The Problem of Learning How to do Dawah & the need for Muslim Intellectual Revival

BY ABDULLAH AL ANDALUSI on JUNE 8, 2016 • 

Many Muslims approach Dawah like it is a list of arguments you need to learn to persuade people to become Muslim. Indeed, many Muslims have asked me to recommend them a list of books to read to ‘do Dawah’. However, of all the questions I’ve faced, I find that the hardest to answer. This is because Dawah is not a limited subject area that one can pick up one book and master – or even a list of books. It is far broader.

Dawah is the invitation to Islam, but what is Islam? Yes, Islam might simply mean ‘submission to God’, but ultimately, it is a worldview (Deen), that explains the purpose behind the universe, life and mankind.

Dawah in Arabic, means ‘invitation’, and is the invitation to Islam. However, to make an invitation, one must know what one is inviting to, and what you’re inviting someone away from.

In order to invite to Islam, a Muslim must know why they are Muslim in the first place! Arguably, Muslims must have *adequate* knowledge of:

1. Universe, life and mankind, what is observable in these things, the nature of these things, and how they work (i.e. cosmology). How humans form thoughts, societies and why they do actions, and the record of available human history.

2. The Islamic description of what is before the existence of the universe, what is outside it, and what comes after – and the relationship of human actions to these things. Also the Islamic description of parts of history not available to our records.

2. From (1) and (2), the da’ee (inviter to Islam) must then understand the Islamic solution for leading human life and to the problems of mankind, how resources are to be distributed, family life, social interaction, manners, spiritual/emotional fulfilment, accountable government, the approach to the environment etc.

3. In order to persuade someone to follow Islam, one must first demonstrate the inaccuracies of their current answers to the problems of (1). The da’ee must understand other (including all possible) cosmologies, belief systems (aqaid) and worldviews/ideologies (al’adyan, plural of Deen), and their advocated solutions for human life and problems, and understand why they suffer from inaccuracy, contradiction and unsubstantiated authority.

As it is clear, doing dawah requires a comprehensive understanding of reality, and is connected with every aspect of human knowledge. If Muslims truly want to do dawah, they must go beyond simply a list of books, and make every book part of their list, and grow their knowledge and search for answers if the books do not contain them. Ultimately, and obviously, the improvement of Muslim Dawah is intrinsically connected to Muslim intellectual revival, and consequentially, the revival of the Islamic Civilisation.

Do not let this dissuade you from Dawah, but act as a spur for you to learn, study and research – and discover. We live in a time when almost every iota of knowledge can be accessed from a computer and an internet connection – make the most of this – it will improve your thinking ability in every aspect of your life, and motivate you to do more. The first invitation to Islam, must be towards yourself, because inviting people to Islam is really about inviting people to knowledge AND wisdom (i.e. using knowledge correctly).

The Western civilisation (like any other civilisation before it) progressed in study not because of institutions, or systems of government, but because the people became curious about the world from reading (non-theological) books they encountered from the Islamic civilisation, and theological books of ancient Christian thinkers that were re-discovered – we won’t progress unless we do the same with the non-theological works out now, and the theological books from our own civilisation.

Even if your vocation is simply to be a baker, shoe maker, tinker or tailor, there are many introductory books of every subject, that take no time to read at all, but will broaden your mind considerably, and help you to contribute to the intellectual awakening of the Muslim Ummah. Each Muslim should endeavour to be a “jack of all trades”, but a Master of (at least) one (trade). Collectively, then, the Muslim Ummah will become a master of all trades.

Some Muslims complain that the current Islamic Scholarship of the Muslim world is not as proficient as those in the past – and, on the whole, this is true. The reason for this can be seen when we look at the pool the Scholars are recruited from…us.

The Scholars are a reflection of ourselves. All scholars started out as laymen, with the common level of knowledge and wisdom of the Ummah. If the Muslim Ummah were highly educated in knowledge and sought to perfect wisdom, then we could push the quality of our scholarship much further. An analogy for this, is if we imagine that scholars are those who stand while others sit. But even standing, Scholars won’t see much further than the Ummah does. However, if the Ummah all stands up, and lifts the scholars upon their shoulders, they will see further into the horizon, and be able to guide the Ummah much better. Raising the bar of average Muslim understanding, automatically raises the bar of those who are more learned than the average Muslim. It also allows Muslims to better weed out scholars who lack the requisite knowledge and wisdom – when we can understand and demand rigorous evidence for every comment a scholar utters.

Finally, many Muslims may complain that they do not have time to research – yet many of the best du’at (plural of Da’ee) studied while holding down a day job, studying at university and looking after family. You actually have more free time than you think, so why not free your time to think.

Being Lost Brings you closer to Allah!

Sometimes the feeling of being lost can bring us closer to Allah (swt).

What is the meaning of this problem? Why are we stuck? We need to feel as though we do not know where we are going, because that is when we start searching. And that is precisely when Allah (swt) shows you that He is The Guide, and how life changes when the Light of God is in it.

