: ‘And what do they ask of Me?’ They say: ‘They ask of You Your Paradise.’ He says: ‘And have they seen My Paradise?’ They say: ‘No, O Lord.’ He says: ‘And how would it be were they to have seen My Paradise!’ They say: ‘And they ask protection of You.’ He says: ‘From what do they ask protection of Me?’ They say: ‘From Your Hell-fire, O Lord.’ He says: ‘And have they seen My Hell-fire?’ They say: ‘NO.’ He says: ‘And how would it be were they to have seen My Hell-fire!’ They say: ‘And they ask for Your forgiveness.’ He (the Prophet (saws)) said: “Then He says: “I have forgiven them and I have bestowed upon them what they have asked for, and I have granted them sanctuary from that from which they asked protection.” He (the Prophet (saws)) said: ‘They (Angels) say: “O Lord, among them is So-and-so, a much sinning servant, who was merely passing by and sat down with them.” He (the Prophet (saws)) said: “And Allah says: ‘And to him [too] I have given forgiveness: he who sits with such people shall not suffer.’”

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 in Islam,

Burhan