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Dawah Training Program

DAWAH TRAINING PROGRAM

Obligation of Da‘wah

Calling to Allaah is generally considered by scholars of Islaam as an obligation on every Muslim according to their abilities.

It has been instructed by Allaah in the Qur’aan and by Prophet Muhammad in his Sunnah. With regard to its obligation, Shk Ibn Baaz said the following:

“Da‘wah is an obligation on everyone who has the ability, from scholars to Muslim rulers and missionaries, until the message of Islaam reaches every corner of the earth in the various languages of the people.

 This is the type of propagation that Allaah has commanded. He, Most High, instructed His Prophet [to disseminate the message of Islaam as follows]:

“O Messenger, convey what was revealed from your Lord.” (Soorah al-Maa’idah, 5: 67)

Thus, it was obligatory on the Messenger  to deliver the message in the same way that it was obligatory on all the messengers of God – peace and blessings of Allaah upon them and upon all who follow them in conveying the message.

…Therefore, it is obligatory on the whole nation, from rulers and scholars to businessmen and others to convey this religion from Allaah and His Messenger, and explain it to people in their various languages.”⁶

However, scholars have made a distinction between the individual obligation of da‘wah and the community obligation. Sh. Ibn Baaz stated the following:

There are two levels of Da‘wah to Allaah: The first is Fard ‘ayn (an individual obligatory duty) and the second is Fard kifaayah (a collective obligatory duty).

It is Fard ‘ayn on you when no one in [your] country, region or tribe takes up the responsibility of enjoining good and forbidding evil, if you have knowledge.

It becomes obligatory on you specifically to give da‘wah, to enlighten people to the rights of Allaah, to command what is good and prohibit evil. However, if there are present those who give da‘wah teach people and guide them, then it would be sunnah and not obligatory for others who also have knowledge of the Sharee‘ah.⁷

Regarding the obligation of da‘wah in this age, Sh. Ibn Baaz also said:

“At a time when there is a shortage of callers, when evil is prevalent and ignorance dominates, da‘wah becomes fard ‘ayn on everyone according to their ability.”⁸

Proof for the community obligation of da‘wah can be found in the following verse and others similar to it:

“Let there arise among you a group inviting to all that is good, enjoining righteousness and forbidding evil. Those are the successful ones.” (Soorah Aal ‘Imraan, 3: 104)

Allaah states that a group of the believers should shoulder the responsibility of promoting virtue and prohibiting vice in the society.

Because religion is not merely a personal affair as perceived in the secular West, it forms the very fabric of society. Policing the society should not be left up to the government alone but should be shared by members of the communities which constitute the society.

On the other hand, the individual obligation of da‘wah can be seen indicated in the following verse:

“Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good preaching.” (Soorah an-Nahl, 16: 125)

The Prophet is personally addressed in this verse and by extension all individual believers are instructed to invite people to Islaam. In case this instruction was perceived as limited to only certain individuals like scholars or groups, the Prophet himself broadened the scope of responsibility by making it the individual responsibility of everyone who had any knowledge saying:

“Convey from me, even if it be only a single verse.”⁹

Every Muslim must learn some verses or chapters of the Qur’aan for their daily prayers. Among the shortest and most popular chapters is Soorah al-Ikhlaa s which states: “Say: He is Allaah the Unique, Allaah the Self-subsistent. He did not give birth nor was He born. And nothing is similar to Him.”

 Every one of these verses contains a crucial message about Allaah about which most religions are ignorant. Each verse clearly distinguishes God, the Creator, from His creatures.

The vast majority of Muslims knows this short chapter and can share its messages to the idolatrous world around them. Consequently, virtually no one is excused from giving some da‘wah.

Furthermore, whenever the Prophet addressed people, he used to say:

“Let those present convey what they heard to those absent. For, perhaps he may inform one better able to understand it than him. ”¹⁰

Allaah’s Curse

In order to stress the gravity of da‘wah as a duty on Muslims, Allaah warned those who did not fulfill their responsibility in this regard of His curse and the curse of all His creatures.

“Indeed those who hide the clear messages and guidance that I have revealed after I have made it clear to people in the scripture; those are cursed by Allaah and cursed by all who curse.” Soorah al-Baqarah, (2): 159

The Prophet further stressed the gravity of the sin of hiding knowledge

saying:

“Whoever hides knowledge by which Allaah benefits people in their affairs of religion, Allaah will bridle him on the Day of Resurrection with a bridle from the Hellfire.”¹¹

To have knowledge of Islaam but not convey it to others constitutes “hiding knowledge.”

Hiding knowledge may be a deliberate act wherein a person has the intention to keep the knowledge away from other people.

This may occur in cases where people are asked about Islaam but refuse to reveal its teachings due to racial or tribal concerns. For example, in years past, some Indians of Guyanese or Trinidadian origin refused to teach African Guyanese and African Trinidadians due to their racist belief that Islaam was only for Indians.

 Likewise, some African Americans following the racist doctrines of the “Nation of Islam” or influenced by them have refused to explain Islaam to European Americans as they considered them to be devils or simply the enemy.

Hiding knowledge may also be a passive unintentional act whereby a person has the knowledge but neglects to convey it due to reasons of shyness or feelings of inferiority.

An example of passive hiding of knowledge may be found in the case of many immigrant Muslims who live, study, and work among non-Muslims for many years without ever saying a single word to them about Islaam.