eDawah

Translated by: Tahir Wytt
Transcribed by: Amir Ibn Uthman Rushdan

Date – 24th of Rajab - Friday August 18,2006
Time – 7:30 – 8:30
Topic – “How to Give Dawah”

Professor from the College of Dawah “Usool ud-Deen” - Former head of Dept. of Aqeedah at Medinah University.

Has written many books (none of them translated in English). The name of one of his books “Examples of Imaan in the Quran.” The Shaykh studied at Petroleum University and he learned English there.

The Shaykh begins with the Name of Allah, Salaam, Introduction, and first three ayat of Surat-ul Fatihah and then testified there is none worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

“Oh you who believe, fear Allah, have taqwa of Allah, and be with those who are truthful”. This is a great command for everyone who is pleased with Allah and his Prophet. And they are the victorious group. That is the successful group as well, that group which will remain upon the truth until the Day of Judgment.

The Shaykh expressed his gratitude of being able to meet us and be with us today. He would have invited us to his house but he had to travel and he thanked Allah for making it easy for us to gather today on Jumua`ah. He hopes we increase in two things. 1- Obedience to Allah and Righteous actions. 2 – Increase in Knowledge so that we can call to the worship of Allah when we return insha’Allah.

In the beginning of this study period, we are reminded of that which has come, that which has been narrated in relationship to the virtues of giving Dawah. It is a fundamental job and duty of every Muslim as Allah has said to his Messengers “This is MY Path… We all call to Allah upon Baseerah, and Glory be to Allah that I am not amongst the Mushrikun.”

Dawah was a duty of the Prophets and messengers and it is now the duty of all Muslims. We have the ability to mention many ayat which have come to relation to Dawah. However we will mention one thing and use it as a key to open the doors to our discussion.

Allah says: “And who is better in speech then the one who calls to Allah, and who does righteous deeds, and says I am from amongst the Muslims”

There is no one better then this individual on earth who calls to Allah that does this.

Dawah to the People of the Book

1- Pure Intention – caller must have pure intention for the sake of Allah.

He wants to call to these people in specific because he sees his business and his trade from Allah and he wants benefits from Allah, His love, His pleasure.                – (If one wishes to gain the pleasure and love of Allah then he should look to giving Dawah) as this was the way of the Prophets. He should want to benefit and gain the same reward that the Prophets and Messengers gained in their business (tijara) with Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta`alah).  As the Prophet (Salallhu alayhi Wa Salam) Said:

 “If one guides an individual to Islam, it is better for them then the red camels”

From the objectives of Dawah is that we establish the proof of Islaam. But the objective is for the Muslims to have people enter Islaam so this is more important then establishing the proof.

The individual should look to refute the lies against Islaam, but should not do this for his self’s sake but rather to refute the lies in order to get people to enter into Islaam. The wisdom is that once doing this, you include the previous goal while attempting the latter.

An important issue is that the Shaykh says the benefit we gain from making our niyah (intention) in making dawah to encourage people to enter into Islaam. This will help the individual who is making dawah to be consistent in good character (Dealing with them gently and not harshly). An example is the businessman who deals with people harshly and no one wants to buy from them whereas one who is gentle then the people will want to buy from them. We should want good for the person and want them to enter into that which is good for them. His goal should not be to establish the proof, but for the one who wants more then that to enter people into the deen, then this is better and the way is to be gentle and kind.

As it relates to the People of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), it is important one knows the reality of the individual you are calling, to know their way of thinking, their set of beliefs, their characteristics, behavior et… But what we find today is that the Jews and Christians of today is different then those of old. The Jews and Christians of today have been greatly affected by many factors (Philosophical theories, Darwinism, Zionism, etc… many of which don’t relate to their religion at all). So we find many Christian or Jews that thinks just like an Atheist, etc… The point is that you are clear of the condition of the one you are trying to call in order to be effective.

Two Categories of People that are dealt with in making Dawah to:

The one who is inviting he has to have a type of feeling. This feeling is that the one he is talking to, he wants the truth, shows things are making sense to him, and he is accepting etc...

The other is the one who is arrogant and doesn’t accept anything no matter what is said to him.

Firstly, the one who appears he doesn’t want the truth, may be envious, may have spite. etc… The Shaykh’s advice is to stay away from this type of individual because if he doesn’t want the truth then the only thing that will happen is that he will waste the Daaee’s time as well as use the time to create doubt in the Daaee.

