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:

After being recommended, I have read from your forum the manner you have changed yourselves from being a staunch dawoodi bohra. Two questions sprung after reading your views and browsing the questions on the website.

1. When you yourself claim to be so ignorant about your religion since the sect does no more than repeated rituals of darees or majales, on what basis you used to argue with the Muslim scholars about the strength or omni-importance of your sect or its leader? To initiate an argument defending a sect or a leader, one ought to know complete background, history, references or authenticity of the sect and its leader?

2. The way it is projected on your website as if you are soley answering all of the questions which now number over 4,500. It looks a little odd to me that a person who was ignorant about Islam a decade ago would become a scholar to start answering questions in different aspects of Deen while quoting numerous references. It is another question as to how much study is required to first separate hundred and thousands of sources of Ahadees?

I hope you will answer the above questions.

(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:

Challenge question from Bohra

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.

Q-1: When you yourself claim to be so ignorant about your religion since the sect does no more than repeated rituals of darees or majales, on what basis you used to argue with the Muslim scholars about the strength or omni-importance of your sect or its leader? To initiate an argument defending a sect or a leader, one ought to know complete background, history, references or authenticity of the sect and its leader?

My dear and beloved brother, for almost 20 years of my life, I believed with conviction in the life followed by my parents and my surroundings. Although at that time I might not have had the complete knowledge of the background, history, references, or authenticity of the sect and its leader, I saw my forefathers and my loved ones following and believing his every word and naturally followed suit.

It is only when the Lord Most Gracious honored and blessed me to read and understand the clear guidance of the Glorious Book of Guidance (The Al-Quran), did I truly realize the falsehood that existed in the sect and its self-proclaimed leaders and holy men!

Beloved Brother in Islam, its been now almost 20 years since I reverted to Islam as prescribed in the Quran and the Sunnah, and Allah is my witness, there has never been a moment in all of these 20 years that I have ever regretted my decision or choice to stand by the Truth of the Quran and the Sunnah.

Your Question: on what basis you used to argue with the Muslim scholars about the strength or omni-importance of your sect or its leader?

I am the first to admit that without the guidance of the Glorious Quran and the Sunnah, my argument with the Muslim brothers who invited me to the Way of the Quran was based on only my absolute trust on the false belief of my parents and my loved ones, my insignificant experience, and my total and absolute ignorance of the Truth.

The more I started and understanding the clear guidance of the Glorious Quran regarding its concept of ‘Tawheed’ (The Absolute and Supreme Oneness of the Lord Creator) and of ‘shirk’ (associating other deities with Allah Subhanah), the more I realized the falsehood that existed in the belief of my forefathers, the absolute baselessness of the self-invented sect, and the total and utter falsehood of the so-called unscrupulous sect-leaders and self-proclaimed ‘holy men’!!!!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verses 256-257:

256 Let there be no compulsion in religion. Truth stands out clear from error; whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things.

257 Allah is the Protector of those who have faith: from the depths of darkness He will lead them forth into Light. Of those who reject faith the patrons are the Evil Ones: from light they will lead them forth into the depths of darkness. They will be companions of the fire to dwell therein (for ever).

My arguments were indeed based on ignorance without the clear guidance of the Quran when the well meaning brothers who first invited me to the truth of Al-Islam began interacting with me; but All Praise is due to Allah Subhanah Alone Who has blessed and honored me to read and comprehend the guidance and Light of the Quran, our arguments today with the leaders of falsehood are based entirely on the Truth from the Glorious Quran!

Praise and Glory be to Allah Subhanah Alone Who Guides and Protects those who have faith, and Who from the depths of darkness brings them forth into Light.

Your Question-2: The way it is projected on your website as if you are soley answering all of the questions which now number over 4,500. It looks a little odd to me that a person who was ignorant about Islam a decade ago would become a scholar to start answering questions in different aspects of Deen while quoting numerous references. It is another question as to how much study is required to first separate hundred and thousands of sources of Ahadees?

Beloved brother, although it is indeed true that I have been honored and chosen by the brother moderators to pen all the answers to the questions posed to date on this humble forum, I assure you that the forum have access to a pool of well-qualified and extremely God-fearing and pious scholars in Islamic Fiqh, Jurisprudence, Law, and in the science of the Quran and the Sunnah; and we assure you that every single answer is whetted by these brothers before it is posted on the forum for its authenticity, accuracy and alignment to the clear guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah.

All the brothers and sisters and the scholars who exercise their countless hours in moderating and running this humble forum desire absolutely nothing for their selfless and tireless efforts except the Forgiveness, Pleasure and Good Will of their Lord Most High. The only desire that initiated the start of this humble forum was that through our modest efforts if we were able to bring even one brother or sister closer to their Lord Creator and His Deen, we would consider ourselves indeed fortunate to have been given this opportunity by the Lord Most Merciful to serve in His Cause. We hope, beg, and pray the Merciful Lord accepts our humble and weak efforts, forgives us our shortcomings, and saves you, us, and all the believers from the torment of the Hell Fire. Ameen.

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

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan