by Dr Sapora Sipon & Roslizawati Ramli
Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM)
Da’wah is an act of calling people to the religion of Allah and brings with it abundant rewards and merits for those who perform this noble deed (Abu Khalid Al-Muwahhid, 2004). Da’wah also means to
invite non-Muslim to accept the truth of Islam.
Performing Da’wah involves both our words and actions. The command to call or invite the people to the worship of Rabbul-Alameen is given in the verse of the Quran;
“Invite to the way of your Lord with Hikmah (wisdom) and beautiful preaching and argue with them in a way that is better”. (16:125)
“Verily, we have raised in every nation a messenger (proclaiming) worship Allah (alone) and shune false gods (16:36).”
DA’WAH’S OBLIGATION
Da’wah, as we know is an obligatory upon every Muslim man and woman. The Holy Qur’an tells us that Da’wah is the most favourite act loved by Allah. It is the practice of His Prophet, the chosen servants of Allah who struggled in order to convey Allah’s message to people despite afflictions and hardships.
In addition to the Qur’anic injunctions to perform Da’wah, the Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) also enjoins Muslims to invite others to Islam (Norlain Dindang Mababaya,1998).
Da’wah to Allah is a duty on every Muslim in every age, and in our time. Da’wah is particularly important in light of the vicious attacks the enemies of Allah are waging to remove the importance of Da’wah from the hearts of Muslims.
Da’wah is obligatory upon those able to carry it out. One whom Allah has given some knowledge should convey it. The Prophet sallallaahu alaihiwasallam said “Convey from me even if it is a single Aayah.” (Shaikh Abul-Hassan Al-Misree, 2006).
Calling/inviting others to Islam for the sake of Allah is the essence of Prophet Muhammad’s mission, and it is one of the most important duties that a Muslim must follow. The pure meaning and essence of Da’wah is seen in verse 2:186
“And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad, sallallahu’alayhi wa sallam) about Me, I am indeed near (by My Knowledge). I respond to the da’wah of the daa’ee when he calls on Me, So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be guided alright.” (2:186)
The Qur’an and the Hadith of Prophet Muhammad give numerous references on the importance and the obligations of Da’wah. In the Qur’an, Allah has placed the responsibility on the Muslim ummah to
convey the message of Islam to mankind. Allah (SWT) says in Surah Al-Baqarah;
“Thus we have appointed you a model community (ummah) that you may be witnessed against mankind, and that the Messenger may be a witness against you” (2:143)
Allah will reward Muslims prosperous lives if they perform Da’wah for his sake. With regards to the reward, the Prophet has said: “Whoever guides (another) to a good deed will get a reward similar to the one who performs it.” Allah, the merciful, not only commends those who call others to Islam, but subsequently promises unlimited rewards to them (Abu Khalid Al-Muwahhid,2004).
“(Who is better in speech than one who calls (men) to Allah, works righteousness, and says, I am one of the Muslim?” (41:33)
“And he who brings the Truth and he who confirms (and supports) it-such are the men who do right. They shall have all that they wish for, with their God. Such is the reward of those who do good: so that Allah will remit from them (even) the worst in their deeds and give them their reward according to the best of what they have done” (39:35).
The relationship of Da’wah between Allah, The Most High, and His slaves is so important and so sensitive, that in order to establish Tawheed in worship, we are forbidden to call on anything other than Allah (Dawood Adib,2004).
We are also forbidden to seek intermediaries between us and Allah for Allah has said;
“Say (O Muhammmad, sallallahu’alayhi wa sallam):
‘I have been forbidden to worship those whom you call upon besides Allah. Say: ‘I will not follow your vain desires. If I did, I would go astray, and I would not be one of the rightly guided.’(6:56)”
The Muslim preacher/da’ee/duat is the one who is performing this action. The task of the Muslim preacher/da’ee/duat is simply to deliver the clear message of Tawheed.
“Then if you turn away, you should know that it is our Messengers’s duty to convey the message in the clearest way”. (5:92)
posted with permission from Dr Sapora Sipon
