BASICS OF

DA`WAH TO NON-MUSILMS
SYED RAZIUDDIN ALI

Discover Islam - Bahrain

 A

1 Why Basics?

2 Who are Non-Muslims?

3 Some Misunderstood Notions
about Da`wah to Non-Muslims
1- WHY BASICS?
 Knowledge of the BASICS is
very important
in any learning

F FIRST THINGS FIRST

Fundamentals,
Essentials,
Rudiments ,
ABC’s
FOUNDATION ROOTS
 The SIX of the BASICS

1. Time-wise First
2. Effort-wise Easy
3. Duration-wise Quick
4. Appearance-wise Not Visible
5. Function-wise Holding the structure
6. Importance-wise Most Important
 2- WHO ARE
NON-MUSLIMS?
 1
WHO ARE NON-MUSLIMS?

Allah addresses human beings as:

Bani Adam Children of Adam
(Muslims and non-Muslims alike)

‫وَﻟَﻘَﺪْ ﻛَﺮَّﻣْﻨَﺎ ﺑَﻨِﻲ آ َد َم‬

(17:70)
Verily, We have conferred dignity on the children of Adam

Children of Adam è means: born to the “proto-parents” (Adam & Eve), i.e.,

We are all
Brothers/sisters in humanity
 2
WHO ARE NON-MUSLIMS?

The Qurán has used the word: Brother

‫وَإِﻟَﻰ ﻋَﺎدٍ أَﺧَﺎ ُھﻢْ ھُﻮدًا‬

- For the people of Àad [We sent] their brother Hud (7:65)

‫وَإِﻟَﻰ ﺛَﻤُﻮدَأَﺧَﺎ ُھﻢْ ﺻَﺎﻟِﺤًﺎ‬

- For the people of Thamud [We sent] their brother Salih (7:73)

‫وَإِﻟَﻰ ﻣَﺪْﯾَﻦَ أَﺧَﺎ ُھﻢْ ﺷُﻌَﯿْﺒًًﺎ‬

- For the people of Midian [We sent] their brother Shu`ayb (7:88)
 3
WHO ARE NON-MUSLIMS?

They are brothers/sisters in humanity

But IGNORANT of

- The Creator of all è Allah

- The Benefactor of humanity
è Muhammad (pbuh)
- The Guidance for our lives è The Qurán
 4

Allah = Not GOD of Muslims alone He is GOD of Non-Muslims too!

Lord of the worlds - Rabb-ul-`aalameen َ‫( رَبّ اﻟْﻌَﺎﻟَﻤِﯿﻦ‬1:2)
The Lord of mankind - Rabb-un-naas ِ‫( رَبّ اﻟﻨَّﺎس‬114:1)

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) = Not a Prophet for Muslims alone

He is Allah’s Messenger for Non-Muslims too!
Mercy to the worlds - rahmatun-lil-`aalameen َ‫ﺣﻤَﺔً ِﻟﻠْﻌَﺎﻟَﻤِﯿﻦ‬ ْ َ‫( ر‬21:107)
We have not sent you except - kaaffatun lin-naas ِ‫ﺳﻠْﻨَﺎكَ إِﻻ ﻛَﺎﻓَّﺔً ﻟِﻠﻨَّﺎس‬
َ ْ‫( َوﻣَﺎ أَر‬34:28)
to the entire mankind

The Qur’an = Not meant for Muslims alone

It is the Book of Guidance for Non-Muslims too!
Reminder to the worlds - dhikrun-lil-`aalameen َ‫( إِنْ ھُﻮَ إِﻻ ذِﻛْﺮٌ ِﻟﻠْﻌَﺎﻟَﻤِﯿﻦ‬12:104 )
Guidance for mankind - hudan lin-naas ِ‫ﺷﮭْﺮُ َرﻣَﻀَﺎنَ اﻟَّﺬِي أُﻧْﺰِلَ ﻓِﯿﮫِ اﻟْﻘُﺮْآنُ ھُﺪًى ﻟِﻠﻨَّﺎس‬
َ (2:185)
 5

Even we MUSLIMS => Raised up for no-Muslims!

