What's up with Somalia?

format_quote Originally Posted by Jedi_Mindset

Now we have bluebell thinking that a NATO invasion would be for the good and that al-assad will be toppled and that syria will be in roses and flowers afterwards? Lol whut?

Before you make en entire post of nonsense, perhaps you can quote me stating the above? what do you think?
in fact if you read the last post with some discernment you'd have concluded any form of slavery & kowtowing isn't acceptable.

Now go move to Iran and perpetuate the Persian empire agenda bull ****, see how you like it..
You don't get to define for us who is good and who is bad when both your head and ass are buried in the sand!

format_quote Originally Posted by منوة الخيال

Before you make en entire post of nonsense, perhaps you can quote me stating the above? what do you think?
in fact if you read the last post with some discernment you'd have concluded any form of slavery & kowtowing isn't acceptable.

Now go move to Iran and perpetuate the Persian empire agenda bull ****, see how you like it..
You don't get to define for us who is good and who is bad when both your head and ass are buried in the sand!

You have only shown your weakness by flipping like this, may i advice you this:



Get rid of your attitude, because speaking out of emotion isnt good.
I have told the truth, and you flip caused by your nafs maybe? The syrians will soon realize what a major problem they will face when americans are at their borders. Which they're already, there are currently 15,000 troops at Jordan-syrian border. we've seen libya and still support the same tactic on syria, oh muslims why?

Sis bluebell, may i ask you if you've talked with syrians themselves on this matter? I have and really, its completely different then al-jazeera.

I do apologize if you were offended by what you've written but I don't subscribe to your opinion nor think that your analyses have any semblance of truth or common sense. You can't even synthesize from what I have written a truthful conclusion. Much of what you write and surprisingly the amount of conspiracy theories going on, on an Islamic forum where Muslims should be otherwise logical & seasoned are frightening. It is almost as if you are wishing for failure to Muslims who pay with their blood so some other equally oppressive foreign force can take over. I'll not stand for it nor will I let you sully with nonsense an honest grassroots revolutions so that a new generation can grow up free with dignity and practice their religion without an outside agenda.
If you're living comfortably in the west, you don't get to nip in the bud with sarcasm, conspiracy and misinformation those who desire change..
I spent just two weeks in Egypt with my aunts when gun shots would be fired and we'd take cover under the table as it wasn't safe imagine people who don't even have a roof over their head and you're advocating that super powers with horrible human rights abuses to their own citizens to come in to exterminate the entire population of Syria because you've reasoned that China/Russia/Iran is better than U.S/NATO..
They're both beasts of a different coat!
capice?

I never supported china or russia or Iran. The masses do, but i wont ever. Created oppostion let me say, sis there are actually vids where rebels are calling for a no fly zone on syria and intervention of the west. We are told not to make alliance with christian and jews and what are the rebels doing? letting themselves being armed by the USA, israel, NATO and KSA. Unlike the taliban who are on their own and still defeat the americans. There is no need for calling foreign help when Allah is on your side, have patience and the help will come.

Iran supported invasions of iraq and afghanistan, same with russia and china. Russia invades chechnya, china oppresses muslims in turkistan. Its all to decieve the masses. But accept the ground realitis, even syrians who opposed Assad told me that there are indeed foreign backed groups who are the same as Assad militias.

The afghans have suffered wars for more then 30 years, the same situations as in syria. The afghans fought the russians but never called for foreign help, it was USA herself who asked the afghans to help. The afghans agreed, arm supplies came to the afghan mujahideen and they caused the russians severe losses. After the russians left, the arms supplies stopped. The taliban went their own way, they started to clean afghanistan from communist pigs and secularists, also from mafia's and drugsdealers. This worked, the USA betrayed them and put them in a bad daylight. few years later 9/11 happened, after 9/11 afghanistan got invaded. Why? Because afghanistan was ruled under shariah law and was united. As you know the prophecy when black flags come form khurasan, the US didnt want that to happen. They invaded, the taliban had no foreign help, no supplies anymore. Thanks to US bombings they were scattered over the country. but they never stopped fighting, they remained steadfast. Almost 5 million afghans have died and they still dont give up. They never called for foreign help but fought on their own. And now the US is on a defeat Masha'Allah.