For the one who is like this, then we give him a general statement and tell him that Allah has sent a Messenger with Truth. Refer him to the Quran and by doing this we have conveyed the message. By doing this, we have done our job.

The Shaykh goes on to say; now we want to deal with HOW to give DAWAH.

1- General Methods – Used with the mass majority.

- One should himself be a good Muslim, be presentable, and be clean. When people look at him they should see Islaam. In his behavior, his dress, all his actions, staying away from evil acts and indecent behaviors should be the model of Islaam. With good intention it is a good and easy way of giving dawah.

First example – As many know there are many vast countries spacious like Indonesia, China, Malaysia, etc. Which no army went to fight to spread Islaam, rather, Islaam was spread through trade, dawah, etc… And the locals found that the traders were good models and behaved decently, were clean, had honest stature, didn’t lie, didn’t commit al-fahishaa, etc… And so the locals liked this married into Muslim families, and this helped spread Islaam.

Second Example – The example here in Saudi Arabia where a family that had took as a maid a woman from a far eastern Asian country, perhaps Philippines. The woman began as a maid to the family, a Bedouin family; however she noticed how they used to purify themselves. They even had and exaggeration in their purification to her as to how they would purify themselves from urine, blood, etc… So she found this strange that they were this concerned about cleanliness. She had studied to be a nurse and found that germs are mostly in excretions etc... So she asked why is it that you all are so concerned with cleanliness and they said “We are Muslim and Allah has ordered us to stay away from these impurities”. So she said I want to read more about this Qur`an and as a result became Muslim, Alhamdulillah.

The Shaykh says this is what relates to the issue of Al-Qudwah (Being a good example).

“Oh Allah do not make us a fitnah for those who have disbelieved.”

This Ayah has two meanings from amongst the Salaf, both of which are true.

a) First meaning is Oh Allah; don’t place the kuffaar as authority over us so that they don’t take away our deen from us.

b) Second meaning, which his considered to be most authentic including Ibn Jareer is that it is a dua that Allah don’t make the Muslims to be in a position where they are weak (economically, politically, militarily) so that when the kuffaar look at us and see that we are weak, that they would say that we are weak because of our deen or Islaam. And by this, it prevents them from wanting to come to Islaam.

Second point under General Methods of calling to Islam is that which is used by many of the Christians who have entered into Islaam. When they go back to their people to make dawah and if their people say the truth is that which is our fathers were upon. If this was the case, then they are told, if this was true, then everyone would be on the truth. However, if one looks at the evidences, then they would see that the truth is one based on the evidences.

Then this one here, who has accepted the facts, then you’ll find they are also of different types.

There are some who want to debate in a philosophical manner and wants everything to make sense to him. For the Daaee who doesn’t have the ability to do this, then he should forward this individual to a Muslim who is knowledgeable in that area, in which to deal with this person with the proper knowledge and facts.

Another affair that needs attention is that one who doesn’t have the time to deal with this individual or take this individual to one who is able to deal with them then it is sufficient to give this copy a translation of the meaning of the Quraan. Some books which are not translated into English yet have stories of people who have treaded the path towards Islam and this could be given to them.

Then there is another type of people who are not interested in evidences. They seek evidences to convince that which is within themselves. They see the PEACE and Contentment within Muslims etc… or they know the beauties of Islaam.

The Shaykh wanted to lastly mention that there has been a lot that has been attributed to Islaam that is not from Islaam. They believe that there are many things that are from Islaam either because it has come from an astray group who says they are Muslims, OR perhaps this thing that they see is from Islam but it was presented in a negative manner and not properly. So they cannot digest that this is the perfect religion.

In general whatever the person calls to should be with sound knowledge and Ilm. Perhaps you may say something in ignorance and as a result close the door of guidance to the person.


Question – Some people claim that the actions of Al-Qaeda have brought back some power, glory, etc... to Islaam, so how do we approach this matter and these people?

Answer – The misconceptions and doubts surrounding the actions performed and the whole issue of The Al-Qaeda organization is something that has been confused. One main misconception is that America is trying to make a connection between Osama bin Laden to Saudi Arabia. The second misconception is that they want to connect the actions of this organization to Islaam. The third misconception is that with some of the Muslims, they have in that which was mentioned in the question itself that some Muslims believe there is some good for Islaam in these actions.

