Hazrat Moulana Muhammad Ilyaas (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) once mentioned:
When jamaats go to Sahaaranpur, Deoband and other similar areas for the purpose of Tableegh, then letters should be sent with the businessmen of Delhi accompanying them. In these letters, the ‘Ulama of those localities should be addressed with utmost humility and told: “These jamaats are being sent to your locality with the intention of making tableegh among the people of the locality. Despite the fact that your time is very valuable, if you are able to take out a little time to oversee and guide these jamaats, provided that no harm will come to your work or the work of your students, then we will appreciate if you will please do so.”
Hazrat Moulana Muhammad Ilyaas (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) then said:
The asaatizah (teachers) should come out in the path of Allah Ta‘ala with their students and they should guide them in doing this work (of Da’wat and Tableegh). The students of Deen should not participate in this work on their own, without the supervision of their asaatizah. As for those going out in jamaat, then they should be advised that if the ‘Ulama do not give them too much of attention, then they should not entertain negative thoughts about them in their hearts. Rather, they should understand and think to themselves that these ‘Ulama are engaged in work which is even more important than our work. Even at night, they remain engaged in the service of the knowledge of Deen while others are fast asleep.
Therefore, if they do not show much attention to the jamaat, but show more attention to other people, then we should attribute this to our own shortcoming. We should feel that since we have not visited them and spent time in their company, they show more attention to the people who have remained in their company for years compared to the attention they show to us.
Thereafter, Hazrat Moulana Muhammad Ilyaas (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) said:
To entertain negative thoughts about an ordinary Muslim, without any basis, is a means of one falling into destruction, and to have baseless objections against the ‘Ulama is even more severe and serious.
In our path of Da’wat and Tableegh, honouring the Muslims and respecting the ‘Ulama is a fundamental principle. Every Muslim should be honoured on account of his Islam, and as for the ‘Ulama, then on account of the knowledge of Deen which they possess, they should be afforded even greater respect.
(Malfoozaat Hazrat Moulana Muhammad Ilyaas [rahmatullahi ‘alaih] pg. 45-46)
Source: Ihyaauddeen.co.za