We immediately launched a twofold process when we heard that the Soviets had entered Afghanistan. The first involved direct reactions and sanctions focused on the Soviet Union, and both the State Department and the National Security Council prepared long lists of sanctions to be adopted, of steps to be taken to increase the international costs to the Soviet Union of their actions. And the second course of action led to my going to Pakistan a month or so after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, for the purpose of coordinating with the Pakistanis a joint response, the purpose of which would be to make the Soviets bleed for as much and as long as is possible; and we engaged in that effort in a collaborative sense with the Saudis, the Egyptians, the British, the Chinese, and we started providing weapons to the Mujaheddin, from various sources again – for example, some Soviet arms from the Egyptians and the Chinese. We even got Soviet arms from the Czechoslovak communist government, since it was obviously susceptible to material incentives; and at some point we started buying arms for the Mujaheddin from the Soviet army in Afghanistan, because that army was increasingly corrupt.

Zbigniew Kazimierz Brzezinski
u.s national security advisor

then the betrayal:

And fear a trial which will not strike those who have wronged among you exclusively, and know that Allah is severe in penalty.

Commentary to verse 25 of Surah Al-Anfal:

"That trial" refers to those collective evils that are not confined to individuals but are so widespread that a large number of persons in a locality become addicted to these at the same time. In such a case, it is not the wrongdoers alone who are seized by the scourge of Allah but also those few people who are involved in those evils. This is because they put up with life in such evil surroundings.

In order to illustrate this, let us consider the case of a town from the point of view of its sanitary conditions. If filth lies scattered at a few places, its evil effects remain confined to that particular locality or localities and only those people who keep their houses or persons dirty suffer from the consequent diseases. But if filth gets scattered all over the town and there is no one to prevent it and restore sanitary conditions, then the air, water, and soil will all be contaminated and become so poisonous as to cause the outbreak of an epidemic in the whole town. Obviously, it will not discriminate between those who scattered the filth and those who refrained from it, but will affect all the people who live those surroundings. The same is the case of moral impuirty, corruption, and obscenity. If these evils are found in some persons individually but the fear of the good people of the society keeps them under check, the evil effects remain confined to the wrongdoers alone. On the other hand, if the collective conscience of the society becomes so weak that it cannot keep the evil suppressed, and the wrongdoers, the indecent, and the immoral people become so bold that they begin to commit their filthy acts openly, that mischeif takes the form of an epidemic of immorality. Then even those good people who remain content with their own individual goodness and adopt a passive attitude towards the widespread evils, fall victims to the consequent scourge because they did nothing to prevent the spread of the epidemic.

In this way, Allah impresses upon the Muslims that importance of the mission of reform and guidance for which the Messenger had risen and to which he was inviting them, as if to say, "There is life for you as individuals and as Community in this work. If you do not sincerely exert for its achievement and for the eradication of evils, an epidemic of evils will break out which will involve in its scourge all of you, even though there may be some among you who might not have been guilty of either the commission of those evils or of their spread; nay, they might have been leading good lives as individuals."

Commentary from the Meaning of Quran by Sayyid Abu Al'Ala Maududi (English translation of Tafheem Ul Quran)

such heated arguments between Muslim brothers and sisters are not going to get us anywhere but will become a hindrance.

please read the following:

O Prophet, adopt the way of leniency and forbearance; enjoin what is good and avoid useless discussions with the ignorant people. If Satan ever excites you to anger, seek refuge in Allah: He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. The fact is that if ever an evil suggestion from Satan so much as touches those who are God-fearing people, they immediately get alerted and clearly see the right course they should adopt.

As Regards their (that is, Satan’s) brethren, they drag them on and on in their crooked ways and leave nothing undone to seduce them. (7:199 – 202)

Commentary:
In this passage, Allah has taught His Messenger صلى الله عليه و سلّم some very important things about the methods of inviting people to the Message of propagating Islam, and of guiding and informing people. The object is to instruct the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلّم and, through him, his successors to enable them to carry on his mission after him. Some salient points are given below and should be considered in the order they are given:

1. The most important thing is that the inviter to the Truth should have a big and tender heart, and should be forgiving and forbearing. He should be friendly to his companions, kind to the common people, and should show forbearance to his opponents. He should tolerate the weaknesses of his comrades and endure patiently the persecution of his enemies. He should keep cool even under the greatest provocation and connive at the most unpleasant things. He should bear patiently the bitterest words, the most wicked slanders and the cruellest persecutions. Harsh treatment, hard-heartedness, bitter talk, and vindictive retaliations are as harmful as poison for this work: this spoils the work and does not mend it.