You are the best community raised up for humankind ِ‫ﻛُﻨْﺘُﻢْ ﺧَﯿْﺮَ أُﻣَّﺔٍ أُﺧْﺮِﺟَﺖْ ﻟِﻠﻨَّﺎس‬
(3:110)

ِ‫ﻋﻠَﻰ اﻟﻨَّﺎس‬
َ َ‫وَﻛَﺬَﻟِﻚَ ﺟَﻌَﻠْﻨَﺎﻛُﻢْ أُﻣَّﺔً وَﺳَﻄًﺎ ﻟِﺘَﻜُﻮﻧُﻮا ﺷُﮭَﺪَاء‬
And thus We made you a justly balanced community, so that ye might be
witness before humankind … (2:143)
 6
WHO ARE NON-MUSLIMS?

ٌ‫ﻋﻠِﯿﻢٌ ﺧَﺒِﯿﺮ‬
َ َ‫ﺧﻠَﻘْﻨَﺎﻛُﻢْ ﻣِﻦْ َذﻛَﺮٍ َوأُﻧْﺜَﻰ وَﺟَ َﻌﻠْﻨَﺎﻛُﻢْ ﺷُﻌُﻮﺑًﺎ وَﻗَﺒَﺎﺋِﻞَ ﻟِﺘَﻌَﺎرَﻓُﻮا إِنَّ َأﻛْ َﺮ َﻣﻜُﻢْ ﻋِﻨْﺪَ اﻟﻠَّﮫِ أَﺗْﻘَﺎﻛُﻢْ إِنَّ اﻟﻠَّﮫ‬
َ ‫ﯾَﺎ أَﯾُّﮭَﺎ اﻟﻨَّﺎسُ إِﻧَّﺎ‬
O humankind! We created you from a single [pair] of a male and a female, and
made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may
despise each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is the
most righteous of you. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware. (49:13)

ِ‫ﺟ َﻌﻠْﻨَﺎ ﻣِ ْﻨﻜُﻢْ ﺷِﺮْﻋَﺔً َوﻣِ ْﻨﮭَﺎﺟًﺎ َوﻟَﻮْ ﺷَﺎءَ اﻟﻠَّﮫُ ﻟَﺠَ َﻌﻠَﻜُﻢْ أُﻣَّﺔً وَاﺣِﺪَةً َوَﻟﻜِﻦْ ﻟِﯿَ ْﺒﻠُ َﻮﻛُﻢْ ﻓِﻲ ﻣَﺎ آﺗَﺎﻛُﻢْ ﻓَﺎﺳْﺘَﺒِﻘُﻮا اﻟْﺨَ ْﯿﺮَات‬
َ ٍّ‫ِﻟﻜُﻞ‬
To each of you have We have prescribed a law and a way. If Allah had so
willed, He would have made you a single people, but [His plan is] to test you
through that He has given you: so strive as in a race in all virtues.
(5:48)

Allah (swt) does not address Muslims exclusively, but rather the entire human race,
thus indicating universal human brotherhood, and the diversity among humans
is God-willed.
 WHO ARE NON-MUSLIMS? 7

They are brothers/sisters in humanity, BUT …

How will they know about the Truth,

if we don’t communicate with them?

It is their RIGHT to know about the Truth,

and
It is OUR responsibility to convey them.
 1
MUSLIM & NON-MUSLIM RELATIONSHIP

The Qur’anic Teaching:

َ‫ﻻ ﯾَ ْﻨﮭَﺎﻛُﻢُ اﻟﻠَّﮫُ ﻋَﻦِ اﻟَّﺬِﯾﻦَ ﻟَﻢْ ﯾُﻘَﺎ ِﺗﻠُﻮﻛُﻢْ ﻓِﻲ اﻟﺪِّﯾﻦِ َوﻟَﻢْ ﯾُﺨْﺮِﺟُﻮﻛُﻢْ ﻣِﻦْ دِﯾَﺎ ِرﻛُﻢْ أَنْ ﺗَﺒَﺮُّوھُﻢْ وَﺗُﻘْﺴِﻄُﻮا ِإﻟَﯿْﮭِﻢْ إِنَّ اﻟﻠَّﮫَ ﯾُﺤِﺐُّ اﻟْﻤُﻘْﺴِﻄِﯿﻦ‬
(60:8-9) … ْ‫ﺟﻜُﻢْ أَنْ ﺗَ َﻮﻟَّﻮْھُﻢ‬
ِ ‫ﻋﻠَﻰ إِﺧْﺮَا‬
َ ‫إِ ّﻧَﻤَﺎ ﯾَ ْﻨﮭَﺎﻛُﻢُ اﻟﻠَّﮫُ ﻋَﻦِ اﻟَّﺬِﯾﻦَ ﻗَﺎ َﺗﻠُﻮﻛُﻢْ ﻓِﻲ اﻟﺪِّﯾﻦِ َوأَﺧْﺮَﺟُﻮﻛُﻢْ ﻣِﻦْ دِﯾَﺎ ِرﻛُﻢْ وَﻇَﺎھَﺮُوا‬

