Third matter: Calling to it

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

The third matter is Calling to it- meaning calling to the prescribed way which الله Gave us through the Messenger ﷺ

So the Daʿwah is Daʿwah to Tawḥīd and obedience which is the the task of the Messengers and their followers.

[12:108]

قُلۡ هَٰذِهِۦ سَبِيلِىٓ أَدۡعُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِۚ عَلَىٰ بَصِيرَةٍ أَنَا۠ وَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَنِىۖ

Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم): "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).

If one perfects his knowledge and his action accordingly then he must convey the good to others in accordance with the objective laid down by الله to His Messengers in inviting people to Tawḥīd as there is great goodness in it for himself and for others and it's reward from الله is abundant if done with sincerity.

Prophet ﷺ said addressing ʿAlī رضي الله عنهم :

 فَوَاللَّهِ لأَنْ يُهْدَى بِكَ رَجُلٌ وَاحِدٌ خَيْرٌ لَكَ مِنْ حُمْرِ النَّعَمِ

By Allah! If a single person embraces Islam at your hands (i.e. through you), that will be better for you than the red camels. 

[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 2942]‏‏

But this call cannot be a means of correction unless the caller is qualified with certain qualities and  characteristics.

First of all it's sincerity that the intention behind it should be purely intending the Face of الله , His pleasure and rewards not anything to gain from people or fame or praise and showing off nor should he call people to himself in order to be distinguished  from others.

Secondly, he should have تقوى ,fear of الله , complying with His commands and abstaining from His prohibitions, he should adorn himself with the characteristics of people of faith -himself being an example and he should also have this sure knowledge, knowing what he's calling towards and the condition of the one being called with wisdom, he should have self control even in the times of anger, he should put affort in starting to call with most important matter and then slowly move to next important matter in accordance with the environment he's calling in. The ʿAqīdah and fundamentals of the Dīn should be his first priority as is well-known from the ḥadīth of Muʿādh.

The caller to الله should take the approach laid down in the Book of الله ,

[16:125]

ٱدۡعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِٱلۡحِكۡمَةِ وَٱلۡمَوۡعِظَةِ ٱلۡحَسَنَةِۖ وَجَٰدِلۡهُم بِٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحۡسَنُۚ

Invite (mankind, O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islâm) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Revelation and the Qur’ân) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better.

The ḥikmah is only attained through the understanding of Qur'ān and the Sharīʿah because this would mean knowing the truth and acting accordingly being on the right track in sayings and actions.

The fair preaching is commanding what is right and forbidding the wrong with a balanced approach between giving glad tidings and also in giving the warnings, threats that came in the Sharīʿah concerning the consequences of turning away from the path of الله and indulging in the unlawful. It is to approach the one being called justly in a good way to abandon the wrong he's engaged in.

And the best way of arguing is the way that may produce the best reasons such as sticking to the objective of the Subject and keeping away from reactions and counter it and avoiding keeping away from the matters of higher importance for those which are less important in order to preserve time and also to keep self dignity. So this calling requires the knowledge of Sharīʿah in order to be done with sure knowledge.

As for the fields of Daʿwah then they are many. One can choose to give speeches and lectures or may choose to do it through writing articles or through circles of knowledge or through writing books clarifying and refuting mistakes and misconceptions and many other ways which won't be boring and irritating to the people.

This may be done by putting forward some matters of knowledge to those who are attending so that a discussion may begin as question and answer and discussions are of great benefit, it may be more effective than an uninterrupted speech or lecture.

This invitation to الله, this calling to Him was the task of the Messengers and way of those who followed the Messengers in goodness. If one knows الله, His Prophet and Dīn and الله Bestows on him His Favours then he moves to benefit and calling towards good his brothers and sisters and give them the glad tidings. This is also known from the ḥadīth mentioned earlier where Prophet ﷺ told ʿAlī to proceed without hurry when ʿAlī was sent in the day of khaybar and then told him to call them to Islām and what's binding upon them from the Rights of الله , that it is better for him that الله should guide a single man through him than red camels. Also in a ḥadīth reported by Muslim he ﷺ said - He who called (people) to righteousness, there would be reward (assured) for him like the rewards of those who adhered to it, without their rewards being diminished in any respect. And he who called (people) to error, he shall have to carry (the burden) of its sin, like those who committed it, without their sins being diminished in any respect.

In another narration by also Muslim - One who guides to something good has a reward similar to that of its doer.

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