There is a tradition of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلّم to the same effect: “My Lord has enjoined me to say what is just whether I am in a state of anger or happiness; to try my best to have cordial relations even with those who are inimical to me; to render their rights even to those who deprive me of my rights; to forgive even those who are cruel to me.” He صلى الله عليه و سلّم advised those whom he sent on this mission: “wherever you go, your visit should be a harbinger of happiness and not of hatred; you should become the source of comfort to the people and not of bringing hardships on them.” Allah has also praised this characteristic of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلّم : “(O Messenger,) it is a great blessing of Allah that you are very lenient towards them and gentle with them. If you have been harsh and hard-hearted, they would have scattered away from you ...” (3: 159)

2. The second formula for the success of this Mission is to avoid philosophising and to enjoin those simple and well-known virtues that are universally accepted to be virtues, and are easily recognized by common sense which an ordinary person possesses. Thus the appeal of the inviter to the Truth convinces everyone. Its greatest advantage is that it helps win over the common people to the side of the propagators of the Truth, against its antagonists. When the common people, in spite of their prejudices, see on the one side a gentle and kind person inviting them toward simple virtues, which they themselves understand well, and on the other, his antagonists opposing his noble mission with immoral and inhuman devices, they turn away by and by from those degraded opponents and come to the inviter of the Truth. As a result of this, in the end, only those remain in the field to oppose the Truth, whose own interests are closely linked with falsehood or those who are slaves of the traditions of their forefathers and of the customs of ignorance. The Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلّم owed his great success in Arabia to this wise policy. Then his successors achieved the same in the adjoining countries, where Islam spread by leaps and bounds and was accepted by the overwhelming majority of the people.

3. The other important instruction that has been given for the propagation of Islam is to avoid useless discussions with the ignorant people. The inviter of the Truth should always strictly be on guard against involvement in useless talk and discussion with mischievous and quarrelsome people. He should take the utmost care to approach and converse with those people only who adopt a reasonable and rational attitude toward his message. As soon as he feels that his addressees are adopting the attitude of ignorance and are resorting to argumentations, wrangling, and taunts, he should make an honorable retreat from them. This is because it is not only useless to be involved in such things but it is also harmful to the mission, as valuable time and energy, that could have been usefully employed for the propagation of the Message, go to waste.

4. In case the inviter to the Truth feels that the provocations from the mischievous people are becoming too much for him to bear and he cannot withstand their tyrannies, mischief, foolish objections, and accusations, he should at once realize that it is Satan who is tempting him to retaliate. Then the best thing is to seek refuge in Allah, and invoke His Help to protect His servant from doing in anger anything that might be harmful to his Mission. This is possible only if one remains cool-headed even under the greatest provocations, for one can never think or act wisely if one is easily excited by anger, insult, injustice, or cruelty, etc. But Satan, who does not like this Mission to succeed and is always devising schemes to defeat it, first incites his own disciples to attack the inviter to the Truth and then incites him to make counter-attacks on them. As Satan’s appeal is couched in very alluring words and pious terms, it is not an easy thing to withstand it. That is why pious people have been forewarned, in verses 201 – 202, of this serious danger and instructed that if they intend to refrain from evil, they should immediately get alarmed as soon as they feel the evil effects of the temptation of Satan and its incitement in their hearts and stand on their guard. Then they will clearly see the right course that they should adopt on such occasions and under such circumstances for the sake of their Mission.

As for “the brethren of Satan,” they become self-seekers under their influence, and cannot withstand their temptations. So they follow satans, who tempt them to retaliate and resort to every kind of abuse and dishonesty like their enemies.

