Fatwa ID: 04616

Answered by: Mufti Javed ibn Nazir Kachhalia

 

Question

 

Assalamu Alaikum, respected Mufti Sahib;

I was hoping you could answer the following question:

1. How does one give dawah to a non-Muslim if he works in an environment of western culture? What steps can he/she take?

 

 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

 

Answer

 

The work of dawah is a huge responsibility given to us by Allah SWT. As the followers and Ummah of The Prophet Mohammed (Peace be upon Him), Allah SWT has put the responsibility of propagating the Deen.

 

In the Qura’an Allah SWT states:

كُنتُم خَيرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخرِجَت لِلنّاسِ تَأمُرونَ بِالمَعروفِ وَتَنهَونَ عَنِ المُنكَرِ وَتُؤمِنونَ بِاللَّهِ ۗ وَلَو آمَنَ أَهلُ الكِتابِ لَكانَ خَيرًا لَهُم ۚ مِنهُمُ المُؤمِنونَ وَأَكثَرُهُمُ الفاسِقونَ

 

You are the best nation [ever] brought forth for mankind: you bid what is right and forbid what is wrong, and have faith in Allah. And if the People of the Book had believed, it would have been better for them. Among them [some] are faithful, but most of them are transgressors. (Al-Imran, V 110)

 

In the Qur’an, in several places, Allah SWT talks about the Ummah of The Prophet (Peace be upon Him). One of those occasions is the above verse and by mentioning that the Ummah of The Prophet (Peace be upon Him) is the best nation and Ummah, Allah also highlights the reason, which is Dawah.

 

We can look at hundreds of examples and Quranic verses in regards to Dawah. But when we study the seerah and lifestyle of The Prophet Mohammed (Peace be upon Him), we come to know that extension of Islam at the time of The Prophet (Peace be upon Him) and the Sahabah, was through ‘Good Character/ Akhlaaq’.

 

Akhlaaq is the best form of Dawah. By showing others what our religion and Deen say in terms of looking after the neighbor, community, Non-Muslims, how to live with peace and harmony, how to unite ourselves, etc, all those actions are a form of the greatest dawah a person can give to Non-Muslim.

 

Our walking, our eating, our interactions, our dealings, our sitting our gathering, and many more qualities are the best form of Dawah. Those Akhlaaq will have such a huge impact on other’s life’s that they will be compelled to accept the truth and without us making much effort and with dua Allah Insha’Allah will guide them.

 

We also need to give verbal Dawah. We should be careful not to engage in any kind of dispute, debate, and quarrel because that is not the purpose of Dawah as we come to know from the Quranic verse:

قُل هٰذِهِ سَبيلي أَدعو إِلَى اللَّهِ ۚ عَلىٰ بَصيرَةٍ أَنا وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَني ۖ وَسُبحانَ اللَّهِ وَما أَنا مِنَ المُشرِكينَ

Say, ‘This is my way. I summon to Allah with insight —I and he who follows me. Immaculate is Allah, and I am not one of the polytheists.’(Surah Yusuf, V 108)

 

In the above verse, Allah SWT is highlighting one of the most important qualities that when giving dawah we all should have, Wisdom/Insight.

 

This quality of Hikmah or wisdom is so essential for dawah purposes. Not every time we can talk about Allah or Shariah, there are times in which we will need to talk about something else to adjust to the person or people’s mentality and thinking.

 

We can go on and on about the topic of Dawah, but I will conclude with the above two verses to summarize it for you. For Dawah we need two main factors:

• Akhlaaq/ Good Characters
• Hikmah / Wisdom and Insight

 

May Allah make us all Dae’e of Deen and give us the opportunity to propagate our religion the correct way and make us all means of guidance for others. Ameen

 

 

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Mufti Javed ibn Nazir Kachhalia

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham