Living Islam Today
A Magazine for Muslim Americans
Vol. 1 Issue 2          Winter 1421/ 2000

Da'wah
IFNA

In the name of Allah, the Compassionate Source of All Mercy

part two (continued from last issue)

Necessary Ingredients for Da'wah

     Islam is a faith whereby every Muslim is a "priest" unto himself. Thus, because Islam makes no arrangements for a religious hierarchy, every Muslim is responsible for working out his or her own salvation through the grace of Allah. Therefore, of course, only those who are sincere in following the right road can help others to discover it. For example, how would it be if a person called himself Muslim but then drank intoxicants or lewdly chased after the opposite sex? Not only would he or she look bad, but others would judge Islam by his or her actions.
     Granted, the average Muslim conforms generally to many of the more obvious Islamic trappings. Perhaps he or she will marry a Muslim spouse, say 'Salam' and eat tabouleh, but we must remember that Islam is a total way of life, and not a separate compartment to be pulled out on Fridays or during Ramadan.

by Yahiya Emerick

"Whose word is better than one who calls people to Allah, works righteousness and declares, 'I bow in peaceful surrender (to Allah)?'"  
                             
                 (Qur'an 41:33)

     Besides following Islamic guidelines, every Muslim must cultivate within him and herself the virtues of patience, consideration, respect, courtesy and tolerance. But these qualities cannot be learned from a book. They come, rather, as a natural consequence of full adherence to the Islamic way of life. Someone who lacks such characteristics may deliver the most brilliant presentations, but if all the listener notices is arrogance and callousness, his speech will have little effect.
     But does this mean that a Muslim must be perfect in his belief and practice before he can tell others about his faith? Of course not. No Muslim can be perfect. For life is a process of continual improvement. As you learn about Islam you hone your beliefs and your actions, which leads you to tell others of the faith which leads you again to learn more. It is an ever-growing circle of study, practice and improvement!

The Word of Allah could not be more succinct:
"O you who (claim) to believe! Why don't you practice what you preach?"                  (Qur'an 61:2)

Focus  on  your  faith  !

     Anas relates that, "We asked the Prophet, 'O Messenger of Allah, shouldn't we refrain from calling others to goodness if we don't practice all good things ourselves, and shouldn't we refrain from forbidding wrong things until we ourselves have abstained from all the bad?' 'No,' he replied, 'You should call others to goodness even if you don't do all good, and you should forbid bad things even if you don't abstain from all of them yourselves.'" (Al Tabarani)    
     The first step in da'wah is to give da'wah to the self. This means that a Muslim must imbibe the spirit of Islam in his or her heart and mind. It certainly would not be enough to say, "Read this or that," however, for learning to surrender yourself to your natural inclination (fitra) is a task that requires the strength of the entire individual; not just a book and a few hours reading time.

Be one with your Islam!

Self Program for Da'wah

1. Approach the Islamic way of life with a desire: a person has to want to be spiritually and emotionally at peace in order to succeed. 
     Repentance (taubah) is recognizing that Allah has created us with the ability to choose, and that sometimes we select what we know to be wrong. We become remorseful and truly seek the forgiveness of our Lord. Faith (Eman) means that one believes in Allah, the Author of Destiny and Creative Will behind all that exists. One elevates one's mind above infatuations and false allegiances to anything material and refocuses thoughts upon our short existence and the greater significance of the permanent afterlife. 
     Finally, doing what is right connects each one of us to the mutually beneficial web of which all plants, animals and humans are a part. Allah created the earth to be an ordered, self-sustaining unit. Humans were placed upon her to be her stewards. Righteous action is the basis of good stewardship.

 Allah has declared: "But any who repent, have faith and do what is right, they shall have the hope of salvation." 
                    (Qur'an 28:67)


"Doing what's right connects us to a beneficial web."

     2. Next, realize that Allah has granted humans the ability to learn and the intellect to understand. With the guidance of Allah, then, one may make progress in advancing in faith. Guidance (Hidaya) is granted by Allah upon those who seek it. The recipients of guidance become Surrendered (Muslim), and they in turn blossom into believers (mu'min). Islam is the state of being which brings us into a harmonious balance with the universal way.
      3. Prepare for learning by finding suitable materials. If there is a translation that is difficult to decipher, find an easier one. If you have questions, find understanding and knowledgeable people who can assist. If there is a shortage of information, look for it "even if you have to go to China."
     If a person does not find absolute contentment in their first effort, does this mean he or she is a failure, or that it is impossible to live or feel Islam in your soul? Of course not! Remember that our level of faith is tied to the roller-coaster of life. Sometimes we will be strong, other times, not so strong. Learn to trust in Allah and in the Destiny placed for each one of us. Surah Ar Rahman is a good place to start for insight.

If there is a shortage of information, look for it "even if you have to go to China."
     4. Attend the Masjid often. Become involved with Islamically oriented activities whenever you can. Avoid the danger of participating for worldly benefits, for it is only the intention that Allah considers, not the actions. People are influenced by their environments and whom they associate with. If we surround our lives with good people and good things, then we may learn and improve by default.
     5. Avoid negative habits such as smoking, listening to popular music or watching television. These deaden the senses and desensitize the mind.
     6. Practice physical fitness regularly. There are martial arts, aerobics, team sports- any type of consistent, dynamic activity will keep the Muslim community in a state of physical preparedness. The Blessed Prophet emphasized, for example, that Muslims learn swimming, archery (or sharp-shooting) and horseback riding.     


No......


YES...

     7. Maintain a healthy diet. Consume fruit, vegetables and grains in preference over meat and fat-concentrated products. The Prophet Muhammad, may he be blessed, subsisted principally on a vegetarian diet (bread, dates, etc...)
     8. Make frequent excursions alone to think and reflect. Walk in the forest or desert, sit by the side of lakes or streams, or even retreat to an unoccupied area of a house in the early light of day or late in the evening. Allah does not call our attention to meditating upon the meaning of life for nothing!
     9. Practice a generous variety of Islamic ibadat (worship methods). Increase prayers, form study circles, make dhikr, go on Hajj, retreat to the Masjid in Ramadan, etc... In fact, by reading the collections of hadith, one may find innumerable suggestions for enhancing his or her life.

Make frequent excursions alone to think and reflect.
     This is a basic program for expanding the Islamic spirit. If you have never thought of giving da'wah to yourself before, realize that Islam is total in its application. It is not limited to dusty tomes or hushed lecture halls. Islam is the wind in the trees, children at play, friends shaking hands and the exploration of space. Islam is in everything you do and in everything that happens around you. Experience the wholeness of Islam and let its healing balance remove the stress and strain of this material world. Then, and only then, may you look beyond yourself.

Indeed, Islamic knowledge is not an end in itself. It is the beginning of a spiritual journey that can lead us to a higher state of human consciousness. For example, let us examine some things the Blessed Prophet said:

    "By Allah, this world compared to the next is like dipping your fingertip into the sea. Consider what you bring out."
"The successful person is one who has accepted Islam, been provided with enough to live on and has been made content by Allah for what He has given him." (Muslim)
"The most enviable of my friends in my understanding is the believer with few possessions who finds his pleasure in prayer, who performs well in the service of his Lord and obeys Him in secret, who is anonymous among people and is not pointed out by them, and whose supply is just enough which contents him." He then snapped his fingers and said, "His death will come quickly, few will mourn him and he will leave only a little."          (Ahmed, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah)
     That's quite a lot right there! But now you can see that we must embody this spirit of faith (Eman) to be a truly effective da'wah worker and a good Muslim as well. Only when a Muslim has truly surrendered to the will of Allah can he direct others to the same path....
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