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Dawah: Its Rationale And Benefits
Islam is the
complete and perfect religion for all mankind. We are Muslims and this is our
responsibilty we should do Dawah (Dawah mean call or invite people to Islam) we should do Dawah
purely for Allah’s pleasure for the following reasons:
1. To do Dawah
is a divine commandment from Allah, the Creator. Allah enjoins the Muslim
believers to invite all mankind to Islam. He commands:
Invite to the Way of your Rabb (Only God,
Cherisher and Sustainer) with wisdom and beautiful Cherisher and Sustainer,
with wisdom and beautiful preaching, and argue with them in ways that are best
and most gracious, for your rabb knows best, who have strayed from His path,
and who receive guidance. (16: 125)
2. Dawah
is the very Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger, Prophet Muhammad. Allah sent His
Messenger as a witness, a bearer of glad tidings, and a warner and as one who
do Dawah (Invites mankind to Allah’s by His leave and as a lamp
spreading light. We further read in the Glorious Quran:
Say
(O Muhammad): This is my way; I do invite unto Allah with a certain knowledge,
I and whoever follows me (must also invite
others to Allah, Oneness of Allah with sure
knowledge). Glory to Allah and I am not of
the polytheists. (12: 108)
3. Dawah as a Sunnah is one of the
best ways of serving Allah. Doing Dawah
or supporting it is a tangible manifestation of our noble service to Allah. If
we carry it out or support it sincerely to please our Creator, our lives will
certainly be prosperous. Allah praises those Muslims invite people to Islam
(Dawah). He says:
You are the best of peoples, evolved for
mankind. You enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, and believe in Allah.
(3:110)
Who is better in speech than one who calls
to Allah, (Dawah) works righteousness, and says, I am of those who bow
in Islam (41: 33)
Likewise, the Prophet says:
Abdullah bin Mas’ud narrated that Allah’s
Messenger said, Do not wish to be like anybody except in two cases: The case of
a man whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it in the right way; and that
of a man whom Allah has given religious wisdom and he gives his werdicts
according to it and teaches it to others (Bukhari, 9/419)
4. If we join the ranks of those who call
people to Islam (Dawah) we will be among the successful
believers. Allah not only assures the Du’at as the ones to attain felicity
(3:104) but also promises unlimited rewards to them. Our Creator inspires us in
the Quran and many ahadith should further inspire us Muslims to enjin people to
Islam.
5. As much as possible, we, Muslims, should
do Dawah because it is our religious duty to share the knowledge of Islam
with others.
Abu Hurairah narrated that Allah’s
Messenger said, The knowledge from which no benefit is derived is like a
treasure out of which nothing is spent in the cause of Allah (Tirmidhi, 280)
6. But not the last, we must do Dawah
becauseas Muslims it is our religious duty to enjoin what is right and forbid
what is wrong:
The Believers, men and women, are
protectors, one to another, they enjoin what is just, and forbid what is evil
(9:71).
Some Good and very
useful Dawah Books
1. Dawah According To The Quran And The
Sunnah. By Dr Norlain Dindang Mababaya.
This book published by Darussalam
Abot the Book: Dawah
According to the Qur'an and the Sunnah is a beautiful exposition of the science
and art of Da'wah of the Divine guidance and traditions of the Last Prophet of
Allah.
The book elaborates the rationale of Dawah, its
benefits and prerequisites for its success. It lists the characteristics and manners
expected of Du'at provides guidelines on how to do Dawah with Hikmah
(wisdom) and 'beautiful preaching' and offers useful hints for both the
beginners as well as those actively engaged in fulfilling this obligation.
The book concludes with important recommendations for
various sections of the Ummah in relation to Dawah. The author, being
an educator, rightly emphasizes upon the need of including Dawah
According to the Qur'an and the Sunnah as part of school curriculum for Muslim
learners from high school to collegiate and graduate levels. If this single
recommendation is taken seriously by our policy makers and honestly
implemented, it is bound to effect a positive change in the present state of
affairs marked with apathy towards the duty of conveying the Final Message to
all mankind.
2. Word of Advice Regarding Dawah
from the Noble Shaykh Abdul Azeez ibn Abdullah ibn Baaz.
From the Compliers Introduction
'This compliation was done out of desire to partake in this current Islamic
awakening which we are witnessing and to firmly establish it upon the
statements of the scholares in order for it to bear fruit. I have started this
series with one the reformist scholares who has practised dawah for
many years by teaching, giving leagal rulings and giving guidance through
lectures and conferences.'
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