Besides the above-mentioned particular implications of this passage, it bears a general meaning as well. It helps differentiate the way of the pious from that of the impious. Those who really fear Allah and sincerely desire to refrain from evil, are so sensitive that even if an evil thought so much as touches their hearts, it pricks their consciences and rankles in their hearts and they seek Allah’s refuge from Satan. This is because they are not used to evil thoughts, evil desires, and evil intentions, for these are foreign to their nature. As soon as they become conscious of their presence in their minds, their eyes are opened and their consciences recognize them. Then they seek Allah’s refuge from Satan in order to cleanse their hearts of those dirty things. In contrast to them, those who do not fear Allah nor desire to refrain from evil and those who have satans as their brethren go on cherishing evil thoughts, evil intentions, and evil designs in their hearts without feeling anything strange in them. So much so that no sense of cleanliness is left in their minds; and in due course, these dirty things take practical shapes and expose them before the world.

(Taken from the Meaning of Qur’an By Sayyad Abu Al-Ala Maududi)

We all have our opinions and are entitled to them within reason but that is no reason for us to get into arguments regarding our opposing views and opinions, therefore can we please do the following and this is a reminder also unto myself:

That before we click the post reply button that we ask ourselves whether Allah would be happy with our posts and whether our posts will please him or anger him.

So post your views within reason but also respect other peoples and post that which will please Allah and not anger him. But If things continue the way they are then the result will be to close the thread. Jazakallahu khayr

format_quote Originally Posted by WRITER

I lived there long enough to know what kind of place it is what kind of ppl are there. lately they were living like nonmuslims, so why should Allah help them?

format_quote Originally Posted by منوة الخيال

Al-Anfal

Sahih International
And fear a trial which will not strike those who have wronged among you exclusively, and know that Allah is severe in penalty.

format_quote Originally Posted by WRITER

please post the Surah number too & don't misinterpret the meaning.

I am still waiting for you to show me the misinterpretation in shaa Allah.
and secondly how you reconcile my misinterpretation (someone has had some formal learning experience in Islam, speaks Arabic, lived in Saudi) with your desire for folks as unlearned as I am or possibly even more as in converted yesterday to go out there & preach.

see http://www.islamicboard.com/world-af...ml#post1527597

what is so difficult in preaching? what's so difficult in telling nonmuslims the Islamic faith? ppl like you and even less-knowledgeable ones are doing it all the time on here. new and nonmuslims as well as Muslims ask questions and ppl answer them on this very forum. you don't go around telling them they aren't capable of doing that so why are you stopping those same ppl from going out and preaching openly? it's even easier then on here, because here you have ongoing discussions while there they only have to tell them a few sentences, give a leaflet and then go.

really, preaching isn't as difficult as you're making it to be.

organizations like WAMY have made leaflets / booklets that can be given out so all one needs is to get them and give them out.

I too posted two articles that can be printed and distributed.

or one can copy the translation of Surah Al-Ikhlas and give it out.

it's not so difficult.

format_quote Originally Posted by WRITER

see http://www.islamicboard.com/world-af...ml#post1527597

This doesn't answer as to how I misinterpreted the verse. I am asking without artifice or pretense, since you asked me not to misinterpret, I wasn't looking for you to interpret. I know what it means hence I used it. You alleged that God shouldn't help the people of Syria because they're this and that (see your own comment) your understanding doesn't reconcile with my experience with the bulk of people from Syria who are in fact giving up their lives with 'ma lana ghyrok ya Allah) the verse is conciliatory and explanatory in that what is happening to them isn't a punishment for what the good people are doing but what the bad vocal ones are doing.. thus, I was curious as to my misinterpretation based on what you proposed!

what is so difficult in preaching? what's so difficult in telling nonmuslims the Islamic faith? ppl like you and even less-knowledgeable ones are doing it all the time on here.

preaching and inviting are not the same thing. I have already stated as much on the previous page. Why not the latter, well a debate is inevitable and that is why not!

new and nonmuslims as well as Muslims ask questions and ppl answer them on this very forum. you don't go around telling them they aren't capable of doing that so why are you stopping those same ppl from going out and preaching openly? it's even easier then on here, because here you have ongoing discussions while there they only have to tell them a few sentences, give a leaflet and then go.

I also answered this on the previous page. This is a controlled environment not the case outside and at any rate there's nothing I can do to stop it. May Allah aid the sincere.

really, preaching isn't as difficult as you're making it to be.

Indeed, fidelity is a divine secret that he instills in 3ibadoh as'sal7een.

organizations like WAMY have made leaflets / booklets that can be given out so all one needs is to get them and give them out.

it's not so difficult.

