Duration of Tabligh Tours

By Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Posted: 10 Rabi-u-Thani 1422, 2 July 2001


Q.) Is there any significance to the amount of days people spend in the path of Allah, for instance some brothers say that they spend 40 days because Prophet Musa, alayhi salam, spent 40 days in the mountain and they spend 4 months because genesis of man takes place in 3 sets of 40 days equaling 4 months, and they spend 3 days a month because it equals 10 percent of the month therefore fulfilling the saying of the Prophet that a time will come when people will practice 10 percent of the deen and get 100 percent reward.

All this sounds far fetched to me, please explain. If this is not the case, then would a person believing in this stuff be committing Bid'ah? [Omar Haniff]


A.) The different time periods of going out in Jamaa`h, 40 days, 3 days, etc. are not orders of Shariah. They are recommended by the seniors of the Tabligh Jamaat based on some benefits and wisdoms, some of which are referred to in your letter.

It is incorrect to regard the wisdom of going out in Jamaa`h as concrete and solid basis for going out in Jamaa`h as the recommendation of the numbers of days (7, 40, etc) could change.

And Allah Ta'ala Knows Best