There are two forms of Da’wah: (i) live and direct without any media and (ii) indirect through means of media.

DIFFERENT MEDIA OF DA’WAH:

The media through which Da’wah can be done is broadly divided into four categories:
i) Print Media
ii) Audio
iii) Video
iv) Electronic Media

1.Print Media:
Print Media can be further classified into non-periodical and periodical:

i) Non-periodical print media consists of literature: pamphlets, booklets, books, etc.
ii) Periodical print media consists of newspapers, magazines, newsletters, etc. which are published periodically – either daily, weekly, fortnightly, monthly, quarterly, bi-annually, annually, etc.

2.Audio:
The popular audio media today are:
i) Audio cassettes
ii) Audio compact discs
iii) Digital Audio Tapes (DAT).
The audio media can be used at different levels:

a) Individual:
i) A person can listen at fixed places like home, office, etc. with the help of desktop audio equipment.
ii) While travelling in cars, buses, trains, planes, etc. with the help of audio equipmen fixed in the vehicle.
iii) While walking, moving or any of the above situations with the help of portable audio equipment.

b) Group:
Audio media can be used to convey the message to a group of family members, social and cultural gatherings, functions, meetings, etc.

c) Public level:
Audio media can be utilised to reach a multitude of people through radio broadcast.

3. Video:
The popular video media today are:
i) Video Cassettes
ii) Video Compact Discs – VCD
iii) Digital Video Discs – DVD
Video media too, like audio media, can be used to convey the message to an individual or to a group of people. It can also be used to convey the message to the public via Cable T.V. Networks, T.V. Stations and Satellite T.V. Channels.

4. Electronic Media:
Electronic Media or Computer Media is another media that can be used to convey the message to an individual or a group of people. It can also be used at a public level through the Internet by way of web sites, homepages, bulletin boards, e-mail messages, etc. Electronic Media can be stored on hard discs and on:
i) Diskettes or floppies
ii) Compact Discs: Read Only Memory – CD ROMs
iii) Digital Video Discs – DVD

Effectiveness of Different Media – Impact and Retention of Media:

1. Retention levels of different media:
Research has shown that different media have different percentage of retention of the message conveyed.

i) Print media – 10% retention:
An average person when he reads any material he remembers approximately 10% of what he has read.

ii) Audio – 20% retention:
An average person when he hears any message he remembers approximately 20% of what he has heard.

iii) Visual – 30% retention:
An average person when he sees anything he retains or remembers approximately 30% of what he has seen.

iv) Video (Audio Visual) – 50 % retention:
If an average person sees and hears a particular message he remembers about 50% of what he has seen and heard. The maximum retention is in the case of audio-video media since both the senses of sight and hearing are involved in grasping the message conveyed.

These first four types of media i.e. the print media, audio, video and electronic media, are mainly modes of one-way communication, i.e. conveying the message in one direction only without interaction and clarification from the person who receives the message. It is more of a monologue than a dialogue. A very minute portion of these media can be converted into an interaction or a dialogue, for e.g., a question and answer column in the periodical of the print media or a live question and answer session via the telephone on the radio or television channel or live chatting on the internet.

The major disadvantage is that it is one-sided, i.e. a monologue, rather than being both sided, i.e. a dialogue or a two-way interactive communication.

Requirements of Da’wah:
Basic knowledge and understanding of Islam and Comparative Religion is required for doing Da’wah irrespective of what the media is. However, to be effective in Da’wah, specialisation is required for which different media require different techniques, strategies and specialised exposure and training.

While being effective in print media requires one type of technique, to be effective through the audio, video and electronic media requires different techniques.

As far as this Da’wah training programme is concerned, we will not be dealing with indirect Da’wah done through these four media.

In this Da’wah training programme, we will concentrate on live and direct Da’wah without any media which may incorporate a few points of audio and video media.

