Syed Ali Dawah-1

BASICS OF

DA`WAH TO NON-MUSILMS SYED RAZIUDDIN ALI Discover Islam - Bahrain

A 1 Why Basics?

2 Who are Non-Muslims? 3 Some Misunderstood Notions about Da`wah to Non-Muslims

1- WHY BASICS?

Knowledge of the BASICS is

very important in any learning

F

FOUNDATION

FIRST THINGS FIRST

Fundamentals, Essentials, Rudiments , ABC’s

ROOTS

The SIX of the BASICS

1. Time-wise

First

2. Effort-wise

Easy

3. Duration-wise

Quick

4. Appearance-wise

Not Visible

5. Function-wise

Holding the structure

6. Importance-wise

Most Important

2- WHO ARE NON-MUSLIMS?

WHO ARE NON-MUSLIMS?

1

Allah addresses human beings as:

Bani Adam Children of Adam (Muslims and non-Muslims alike)

‫وَﻟَﻘَﺪْ ﻛَﺮَّﻣْﻨَﺎ ﺑَﻨِﻲ آ َد َم‬ Verily, We have conferred dignity on the children of Adam (17:70)

Children of Adam è means: born to the “proto-parents” (Adam & Eve), i.e.,

We are all

Brothers/sisters in humanity

WHO ARE NON-MUSLIMS?

2

The Qurán has used the word: Brother

- For the people of Àad [We sent] their brother Hud (7:65)

‫وَإِﻟَﻰ ﻋَﺎدٍ أَﺧَﺎ ُھﻢْ ھُﻮدًا‬

‫وَإِﻟَﻰ ﺛَﻤُﻮدَأَﺧَﺎ ُھﻢْ ﺻَﺎﻟِﺤًﺎ‬ - For the people of Thamud [We sent] their brother Salih (7:73)

‫وَإِﻟَﻰ ﻣَﺪْﯾَﻦَ أَﺧَﺎ ُھﻢْ ﺷُﻌَﯿْﺒًًﺎ‬

- For the people of Midian [We sent] their brother Shu`ayb (7:88)

WHO ARE NON-MUSLIMS?

3

They are brothers/sisters in humanity But IGNORANT of - The Creator of all

è Allah

- The Benefactor of humanity è Muhammad (pbuh) - The Guidance for our lives è The Qurán

4

Allah = Not GOD of Muslims alone

He is GOD of Non-Muslims too!

Lord of the worlds - Rabb-ul-`aalameen َ‫( رَبّ اﻟْﻌَﺎﻟَﻤِﯿﻦ‬1:2) The Lord of mankind - Rabb-un-naas ِ‫( رَبّ اﻟﻨَّﺎس‬114:1)

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) = Not a Prophet for Muslims alone He is Allah’s Messenger for Non-Muslims too! ْ َ‫( ر‬21:107) Mercy to the worlds - rahmatun-lil-`aalameen َ‫ﺣﻤَﺔً ِﻟﻠْﻌَﺎﻟَﻤِﯿﻦ‬ َ ْ‫( َوﻣَﺎ أَر‬34:28) We have not sent you except - kaaffatun lin-naas ِ‫ﺳﻠْﻨَﺎكَ إِﻻ ﻛَﺎﻓَّﺔً ﻟِﻠﻨَّﺎس‬ to the entire mankind

The Qur’an = Not meant for Muslims alone

It is the Book of Guidance for Non-Muslims too!

Reminder to the worlds - dhikrun-lil-`aalameen َ‫( إِنْ ھُﻮَ إِﻻ ذِﻛْﺮٌ ِﻟﻠْﻌَﺎﻟَﻤِﯿﻦ‬12:104 ) Guidance for mankind - hudan lin-naas ِ‫ﺷﮭْﺮُ َرﻣَﻀَﺎنَ اﻟَّﺬِي أُﻧْﺰِلَ ﻓِﯿﮫِ اﻟْﻘُﺮْآنُ ھُﺪًى ﻟِﻠﻨَّﺎس‬ َ (2:185)

5

Even we MUSLIMS => Raised up for no-Muslims!

