One of the claims of the antagonists of camping programmes is that the activities are held during Easter, Christmas and New Year periods. But can this claim stand the test of critical research?
Isn’t it high time we shot down claims that are devoid of strong intellectual basis and veritable evidences as we had been doing before now?
The first line of argument is that students and young adults are being camped at those periods to keep them away from the celebrations. But we also say that campings of Muslim organisations like TMC, Guild of Muslim Professionals, Al Mu’minaat, Organisation of Tadhomul Muslimeen, Pure Heart Foundation, Standard Bearers amongst others, being attended by matured minds are also aimed at protecting them against the effects of the festivals? Or do we think they still do not possess the wherewithal to differentiate between right and wrong?
On the contrary, if campings are organised during Christmas and Easter periods to protect our youths from the fitnah of participating in non-Islamic festivals and prevent them from emulating the ways of the Kuffar, this should be considered worthy, The fitnah of celebrating idolatrous festivals is definitely more than what should ordinarily be overlooked.
Camping has both textual and historical(salaf) evidences in Islam.
This was practiced by Ashabul Kahf (the People of Cave) who secluded (camped) themselves from a polytheistic society.
Surah Al-Kahf, Verse 10:
ﺇِﺫْ ﺃَﻭَﻯ ﺍﻟْﻔِﺘْﻴَﺔُ ﺇِﻟَﻰ ﺍﻟْﻜَﻬْﻒِ ﻓَﻘَﺎﻟُﻮﺍ ﺭَﺑَّﻨَﺎ ﺁﺗِﻨَﺎ ﻣِﻦ ﻟَّﺪُﻧﻚَ ﺭَﺣْﻤَﺔً ﻭَﻫَﻴِّﺊْ ﻟَﻨَﺎ ﻣِﻦْ ﺃَﻣْﺮِﻧَﺎ ﺭَﺷَﺪًﺍ
(Remember) when the youths fled for refuge (from their disbelieving folks) to the Cave, they said: “Our Lord! Bestow on us mercy from Yourself, and facilitate for us our affair in the right way!”
Surah Al-Kahf, Verse 16:
ﻭَﺇِﺫِ ﺍﻋْﺘَﺰَﻟْﺘُﻤُﻮﻫُﻢْ ﻭَﻣَﺎ ﻳَﻌْﺒُﺪُﻭﻥَ ﺇِﻟَّﺎ ﺍﻟﻠَّﻪَ ﻓَﺄْﻭُﻭﺍ ﺇِﻟَﻰ ﺍﻟْﻜَﻬْﻒِ ﻳَﻨﺸُﺮْ ﻟَﻜُﻢْ ﺭَﺑُّﻜُﻢ ﻣِّﻦ ﺭَّﺣْﻤَﺘِﻪِ ﻭَﻳُﻬَﻴِّﺊْ ﻟَﻜُﻢ ﻣِّﻦْ ﺃَﻣْﺮِﻛُﻢ ﻣِّﺮْﻓَﻘًﺎ
(The youths said to one another): “And when you withdraw from them, and that which they worship, except Allah, then seek refuge in the Cave, your Lord will open a way for you from His Mercy and will make easy for you your affair (i.e. will give you what you will need of provision, dwelling, etc.).”
Hence, it is obvious that attending organised camping programmes is allowed in Sharia provided proper Islamic knowledge is disseminated therein and the activities are devoid of haram practices such as free mixing with the opposite sex etc.
SINCERE ADVISE
My Brothers and Sisters, do not just while away your time at home. It is encouraged that you attend a well organised camping programme and use the holiday period to learn more about your religion. Join your Brethren in faith, seclude yourselves from sins and uplift your eeman with your Muslim Brethren on camp sites.
However, do not forget to make a sound intention while going for the camping programme. This is very essential, since all our activities must be accorded with sound intention.
Taqabala Allahu mink (May Allah accept the efforts from you).
December 17th, 2018