Perhaps you started out something with a sense of purpose, but in your journey you were knocked off the path towards the greater goal. You need Allah. Maybe you are having some sort of mid-life crisis. You need Allah. And we cannot for one moment believe that there is no way out and no right path. Allah (swt) says in a hadith qudsi (record of the words of the Prophet ﷺ, peace be upon him),

“O My slaves, all of you are astray except for those I have guided, so seek guidance of Me and I shall guide you,” (Muslim).

As Allah (swt) gave Himself the attributes of Guidance and Light, how can we ever believe that we will be in darkness for too long?

Say, for example, you are drowning in a pool. Who will you usually call out for? The lifeguard. The lifeguard is already there, watching out for people, and because that is his job, when you call out to him he’ll jump in there to save you. Now Allah (swt) is over and above any analogy, but as Allah (swt) gave Himself the attribute of guidance, telling you that He is THE Guide and He is THE Light of the heavens and the earth, then how can you be lost for too long? Especially if you seek Him. Are we saying that lifeguards do their job better than Allah (swt)?

So what does it mean to go to Allah? It means to take the first step of realizing that He has this attribute, and having the certainty that Allah (swt) will not turn a seeker away. Secondly, it means to ask Him. Make du`a’ (supplication), pray istikhara (the prayer for guidance) and talk to Him. Thirdly, it means to use the means around us. Reassess your goals, seek people’s advice and take the steps needed to try to find an answer. When we feel an internal instability, these steps may be hard, but Allah (swt) tells us “And those who strive for Us – We will surely guide them to Our ways […]” (Qur’an, 29:69).

And so we have to strive. We have to search. It will be hard. And there will be moments of confusion. But the Prophet ﷺ taught us: “Know that victory comes with patience, relief with affliction, and ease with hardship,” (Tirmidhi).

One final action is that we cannot let Shaytan (the devil) make us lose hope and make us keep questioning ourselves. There is a point when confusion becomes wiswaas (whispers) – a sort of paranoia from the Devil. Only when we realize that Allah (swt) is the ultimate Guide and we are seeking Him in the proper way, will we gain full trust in Him and know that He will not allow us to be led astray.

“So those who believe in Allah and hold fast to Him – He will admit them to mercy from Himself and bounty and guide them to Himself on a straight path.” (Qur’an, 4:175)

What is the REAL fasting in Ramadan?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Muslims prepare for Ramadan in many different ways. From buying different kinds of food, looking for different recipes, and starting a Ramadan meal plan.  Some people will go the extra mile and have an Ibadah schedule for Ramadan. But one of the things that are very important in Ramadan is to fast from bad habits and traits. We have to understand that approaching the month of Ramadan doesn’t mean only fasting from food, water, and sexual interaction! Not at all, that is NOT the goal of the month of Ramdan and that is NOT why Allah prescribed this month for us.

“Shayateen'' will be locked up this month so we don’t use them as an excuse for our shortcomings. That means real fasting is fasting from our bad habits, fasting from our shortcomings when it comes to our Deen, Ibadah, and relationship with Allah. 

One of the biggest issues I would like to address is the issue of backbiting, gossiping, and slandering. It is a very serious and dangerous disease if I may say. It infects women, men, youth, and even children (if they see their parents do it they will adopt that habit as well). But women are more receptive to this disease.

The side effects of this disease are tremendously destructive and devastating. It ruins relationships and destroys families, what is even more devastating is what punishment a Muslim receives for doing so.

Let's read what the Quran and Sunnah say about that

  Hadith:

Backbiting is what you talk about a person at his back (and not in front of him) in a manner which he would not like. Then the companions asked what if we mention the things which are actually found in that person. Prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H) replied that if those things are actually found in that person even then in fact you have backbitten him, and if those things are not present in the person then you have slandered. (Muslim).

Also,

Prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H) also discussed the punishment of backbiting; he said that during the Night of Ascension (Mai’raj), he saw a group of people who were scratching their chests and faces with their copper nails. He said, ‘Who are these people, O Jibril?’ Jibril replied: ‘These are the people who ate the flesh of others (by backbiting) and trampled people’s honor.’ (Riyad as-Salihin)

Quran:

“And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight, and the heart - about all those [ones] will be questioned”. [17:36]

وَلَا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ ۚ إِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ وَالْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُولَٰئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْئُولًا - 17:36

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When you received it with your tongues and said with your mouths that of which you had no knowledge and thought it was insignificant while it was, in the sight of Allah, tremendous.

إِذْ تَلَقَّوْنَهُ بِأَلْسِنَتِكُمْ وَتَقُولُونَ بِأَفْوَاهِكُم مَّا لَيْسَ لَكُم بِهِ عِلْمٌ وَتَحْسَبُونَهُ هَيِّنًا وَهُوَ عِندَ اللَّهِ عَظِيمٌ - 24:15

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يٌا أَيُّهٌا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنْ جٌاءَكُمْ فٌاسِقٌ بِنَبَأٍ فَتَبَيَّنُوا أَنْ تُصِيبُوا قَوْماً بِجَهٌالَةٍ  فَتُصْبِحُوا عَلَى مٌا فَعَلْـتُمْ نٌادِمِينَ - 49:6

O’ you who have true faith! If one who publicly and openly commits sins brings you any news (concerning another person) then ascertain its truthfulness carefully (before you spread it) lest you harm people through (your own) ignorance (through accepting and following false reports) and then regret what you have done.

