MINDING NOTES : On contemporary Dawah challenges

MINDING NOTES On contemporary Dawah challenges Alhamdulillah, its a great blessing from Allah the exalted, that we are bestowed the blessing of the natural religion (Islam) . Allah guides whoever he wills and leads whoever he wills astray . Has wished in his infinite mercy to give us this gift which if the whole world knows or has the knowledge of its divinity the whole world will understand the real God to face in worship. When things are given as gift one may undermine its worth, handle it with levity or take it for granted . These have been cause of major hindrance to the propagation of this deen and made people see Islam as religion that can't take care of their lives . While the least points Islam touches is man's affairs . Majority of Muslim youths fall short of the warning stated clearly by the Prophet(PBUH). which will serve as a reminder in this writeup. 1.Incessant argument : argument of all things has been a good food to quench the hunger of so called Muslim brothers and sisters of 21th century . The prophet (PBUH) warns against incessant argument in this Hadith: "I guarantee a house in Jannah for one who gives up arguing, even if he is in the right; and I guarantee a home in the middle of Jannah for one who abandons lying even for the sake of fun; and I guarantee a house in the highest part of Jannahfor one who has good manners.''[Abu Dawud] Islam is a religion of peace and its propagation is by calmness and dear manner. Allah says: Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching and argue with them in a way that is better. The essence of argument is to establish the truth, a perpetual argument distract from its content and leads to disagreement. It creates enmity and hatred between people involved in argument . Years back, I involved in an argument with the Imam of a Masjid after admonishing the Masjid congression, I'm on the truth and stood to by it . The Imam told me to come with my evidence . I quickly rushed home to meet one of my elders who sat me down and told me "You don't have to go back there , we have many things to correct in them than this, don't use minor issue to truncate our Dawah ". I agreed and stayed . Now , we speak in the Masjid and everybody listen to us without challenging and the preffer us to admonish the Masjid congregation over anybody . A good Dai'ya don't involved in incessant argument which can chase people away from from his Dawah .They may not take one from you but they are thousands of which can be accepted later . The duty bounded is to covey the word of Allah to them , Allah has the acceptance. He says: If they turn away, then your duty is only to clearly convey the message (16:82) Argument is not a method of Dawah, as it brings about dispute, disagreement, hatred and cut ties between Muslims . These may be greater than the truth we want to establish at that time . Quran says: {And do not argue with the People of the Scripture except in a way that is best, except for those who commit injustice among them, and say, “We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you. And our God and your God is One; and we are Muslims in submission to Him.(29:46). As human being our heart cling to what we know is the truth and by all means to defend it to maximum . Islam is beyond how human feeling , it's a designed way of life which every motive must submit to . A great man once said : "my assignment on earth is to call to the righteous way of my lord . What will become of me if I become overshadow by my own wills". Appeal to the people in the manner they will understand it better and the one as best step for them . Their guidance is from Allah, who guides who ever he wills. Argument that can lead to verbal dispute have to be averted with patience and taught. 2.Labeling and Libeling : This is one of great problems tampering the unity of Muslims today and cause of chaos and war. One side of Muslims labelling others as non-Muslims base on reason or the other . They dissociate themselves from then and passed severe judgement on them . SubhanaLlah ! This comes so as a result of dispute and incessant arguments . We are one nation by the Quran and teaching of the prophet (PBUH) . Little misconception and misinterpretation cut the Ummah apart and one becomes enemy of the other . Quran says: “And hold fast, all together, by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves;” (3:103) This is what Allah says . Alleging other Muslim as Kafir (disbeliever), Mubtad' (innovator) and the likes are great label which are sensitive. It causes disperity among Muslim . Tagging anyone must be with clear prove according to Sharia which cannot be denied . Our Dawah (calling to the way of Allah) should not be established on this base, when our aim is to convince them to the righteous way . The prophet says: “O you who have spoken the words of faith but faith has not entered your hearts! Do not backbite about the Muslims or seek out their faults, for whoever seeks out their faults, Allaah will seek out his faults even if he is his house.(Abu Dawood). It is Haram to accused someone of hypocrisy, disbelieving and the likes without establishing a clear proof otherwise the foul label will fallback on such person. Leveling an allegation on someone means dragging such person to deserving the punishment of Allah. The prophet (PBUH) says: "Do not invoke the punishment of Allah upon one another”. Only Allah and his prophet (PBUH) have the authority to put one in place of association and dissociation from the deen. 3.Totalitarian Followership: It is sadden enough that after vivid explanations of the everliving Quran and the explicit content of the prophetic tradition (Hadith) Muslims still fall to the helm of dogma . Knowledge is fast growing and ignorance is hiding beneath the knowledge. We tend to know everything but but we fail to let it be our action and our driver . Mentioning totalitarian followership, our mind we quickly rush to point at some group as their characteristic. However, this exist in almost every group of Muslim regardless of the tag they bear. Muslim brothers and sisters bow to the whims of someone who in one way or the other in charge of any control over them or which they bear an allegiance to as their leader . This occurrence as made many young Muslims innocent even with their vast knowledge of the deen . Following the whims of someone without seeking or confirming it whether in accordance with Islamic Jurisprudence or not so far it is coming from their leader who they have pledged allegiance to. Devotion or loyalty to someone should be in accordance with the pristine of Islam. Anything commanded by anyone against the pristine of Islam is totally rejected in Islam . The Quran says: ..... And help one another in goodness and piety, and do not help one another in sin and aggression; and be careful of (your duty to) Allah; surely Allah is severe in requiting (evil). (Q5:2) Following religion leader should be for learning about ones religion and receiving counseling on religion's matter . When the following has deviated from the commandments of Allah and may be towards Allah's forbidden it is compulsory to ignore such from such leader . Allah says: Allah says: “Help one another in righteousness and piety, but do not help one another in sin and transgression. Fear Allah, for Allah is strict in punishment.” Abubakr (RA) said on his first day as the Khalifa of the Ummah: "Obey me as long as I obey Allah and His prophet; if I do not obey them, you owe me no obedience.” I pray, Allah purify us and unite the Ummah on the right way of the Prophet (PBUH). Our Lord! and make us both submissive to You and (raise) from our offspring a nation submitting to You, and show us our ways of devotion and turn to us (mercifully), surely You are the Oft-returning (to mercy), the Merciful (2:128). Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget or fall into error (2:286). May the blessing of Allah be upon Muhammad (PBUH) His households, companions, those who follow them and generality of the Muslim Ummah . Alabi Yusuf For deensview.blogspot.com