Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Is Dawah Obligatory?

http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2008/06/is-dawah-obligatory-dawah-i.html

“Dawah” (Proselytization) i.e., invitation to others to follow our system of connecting with the divine, is not part of the agenda of World Muslim Congress. We are focused on co-existence, how we create a better world for every human being, regardless of their faith.

Dawah, an invitation to be a good human being ought to be practiced by every one, and it should not be a condition to one’s spirituality. God reserves the right to shower his grace on whomever he chooses, but he has guaranteed paradise to every good human being regardless of their race, religion or any other uniqueness.

The article below highlights a few good points that I am pleased to address;

OUR MISSION is to work for a World of co-existence through inclusiveness and participation. As a member of diverse family of faiths, our efforts will be directed toward justice and equity to attain sustainable peace for the humankind with a firm grounding in truth. We believe what is good for Muslims has got to be good for the World and vice-versa to sustain the good. We have to remember the World is a two way street. We have a monumental task to repair the World, and we will do our part in working towards a World of co-existence, one community at a time. We are committed, and now help us God. Amen

With all due respect to Dr. Zakir Naik, his “apparent” declaration that “if one does not invite Non-Muslims to Islam, he or she will not get a pass to enter Janna (paradise)” is a statement that is fully debatable, but I do not believe it is the full truth.

Submitting to the will of God is the bottom line to be a Muslim and what is that will?

Qur'aan, Surah 49:13: "O mankind! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another. Lo! The noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is the best in conduct. Lo! Allah is Knower, Aware."

There is a good response in the following piece. “ If one simply submits his will to Allah Subhana Tala and strives to abide by all the laws of Allah and His Messenger (saws), and gives each human being his due rights in full;” and this, “Dear and Beloved Brother in Islam, the truth is that a believer is a walking-talking ‘dai’ (propagator of the Truth) to all he meets….his name, his choice of food, his talk, his morals, his honesty, his character, his dealings, his prayers, his charity, his fasts, his abstinence from all things unlawful, (wine, illegal women, gambling, etc),…… his whole life manifests to all who meet him one thing and one thing only: that he has submitted his will to the Will of his Creator. Man is created a social creature, and it is neither possible nor conceivable that a non-Muslim who meets a true Muslim is not affected by him in some way or the other; and this effect the life of a believer has on a non-Muslim is part of ‘Dawa’, albeit at its lowest level. “

Although a few use the word “Muslim” selectively to include every one from Abraham down to Prophet Muhammad, they choose to exclude those who are not ritually Muslims. Even though a Hindu, a Christian, Jew or Parsee may be a Muslim by being a good human who cares about others, who stands up for justice and truth.

To be religious (Muslim) is to be peace maker, one who constantly seeks to mitigate conflicts and nurtures goodwill for God’s creation to live in peace and harmony.

Dawah, an invitation to be a good human being ought to be practiced by every one, and it should not be a condition to one’s spirituality. God reserves the right to shower his grace on whomever he chooses, but he has guaranteed paradise to every good human being regardless of their race, religion or any other uniqueness.

Mike Ghouse is a Speaker, Thinker and a Writer. He is president of the Foundation for Pluralism and is a frequent guest on talk radio and local television network discussing interfaith, political and civic issues. He is the founding president of World Muslim Congress with a simple theme: Good for Muslims and good for the world. His comments, news analysis and columns can be found on the Websites and Blogs listed at his personal website http://www.mikeghouse.net/. Mike is a Dallasite for nearly three decades and Carrollton is his home town. He can be reached at MikeGhouse@aol.com

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IS DAWAH OBLIGATORY?

Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:
As Salaam Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

I have a question about DAWAH. Few days back I was watching a question answer session with Dr. Naik from India. I do not know what the question was but the answer Dr. Naik gave, makes me worried and think about myself. He said that to enter Jana every body has to be judged on four criteria’s.

1. Shahada
2.Good deeds (include prayer, hajj, charity, Zakat etc)
3.DA` WAAH
4.4. I did not remember.

According to him if any body who is not doing any DA` WAAH to no Muslims he will not be able to enter JANA do not matter how good he is in other things like praying, charity, Zakat etc.

