By the Noble Scholar, Imaam
’Abdul-’Azeez Ibn Baaz (d.1420H)
From the necessary etiquette of the caller to
Allaah. The noble Scholar, Ibn Baaz explains the
importance of sincerity, mildness, knowledge and
gentleness.
So a wrongdoer, who opposes the da’wah with
evil and enmity and seeks to cause harm, is to
be dealt with in a different manner. If possible
such a person should be imprisoned, or something
similar to that - depending upon the nature of
his to the da’wah.
The etiquettes, manners and characteristics
necessary for the du’aat (callers to Islaam) has
been duly explained by Allaah - the Mighty and
Majestic - in many aayaat and in many different
places in the Noble Qur‘aan. And from those
necessary etiquettes are:
FIRSTLY – SINCERITY:
So it is obligatory upon the daa’ee (caller) to
have ikhlaas (sincerity and purity of intentions
and actions) for Allaah - the Mighty and
Majestic - neither desiring to show off, nor
desiring reputation, nor desiring the praises
and the accolades of the people. Rather, the
daa’ee should only call to Allaah seeking the
Face of Allaah, as He - the One free from all
imperfections – says,
“Say: This is my path, I do call to upon
knowledge.” [2]
And Allaah - the Mighty and Majestic – said,
“And who is better in speech than one who calls
to Allaah.” [3]
Thus it is a must to have ikhlaas and to call
only to Allaah - the Mighty and Majestic - and
this is the most important etiquette and the
greatest quality; that you seek from your da’wah
(call) the Face of Allaah and the Home of the
Hereafter.
SECONDLY – KNOWLEDGE:
To call the people to upon ’ilm (knowledge), and
not ignorance,
“Say, This is my path, I do call to Allaah upon
knowledge.”[4]
So knowledge is an essential obligation in
calling to Allaah. So beware of calling to
Allaah based upon ignorance, and beware of
speaking without due knowledge. Indeed,
ignorance destroys, it does not build; and it
causes corruption, not reformation and
correction. So - O worshipper of Allaah - fear
Allaah and beware of speaking about Allaah
without due knowledge, and do not call to
anything except after knowledge of it and having
insight into what Allaah and His Messenger (sallallaahu
’alayhi wa sallam) have said. So it is upon the
student of knowledge and the daa’ee to have
knowledge of, and insight into that which they
call to, knowing its proofs and evidences.
THIRDLY – MILDNESS AND GENTLENESS:
From the akhlaaq that it is necessary to have -
O daa’ee- is to be mild and forbearing in your
da’wah, and being gentle and patient in it, as
were all the Messengers ’alayhimus-salaatu
was-salaam. Beware of being hasty, harsh and
strict in your da’wah, rather be patient, mild
and gentle. In this regard, some of the proofs
have already proceeded, such as the saying of
Allaah - the Mighty and Majestic,
“Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and
beautiful admonition, and argue with them in
ways that are best.”[5]
And His - the Most Perfect’s – saying,
“And by the Mercy of Allaah you were able to
deal gently with them. If you had been severe
and harsh-hearted they would have broken away
from about you.”[6]
And His - the Most Majestic’s - saying, with
regards to Moosaa and Haaroon -
’alayhimus-salaam,
“So speak to him mildly, perchance he may take
admonition, or that he may fear Allaah.”[7]
And the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam)
said in the authentic hadeeth, “O Allaah!
Whosoever is a guardian over any of the affairs
concerning my Ummah and he is gentle with them,
then be gentle with him. And whosoever is a
guardian over any of the affairs concerning my
Ummah and he is harsh with them, then be harsh
with him.” [8]
So - O servant of Allaah - it is necessary upon
you to be gentle in your da’wah and not to be
harsh upon the people. Do not turn the people
away from the Religion due to your harshness,
ignorance, or other such behaviour. On the
contrary, be mild, forbearing and patient; and
be soft and pleasant in speech, so your words
may have an effect upon the heart brother, or
that it may have an effect upon the one you are
addressing the call to. Then the people will
better appreciate your call and invitation. So
undue strictness causes people to become
distant, not close; and it causes separation,
not unity. Therefore, it is a must to be gentle,
as the Messenger - ’alayhis-salaatu was-salaam –
said, “Indeed gentleness does not enter into
anything except that it beautifies it, is it
removed from anything except that it disfigures
it.” [9] And he - ’alayhis-salaatu was-salaam -
also said, “Whoever is prevented from
gentleness, is actually prevented from all good
and excellence.” [10]
FOURTHLY – SETTING AN EXAMPLE:
From the necessary or rather obligatory -
etiquettes and qualities that a daa’ee must
possess is acting in accordance to what he is
calling to, and being a righteous example of
what is being called to. He should not call to
do something and then not do it himself, nor
call to leave something, whilst engaging in it
himself. This is the condition of the losers -
we seek Allaah’s refuge in this! It is those
Believers who call to the truth, act upon what
they call to the truth and hasten to
