السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته
Da'wah is obligation upon us Muslims and the proof for this is where Allah سبحانه وتعالىhas said,
ادْعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِۖوَجَادِلْهُم بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُۚإِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۖوَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ
"Invite (mankind, O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is best. Truly, your Lord knows best those who have gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided."[1]
Points to be noted:
1)The 'alif' ا mentioned in the first word of the ayah indicates that it is as we say in Arabic Grammar as fa'l amr which means a commanding action. This means that it is a commandment from Allah سحبانه وتعالى to us that we must call people to the religion of AlIslam.
2)Notice the word سَبِيل ,which means a way or path, is in singular form not dual or plural which shows that there is only one path of Allah سبحانه وتعالى which is AlIslam and all others are baatil (false)
3)We are commanded to invite people to AlIslam with Hikmah (wisdom). This word includes many aspects ofcalling people to AlIslam such as:
a)Using Qur`an
b)Using Sunnah of RasuluLlah صلى الله عليه و سلم [2]
4)الْمَوْعِظَةِ meaning, with exhortation and stories of the events that happened to people that are mentioned in the Qur'an, which one is to tell them about in order to warn them of the punishment of Allah سبحانه وتعالى[3] Thus it means it is a prerequisite to use Hikmah in order to fair preaching. Using stories mentioned in the Qur`an for example, story of Nuh عليه السلام as Allah سبحانه وتعالى said,
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي دَعَوْتُ قَوْمِي لَيْلًا وَنَهَارًا
"He (Nuh (AS)) said: "O my Lord! Verily, I have called my people night and day"[4]
We should understand from this ayah that a Da'ee (a person who gives calls others to Islam) should be patient when he/she is inviting others to AlIslam.
5) الْحَسَنَةِ means something which might be beneficial for a person or something for which a person might be thankful of later on. For example, if a non-Muslim accepts Islam by listening to a story or a parable from the Qur`an, he/she will be thankful for accepting Islam after listening to it.
6) جَادِلْهُم بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ meaning, if any of them want to debate and argue, then let that be in the best manner, with kindness, gentleness and good speech, as Allah سبحانه وتعالى says,
وَلاَ تُجَـدِلُواْ أَهْلَ الْكِتَـبِ إِلاَّ بِالَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ مِنْهُمْ
"And do not argue with the People of the Book, unless it be with that which is best, except for those who purposefully do wrong." [5]
Also Allah سبحانه وتعالى commanded Musa and Harun عليهما السلامto speak gently when He sent them to Pharaoh, as He سبحانه وتعالى said:
فَقُولاَ لَهُ قَوْلاً لَّيِّناً لَّعَلَّهُ يَتَذَكَّرُ أَوْ يَخْشَى
[6]
Even if one wants to do argue with them in a nice manner, he/she needs to use
Hikmah.
7) أَحْسَنُmeans best or something perfect. So whenever we must debate, it should be done in the
best manner i.e. not insulting nor quarrelling but do it like RasuluLlah صلى الله عليه و سلم.
8) We also learn from this verse that there are two parts in giving
Da'wah:
a) Preaching to them using good stories and lessons.
b) Refuting or arguing with them in a nice and gentle way.
9) Allah سبحانه وتعالى already knows the state of people. He سبحانه وتعالى knows who is destined for
Jahannam and those for
Jannah thus one should not feel remorseful for those people who have gone astray. Thus it is clear that our job is just to give them
Irshaad (guidance by someone) whilst it is up to Allah سبحانه وتعالى to whom He gives
Tawfeeq (guidance granted by Allah سبحانه وتعالى only) to be guided to AlIslam. As Allah سبحانه وتعالى says,
إِنَّكَ لاَ تَهْدِى مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ
"You cannot guide whom you love" [7]
And also:
لَّيْسَ عَلَيْكَ هُدَاهُمْ وَلَـكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ
"It is not up to you to guide them, but Allah guides whom He wills." [8] [9]
And, indeed Allah سبحانه وتعالى knows best.
References:
[1]Qur`an AlKareem {16:125}
[2]Tafsir AlTabari
[3]Tafsir Ibn Kathir
[4]Qur`an AlKareem {71:5}
[5] Qur`an AlKareem {29:46}
[6]Qur`an AlKareem {20:44}
[7]Qur`an AlKareem {28:56}
[8]Qur`an AlKareem {2:272}
[9]Tafsir Ibn Kathir