Now I am very much worried about my self after listening to him as I lack very much in that area. I am not saying that I am very good in other area but at least I tried in those areas. But for DAWA I did talk to my family, friends and relatives if I saw that they are doing some thing not according to Islamic laws. But I did not give DA` WAAH to non-Muslims.

I hope you understand my question. I want to know your opinion in this regard. Please help me as I am too much worried about my self hereafter on the day of JUDGMENT when every body have stand in front OF ALL MIGHTY ALLAHA.

JAZAK ALLAH

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Is Dawa Tablig Obligatory
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah Says in the Holy Qur’aan Chapter 3 Surah Ale Imran verse 110:
110 Ye (believers) are the best of peoples evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right forbidding what is wrong and believing in Allah.

Allah Says in the Holy Qur’aan Chapter 22 Surah Hajj verse 78:
78 And strive in His cause as ye ought to strive (with sincerity and under discipline): He has chosen you and has imposed no difficulties on you in religion; it is the cult of your father Abraham. It is He Who has named you Muslims both before and in this (Qur’aan); that the Messenger may be a witness for you, and ye be witnesses for mankind! So establish regular Prayer give regular Charity and hold fast to Allah! He is your Protector, the Best to protect and the Best to help!

Dear and Beloved brother in Islam, there is absolutely no doubt that ‘Dawa’ or the propagation of the Truth to mankind is an obligatory duty and responsibility that the Lord Most Merciful has laid upon every person who sincerely believes in Him and the Last Day.

If one has been blessed and honored by the Merciful Lord to be guided to the Truth of Al-Islam, it would indeed be extremely selfish or rather unnatural for him to keep this Truth to himself! Once true ‘emaan’ or faith in the Truth of Allah Subhana and His Message has entered one’s heart, it is not possible for the person to contain or hide this within himself; but his condition will be that he would go out of his way to invite all who care to listen to good caution to the Truth.

Allah says in the Holy Qur’aan Chapter 66 Surah Tahreem verse 6:
O you who have believed, save yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel shall be men and stones; over which shall be appointed fierce and stern angels, who never disobey Allah’s Command, and they only do as they are commanded!

In the above Ayah of the Glorious Qur’aan, Allah Subhana commands the believers to first and foremost save oneself and their families from the Eternal Fire of Hell by submitting to Him. That would be an obligatory (Fard) duty on each and every individual who believes.

Furthermore, Allah has guided the whole Ummah or nation of believers to invite all mankind to the Truth of Al-Islam in the best and most polite manner; and named it amongst the best deeds one can do.

Allah says in the Holy Qur’aan: Chapter 16, Surah An-Nahl Ayah 125:
Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and excellent admonition and argue with people in the best manner. Your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Way and who is rightly guided.

Allah Says in the Holy Qur’aan Chapter 41 Surah Fussilat verse 33:
Who is better in speech than one who calls (men) to Allah, works righteousness, and says "I am of those who bow in Islam?”

Doing ‘Dawah’ does not necessarily mean that every person has to go give a speech, or write books, or stand in the streets and invite everyone who passes by! If one simply submits his will to Allah Subhana and strives to abide by all the laws of Allah and His Messenger (saws), and gives each human being his due rights in full; it would indeed be considered a great source of Dawah. For nothing melts the hearts of a human being than the interaction of another human being; and when one who does not believe realizes that a person who calls himself a Muslim has such high morals, and character, and manners, and integrity…he will automatically be attracted to the way of life that is followed by the true believer; and that in itself would fulfill the obligatory duty of ‘Dawa’; albeit at it lowest level.

Your Question: I have a question about DAWA. Few days back I was watching a question answer session with Dr. Naik from India. I do not know what the question was but the answer Dr. Naik gave, makes me worried and think about myself. He said that to enter Jana every body has to be judged on four criteria’s.
1. Shahada
2.Good deeds (include prayer, hajj, charity, Zakat etc)
3. DA` WAAH
4.4. I did not remember.