As for such [non-Muslims] who do not fight you on account of [your] faith, or drive you
forth from your homelands, Allah does not forbid you to show them kindness (also
love and respect) and to deal with them justly, for Allah loves those who act justly.
Allah only forbids you to turn in friendship towards such as fight against you because
of [your] faith and drive you forth from your homelands or aid [others] in driving you
forth. (60:8-9)

NOTE that:
The term birr (and its derivatives) are the same expressions used in the Qur’an and Hadith to
refer to one’s relationship with the parents
The term qist means “going beyond justice by giving more than what is due to others”, while the Arabic
word “`adl” refers to giving the other his or her rights, no less and no more.
 2
MUSLIM & NON-MUSLIM RELATIONSHIP

Our Prophet = Role Model

(21:107) َ‫ﺳﻠْﻨَﺎكَ إِﻻ رَﺣْﻤَﺔً ِﻟﻠْﻌَﺎﻟَﻤِﯿﻦ‬
َ ْ‫وَﻣَﺎ أَر‬
And (O Muhammad), We have not sent you, but as mercy to all the worlds.
He explained that

- Mercy is not being merciful to one’s companions but merciful to all.

- “He who is not merciful to others, will not be treated mercifully.”
In fact, mercy applies as well to animals and other creatures of Allah.

What has to be, then, our relationship with non-Muslims?

 3
MUSLIM & NON-MUSLIM RELATIONSHIP

On dealings with them:

(41:34) ٌ‫ﺣﻤِﯿﻢ‬
َ ٌّ‫وَﻻ ﺗَﺴْﺘَﻮِي اﻟْﺤَﺴَﻨَﺔُ وَﻻ اﻟﺴَّﯿِّﺌَﺔُ ادْﻓَﻊْ ﺑِﺎﻟَّﺘِﻲ ھِﻲَ أَﺣْﺴَﻦُ ﻓَﺈِذَا اﻟَّﺬِي ﺑَﯿْﻨَﻚَ وَﺑَﯿْﻨَﮫُ ﻋَﺪَاوَةٌ ﻛَﺄَﻧَّﮫُ َوﻟِﻲ‬

Good and evil cannot be equal. Repel [evil] with what is better; and thereupon
your enemy [may then become] as close as an old and valued friend!

The Qur’an allows a Muslim man to get married to a Christian or Jewish woman,
and marriage is the closest human relationship
(described in the Qur’an as a relationship characterized by peace, love, and compassion (30:21)).

How can, then, our relationship with non-Muslims be

repulsive/abhorrent?
▬ From a Da`ee’s Perspective

NON-MUSLIMS ARE:

Ø NOT-YET-MUSLIMS
Ø POTENTAIL MUSLIMS
3- Some Misunderstood Notions
about Da`wah to Non-Muslims
 1
SOME MISUNDERSTOOD NOTIONS
About Da`wah to Non-Muslims

It is important to understand that:

Ø Da`wah to NON-MUSLIMS
is not the same as da`wah to MUSLIMS
though the da`wah principles remain the same

The non-Muslim MINDSET is different.

They have utterly different religious concepts, views, and understanding.

Therefore, they need a totally different approach & treatment.

 2
SOME MISUNDERSTOOD NOTIONS
About Da`wah to Non-Muslims

It is important to understand that:

Ø Da`wah does not mean to CONVERT
someone to Islam
although the da`wah efforts may ultimately result in conversion

ُ ‫ﻓَﻤَﺎ أَرْﺳَﻠْﻨَﺎكَ ﻋَﻠَﯿْﮭِﻢْ ﺣَﻔِﯿﻈًﺎ إِنْ ﻋَﻠَﯿْﻚَ إِﻻ اﻟْﺒَﻼ‬

‫غ‬
We have not sent you as a guard over them. Your duty is
but to convey the message. (42:48)
َ‫إِﻧَّﻚَ ﻻ ﺗَﮭْﺪِي ﻣَﻦْ أَﺣْﺒَ ْﺒﺖَ وَﻟَﻜِﻦَّ اﻟﻠَّﮫَ ﯾَﮭْﺪِي ﻣَﻦْ ﯾَﺸَﺎءُ َو ُھﻮَ أَﻋْﻠَﻢُ ﺑِﺎﻟْﻤُﮭْﺘَﺪِﯾﻦ‬
Verily you guide not whom you like, but Allah guides whom
He wills, and He knows best those who are guided. (28:56)
 3
SOME MISUNDERSTOOD NOTIONS
About Da`wah to Non-Muslims

