Important for Da'wah

[nightingale]

From the book, "Guide to Sound Creed" by Dr Salih Al-Fawzan,

"The Prophet (PBUH) spent thirteen years in Mecca calling people to correct their creed, worship Allah Alone and abandon worshipping the idols. He did that before asking people to perform prayer, pay Zakah, perform Hajj, and strive in Allah's Cause, and also before forbidding them from committing forbidden deeds like usury, adultery, drinking (wine) and gambling.

All this clearly shows the mistakes committed by some of the contemporary Muslim groups which take on their shoulders the responsibility of da'wah, but they neglect the teachings of the Muslim Creed and concentrate on other minor aspects like the moral code and behavior.

On the other hand, those sects disregard the major polytheistic practices committed by people around the graves of the saints in some of the Muslim countries, and they do not denounce those practices or forbid people from doing them.

Additionally, those sects never hold sessions or write books to warn people of getting involved in such incorrect practices.

Adding insult to injury, among those sects, you might come across some members who fall into some practices of shirk, while others are involved in practices of deviated sufism; however other members do not warn them of that in spite of the fact that correcting the doctrine of those members takes priority over calling disbelievers and atheists to Islam."

[HKabdullah]

Assalamu 'Alaikum wa rahmatullah,

Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan also mentions (regarding da'wah),

"The ’aqeedah (creed) must come first because it is the decisive partition between abiding in the Fire (forever) and being saved from it. Have you not heard the statement of Allaah – Sublime is His Affair – :

“Verily Allaah does not forgive that shirk (association) be made with Him, and He forgives whatever is less than that for whomever He wishes. And whoever commits shirk with Allaah, then he has indeed perpetrated a great sin.” [Sooratun-Nisaa‘ 4:48]

He also mentions, "The ’aqeedah must come first because the only real cause for the differing and destruction that has come upon our Islaamic world is the purified ’aqeedah. So indeed the creed of many of the Muslims today has become corrupted by matters of greater shirk from making tawaaf (encircling) the graves, and seeking help from the dead people inside of them, and trying to fulfill ones needs and affairs from them. So they return to the first jaahiliyyah (pre-Islaamic times of ignorance), and it is as if they have not heard the statement of Allaah the Exalted: ‘‘Verily those whom you call upon besides Allaah do not hear your calls. And if they were able to hear you, then they would not be able to answer you. And upon the Day of Judgement, they will disown your worship of them, and there is none like He who is the All-Knower.” [Sooratul-Faatir 14]

Masha'allah, you stated something very important and that would be, 'The Focus of our da'wah is Aqeedah, we start by it and end with it'.

However, it is sad to find with these so-called modern Daa'ee who focus their da'wah on topics like 'Womens rights in Islaam', 'Islaam=Peace', or any other topic of which the focus is not Tawheed. Not only do they make the call improperly which has disastrous effects on the calling (i.e. wasting of their time and the people's time, basing the foundation of the religion of the muslims on a base other than Tawheed such as politics, human rights, adaab, etc.), but that the caller themselves do not possess the characteristics of the Caller to Allaah.

Shaykh Ahmad ibn Yahyaa an-Najmee mentions these characteristics and some of them are:

"Employing wisdom in the call to Allaah. And that refers to th authoritative evidences, elegant speech and good conduct."

"Knowledge of what he is calling to. Allaah the Exalted says, "Say (O Muhammad SAW): "This is my way; I invite unto Allâh (i.e. to the Oneness of Allâh - Islâmic Monotheism) with sure knowledge, I and whosoever follows me (also must invite others to Allâh i.e to the Oneness of Allâh - Islâmic Monotheism) with sure knowledge. And Glorified and Exalted be Allâh (above all that they associate as partners with Him). And I am not of the Mushrikûn (polytheists, pagans, idolaters and disbelievers in the Oneness of Allâh; those who worship others along with Allâh or set up rivals or partners to Allâh)." (Yusuf 12:108)