righteousness and avoid the prohibited, these
are the ones who will be successful and who will
be rewarded. Allaah - the Most Majestic – says,
“O you who believe! Do you say that which you do
not do. It is most hateful in the sight of
Allaah that you say that which you do not
do.”[11]
Likewise, Allâh - the One free from all
imperfections said, whilst condemning the Jews
for ordering the people with righteousness
whilst forgetting it themselves:
“Do you enjoin righteousness upon the people
whilst you yourselves forget to practice it, and
you recite the Book? Have you no sense?”[12]
And it has been established from the Prophet
(sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) that he said, “A
man will be brought on the Day of Judgement and
he will be thrown into the Hellfire, so that his
intestines will come out and he will go around
like a donkey goes around the millstone. The
people of Hellfire will gather around him and
say, ‘O so and so! What happened to you? Did
you not used to order us with good and prohibit
us from evil?’ He will say, ‘I used to order you
with good and not do it myself; and I used to
prohibit you from evil and do it myself.” [13]
This will be the situation of the one who calls
to Allaah, ordering the good and prohibiting the
evil; whilst acting contrary to one’s saying, or
saying things contrary to ones actions – we seek
refuge in Allaah from this. Therefore, from the
most important qualities and one greatest
obligations upon the daa’ee is to act upon what
he calls to and abstain from that which he
prohibits. The daa’ee should have an excellent
character and praiseworthy conduct, being
patient and inviting to patience. The daa’ee
should be sincere in his da’wah and strive in
spreading goodness to the people and keeping
them away falsehood. At the same time the daa’ee
should supplicate for the guidance of others,
saying, “O Allaah! Guide him, and grant him the
ability to accept the truth.” So from the
excellent manners of the daa’ee is supplicating,
guiding and being patient with the harms that
come with this da’wah.
When the Prophet (’alayhis-salaatu was-salaam
was informed that the tribe of Daws had become
disobedient he said, “O Allaah! Guide Daws and
bring them.” [14] So the daa’ee should
supplicate for guidance and ability to accept
the truth for the one he is calling, and he
should be patient and encourage patience in
this. He should not despair, nor feel hopeless,
nor say anything except good. He should not be
harsh and strict, nor should he say a word which
may cause aversion to the truth. However, if
anyone commits aggression and oppression, then a
different treatment is to be to such people, as
Allaah - the Most Majestic - says:
“And do not argue with the people of the Book
except in a good way, except those who do
wrong.”[15]
So a wrongdoer, who opposes the da’wah with
evil and enmity and seeks to cause harm, is to
be dealt with in a different manner. If possible
such a person should be imprisoned, or something
similar to that - depending upon the nature of
his to the da’wah. However, as long as he causes
no harm, then it upon you to be patient and
self-evaluating and to debate with him in ways
that are best. If any personal harm was caused
by such a person, then such harm should be borne
with patience - as did the Messengers and those
who followed them in goodness and righteousness,
patiently bear such harms.
I ask Allaah to grant us all the well-being and
the ability to convey this da’wah in a wise
manner, that He corrects our hearts and our
actions, and that He grants to us the
understanding of the Religion and firmness upon
it making us of those who are guided and guiding
others, righteous and teaching others
righteousness. Indeed He is the Most Majestic,
the Supreme, the Most Generous.”
Footnotes:
[1] He is the exemplary Scholar, the zaahid mild
and forbearing in nature, the faqeeh the
muhaddith the Scholar of usool and Tawheed, Aboo
’Abdullaah ’Abdul-’Azeez Ibn ’Abdullaah Ibn
Baaz. Born in the year 1330H (1911CE) in the
city of Riyaad. He memorized the Qur‘aan before
reaching the age of maturity and then went on to
study under some of the major Scholars of the
time. He excelled in the various branches of
Islaamic sciences, even though he became
permanently blind at a young age. He has devoted
all of his life to the cause of Islaam and its
people, authoring many books, teaching and
serving the masses, whilst also aiding the
spread of correct knowledge worldwide. May
Allaah have mercy on him. This article has been
taken from his booklet, ad-Da’wah Ilallaah wa
Akhlaaqud-Du’aat (p. 37-43).
[2] Soorah Yoosuf [12:108]
[3] Soorah Fussilat [41:33]
[4] Soorah Yoosuf [12:108]
[5] Sooratun-Nahl [16:125]
[6] Soorah Aali-’Imraan [3:159]
[7] Soorah Taa Haa [20:44]
[8] Related by Muslim (12/212) from
’Aa‘ishah(radiyallaahu ’anhaa)
[9] Related by Muslim (16/146) from ’Aa‘ishah
(radiyallaahu ’anhaa)
[10] Related by Muslim (16/145) from Jaabir Ibn
’Abdullaah (radiyallaahu ’anhu)
[11] Sooratus-Saff [61:2-3]
[12] Sooratul-Baqarah [2:44]
[13] Related al-Bukhaaree (6/331) and Muslim
(18/118) from Usaamah Ibn Zayd (radiyallaahu
’anhu).
[14] Related by al-Bukhaaree (6/105) from Aboo
Hurayrah.
