According to Maulana Sa'd of the Tablighi Jamaat, Salaat performed with a cellphone in one's pocket is not valid.

Answer

Molvi Sa'd is no longer a Maulana on account of his deviant ideology. Some of his propagations are tantamount to kufr. A Maulana is one who protects our Deen and Imaan. But Molvi Sa'd has chosen the path of deviation. Whilst this is so, his view on the cellphone issue is valid.

The senior Muftis have not applied their minds constructively by having enumerated his cellphone view among his other grave ideas of aberration. There is strong support in the Hadith for the fatwa regarding Molvi's Sa'd's cellphone view. Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said:

"The person who plays nard (backgammon / chess), then stands to perform Salaat is like one who makes wudhu with pus and the blood of a swine, then performs Salaat. His Salaat is not accepted."

According to the Hadith, playing chess/backgammon is like dipping the hands in the blood of a pig. The Salaat performed immediately after playing chess, is rejected by Allah Ta'ala. This is a severe warning to impress on the Muslim's mind the evil and notoriety of these kuffaar games. The Salaat is not accepted despite the fact that the chessboard is not on the musalli's person whilst performing Salaat. After completing his sin, he makes wudhu, then engages in Salaat - Salaat which is rejected because of the gravity of the evil in which he had indulged just prior to the Salaat.

A thousand times worse than chess is the cellphone which is for most people a shaitaani device of pornography, haraam movies, striking up zina relationships, etc. When Salaat is rejected after having indulged in chess, then to a greater degree will the Salaat be rejected with the satanic porn device in one's pocket.

As for the meaning of "not accepted" mentioned in the Hadith, there is scope for interpretation. According to some Fuqaha, it means the negation of the thawaab (reward) and benefits of the Salaat. Others again say that it also means invalidity- the Salaat is not even valid. According to the Hanafi Math-hab, the Salaat will be valid, but is flung into the face of the musalli as if it is a dirty piece of cloth. The reward and benefits of the Salaat are destroyed. This ruling applies to only those who use their cellphones for haraam programs of muck and filth.

It is also a sign of spiritual darkness that a person will stand in Allah's Presence in Salaat with a device he used for pornography and haraam. It should also be remembered that it is not permissible to load any Aayat of the Qur'aan Majeed or any Hadith on a cellphone used for any haraam and shaitaani programs. On the cellphone mas'alah, Molvi Sa'd cannot be faulted. He is correct.

Hadhrat Maulana Ashraf Ali (Rahmatullah alayh), commenting on the abundance of quack and impostor 'shaikhs' prowling around, said:

"Nowadays, many shayaateen are also appearing in human form."

Explaining the salient characteristics of a genuine Shaikh of Tasawwuf , Hadhrat Thanvi (Rahmatullah alayh) mentioned the following:

(1) He has adequate knowledge of the Shariah. (2) He was in the tarbiyat (moral and spiritual training) of a Kaamil (fully qualified) Shaikh.

(3) He has been granted Ijaazat (Permission/ Authorization) of Tarbiyat by a Kaamil Shaikh.

(4) He, himself, practically observes the Shariah.

(5) He is not persistent in acting in conflict with the Shariah.

(6) He fully and practically adopts the Sunnah.

(7) He is affectionate towards his associates (i.e. mureedeen).

(8) He is not deficient in Ihtisaab, i.e. in teaching and apprehending his mureedeen in the process of Tarbiyat.

Nowadays, the numerous so-called 'shaikhs' prowling around will be found to be lacking in almost all these necessary qualifications. In fact, they are scandalously ignorant of the objectives of Tasawwuf. But in order to stay in 'business' and to promote themselves as 'shaikhs', they innovate practices to highlight their profession of 'masheekhat'. Thus, they impress the juhala (ignoramuss) with their public jalsahs, mass i'tikaafs, halqah thikr sessions in Musjids and the like.

They have a haraam penchant for publicity. They are lax and even in abandonment of purdah rules. They are negligent of the Sunnah. They indulge in the major sin of photography, and they crave for gifts from their mureedeen. They are in fact, as Hadhrat Thanvi said,: "Human Devils - or Devils in human form."