According to him if any body who is not doing any DA` WAAH to no Muslims he will not be able to enter JANA do not matter how good he is in other things like praying, charity, Zakat etc.
I want to know your opinion in this regard.
First and foremost we would like to declare that Dr. Brother Zakir Naik is not only our brother, mentor, and teacher but he is indeed arguably amongst the best scholars of comparative religion of our times. We have immense respect for his knowledge, his dedication, and his untiring efforts he so selflessly provides in the Cause of Allah Subhana and the propagation of the Truth. May Allah bless our teacher and our brother, Dr. Zakir Naik in his continuing works in Islam, increase his zest, zeal, knowledge, and dedication to continue the Dawah; and grant him a long and healthy life to enable him to spread the Glorious Word of Allah to all who are willing to listen to good caution. May Allah Subhana accept his efforts in the Cause of His Deen, and grant him the best in this world, and honor him with the highest grade in Paradise in the life hereafter. Ameen.

Beloved Brother in Islam, Allah Alone knows in what context the question was asked to Dr. Brother Zakir Naik and in what context our respected and beloved brother answered that question; and it may also be a possibility that you did not hear or comprehend the answer in the context in which it was given.

Dear and Beloved Brother in Islam, the truth is that a believer is a walking-talking ‘dai’ (propagator of the Truth) to all he meets….his name, his choice of food, his talk, his morals, his honesty, his character, his dealings, his prayers, his charity, his fasts, his abstinence from all things unlawful, (wine, illegal women, gambling, etc),…… his whole life manifests to all who meet him one thing and one thing only: that he has submitted his will to the Will of his Creator. Man is created a social creature, and it is neither possible nor conceivable that a non-Muslim who meets a true Muslim is not affected by him in some way or the other; and this effect the life of a believer has on a non-Muslim is part of ‘Dawa’, albeit at its lowest level.

Tala ibn 'Ubaidullah narrated that a Bedouin with unkempt hair came to the Messenger of Allah (saws) and said, "O Messenger of Allah (saws), inform me of what Allah has made obligatory on me as regards praying." He said, "Five prayers, unless you do others voluntarily." He asked the Prophet (saws) to inform him about fasting, and he said, "The fast of Ramadan, unless you do others voluntarily." Then he asked him about charity...and the Messenger of Allah (saws) informed him of the Islamic legislations on Zakat. The Bedouin then said, "By the One who has honored you, I shall not voluntarily add anything to it, nor shall I be deficient in what Allah has ordered me to do." The Messenger of Allah (saws) then said, "He will enter Paradise if he is truthful (to what he said)." (Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.)

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.480 Narrated by Abu Huraira
A desert Arab came to the Prophet (saws) and said, "Tell me of such a deed as will make me enter Paradise, if I do it." The Prophet (saws) said, "Worship Allah, and worship none along with Him, offer the (five) prescribed compulsory prayers perfectly, pay the compulsory Zakat, and fast the month of Ramadan." The Bedouin said, "By Him, in Whose Hands my life is, I will not do more than this." When he (the Bedouin) left, the Prophet (saws) said, "Whoever likes to see a man of Paradise, and then he may look at this man."

The acts that automatically render all ones deeds vain and fruitless in the Sight of Allah as listed in the Qur’aan are the acts of ‘shirk’ (associating other gods with Allah Subhana), ‘kufr’ (disbelief), ‘nifaaq’ (hypocrisy), and apostasy (declaring disbelief after accepting faith).

Allah says in the Holy Qur’aan Chapter 39 Surah Zumar verse 65-66:
If you commit ‘shirk’ all your works will be rendered vain and you will be among the losers. Therefore, you should worship Allah Alone, and be among His grateful servants.

Allah Says in the Holy Qur’aan Chapter 47 Surah Muhammad verses 8-9:
8 But those who reject (Allah) for them is destruction and (Allah) will render their deeds astray (from their mark).
9 That is because they hate the Revelation of Allah; so He has made their deeds fruitless.

Allah Says in the Holy Qur’aan Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verses 18-19:
18 Verily Allah knows those (hypocrites) among you who keep back (men) and those who say to their brethren "Come along to us" but come not to the fight except for just a little while.
19 Covetous over you. Then when fear comes thou wilt sees them looking to thee their eyes revolving like (those of) one over whom hovers death: but when the fear is past they will smite you with sharp tongues covetous of goods. Such men have no faith and so Allah has made their deeds of none effect: and that is easy for Allah.

Allah Says in the Holy Qur’aan Chapter 47 Surah Muhammad verses 28:
28 This because they (the apostates) followed that which called forth the Wrath of Allah and they hated Allah's good pleasure; so He made their deeds of no effect.