LIVE DA’WAH – WITHOUT MEDIA:

Unlike Da’wah done through media, live and direct Da’wah is more of a dialogue than a monologue. It is interactive and involves two-way communication. Only in a few instances where a talk or a lecture is given to an individual or a group of people without allowing interaction or a question answer session, it becomes a monologue.

Live Interactive ‘Da’wah’ can further be classified into:
i) Individual level i.e. Personal one to one basis.
ii) Public level i.e. to groups or to audiences

DA’WAH AT AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL:

The techniques and strategies of ‘Da’wah’ on a personal one to one basis besides depending on the category of person to whom Da’wah is addressed, differs depending on the availability of time

Da’wah can be done to strangers as well as to known people.
1. Da’wah to strangers e.g. co-passengers while travelling:
i) In a local train or bus you may have 10 – 30 minutes.
ii) In a plane, you may have a few hours.
iii) In a long distance train or bus journey, you may have a few hours to a couple of days.
These categories of people to whom Da’wah is done while travelling may be once in a lifetime opportunity for you. You may never meet the same person again in your life. In short, it consists of strangers whom you are not familiar with or known to

2. Da’wah to known people:
i) Friends and acquaintances, whom you meet once in a while.
ii) Schoolmates, colleagues, co-workers in offices, businessmen, etc. whom you meet almost daily and will be in contact with atleast for a few years.
iii) Neighbours and relatives whom you meet regularly, and will be in contact with for several years to come

3.Initiating the process of Da’wah:

Initiating the process of Da’wah is a very important technique especially while doing Da’wah on Personal, one to one basis.

a) It can be done by asking simple questions like:
i) Why are you wearing a cross? What is its significance?
(Topic: Was Christ (pbuh) Crucified?)
ii) Why are you wearing a Teeka, Vermillon or a Mangalsutra?
(Topic: Status of Women in Hinduism)
iii) During Christmas season: What is the significance of Christmas?
(Topic: Is Jesus God? or Can God be born?)
iv) If stuck in a traffic jam during Ganesh Chaturthi procession: who is Ganesh?
(Topic: Concept of God in Hinduism)
v) Since India is a multi-cultural country, there are several festivals thereby giving opportunities to initiate Da’wah by asking simple questions on these festivals

b)
Carry an attractive eye-catching booklet on Islam and Comparative Religion, while travelling or going to school or office. On many occasions, people around you may request you for the book. Whenever a booklet on Islam is given to Non-Muslims, it is preferable not to give it away for good. He may never read it. Ask him in how much time will he return it giving you anopportunity to interact with him at the end of the period or to remind him if he has not read it. Even if you have to give the booklet for him to keep, take his telephone number so that you can clarify any of his misconceptions on the telephone.

c) Statements or remarks to initiate ‘Da’wah’:
Only a few non-Muslims will willingly give you a hearing if you say that I want to talk to you about Islam. Instead of you asking him to give you time, you should instigate him to ask you to give him time for conveying the message of Islam.
i) Also helpful and effective are leading statements such as “without some men being allowed to marry more than one woman, all women cannot live with modesty”. The Non-Muslim would not agree and would ask for a clarification. Grab the opportunity and say that you can clarify it if he has 10 minutes to spare. Since he is asking you a question he will give you full attention and time to listen to the answer.

ii) If a Non-Muslim friend or acquaintance teases a girl, which is a common act in colleges and universities, ask him a simple question, “what would you do if someone teases your sister?” (Topic: Hijaab in Islam)

d) Instead of saying a thousand good things about Islam to a Non-Muslim it is preferable to ask him what he feels is wrong with Islam. (Topic: Replies to Most Common Questions asked by Non-Muslims about Islam).

