MASHWARA

MASHWARA 49 Brothers should be collected for mashwara for thinking about the demands of this work, to organize their sequence, to shape the means, to fulfil the demands, to make plans to send out those brothers who have made intentions and to discuss any other problems. We should not try to enforce our own opinion in mashwara. Doing so will remove the help of Allah. When our opinion is asked we should regard it as a trust from Allah and give whatever opinion comes into our heart. We should be soft in giving our opinion. We should not adopt confrontation against another brother’s opinion. We should remember that my opinion carries the evil of my own nafs (self). If the decision is not according to other opinions, I should feel happy that everyone has been saved from the evil of my own nafs. And if any decision is according to our own opinion, we should fear, and make excessive Dua. In mashwara there is no room for majority opinions, and it is not always necessary to take opinions from everybody. It is necessary to win everybody’s heart the Amir should regard himself as in need of mashwara. After taking opinions he should, after much thinking and worrying, decide,on whatever comes in his heart he should then declare it in such a way that nobody’s opinion is belittled. 50 If there are different feelings then he should prepare brothers by encouraging interest and attraction. Brothers should follow the Amir’s decision with such happiness as if it is their own opinion. In this there is great training. If after this it appears that my opinion was more appropriate, even then do not rebuke or even give any hint towards it think that, in it lies the best outcome. Those who slander the Amir, they carry severe warnings.