Again so we are not going around in circles passing leaflets or gifting a Quran isn't preaching, that is an invitation. Preaching requires a debate.. You should be Muslim because, ..................
your religion isn't a divine religion because..........
Islam is better because..............
people have questions.
preaching doesn't equal passive receiving, it is active output.

format_quote Originally Posted by منوة الخيال

This doesn't answer as to how I misinterpreted the verse. I am asking without artifice or pretense, since you asked me not to misinterpret, I wasn't looking for you to interpret. I know what it means hence I used it. You alleged that God shouldn't help the people of Syria because they're this and that (see your own comment) your understanding doesn't reconcile with my experience with the bulk of people from Syria who are in fact giving up their lives with 'ma lana ghyrok ya Allah) the verse is conciliatory and explanatory in that what is happening to them isn't a punishment for what the good people are doing but what the bad vocal ones are doing.. thus, I was curious as to my misinterpretation based on what you proposed!



preaching and inviting are not the same thing. I have already stated as much on the previous page. Why not the latter, well a debate is inevitable and that is why not!

I also answered this on the previous page. This is a controlled environment not the case outside and at any rate there's nothing I can do to stop it. May Allah aid the sincere.

Indeed, fidelity is a divine secret that he instills in 3ibadoh as'sal7een.


Again so we are not going around in circles passing leaflets or gifting a Quran isn't preaching, that is an invitation. Preaching requires a debate.. You should be Muslim because, ..................
your religion isn't a divine religion because..........
Islam is better because..............
people have questions.
preaching doesn't equal passive receiving, it is active output.

according to the verse, when a community becomes involved in wrongdoing and other members of the community don't try to preach to them to stop them from wrongdoings then the whole community suffers. which is exactly what is happening, not only in syria but in the whole Muslim world. since Muslims are not fulfilling their responsibility of preaching Islam (to nonmuslims and ignorant/misguided muslims) the whole muslim world is facing problems.

one shouldn't argue simply for the sake of argument. we are here to earn the pleasure of Allah and not His displeasure. you should ask yourself, are you posting for Allah's sake or for your own sake/your pride? if it's for Allah's sake, then you should post what will please Allah and not what will displease Him. If you're posting or engaging in an argument to save your pride, then you shouldn't post at all.

Preaching is a well-known term and I am hopeful noone else misunderstood it as you did. even dictionary.com's meaning states one meaning of preaching as: to advocate or inculcate (religious or moral truth, right conduct, etc.) in speech or writing. From my posts it's clear i didn't mean debating with nonmuslims, although those who are able can do so.

and if you misunderstood what i meant it would be more proper to ask what i meant then to start a long argument. a simple, 'sister what do you mean by preaching? preaching means ... and most Muslims are not knowledgeable enough to do that. however they can invite to the religion by giving out leaflets etc.' would be enough instead this long useless argument with no meaning except to teach me the meaning of preaching.

my later posts did clarify what i meant, so then it would be more proper to say, "sister, i agree with you that muslims should invite to Islam by giving out leaflets, but my understanding of preaching is this so do you mean that or..."


this is my last post to you as i don't like arguing endlessly. i hope you read the guidelines for preaching and debating that i posted above.

format_quote Originally Posted by WRITER

according to the verse, when a community becomes involved in wrongdoing and other members of the community don't try to preach to them to stop them from wrongdoings then the whole community suffers. which is exactly what is happening, not only in syria but in the whole Muslim world. since Muslims are not fulfilling their responsibility of preaching Islam (to nonmuslims and ignorant/misguided muslims) the whole muslim world is facing problems.

The verse has nothing to do with preaching whatsoever, at least of the scholarly portion of your previous post sans your personal addendum!

one shouldn't argue simply for the sake of argument. we are here to earn the pleasure of Allah and not His displeasure. you should ask yourself, are you posting for Allah's sake or for your own sake/your pride? if it's for Allah's sake, then you should post what will please Allah and not what will displease Him. If you're posting or engaging in an argument to save your pride, then you shouldn't post at all.

I agree that it is indeed what is going on here!

Preaching is a well-known term and I am hopeful noone else misunderstood it as you did. even dictionary.com's meaning states one meaning of preaching as: to advocate or inculcate (religious or moral truth, right conduct, etc.) in speech or writing. From my posts it's clear i didn't mean debating with nonmuslims, although those who are able can do so.