Da’wah at PUBLIC LEVEL:
i) Giving talks and lectures on Islam to a Non-Muslim audience. It is always preferable to have a question and answer session after the talk.
ii) Symposia
iii) Debates

[Source: "Forms of Da'wah" by Dr. Zakir Naik]

This illustrates the perfection of the message of the Prophet Muhammad (sas). He is the one on whose tongue Allah has enjoined all that is good, forbidden all that is bad, allowed every clean thing and prohibited every unclean or harmful thing. For this reason, it is narrated that the Prophet said: “I have been sent to complete the qualities of good character.”

And he said in the agreed-upon hadith: “My analogy in relation to the other prophets of Allah is like the analogy of a man who built a house. He completed and perfected everything about the house all except for the location of a single brick. The people used to pass by the house and express pleasure at its beauty, but they would say: “If only it weren’t for that missing brick.” I am that brick, and I am the seal of the Prophets.”

Through Muhammad, Allah completed the way (deen) which includes the enjoining of all good, the forbidding of all evil, the allowing of everything clean, and the prohibition of everything unclean. As for the Prophets who came before him, their messages sometimes contained the prohibition of some clean and good things, as Allah said: “Because of some crimes committed by the Jews, we forbad to them some clean things which had been allowed to them” [Surah Nisa 4:160]

Also, their messages sometimes did not forbid all unclean things as Allah said: “All food was once allowed to the children of Israel except that which they chose to forbid themselves before the sending down of the taurat” [Surah Al-e-Imran 3:93]

The forbidding of unclean things is included in the meaning of forbidding wrong, just as the allowing of all clean things is included in the meaning of enjoining right. This is because the prohibiting of clean and good things is part of what Allah has forbidden. Thus, the enjoining of all good and the forbidding of all bad did not reach completion except in the Prophethood of Muhammad (sas) by means of whom Allah completed the qualities of good character, which includes all that is good. Allah said: “On this day I have perfected for you your way (deen), and have completed my favor upon you, and have accepted for you Islam as your way (deen).

Allah has perfected for us the way, and completed His favor upon us, and accepted for us Islam (submission) as our way of life.

THIS NATION IS THE BEST NATION FOR THE PEOPLE

Allah ascribed to the nation (Ummah) of Muhammad the same characteristic which He ascribed to the Prophet himself in the previous verse when He said: “You are the best nation brought forth for the people of the world: you enjoin right and you forbid wrong, and you believe in Allah” [Surah Al-e-Imran 3:110]

And He said: “Believing men and believing women are the protecting friends of each other: they enjoin right and they forbid wrong” [Surah Taubah 9:71]

In the same vein, Abu Huraira, a companion of the Prophet and narrator of many hadith used to say: “You are the best people for the people, you tie them in chains and shackles and drag them off to paradise.”

Allah explains in the above verse that this nation is the best nation for the people i.e. the most beneficial to them, the one doing them the greatest favor. This is because they constitute the total good and benefit for the people via their enjoining right and forbidding wrong both in quality and in quantity, since they enjoin all that is right and forbid all that is wrong, and their message is addressed to all people of the world. Furthermore, they uphold this institution with jihad (struggle) in the path of Allah with their lives and their property, and this constitutes the complete benefit for the world.

As for the previous nations, none of them enjoined all people with all that is right, nor did they prohibit all that is wrong to all people. Furthermore, they did not make jihad (struggle) in this cause. Some of them did not take up armed struggle at all, and those who did, such as the Jews, their struggle was generally for the purpose of driving their enemy from their land, or as any oppressed people struggles against their oppressor, and not for sake of calling the people of the world to guidance and right, nor to enjoin on them right and to prohibit to them wrong. Allah narrates the following discussion between Musa (Moses) and his followers:

“O people, enter the sacred land which Allah has written for you, and do not turn back on your heels to subsequently find yourselves in abject loss. They said: “O Musa, therein is a belligerent people, and we will not enter it until they come out – if they come out, then we will enter it.” … They said: “O Musa, we will never enter it as long as they are in it, so you go, you and your Lord, and fight. We are going to sit right here” [Surah Maidah 5:21-24]