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There are more Ayat and Hadith about this disease. This means it is a great sin, although many people already know that and know-how heavily the punishment of it but still take it lightly. 

This Ramadan instead of preparing for meals to cook and Eid outfit why not prepare for a soul meal and a Jennah outfit. Instead of cleaning and decorating the house why not clean and decorate the heart. Why not make the goal a Hereafter goal and not a Worldly goal.

If you are one of those people that are infected with this disease or you know someone who is infected I hope this piece will avail and assist in knowing the severity of it and therefore will spur and encourage you and others to make it a goal this Ramadan to sincerely cure and heal from it now and forever.

To help you do so. Sit and reflect on it! Why do you do it? {That is the most important question}. What benefit does it bring? Contrary, what harm does it bring not only to you but to others as well?

We already addressed the harm of it and how severe the punishment awaits those who have it. That should help you in assessing yourself.

Subhan Allah only the tongue which is something very small and insignificant compared to other parts of our body yet it causes tremendous harm. So lets discipline that tongue and tame it this Ramadan In’Sha’Allah!

Covid-19 Thoughts

Although I am heartened by the rise of virtual da'wa and reminders in response to quarantining, it is important to occasionally remind ourselves of the full extent of what it is that is occurring. And by this, I don’t mean to rehash the statistics or belabor the potential catastrophe that pandemics can inflict on populations. My sense is by now that most people have received, and continue to receive, a steady fill of reminders and new speculation detailing all of that. What I mean instead is to reflect on the question of community, of human interaction, and of life. It seems to me that the project of much of the tech industry over the past decade has been to condition us to do precisely what we are being asked to do right now: social distancing. Netflix, streaming services, and bootlegging supplant the theater, porn takes the place of intimacy, Grubhub and Doordash rid us of needing to go to restaurants or cook a meal, cell phones and smartphones unmoor us from having to self-reflect and think too hard about anything while social media provides us gossip, discursive combat, and plenty of distraction. These are not occasional past times of Gen Z’ers and a bunch of millennials. They are the way of the world, and have been for some time. The last thing a society suffering social dysfunction needed was an imperative to commit to further isolation. What was once a significant part of our lives is fast becoming the entirety of it. And the longer we go without living with and among others, the more accustomed we become to a life where we are absent from others in every conceivable sense, made distant from the opinions of those who disagree with us, from those who can be our mirrors and correct us when we err, and from those who see more to life than a culture war playing out on Muslim Twitter. Family, community, and fraternity are not light switches to be turned on and off. Community, nay ummah, is an organism that requires exercise for its own health. It is only through the repeated and regular human, embodied experiences of what all of this brings - in relationships, in hugs, in arguments and disputes, in bitterness, despair, hope and joy - that we come to taste a little of life’s sweetness. The lines of prayer bring us shoulder to shoulder with our brethren -- people with whom we share no lineal relationship and may be entirely unfamiliar with -- in a shared commitment to Allah. And it is through that repeated, regular action that we form companionship and develop the brotherhood of faith. The loss of this, even for a few days (let alone weeks), is not trivial. Understanding this loss is essential for charting our course for the days ahead. A better situated community can withstand indefinite conflict. When pressed into a corner, however, we need to band together. Solidarity at moments such as ours is essential. This doesn’t mean that we cannot disagree or quarrel. Nor does it mean that we lose our bearings and become indifferent to the integrity of our faith and heresies which seek to damage it. But it should mean we exercise a fair amount more judiciousness than is generally on display in the ever-combative world of ‘Muslim Social Media.’ Subjecting Muslims in a time of persistent isolation to unending disagreement, ridicule, and mockery is spiritual poison. There is enough of that on offer elsewhere anyways, and I’m sure we will all have the stamina to fight bitterly again when things get back to normal bi idhnillah. And before anyone says it: I’m not telling anyone what they should or should not do. I’m just suggesting what I see as prudent given the circumstances. Perhaps this episode will make us cherish what we have long neglected, opening our eyes to opportunities that have eluded us through our own negligence and propensity to online (and offline) distraction. I am certainly hopeful of that. But like a limb that goes unused, the human community calcifies and enervates when abandoned for too long. We cannot Zoom or Skype this back into existence. Only Allah knows how long this will all go on for. But when it is all done, we will have to redouble our efforts to live once again - with one another as members of the shared jama'ah of Islam. “..so stick to the congregation, for the wolf eats the sheep that strays off on its own." (Fa-'alaykum bi’l jama'ah - fa innama ya’kulu l’dhi’b min al-ghanam l-qasiya.) - Hadith Allahul Musta’an.

Mobeen Vaid