Is the call from the Tablighi Jamaat to abandon one's children and work to engage in da‘wah to Allah, and the claim that seeking ordained sustenance is inevitable, considered shirk with Allah?
Calling to Allah does not mean abandoning the obligatory financial support for one's family and their rights. Rather, it is possible to combine both. Whoever abandons striving to earn a livelihood to provide for his family, under the pretext of being occupied with da'wah (calling to Allah) or believing that sustenance is predetermined, is ignorant of Islamic law. This is because providing for one's family is an act for the Hereafter for which a person is rewarded, and neglecting children is one of the gravest sins. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "It is enough sin for a person to neglect those whom he supports."
The statement that seeking sustenance is shirk (polytheism) with Allah is a false assertion that contradicts the Qur'an, such as His saying: "And when the prayer has been concluded, disperse within the land and seek from the bounty of Allah" (Quran 62:10), and His saying: "So walk among its slopes" (Quran 67:15), and "and others traveling through the land, seeking from the bounty of Allah" (Quran 73:20). The Prophets and Companions used to earn their livelihoods. This false statement is a saying of some Sufis, and scholars have clarified its invalidity.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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