Allah says in another verse: “Did you not see the assembly of the sons of Israel after the time of Musa when they said to a Prophet of theirs: “Raise up for us a king, that we may fight in the path of Allah.” He said: “Would you perhaps not fight then, if fighting were prescribed for you?” They said: “Why would we not fight in the path of Allah, and we have been exiled from our homes and our children?” Then, when fighting was prescribed for them, they turned their backs, all except a few, and Allah is in full knowledge of the wrong-doers.” [Surah Baqarah 2:246]

Here we see that those speaking with this prophet cited the reason for their fighting that they had been exiled from their homes and their children. In spite of this, most of them failed to live up to their word, when in fact they were ordered to fight. For this reason, they were not allowed to keep any spoils of war, and were not allowed to take female captives as right-hand possessions.

It is well known that the greatest nation of believers before us was the children of Israel. This has been narrated in the agreed-upon hadith narrated by Ibn Abbas, that the Prophet (sas) said: “The previous nations and their prophets were shown to me last night. A prophet would pass with one man, another with two men, another with a small group, and another with no one with him. Then, I saw a great crowd, small mountains filled with people, and I said: “This is my Ummah!” It was said to me: “These are the sons of Israel, but look over there.” Then I saw a huge crowd which blocked the horizons. It was said to me: “This is your Ummah, and among them are seventy thousand who will enter paradise with no account-taking.” The Prophet’s listeners dispersed with no further explanation being given. Then, the companions discussed this issue, saying: “As for us, we were born in associationism, but have believed in Allah and His Prophet … but these are our sons. When this speculation of theirs about who the seventy thousand were reached the Prophet, he said: “They are those who do not practice cauterization, or use incantations (i.e. believing in some mystical ability to cure or prevent illness), do not believe in omens, and who depend fully on their Lord.” Ukasha ibn Mihsan stood up and said: “Am I one of them, O Messenger of Allah?” The Prophet said: “Yes”. When someone else stood up and said the same thing, the prophet said “Ukasha has come before you.”

From this we understand why the consensus of this ummah is a proof, i.e. because Allah has informed us that they enjoin all that is right, and prohibit all that is wrong. If they (i.e. the Muslim Ummah) were to all agree to allow something forbidden, to drop an obligation, to forbid something allowed, or to perpetrate any falsehood about Allah or about His creation, they would be enjoiners of what is wrong, prohibitors of what is good, and that is surely not of pure speech and good works. What’s more, the verse implies that whatever the ummah has not enjoined is not right, and whatever it has not prohibited is not wrong. Since this is the Ummah which enjoins all right, and prohibits all wrong, it is not possible for the entire Ummah to enjoin something which is wrong nor to prohibit something which is good.

Just as Allah has informed us that this ummah will fulfill this function, He has also made it a collective obligation (fardh kifaya) upon the Muslim Ummah saying: “Let there be from among you a group which calls to what is good, enjoins right, and forbids wrong. These are the successful ones”

It is not the duty of the practitioner of enjoining right and prohibiting wrong to deliver the message to everyone in the world. Such was not even required of the Prophets (Peace be upon them), and this is an auxillary to the prophetic messages. Rather, what is required is to make it available to those who seek it. If they, in turn are negligent in seeking it, though it has been made accessible, then the responsibility is upon them, not him. Since enjoining right is a collective obligation, as the Qur’an clearly indicates, it is not an obligation upon every single individual Muslim, rather upon them as a group.

Since jihad (struggle) is part of the perfection if enjoining right and prohibiting wrong, it, too, is a collective obligation. As with any collective obligation, this means that if those sufficient for the task do not come forward, everyone capable of it to any extent is in sin to the extent of his capability in that area. This is because its obligation when it is needed is upon every Muslim to the extent of his/her ability, as the Prophet (sas) said in the hadith found in Muslim: “Whoever of you sees wrong being committed, let him change it with his hand (i.e. by force). If he is unable to do that, then with his tongue, and if he is unable to do that, then with his heart.”