To CONVEY vs. To CONVERT

CONVEYING ACTIVITY ▬The Da`wah ACTIVITY

Offering ▬ NOT imposing

One Possible RESULT Another Possible RESULT

RESULT REJECTION ACCEPTANCE

CONVERSION
OUR WISH / DESIRE
Rather than Da`wah activity
 4
SOME MISUNDERSTOOD NOTIONS
About Da`wah to Non-Muslims

It is important to understand that:

Ø Da`wah does not mean LECTURING or debating

although da`wah involves verbal/lingual ways of communication

UNLOADING information

▬ There are many other WAYS of conducting da`wah

▬ There should be strategies ▬ SHORT-TERM and LONG-TERM
 5
SOME MISUNDERSTOOD NOTIONS
About Da`wah to Non-Muslims

It is important to understand that:

Ø Da`wah does not mean TABLEEGH

although da`wah and tableegh are inter-related

Tableegh literally means è Conveying

Da`wah literally means è Inviting

 6
SOME MISUNDERSTOOD NOTIONS
About Da`wah to Non-Muslims

It is important to understand:

Ø Da`ee vs. `Aalim

Àalim è Storehouse of information

Da`ee è Salesperson
 B

1 The Components of Da`wah Work

2 What is “Da`wah”?

3 The Nature of ‘Da`wah’ Task

 THE COMPONENTS
of Da`wah Work

The ACTIVITY
of interaction

DA`EE Addressee

One who does it On whom it is done

The MESSAGE
to be conveyed
 THE BASIC ASPECTS
of “Da`wah”

Who can do ‘Da`wah’?

DA`WAH
‫دﻋﻮة‬

What is ‘Da`wah’? Why ‘Da`wah’? How to do ‘Da`wah’?

Have a clear understanding

of the task
before undertaking it.
- Its meaning
- Nature of the task
- The desired results
- Types of da` wah
 1
WHAT IS “DA`WAH”?

LITERAL MEANING OF “ ‫” دﻋﻮة‬

The root word means:

- to call
- to call out
- to call on / upon
- to call for
- to invite
- to summon
- to invoke
(2:186) َِ‫أُﺟِﯿﺐُ دَﻋْﻮَةَ اﻟﺪَّاعِ إِذَا دَﻋَﺎن‬
- to pray
 2
WHAT IS “DA`WAH”?
 ‫‪3‬‬
‫?”‪WHAT IS “DA`WAH‬‬

‫‪ ” AS AN ISLAMIC TERM‬دﻋﻮة “‬

‫‪Calling / inviting / bringing someone closer to:‬‬

‫‪- The way of Allah‬‬ ‫)‪(16:125‬‬ ‫ادْعُ إِﻟِﻰ ﺳَﺒِﯿﻞِ رﺑّﻚَ‬

‫‪- Allah‬‬ ‫)‪(41:33‬‬ ‫وَﻣَﻦْ أَﺣْﺴَﻦُ ﻗَﻮْﻻً ﻣﱢﻤﱠﻦ دَﻋَﺎ إِﻟَﻰ اﻟﻠﱠﮫِ‬
‫‪- All that is good‬‬ ‫وَﻟْﺘَﻜُﻦ ﻣﱢﻨﻜُﻢْ أُﻣﱠﺔٌ ﯾَﺪْﻋُﻮنَ إِﻟَﻰ اﻟْﺨَﯿْﺮِ‬
‫)‪(3:104‬‬

‫وَ َﯾﺄْﻣُﺮُونَ ﺑِﺎﻟْﻤَﻌْﺮُوفِ وَﯾَﻨْﮭَ ْﻮنَ ﻋَﻦِ اﻟْﻤُﻨْﻜَﺮِ َوأُوﻟَ ِﺌﻚَ ھُﻢُ ا ْﻟﻤُ ْﻔﻠِﺤُﻮنَ‬
 1
NATURE OF THE TASK

a. IN TERMS OF EASE/CONVENIENCE

Ø VERY SIMPLE / EASY

Ø DIFFICULT
Ø DELICATE
 2
NATURE OF THE TASK

b. IN TERMS OF ITS APPLICATION

Ø SITUATIONAL
Ø A CONTINUOUS PROCESS