You are the best community raised up for humankind ِ‫ﻛُﻨْﺘُﻢْ ﺧَﯿْﺮَ أُﻣَّﺔٍ أُﺧْﺮِﺟَﺖْ ﻟِﻠﻨَّﺎس‬ (3:110)

ِ‫ﻋﻠَﻰ اﻟﻨَّﺎس‬ َ َ‫وَﻛَﺬَﻟِﻚَ ﺟَﻌَﻠْﻨَﺎﻛُﻢْ أُﻣَّﺔً وَﺳَﻄًﺎ ﻟِﺘَﻜُﻮﻧُﻮا ﺷُﮭَﺪَاء‬ And thus We made you a justly balanced community, so that ye might be witness before humankind … (2:143)

WHO ARE NON-MUSLIMS?

6

ٌ‫ﻋﻠِﯿﻢٌ ﺧَﺒِﯿﺮ‬ َ َ‫ﺧﻠَﻘْﻨَﺎﻛُﻢْ ﻣِﻦْ َذﻛَﺮٍ َوأُﻧْﺜَﻰ وَﺟَ َﻌﻠْﻨَﺎﻛُﻢْ ﺷُﻌُﻮﺑًﺎ وَﻗَﺒَﺎﺋِﻞَ ﻟِﺘَﻌَﺎرَﻓُﻮا إِنَّ َأﻛْ َﺮ َﻣﻜُﻢْ ﻋِﻨْﺪَ اﻟﻠَّﮫِ أَﺗْﻘَﺎﻛُﻢْ إِنَّ اﻟﻠَّﮫ‬ َ ‫ﯾَﺎ أَﯾُّﮭَﺎ اﻟﻨَّﺎسُ إِﻧَّﺎ‬ O humankind! We created you from a single [pair] of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware. (49:13) ِ‫ﺟ َﻌﻠْﻨَﺎ ﻣِ ْﻨﻜُﻢْ ﺷِﺮْﻋَﺔً َوﻣِ ْﻨﮭَﺎﺟًﺎ َوﻟَﻮْ ﺷَﺎءَ اﻟﻠَّﮫُ ﻟَﺠَ َﻌﻠَﻜُﻢْ أُﻣَّﺔً وَاﺣِﺪَةً َوَﻟﻜِﻦْ ﻟِﯿَ ْﺒﻠُ َﻮﻛُﻢْ ﻓِﻲ ﻣَﺎ آﺗَﺎﻛُﻢْ ﻓَﺎﺳْﺘَﺒِﻘُﻮا اﻟْﺨَ ْﯿﺮَات‬ َ ٍّ‫ِﻟﻜُﻞ‬ To each of you have We have prescribed a law and a way. If Allah had so willed, He would have made you a single people, but [His plan is] to test you through that He has given you: so strive as in a race in all virtues. (5:48)

Allah (swt) does not address Muslims exclusively, but rather the entire human race, thus indicating universal human brotherhood, and the diversity among humans is God-willed.

WHO ARE NON-MUSLIMS?

7

They are brothers/sisters in humanity, BUT … How will they know about the Truth, if we don’t communicate with them?

It is their RIGHT to know about the Truth, and

It is OUR responsibility to convey them.

MUSLIM & NON-MUSLIM RELATIONSHIP

1

The Qur’anic Teaching: َ‫ﻻ ﯾَ ْﻨﮭَﺎﻛُﻢُ اﻟﻠَّﮫُ ﻋَﻦِ اﻟَّﺬِﯾﻦَ ﻟَﻢْ ﯾُﻘَﺎ ِﺗﻠُﻮﻛُﻢْ ﻓِﻲ اﻟﺪِّﯾﻦِ َوﻟَﻢْ ﯾُﺨْﺮِﺟُﻮﻛُﻢْ ﻣِﻦْ دِﯾَﺎ ِرﻛُﻢْ أَنْ ﺗَﺒَﺮُّوھُﻢْ وَﺗُﻘْﺴِﻄُﻮا ِإﻟَﯿْﮭِﻢْ إِنَّ اﻟﻠَّﮫَ ﯾُﺤِﺐُّ اﻟْﻤُﻘْﺴِﻄِﯿﻦ‬ ِ ‫ﻋﻠَﻰ إِﺧْﺮَا‬ َ ‫إِ ّﻧَﻤَﺎ ﯾَ ْﻨﮭَﺎﻛُﻢُ اﻟﻠَّﮫُ ﻋَﻦِ اﻟَّﺬِﯾﻦَ ﻗَﺎ َﺗﻠُﻮﻛُﻢْ ﻓِﻲ اﻟﺪِّﯾﻦِ َوأَﺧْﺮَﺟُﻮﻛُﻢْ ﻣِﻦْ دِﯾَﺎ ِرﻛُﻢْ وَﻇَﺎھَﺮُوا‬ (60:8-9) … ْ‫ﺟﻜُﻢْ أَنْ ﺗَ َﻮﻟَّﻮْھُﻢ‬ As for such [non-Muslims] who do not fight you on account of [your] faith, or drive you forth from your homelands, Allah does not forbid you to show them kindness (also love and respect) and to deal with them justly, for Allah loves those who act justly. Allah only forbids you to turn in friendship towards such as fight against you because of [your] faith and drive you forth from your homelands or aid [others] in driving you forth. (60:8-9) NOTE that: The term birr (and its derivatives) are the same expressions used in the Qur’an and Hadith to refer to one’s relationship with the parents The term qist means “going beyond justice by giving more than what is due to others”, while the Arabic word “`adl” refers to giving the other his or her rights, no less and no more.