This being the case, it is clear that enjoining right and prohibiting wrong is one of the greatest good works that we have been ordered to do.

WHAT IS MA’RUF (RIGHT) AND MUNKAR (WRONG)?

Carrying out the punishments prescribed by Allah on whoever transgresses the bounds of the shari’a is a part of prohibiting wrong. It is obligatory upon those in authority (Uluu-ul-amr) i.e. the scholars from each group or nation, and their amirs, and their elders, to stand over the general population enjoining good and prohibiting wrong, thus ordering them with all that which Allah and His Prophet have enjoined. For example, the rulings of Islamic Law (Shari’a) e.g. the five prayers in their proper time periods, obligatory alms, obligatory fasting, and pilgrimage to Makka. Also, belief in Allah, His angels, His revealed books, His prophets, and the Judgement Day, belief in the pre-destination of all things the good and the bad, and the concept of ihsaan (the highest level of iman or faith) which means to worship Allah as if you see Him for, verily, even if you do not see Him, He always sees you. Moreover, the good (ma’ruf) includes everything both internal and external which has been enjoined by Allah and His Prophet. These include: absolute sincerity to Allah (ikhlaas), dependance on Allah (tawakkal), that Allah and His Prophet be more beloved to the believer than anyone else, hope for Allah’s mercy and fear of His punishment, patience with the decree of Allah and complete surrender to His order, truthfulness of speech, fulfilling of obligations, returning trusts to their owners, good behavior toward parents, maintaining of family ties, cooperation in all acts of righteousness and good, benevolence and generosity toward one’s neighbors, orphans, poor people, stranded travellers, companions, spouses, and servants, justice and fairness in speech and actions, calling people to good character, and acts of forbearance such as establishing relations with those who cut you off, giving those who deny you, and forgiving those who oppress you. Enjoining people to be close together and cooperative, and forbidding them differing and dividing themselves is also a part of enjoining what is right.

As for the bad (munkar) which Allah and His prophet have forbidden, its ultimate and worst form is the association of partners with Allah. Associationism means to pray to someone or something else along with Allah. This partner could be the sun, the moon, stars or planets, an angel, one of the prophets, a righteous man or saint, one of the jinn, images or graves of any of these, or anything else which is called to other than Allah the Exalted. Associationism is also to seek aid or succor from any of the above, or to prostrate to them. All of this and anything like it is the associationism (shirk) forbidden by Allah on the tongues of all of His prophets.

Everything which Allah has forbidden is also part of the munkar such as unjustified killing, taking people’s property by unlawful means, taking of property by force or intimidation, interest, or gambling, all types of sales or contracts which the Prophet has prohibited, breaking of family ties, cruelty to parents, cheating in weights and measures, and any form of transgression on the rights of others. Also in this category are all innovated acts of “worship” which Allah and His prophet have not ordained or sanctioned.

LET YOUR ENJOINING OF GOOD BE ITSELF GOOD

Friendliness and sympathy are the correct way in enjoining right and forbidding wrong. For this reason, it has been said:

“Let your enjoining of good be good, and let not your forbidding of bad be bad.”

BENEFITS MUST OUTWEIGH NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES

Enjoining right and forbidding wrong being one of the greatest obligations or commendable acts in Islam, it is essential that the benefit therein outweigh its negative consequences. This is the general spirit of the messages of the prophets and the revealed books, and Allah does not like chaos and corruption. All that which Allah has enjoined is beneficial, and the epitome of benefit. Allah has praised “salah” (the opposite of corruption) and the “musliheen” (reformers, or those who bring about salah). And He has praised those who believe and do good works (saalihaat), while condemning corruption (fasaad) and those who cause it in many places in the Qur’an. Thus whenever the adverse effects (mafsada) of any act of enjoining or forbidding are greater than its benefit (maslaha), it is no longer part of what Allah has enjoined upon us, even if it be a case of neglecting obligations or committing the forbidden. This is because it is upon the believer to fear Allah in relation to His slaves, and their guidance is not his responsibility. This is part of the meaning of the verse in which Allah says:

“O, you who believe, your selves are your responsibility, those who go astray will not harm you when you stick to guidance”

“Sticking to guidance” is only accomplished by fulfilling and carrying out all obligations. Thus, when a Muslim does what is obligatory upon him by way of enjoining right and forbidding wrong, just as he fulfilled all other obligations, the going astray of those who go astray will not do him any harm.

