Da’wah
The meaning of Da’wah is to invite the people to the truth, in the terminology of Islam it means to invite the people to the preachings and teachings of Islam. The person who does such a work is called a Da’ee.
The job of doing Da’wah is very much important in Islam, the Holy Qur’an mentions its importance as [003:104] Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining what is right, and forbidding what is wrong: They are the ones to attain felicity. This means that among the nation of Muslims there must be a group people who does Da’wah. The duty of Da’wah is considered compulsory for all the Muslims, the Noble Qur’an therefore says, [003:110] Ye are the best of peoples, evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and believing in God. If only the People of the Book had faith, it were best for them: among them are some who have faith, but most of them are perverted transgressors. Muslims can only remain the best of the people if they keep on doing Da’wah.
The rules and regulations for doing Da’wah are also described in the Glorious Qur’an, [016:125] Invite (all) to the Way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for thy Lord knoweth best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance. This ayah clearly mentions that the people should be invited with a good manner, and a great care should be taken not to call names and abuses to the people who are being invited. The points should be logically mentioned, and still the language should be kept polite.
While doing Da’wah with non Muslims specially with Jews and Christian, further rules are defined. These rules are defined to promote the unity and brotherhood among Muslims and Non Muslims. This unity is achieved by finding commonalities between the people, instead of finding differences, because promoting differences only result in the widening of the gulf between the Muslims and Non Muslims, the Qur’an so mentions [003:064] Say: "O People of the Book! come to common terms as between us and you: That we worship none but The God; that we associate no partners with him; that we erect not, from among ourselves, Lords and patrons other than The God." If then they turn back, say ye: "Bear witness that we (at least) are Muslims (bowing to The God's Will). Moreover another care should be taken that not to call the gods of the Non Muslims with some abusive names. This will only create hindrance in the Da’wah, and will make the job more difficult, [006:108] Revile not ye those whom they call upon besides God, lest they out of spite revile God in their ignorance. Thus have We made alluring to each people its own doings. In the end will they return to their Lord, and We shall then tell them the truth of all that they did. This point should also be made clear to the Non Muslim that he/she should also abstain from using abusive language or any kind of slur against Allah, The Prophet, and Islam. Only logical questions should be asked and answers should be given logically.
Doing Da’wah is prescribed as
being the best of the speech, and the Da’ee is called
the best of the person in the Ayah of Qur’an, [041:033] Who is better in speech
than one who calls (men) to God, works righteousness, and says, "I am of
those who bow in Islam"?. Doing Da’wah
is one of the keys which may lead to the reward of Paradise, as clearly described in the Surah Asr as [103:001] By (the Token of) Time (through the
ages), [103:002] Verily Man is in loss,
[103:003] Except such as have Faith, and do righteous deeds, and
(join together) in the mutual teaching of Truth, and of Patience and Constancy.
Before having discussions with any Non Muslim it should be cleared, that the truth and logic should be used by both of the parties. Moreover both of them should agree on acceptance of the truth, if it has been made clear. Most importantly both parties should agree that they should not reject the truth only on the basis that it is against their thoughts, or against their career, or against their parents or society, and not let their ego or any other prejudice come in between the truth and them.
Lastly one point should be taken into consideration, that discussions cannot go on for ever. One time or the other the discussion has to end. The points when discussion should be ended, can be:
a. When the Non Muslim is using abusive language and is not refraining from it even after being informed.
b. When the Non Muslim is using circular questions, i.e. presenting the question or the arguments again and again, not to have an understanding or a debate but only to reject the answer provided, without mentioning the deficiency of the answer provided.
c. When the Non Muslim continuously rejects the Truth even after it has been proven through logic and through the verses of scriptures, history, science and archeology, or insists that he/she will not accept whatever one may present, or he/she shows the decision to remain in the present state no matter what logic or truth is provided.
Still if they insist on living on the present state of life as described in:
[006:158] Are they waiting to see if the angels
come to them, or thy Lord (Himself), or certain of the signs of thy Lord! the
day that certain of the signs of thy Lord do come, no good will it do to a soul
to believe in them then if it believed not before nor earned righteousness
through its faith. Say: "Wait ye: we too are
waiting."
Then let them be, and tell them to wait till God Almighty clears everything to them. This is because the job of Da’ee is not to force any one, but to deliver the message. Guidance is from Allah, and Allah guides whom He wills, and who desire guidance.
In a summary:
[109:001] Say : O ye that reject Faith!
[109:002] I worship not that which ye worship,
[109:003] Nor will ye worship that which I worship.
[109:004] And I will not worship that which ye have
been wont to worship,
[109:005] Nor will ye worship that which I worship.
[109:006] To you be your Way, and to me mine.
MY DA’WAH EFFORTS
I came across a few people who mostly were Christians during my Da’wah, but unfortunately I could not record what was the discussion. Anyhow following are a few dialogs which I recorded
Dialog with a “woman” under nicks of “mykeysarelost”, and “thebibleprofessor”
A few days ago, I received personal message which was
initiated by a woman through a Chat Program called Paltalk.
She tried every tactice to convert me to
Christianity, while by the Grace of Almighty Allah, I present the truth of
Islam to her. She had nicks of “mykeysarelost”, and “thebibleprofessor”,
while I had the nick of “BBlond”. She claimed to have
an “8 years of
The beginning of dialogs were online, and I never thought to record them, because I thought these are just casual messages, but she, like a typical missionary, who if offered a finger grabs the arm, got stuck on the objective of converting me to Christianity. So the missing messages of beginning don’t matter because she repeated her allegations and comments again and again, and readers can still get the picture how she is going round and round and not using the logic and truth. Whatever I could record I present to the readers unedited. You see the truth for yourself,
a. Whether She was being logical and truthful
b. Whether I presented the answers logically and truthfully
c. Whether she was accepting the truth, or not
d. Whether should I have continued with the dialog, after the abuses and circular questions.
Her messages which were offline messages sent through Paltalk, while I compiled the messages in Word and sent them later through Paltalk. I request the readers to see all the dialogs and have a complete picture before coming to a conclusion:
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Her Comments |
My Replies |
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For 16th Oct 2006 then I told her in another small message that if she gets illogical and deny the truth constantly, I may not continue to discuss with her. |
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As you can see her comment on 18th were just a repetition of her allegations, and an effort to avoid my questions, while she totally ignored my repeated requests and reminders to use logic in my earlier reply. So I decided not to continue with the discussion She showed her commitment to produce constantly circular arguments, and using abusive language. Then I told her that she and I should now wait for the Judgment of Almighty Allah because she has been totally illogical and totally denial of the truth, and the fact that I would block her nick ‘mykeysarelost’ |
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Then she mocked me that I am running away, through another nick of thebibleprofessor |
On 18th Oct 2006, I decided to put the whole discussion on the Net for the readers to decide and to learn a few of the missionary tactics faced by a Da’ee while doing Da’wah. |