It is a verb, by its very nature denotes action not passive expression.

and if you misunderstood what i meant it would be more proper to ask what i meant then to start a long argument. a simple, 'sister what do you mean by preaching? preaching means ... and most Muslims are not knowledgeable enough to do that. however they can invite to the religion by giving out leaflets etc.' would be enough instead this long useless argument with no meaning except to teach me the meaning of preaching.

You don't see what you're doing here as exactly those things you profess to despise?
1- your own rendition.
2- saving face.
3- misuse of words

my later posts did clarify what i meant, so then it would be more proper to say, "sister, i agree with you that muslims should invite to Islam by giving out leaflets, but my understanding of preaching is this so do you mean that or..."

Actually you insist on going around in circles and can't accept being challenged even when overtly wrong about many things including blanket statements about entire populations of people.

this is my last post to you as i don't like arguing endlessly. i hope you read the guidelines for preaching and debating that i posted above.

In shaa Allah, and indeed great to know!

format_quote Originally Posted by WRITER

Preaching is a well-known term and I am hopeful noone else misunderstood it as you did. even dictionary.com's meaning states one meaning of preaching as: to advocate or inculcate (religious or moral truth, right conduct, etc.) in speech or writing. From my posts it's clear i didn't mean debating with nonmuslims, although those who are able can do so.

, As someone who is a former Christian, the term preaching to me literally means standing somewhere speaking about whatever word of God one thinks they might have. In America, this is something that is not well received by the general public due to problems that have come out of it from Christian groups unfortunately. People no longer listen to this type of advocacy unless they're already members of a particular religious organization and often times the one who is preaching in public gets made fun of, ignored, or has his intellect challenged by a passerby. I wouldn't recommend this for Muslims who aren't knowledgeable which is what you said too. But the problem is that there are many Muslims out there who aren't knowledgeable despite thinking they're mini scholars. It might be better for them to gain better knowledge first. For me, I didn't come to Islam really because anyone was around preaching to me either. It was more so a conscious decision I had after I asked God to guide me. Allah (swt) answered.

format_quote Originally Posted by WRITER

my later posts did clarify what i meant, so then it would be more proper to say, "sister, i agree with you that muslims should invite to Islam by giving out leaflets, but my understanding of preaching is this so do you mean that or..."

As a former kaffir, this wouldn't exactly be as an effective form of dawah in my opinion but I do think it can help but on a very, very microlevel. We live in a society where people are bombarded with leaflets. Advertisements, coupons, free samples. Often times these things get cast aside and thrown in the trash. My parents are non-Muslims. I gave them a leaflet to help them understand why I decided to become a Muslim and it was thrown away. If people aren't interested in learning, they're not interested in learning.

As someone who also used to be a Jehovah's Witness, I can tell you that they like to pass around copies of their Watchtower and Awake! publications. Sometimes people look at these, read them and they begin to ask questions about the beliefs. This leads to debates. This is dangerous territory for one who isn't knowledgeable about the religion and is not being able to answer simple questions. This would also keep people away from the religion. I have seen this happen with the Jehovah's Witnesses on my university campus. Students would flip through the magazine, begin to ask questions about the belief system, and then walk away from the religion all together because the one handing out the pamphlet didn't have answers to simple questions. I think Muslims would be wise to learn from those mistakes. I wanted to be a Christian missionary and not being able to have some of my questions answered by local preachers who should know more than I do was one of the many reasons I decided not to pursue this. I didn't want to turn people away from the religion because of my own lack of knowledge and ignorance.

Often times non-Muslim women walk up to me and ask me questions about Islam. I've made sure now to continue to educate myself about my own religion so that I might be able to answer some of the very basic questions that they have in the proper way with the help of Allah (swt). Only a few times have I had an answer of "I'm truly sorry but I don't know", which in that case it might be nice to have a leaflet to give to them at the end of our conversation. But usually these women are pleased with what I have to say. Allah knows if any of them have continued on to learn about Islam but it at least helped them think about it a little more and changed some of the incorrect perceptions that they have about the religion.

format_quote Originally Posted by Aprender

, As someone who is a former Christian, the term preaching to me literally means standing somewhere speaking about whatever word of God one thinks they might have.