METHODOLOGY OF ENJOINING RIGHT AND FORBIDDING WRONG

Enjoining right and forbidding wrong is done sometimes with the heart, sometimes with the tongue, and sometimes with the hand (i.e. physical force). As for practicing it with the heart, it is obligatory upon everyone in every time and situation, since its practice brings no hardship. whoever fails to do even that is not even a believer as in the full version of the previously cited hadith:

“Whoever of you sees wrong being committed, let him rectify it with his hand, if he is unable, then with his tongue, and if he us unable, then with his heart, and this is the weakest of faith — or in another version: beyond this there is not a single mustard seed’s weight of faith (iman).

Ibn Masood was once asked:

“Who are the living dead?”

to which he replied:

“He who does not acknowledge the right as such, and does not reject the wrong.”

He is referring to the person described in the following agreed-upon hadith who consistently failed to reject wrong when tested. The Prophet said:

“Tests are shown to the hearts like a straw mat, straw by straw. Whichever heart accepts them, and absorbs them, gets a black spot placed on it, and whichever heart rejects them, gets a white, clear spot on it. This goes on until the hearts are of two types: a heart which is white, smooth, and clear like a polished stone which will not be harmed by further trials or tests for as long as the heavens and the earth last, and another dark and blemished; it is like a hook turned over the wrong way on which nothing can be hung – it neither acknowledges what is right nor rejects what is wrong, except for that which happens to coincide with its lusts and inclinations with which this heart has become fully absorbed.”

PITFALLS OF ENJOINING RIGHT AND FORBIDDING WRONG

Two groups of people fall into error in this area:

One group leaves what is obligatory upon them in the area of enjoining right and forbidding wrong, clinging to an incorrect interpretation of the aya quoted previously:

“O, you who believe, your selves are your responsibility, those who go astray will not harm you when you stick to guidance”

Abu Bakr once explained this error in a khutba saying: “O people, verily you read this aya, and you apply it where it does not belong, for I heard the Prophet (sas) say: Verily when the people see the wrong-doer, and do not seize his hand, Allah is about to inflict them with a general punishment.”

The second group desires to enjoin and forbid the people with their tongues and their hands absolutely and in all situations without sufficient knowledge of the shari’a, nor forbearance, nor patience, nor regard for that which is beneficial and that which has more harm than benefit and that which is possible and that which is not possible. This is as in the hadith narrated by Abu Tha’laba Al-Khushaniy:

“… rather enjoin on one another what is right and forbid what is wrong until you see obedience to greed and following of lusts and preoccupation with this world and the absolute fascination of each one with his own opinion, and when you see a situation over which you have no power, what is upon you then is your private affairs. For verily, the Days of Patience are coming; patience in those days is like squeezing a hot coal in your hand. The reward of one who fulfills all of his obligations in those days is equal to the reward of fifty such people today.”

This group, then, enjoins and forbids believing that they are in obedience to Allah ta’ala when in reality they are transgressors of His boundaries. In this way, many of the deviant and misguided groups considered themselves to be enjoiners of right and forbidders of wrong such as the khawaarij, and the mu’tazilah, and the raafidha (Shi’a), and others of those who erred in understanding that which Allah gave them in terms of enjoining right and forbidding wrong, and fighting jihad, and other issues. The corruption caused by this kind of enjoining and forbidding is much greater than any good which may result.

