Fatwaa ID: 166
Question:
Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu,
In the UK the salafi (they don’t seem hardcore though) men are very active in Da’wah to Islam in the town centres. I contacted the uncle to ask if I could join on the sisters side but they didn’t have any sisters on the streets or a tent or anything so I left it at that.
The uncle contacted me today to say there is a new revert to Islam and could I teacher her and her daughter Arabic and the basics.
I have gone through the aalimah course, further study etc so I know the basics and I have small kids myself so teaching them from the start is what I’m currently doing anyway in a casual way but I feel like I have no experience with a new Muslim. I worry how much contact she may have with the people who helped bring her to Islam and it conflicting with any hanafi beliefs we have eg men and women praying difficulty and no doubt she will have been given a whole range of books like that as I’ve seen them before.
Is there any advice or guidance on how to help a new Muslim? I am scared I will do injustice to her and I worry I will confuse her. I will not go into detail with her and wish to just help naturally like I would with my children, but she has access to books that she may read which may show her men and women praying the same, as an example.
Are there books that followers of a madh-hab give to new Muslims that I could purchase and give her for when she goes home? Is there any advice and tips for someone like me so I can help her with Allah’s will? If there is any guidance, please could you show me, or perhaps there are experienced sisters you may know who could share advice with me?
A sincere request for du’as.
Wa Alaikumus Salam
Answer:
In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Sister in Islam,
May Allaah Ta’aala accept your efforts and make you a means of guidance for others.
You should teach her with love and compassion. Start with the basics and go easy on her. Win her confidence and allow her to ask questions and be comfortable and at ease with you.
When she enquires about issues related to for example, procedure of salaah for men and women, you could then address the fundamental issue of Taqleed to her which is referred to in the following links:
- The Legal Status of Following a Madhab by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani (Hafizahullaah):
http://www.islamibayanaat.com/EnglishLiterature/LegalStatusOfFollowingAMadhab-MuftiTaqiUsmani.pdf
- Differences of the Imams by Shaikh Zakariyya Al-Kandahlwi (Rahimahullaah):
http://www.slideshare.net/IslamicBooks/differences-of-the-imams-by-shaykh-zakariyya-kandhelvi-ra
- Differences in the Ummat by Shaikh Yusuf Ludhyanwi (Rahimahullaah):
- Who are the Blind Followers? by Shaikh Abu Usamah Ayub (Hafizahullaah):
https://archive.org/details/WhoAreTheBlindFollowersByMoulanaAbuUsamaAyub_20151111
And Allaah Ta’aala Knows Best
Muajul I. Chowdhury
Student, Darul Iftaa
Astoria, New York, USA
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
وصل اللهم وسلم وبارك على سيدنا محمد وعلى ءاله وصحبه أجمعين
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