Dawah

Giving Da'wah means "Inviting to the Way of submission and surrender to Allah”. We all know as Muslims that it is our duty and an obligation upon us to give da'wah to Muslims and non-Muslims. Yet even with the knowledge and understanding of Islam, a lot of us still hesitate to give da'wah, this may be due to lack of confidence, lack of knowledge or because we simply don’t know how to give da'wah...

Even when we do decide to give da’wah we ‘pick n chose’ who we give da’wah to. Many of us will talk about Islam to people who have an understanding of Islam or to people who are already practising or to friends who we feel comfortable with. There is nothing wrong with this but sometimes this is what we limit our selves to, where as in reality we should spread the knowledge to practically everyone we meet, as we will be held accountable for not doing so.

This is something that we must correct as we have to understand that it is in fact Allah who guides people and opens their heart to accept Islam. And it is only by the will of Allah (swt) that people change what is in their hearts.

So for example, if a Head Master of a High school tells all the teachers to tell all the pupils to wear uniform, the teachers on their way to pass this message on will not change what the head master has told them to say nor will they tell just a selected range of pupils this message, as it would not make sense. Therefore they will pass the exact same message on as they have been told by the head master to every pupil.

In the same way Allah has given all of us Muslims a clear message and we have been told to pass it on to every one. We can not ‘pick n chose’ who we tell, because as I have mentioned before it is Allah who opens the hearts of people and it is Allah who makes people believers. So we are only messengers, and we can only invite people in the best way possible and inshAllah we will be rewarded for this…

As Allah mentions in the Holy Qur’an:

“Invite to the Way of your Lord (Islam) with wisdom and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better”. [16:125]

Allah also says: "There should be a number of you who actively call people to righteousness; who encourage goodness and forbid evil. These are the ones who shall prosper." (Qur'an 3:104)

Allah, the Exalted, gives us direction by saying: "Call people to the path of your Lord with wisdom and inspiring speech. Reason with them in a superior and respectful manner. Certainly, your Lord knows best who strays from His path and who is guided." (Qur'an 16:125)

The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, has said: “Whoever guides (another) to a good deed will get a reward similar to the one who performs it.” (Muslims)

The Blessed Prophet told us about da'wah: "Convey this Message, even if only one sentence (ayah)." "Learn the required precepts of Islam and the Qur'an, then teach them to others, for I will not live forever." (Bukhari)

Messenger of Allah (saw) made it clear for us, when he (saw) said, "When a person dies, all of his actions discontinue, except three: a recurring charity, or knowledge that is being benefitted from, or a righteous man that prays for him"

This was also beautifully summarized by the Companion Rib’ee ibn Aamer when the king of Persia asked him why the Muslims came to Persia. Rib’ee then told the king, “Allah has sent us, with His Message to mankind, so that we release whoever desires, from the worship of people, to the worship of the Lord of people, from the injustice of man-made religion to the justice of Islam, and from the strangling of this world, to the disburden and grace of the Hereafter”.

We should not be concerned with the results of our efforts, for that is in Allah’s Hands.

This can be used as a guide of how to give da’wah;

The foundation of dawah should be Allah’s Existence, Oneness, and Perfect Attributes.
Biography of Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, and evidence of his truthfulness.
The miraculous nature of Qur’an and its agreement with scientific facts, and the unanswered challenge it has been making to mankind since it was revealed from Allah to produce a book similar to it.
The Hereafter and the proofs that there is resurrection and reckoning, and that the good and the wicked will not be made equal.
The uniqueness of the Companions of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam.
Islamic virtues and manners.
The impact of Islam upon the world.
A look at the life of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, and his companions reveals some of the conditions that must be there for one’s dawah to be successful.

Consistency and actions corresponding to words. Allah says: “O you who believe! Why you say that which you do not? It is most hateful in the sight of Allah that you say that which you do not.” [61:2-3]

· Trusting in Allah and seeking of support.

· Willingness to sacrifice time, money, and self-pride for Allah.

· Good knowledge, adequate training, clear language & appropriate speaking skills.

· Patience, steadfastness, and endurance.

· Tolerance, moderation, forgiveness and soft-heartedness.

· Generosity & good manners.

· Communication and cooperation with other Muslims working in dawah.

· Knowledge of non-Muslim communities.

· Awareness of current problems and contemporary issues in the community.