REBELLION AGAINST THE IMAM OF THE MUSLIMS

For this reason, the Prophet ordered us to be patient when there is injustice on the part of the ruler of the Muslims, and forbad us to fight them, as long as they maintain the prayer, and he said:

“Give them what is due to them, and ask Allah what is due to you.” (Muslim and others)

Thus, one of the basic principles of Ahl As-Sunnah Wa Al-Jamaa: loyalty to the larger group of the Muslim Ummah, not rebelling against its rulers, and keeping away from battles when chaos and fitna arises.

As for the deviant groups such as the mu’tazilah, they view fighting the Imams of the Muslims as one of the principles of their religion. The Mu’tazilah make the basis of their religion five principles: “Tauhid” – which in their terminology means the negation of all of Allah’s names and characteristics, Divine Justice – which means the denying of the decree of Allah in all things, the station between the two stations – i.e. their erroneous theory that anyone who sins is no longer a believer and not quite a kafir, he is stuck somewhere in between, the carrying out of threats – taking literally the threats of punishment which Allah attaches to various sins in the Qur’an, and enjoining right and forbidding wrong – part of their theory here is warfare against the imams of the Muslims.

THE GENERAL PRINCIPLE OF ENJOINING AND FORBIDDING

All of what we are saying comes under the general principle which says that when benefit and harm are mixed up together, and one must choose between doing good with some bad side effects, or leaving that good to avoid its bad side effects, it is obligatory to choose the course having the greater overall or net benefit. This is because enjoining and forbidding though they entail the attainment of some benefit, and the prevention of some harm, its opposite must also be considered. If, in carrying out this enjoining or forbidding, there is benefit lost greater than the benefit gained, or harm is brought about greater than the harm which was avoided, then this is not part of that which Allah has ordered us to do, rather it is haram, because of the fact that its net harm is greater than its net benefit.

IT IS OBLIGATORY TO MEASURE ALL THINGS BY THE CRITERION OF THE SHARI’A

The only criterion for measuring the above-mentioned harm and benefit is with the scales of the Shari’a. Whenever one is capable of following a text directly, it is not permitted for him to turn elsewhere. If he cannot find a text for the exact problem confronting him, he can exert his reason to understand the ruling by way of analogy. The legal texts are seldom without someone capable of knowing their implications, and how they point the way to the rulings of the shari’a.

Thus, if an individual or group constantly joins something right with something else wrong, and will not do one without the other, and will either do both of them together, or neither of them, it is not then allowed to enjoin on them the right nor to forbid them the wrong. First, the issue must be analyzed: If the good involved is greater, then they must be enjoined to do it, even if that necessitates the evil which is of lesser degree, and they are not to be forbidden the evil involved which would mean the loss of the good which is greater than it. In fact such a forbiddance in such a situation would be part of blocking the path of Allah (saddun ‘an sabeeli ‘llah) and would be striving for the eradication of obedience to Allah and to His Prophet (sas) and toward the elimination of the doing of good.

On the other hand, if the evil involved is greater, it must be forbidden, even though that means the loss of some good which is of lesser degree. In such a case, the enjoining of this good which brings with it an evil of greater degree is in fact enjoining evil, and striving in the path of disobedience to Allah and His Prophet (sas).

If the good and the evil which cannot be separated are of equal degree, both of them should neither be enjoined nor forbidden. Thus, in the case of some good and some evil which cannot be separated, sometimes what is demanded is enjoining the good, and sometimes forbidding the wrong, and sometimes neither this nor that. This is not a general rule, and applies only to specific situations of the type mentioned.

As for the general case, right must be enjoined absolutely, and evil forbidden absolutely. For the specific individual or group, its good must be enjoined, and its evil forbidden, its praiseworthy aspects praised, and its blameworthy aspects criticized in such a way that the enjoining of right does not include the loss of a good greater than itself nor the bringing about of an evil of greater degree, and the forbidding of evil does not involve the bringing about of a greater evil or the loss of a good of greater degree.