The first thing that we should clarify is that Osama bin Laden is not a Saudi, nor the way he thinks, nor his Aqeedah. He was born in Saudi but is from Yemen. Secondly his Aqeedah is that of the Sufi’s and is not upon that of Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama`ah. Likewise, the third thing to mention is that the Saudi Govt. by way of taking advice from scholars realized this man has some weird thoughts and ideologies that have nothing to do with this country nor with what is taught in this country so based on this they revoked his citizenship when he was in Sudan. Based on this discovery by Saudi Arabia, they revoked his citizenship 10 years before the actions of 9/11. At that point in time America found itself defending Bin Laden saying he is a revolutionary, he was speaking out against the society of Saudi Arabia etc… However Saudi was saying at this time that he has an ideology which will lead to confrontation and for this reason they revoked his citizenship. The Saudi Govt. already discovered this person’s flaw well prior to 9/11.

As is related to the 2nd misconception is that these actions have something to do with Islaam, then this is also incorrect. These actions which have and are being done by Al-Qaeda are known to the Muslims to be actions of the Khawarij. Those who have left the way of the people of Knowledge and leave off the authority and place authority to people amongst them. As a result they do not recognize authority of Governments.

The Prophet in explaining this group, explained them as those who have left off obedience and have separated themselves from the Jama`ah. The Prophet also said they will exit at the end of time, that their will be a group at the end of time that will be very young. The next part of their characteristics is that they are foolish. They are people who don’t have a lot of experience in affairs.

So along with them being young and inexperienced is that they will speak with the best speech. They will quote from statements of the Prophets and Companions, etc…

The fourth characteristic that they have is that the speech they make does not go past their throats. They are not acting according to that which they are saying. Rather they are only acting according to their desires and distorting the text to make it mean that which they like. They don’t refer to the people of knowledge in matters of the text in relation to the deen.

The next thing described about them is that they will leave from the deen of Islaam just like the arrow flies out from the bow. The Prophet describes them as people who in the beginning were not strong to begin with so in the end they will leave the deen easily. (They will have no sound foundation in belief). After this the Prophet commanded that they be killed. He said “Kill them for indeed there is a reward for killing them in Yaumul Qiyaamah.”

The third misconception is that some of the Muslims mention there are benefits to Islaam as a result of these actions.

1- The ruling that is made upon a particular event has to go back to the textual evidence. We don’t look at as to what the people are doing. If so then this is taking ruling based on what has actually happened or occurred. If a person really believes this, then this in itself is a type of kufr. Because a person is now saying we can take a ruling based on our intellect and does not give the rulings priority to the texts and authentic sources.

Here many people have become convinced that the end results justify the means. The origin of the Shariah is perfect but due to false implementation confusion may occur and ignorance. For example a Sufi might tell you that celebrating the Mawlid is permissible. Why? Because the people’s hearts become soft and they may cry and some non-Mulsims may accept Islaam due to this etc… So based on this they may say that this is a righteous action to perform. Some people may take like drugs in the form of pills that make them excited and do so by saying this helps me in my ibaadah (ex. Pray tahajud et..). Rather this is an intoxicant and is plainly impermissible.

In summary here on the previous points, the point is that the actions that have been done or are being done by Al-Qaeda and with rulings then we must go back to the authentic sources and people of knowledge, not just here, but of all of the lands where the Ulemah have rejected the actions of these people.

The second thing is that they have not helped Islaam but rather harmed the image of Islaam. So here the Shaykh says he wants to show us an example of how impeded in the Dawah they are. In Sudan the Christians in the south, the West came and created a war between the Muslims and the Christians. Whenever a war happens an enmity comes into people which will not allow a people to accept anything from the one they are fighting. In south Sudan there were great efforts of Dawah being made prior to the war, but after the war there was no way of giving them the Dawah anymore. So we see in America there is no war but yet Muslims have not the ability to make this dawah due to the hatred caused towards Islaam by these actions of the likes of Al-Qaeda. They have indeed impeded on the process of Dawah and not helped it.

The Shaykh said in closing that in terms of what has been said, that these actions have returned to the Muslims the “awe” that the Kuffar are supposed to have of the Muslims. This in itself is purely a bad understanding, and is an opposite of what should happen.

As for the saying “people are now reading more about Islaam” he say yes this also happened with the Communists, so rather we see now that they are not reading about Islaam to learn it but rather to learn about their enemy our of fear.

2- Specific Methods – Customized towards the individual. (We did not have enough time to go over this)