MUSLIM & NON-MUSLIM RELATIONSHIP

Our

2

Prophet = Role Model (21:107)

َ‫ﺳﻠْﻨَﺎكَ إِﻻ رَﺣْﻤَﺔً ِﻟﻠْﻌَﺎﻟَﻤِﯿﻦ‬ َ ْ‫وَﻣَﺎ أَر‬

And (O Muhammad), We have not sent you, but as mercy to all the worlds. He explained that

- Mercy is not being merciful to one’s companions but merciful to all. - “He who is not merciful to others, will not be treated mercifully.” In fact, mercy applies as well to animals and other creatures of Allah.

What has to be, then, our relationship with non-Muslims?

MUSLIM & NON-MUSLIM RELATIONSHIP

3

On dealings with them: (41:34)

ٌ‫ﺣﻤِﯿﻢ‬ َ ٌّ‫وَﻻ ﺗَﺴْﺘَﻮِي اﻟْﺤَﺴَﻨَﺔُ وَﻻ اﻟﺴَّﯿِّﺌَﺔُ ادْﻓَﻊْ ﺑِﺎﻟَّﺘِﻲ ھِﻲَ أَﺣْﺴَﻦُ ﻓَﺈِذَا اﻟَّﺬِي ﺑَﯿْﻨَﻚَ وَﺑَﯿْﻨَﮫُ ﻋَﺪَاوَةٌ ﻛَﺄَﻧَّﮫُ َوﻟِﻲ‬

Good and evil cannot be equal. Repel [evil] with what is better; and thereupon your enemy [may then become] as close as an old and valued friend!

The Qur’an allows a Muslim man to get married to a Christian or Jewish woman, and marriage is the closest human relationship (described in the Qur’an as a relationship characterized by peace, love, and compassion (30:21)).

How can, then, our relationship with non-Muslims be repulsive/abhorrent?

▬ From a Da`ee’s Perspective NON-MUSLIMS ARE:

Ø NOT-YET-MUSLIMS Ø POTENTAIL MUSLIMS

3- Some Misunderstood Notions about Da`wah to Non-Muslims

SOME MISUNDERSTOOD NOTIONS About Da`wah to Non-Muslims

It is important to understand that: Ø Da`wah to NON-MUSLIMS is not the same as da`wah to MUSLIMS though the da`wah principles remain the same

The non-Muslim MINDSET is different. They have utterly different religious concepts, views, and understanding.

Therefore, they need a totally different approach & treatment.

1

SOME MISUNDERSTOOD NOTIONS About Da`wah to Non-Muslims

It is important to understand that: Ø Da`wah does not mean to CONVERT someone to Islam although the da`wah efforts may ultimately result in conversion

ُ ‫ﻓَﻤَﺎ أَرْﺳَﻠْﻨَﺎكَ ﻋَﻠَﯿْﮭِﻢْ ﺣَﻔِﯿﻈًﺎ إِنْ ﻋَﻠَﯿْﻚَ إِﻻ اﻟْﺒَﻼ‬ ‫غ‬ We have not sent you as a guard over them. Your duty is but to convey the message. (42:48) َ‫إِﻧَّﻚَ ﻻ ﺗَﮭْﺪِي ﻣَﻦْ أَﺣْﺒَ ْﺒﺖَ وَﻟَﻜِﻦَّ اﻟﻠَّﮫَ ﯾَﮭْﺪِي ﻣَﻦْ ﯾَﺸَﺎءُ َو ُھﻮَ أَﻋْﻠَﻢُ ﺑِﺎﻟْﻤُﮭْﺘَﺪِﯾﻦ‬ Verily you guide not whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills, and He knows best those who are guided. (28:56)

2

SOME MISUNDERSTOOD NOTIONS About Da`wah to Non-Muslims

To CONVEY

vs.