and that is similar to my understanding of preaching. however, it can be done both in writing and orally, so a muslim can simply give out leaflets. that's preaching too. saying that preaching means debating and giving out leaflets isn't preaching is a wrong understanding.

i rechecked the meaning in my own dictionary (just to make sure) and it states: deliver (a sermon); proclaim or teach ; advocate; talk in an annoying moralizing way

In America, this is something that is not well received by the general public due to problems that have come out of it from Christian groups unfortunately. People no longer listen to this type of advocacy unless they're already members of a particular religious organization and often times the one who is preaching in public gets made fun of, ignored, or has his intellect challenged by a passerby. I wouldn't recommend this for Muslims who aren't knowledgeable which is what you said too.

Muslims shouldn't worry about being made fun of. when the Prophet (SAW) and his companions were preaching / inviting to Islam , they would get persecuted by unbelievers. In Surah Al Asr it is written that only those are successful who believe (in Islam) and do Righteous deeds and advise each other to truth and advised each other to patience. When one preaches, such circumstances occur where onehas to be patient, so it's necessary to advise each other to be patient.

preaching Islam to unbelievers is a Muslim's responsibility especially those living amongst nonmuslims so you have to do it. if one feels one is unable, then they should learn the religion and preach. Otherwise, at least do it by getting leaflets and giving out a few whenever you go out.

But the problem is that there are many Muslims out there who aren't knowledgeable despite thinking they're mini scholars. It might be better for them to gain better knowledge first. For me, I didn't come to Islam really because anyone was around preaching to me either. It was more so a conscious decision I had after I asked God to guide me. Allah (swt) answered.



As a former kaffir, this wouldn't exactly be as an effective form of dawah in my opinion but I do think it can help but on a very, very microlevel. We live in a society where people are bombarded with leaflets. Advertisements, coupons, free samples.

If those leaflets, Advertisements, coupons, free samples etc didn't work, they wouldn't be giving them out. do you think companies waste money. no, but they know that these do work. and really if the result of 1000 or even more leaflets is just one person converting to Islam it's a great thing.

Often times these things get cast aside and thrown in the trash. My parents are non-Muslims. I gave them a leaflet to help them understand why I decided to become a Muslim and it was thrown away. If people aren't interested in learning, they're not interested in learning.

some may throw them away but some, even if just one, may actually read it and get guidance. the same is the case with one-to-one preaching and even debating. not all will take an interest in Islam but some may and of those, a few may convert.

but we shouldn't worry about numbers. our work is to preach the message of Islam. Even Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was told that his job was to convey the message and he shouldn't worry about whether the people became Muslims or not.

If we do our part, Allah will put barakah in it and eventually change will come.

As someone who also used to be a Jehovah's Witness, I can tell you that they like to pass around copies of their Watchtower and Awake! publications. Sometimes people look at these, read them and they begin to ask questions about the beliefs. This leads to debates. This is dangerous territory for one who isn't knowledgeable about the religion and is not being able to answer simple questions. This would also keep people away from the religion.

people who don't have enough knowledge can still do their part which is simply giving out the leaflets. if ppl ask questions you can't answer, refer them to a trustible website like http://www.islam-guide.com . If the nonmuslim is interested in knowing more, he can try to get answers from other sources. the important thing is to awaken that desire.

I have seen this happen with the Jehovah's Witnesses on my university campus. Students would flip through the magazine, begin to ask questions about the belief system, and then walk away from the religion all together because the one handing out the pamphlet didn't have answers to simple questions. I think Muslims would be wise to learn from those mistakes. I wanted to be a Christian missionary and not being able to have some of my questions answered by local preachers who should know more than I do was one of the many reasons I decided not to pursue this. I didn't want to turn people away from the religion because of my own lack of knowledge and ignorance.

Often times non-Muslim women walk up to me and ask me questions about Islam. I've made sure now to continue to educate myself about my own religion so that I might be able to answer some of the very basic questions that they have in the proper way with the help of Allah (swt). Only a few times have I had an answer of "I'm truly sorry but I don't know", which in that case it might be nice to have a leaflet to give to them at the end of our conversation. But usually these women are pleased with what I have to say. Allah knows if any of them have continued on to learn about Islam but it at least helped them think about it a little more and changed some of the incorrect perceptions that they have about the religion.