Thus in conclusion my beloved brother, it would be prudent if you could revisit and recheck in what context our respected brother did and teacher Dr. Zakir Naik said this statement, if indeed he did say it as understood by you. Brother Dr. Zakir Naik is a personal friend and we assure you that I will discuss this topic with him when I am blessed with the opportunity to meet with him Insha Allah; and if there is anything to add we will write back to you again, if Allah Wills.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.


Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan

Source: www.q&a@islamhelpline.com

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quraan burning

Planned Muslim Response to Qur'an Burning by Pastor Jones on September 11 in Mulberry, Florida

PRESS RELEASE
August 19, 2013| Dallas, Texas

Mike Ghouse
Text/Talk: (214) 325-1916
MikeGhouse@aol.com

Mirza A Beg
(205) 454-8797
mirza.a.beg@gmail.com

www.WorldMuslimCongress.com


PLANNED MUSLIMS RESPONSE TO QUR'AN BURNING BY PASTOR JONES ON 9/11/13 IN MULBERRY, FLORIDA

We as Muslims plan to respond to pastor Terry Jones' planned burning of 3000 copies of Quran on September 11, 2013 in positive terms.

Our response - we will reclaim the standard of behavior practiced by the Prophet concerning “scurrilous and hostile criticism of the Qur’an” (Muhammad Asad Translation Note 31, verse 41:34). It was "To overcome evil with good is good, and to resist evil by evil is evil." It is also strongly enjoined in the Qur’an in the same verse 41:34, “Good and evil deeds are not equal. Repel evil with what is better; then you will see that one who was once your enemy has become your dearest friend.”

God willing Muslims will follow the divine guidance and pray for the restoration of Goodwill, and on that day many Muslim organizations will go on a “blood drive” to save lives and serve humanity with kindness.

We invite fellow Americans of all faiths, races, and ethnicities to join us to rededicate the pledge, “One nation under God”, and to build a cohesive America where no American has to live in apprehension, discomfort or fear of fellow Americans. This event is a substitute for our 10th Annual Unity Day Celebration (www.UnitydayUSA.com) held in Dallas, but now it will be at Mulberry, Florida.

Unwittingly Pastor Jones has done us a favor by invigorating us by his decision to burn nearly 3000 copies Quran on September 11, 2013. Obviously he is not satisfied by the notoriety he garnered by burning one Qur'an last year.

As Muslims and citizens we honor the free speech guaranteed in our constitution. We have no intentions to criticize, condemn or oppose Pastor Terry Jones' freedom of expression. Instead, we will be donating blood and praying for goodness to permeate in our society.

We plan to follow Jesus Christ (pbuh), a revered prophet in Islam as well as Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) – that of mitigating the conflicts and nurturing good will for the common good of the society.

We hope, this event and the message will remind Muslims elsewhere in the world as well, that violence is not the way. Muslims, who react violently to senseless provocation, should realize that, violence causes more violence, and besmirches the name of the religion that we hold so dear. We believe that Prophet Muhammad was a mercy to the mankind, and we ought to practice what we believe and preach. We must not insult Islam by the negative reactions of a few.

We can only hope it will bring about a change in the attitude of the followers of Pastor Jones, and in the behavior of those Muslims who reacted violently the last time Pastor sought notoriety – We hope this small step towards a bridge to peaceful coexistence would propel us towards building a cohesive society.

Like most Americans a majority of Muslims quietly go about their own business, but it is time to speak up and take positive action instead of negative reaction. May this message of peace and goodwill reverberate and reach many shores.

Lastly, we appreciate the Citizens of Mulberry, Florida, Honorable Mayor George Hatch, City Commissioners, police and Fire Chiefs for handing this situation very well. This will add a ‘feather of peace’ in the City’s reputation. We hope Mulberry will be a catalyst in showing the way in handling conflict with dignity and peace.

We thank the Media for giving value to the work towards peace rather than conflict.






URL- http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2013/08/planned-muslim-response-to-quran_18.html



Thank you.

CIVIL DIALOGUE

The people in Dallas are making an effort to understand and clean their own hearts first, when we are free from bias, it would be easy to share that with others. Islam teaches us in so many ways to "respect the otherness of others" and it is time we find simple practical ways of doing it.