To CONVERT

ACTIVITY

CONVEYING

▬The Da`wah ACTIVITY

Offering ▬ NOT imposing

RESULT

One Possible RESULT

Another Possible RESULT

REJECTION

ACCEPTANCE CONVERSION

OUR WISH / DESIRE Rather than Da`wah activity

3

SOME MISUNDERSTOOD NOTIONS About Da`wah to Non-Muslims

It is important to understand that: Ø Da`wah does not mean LECTURING or debating although da`wah involves verbal/lingual ways of communication

UNLOADING information

▬ There are many other WAYS of conducting da`wah ▬ There should be strategies ▬ SHORT-TERM and LONG-TERM

4

SOME MISUNDERSTOOD NOTIONS About Da`wah to Non-Muslims

It is important to understand that: Ø Da`wah does not mean TABLEEGH although da`wah and tableegh are inter-related

Tableegh literally means è Conveying Da`wah literally means è Inviting

5

SOME MISUNDERSTOOD NOTIONS About Da`wah to Non-Muslims

It is important to understand: Ø Da`ee

vs. `Aalim

Àalim è Storehouse of information Da`ee è Salesperson

6

B 1 The Components of Da`wah Work 2 What is “Da`wah”? 3 The Nature of ‘Da`wah’ Task

THE COMPONENTS of Da`wah Work

The ACTIVITY of interaction

DA`EE

Addressee

One who does it

On whom it is done The MESSAGE to be conveyed

THE BASIC ASPECTS of “Da`wah”

DA`WAH

Who can do ‘Da`wah’?

‫دﻋﻮة‬

What is ‘Da`wah’? Have a clear understanding of the task before undertaking it. -

Its meaning Nature of the task The desired results Types of da` wah

Why ‘Da`wah’?

How to do ‘Da`wah’?

WHAT IS “DA`WAH”? LITERAL MEANING OF “ ‫” دﻋﻮة‬ The root word means: -

to call to call out to call on / upon to call for to invite to summon to invoke to pray

(2:186) َِ‫أُﺟِﯿﺐُ دَﻋْﻮَةَ اﻟﺪَّاعِ إِذَا دَﻋَﺎن‬

1

WHAT IS “DA`WAH”?

2

‫‪3‬‬

‫?”‪WHAT IS “DA`WAH‬‬ ‫‪ ” AS AN ISLAMIC TERM‬دﻋﻮة “‬ ‫‪Calling / inviting / bringing someone closer to:‬‬ ‫ادْعُ إِﻟِﻰ ﺳَﺒِﯿﻞِ رﺑّﻚَ‬

‫‪- The way of Allah‬‬

‫)‪(16:125‬‬

‫وَﻣَﻦْ أَﺣْﺴَﻦُ ﻗَﻮْﻻً ﻣﱢﻤﱠﻦ دَﻋَﺎ إِﻟَﻰ اﻟﻠﱠﮫِ‬ ‫وَﻟْﺘَﻜُﻦ ﻣﱢﻨﻜُﻢْ أُﻣﱠﺔٌ ﯾَﺪْﻋُﻮنَ إِﻟَﻰ اﻟْﺨَﯿْﺮِ‬

‫)‪(41:33‬‬

‫)‪(3:104‬‬

‫وَ َﯾﺄْﻣُﺮُونَ ﺑِﺎﻟْﻤَﻌْﺮُوفِ وَﯾَﻨْﮭَ ْﻮنَ ﻋَﻦِ اﻟْﻤُﻨْﻜَﺮِ َوأُوﻟَ ِﺌﻚَ ھُﻢُ ا ْﻟﻤُ ْﻔﻠِﺤُﻮنَ‬

‫‪- Allah‬‬ ‫‪- All that is good‬‬

NATURE OF THE TASK

a. IN TERMS OF EASE/CONVENIENCE

Ø VERY SIMPLE / EASY Ø DIFFICULT Ø DELICATE

1

NATURE OF THE TASK

b. IN TERMS OF ITS APPLICATION

Ø SITUATIONAL Ø A CONTINUOUS PROCESS

2