It's funny that as a former christian you say that ppl shouldn;t preach when others such as Yusuf Estes are complaining that Muslims aren't preaching enough.

The fact is that every Muslim needs to be told that it's their job to preach, that it is a religious obligation and Allah will ask them about it. If we awaken the preaching spirit in Muslims, they might even try to learn the religion in order to be able to answer other ppl's questions. and one well-known fact about learning is that you learn more and better when you teach. so if Muslims try to teach the religion to others, they'll learn it too. If you preach and someone asks you a question that you can't answer, you may actually do your research and find the answer. If you don't try to preach, you may not even bother to study.

in the end, preaching is an obligation and there are some things that become fard (obligatory) on everyone if no one from a community does it. in a community, some people should learn Islam and then teach it to others. If no one from a community does it, then it becomes obligatory on every person and everyone is a sinner.

so there's no escape from preaching. if you aren't doing it, you're sinning.

See question no. 32693. Secondly: The one who wants to call others to Allaah must equip himself with the shar’i knowledge that he wants to convey to others, and he should have sufficient experience to debate well with others, and he should have some knowledge of the doubts and desires that they suffer from, and how they may be treated. If all a person has is sincere emotions and a little knowledge gathered from here and there, that will not achieve anything and it will not benefit the one whom he is calling at all. The worst thing that we fear for the one who embarks on such a mission before he is prepared for it and before he is properly qualified for it, is that he may be like the one who is overcome with compassion for the people who were stricken with a fatal disease and he rushed to help them without any experience in medicine, so he does not benefit the sick or protect himself. There is a saying; “He went hunting but he got caught.” So beware, O slave of Allaah, and let your first concern be to save yourself.

http://islamqa.info/en/ref/77579/preaching

format_quote Originally Posted by WRITER

some may throw them away but some, even if just one, may actually read it and get guidance. the same is the case with one-to-one preaching and even debating. not all will take an interest in Islam but some may and of those, a few may convert.

Which is why I said it can be effective on a very MICRO level.

format_quote Originally Posted by WRITER

If those leaflets, Advertisements, coupons, free samples etc didn't work, they wouldn't be giving them out.

I've got degrees and work in advertising/PR/marketing. Companies do not give out paper copies of adverts and free samples as much anymore because of the entire green initiative and the major expense of printing. Much advertising these days is shifting more digital in the form of scanning QR codes with smart phones, and having people sign up for e-mail lists to get access to coupons. Even churches are starting to do this now because it is much more cost effective and is actually more effective with people learning about a particular religion because it's not so up close and personal from behind a computer screen. But these are just a few different ways.

format_quote Originally Posted by WRITER

It's funny that as a former christian you say that ppl shouldn;t preach

I did not say that. Please do not put words in the mouths of others. This is not right and it's not funny. I am not saying that Muslims should not preach. All I am advocating is a different, hopefully more educated approach.

format_quote Originally Posted by WRITER

the important thing is to awaken that desire.

And we all have different ways of reaching out to other people as people come to impetus differently. Just because you might disagree with the methods that other Muslims use to get others interested in Islam doesn't mean they're not doing their part. Muslims are involved in dawah everyday. It's in the way that we carry ourselves. Proper conduct alone can spark someones interest in the deen without a pamphlet or even saying a word about Islam right away. Everyone is watching. And I am saying this as someone who used to be a non-Muslim so I have a different perspective on this.

I agree that more Muslims should be involved in dawah but I also believe that more Muslims need to work on educating themselves about their religion too. I think we're smart enough to judge what kind of dawah each of our respective communities would respond to better the most. One place handing out leaflets might work while in another something else can have a much greater impact.

WaSalaam

format_quote Originally Posted by Aprender

This is not right and it's not funny. I am not saying that Muslims should not preach. All I am advocating is a different, hopefully more educated approach. Originally Posted by WRITER

please see this post:
http://www.islamicboard.com/world-af...ml#post1527714

Ultimately I think we will all agree that da'wah is a very noble and important duty which is following in the footsteps of the Prophets, may Allaah's peace and blessings be on them all. I am not sure where the disagreement is coming from and perhaps we are getting caught up in subsidiary issues. If that is the case, let us leave the discussion here (as we have come very far from the original topic) and any advice regarding methods and preparation of da'wah can be given in a new thread dedicated to that topic.

Thread closed.