When the issue is unclear, the believer must strive to understand it until the truth becomes clear to him. He cannot undertake acts of obedience except with knowledge and correct intention. If he fails to do it, he is in disobedience to Allah. Neglecting what is obligatory is disobedience just as doing what has been forbidden in the area of enjoining right is also disobedience. This is a very wide and dangerous area, and there is no power and no strength except with the aid of Allah!

An example of this issue from the Sunnah is the Prophet (sas) leaving Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salool and others like him among the leaders of hypocrisy and corruption because of their many helpers and people loyal to them. The removing of their evil through punishment would have brought on the removal of other good of greater degree because of the anger of his tribe and the arousal of their tribalistic hostility against the Prophet and the Muslims. Also, this would have resulted in the repulsion of the people when they heard that the Prophet of Allah kills his companions. Thus when he spread among the people that which he spread in the slander against A’isha (May Allah be pleased with her) and then denied it, and when Sa’ad ibn Mu’adh spoke to him harshly as he deserved, and pointed out his hypocrisy, and then Sa’ad ibn Ubadah – though he was a believer and companion and righteous man – invoked his protection that Abdullah ibn Ubayy be left alone, the tribe of each of these two men gave their loyalty to the position of their tribesman until chaos and bloodshed nearly resulted.

THE LOVE OF GOOD SHOULD BE IN HARMONY WITH WHAT ALLAH LOVES

This principle is that the love of a believer for what is good, and his hatred for what is evil, and his desire for the accomplishment of the good and his desire for the avoidance and prevention of evil should be in harmony with what Allah loves and hates. Allah loves all that He has enjoined upon us in His shari’a, and dislikes all that He has forbidden us in His shari’a. Furthermore, the action of the believer in that which he loves (the good), and his avoidance and opposition to that which he hates (the evil), must be to the extent of his ability and his strength, for verily, Allah does not demand from any of us more than what is within our ability. Allah says:

“Fear Allah (have taqwa of Allah) as much as you are able” [Surah Taghabun 64:16]

THE LOVE AND HATE OF THE HEART

What is upon the believer in terms of his actions must not be confused with his obligations in terms of the actions of the heart. It is obligatory upon the believer for his hatred of evil and his love of good, and his desire to do good and his desire to oppose and avoid evil to be perfect, complete, and without doubt or hesitation. Any lack in this area is none other than a lack in faith (imaan). This is in contrast with the actions of his body which is only within the bounds of his ability.

When the will of the heart, its likes and dislikes are complete and perfect (i.e. in harmony with the love and hate of Allah ta’ala) and then the believer does of that all that is within his ability, he will be given the reward of one who carried out the orders of Allah perfectly. Some of the people have loves and hates which are not in harmony with the love of Allah and His Prophet and the hates of Allah and His Prophet, and this is a type of hawaa (the inclinations, lusts, or tendencies of the self). If he follows them, then he is a follower of hawaa. Allah said:

“And who is more astray than the one who follows his hawaa without any guidance from Allah?” [Surah Qasas 28:50]

The origin of hawaa is that which the self loves, and that which the self hates is a corollary of it.

WHAT EXACTLY IS HAWAA

The meaning of hawaa is the loving and the loathing which is in the self. It is not in and of itself blameworthy, since it is not under the control of the person, rather what is blameworthy is the following if these likes, desires and dislikes. Allah said to Dawood:

“O Dawood, we have made you a successor on the Earth, so rule between the people with the truth, and do not follow hawaa lest it lead you astray from the path of Allah” [Surah Saad 38:26]

And Allah said in another aya: “And who is more astray than the one who follows his hawaa without guidance from Allah?” [Surah Qasas 28:50]

The Prophet (sas) tells us in the hadith:

“Three things which save: fear of Allah in public and private, moderation in poverty and in wealth, and speaking the truth when angry and when contented. And three things which lead to destruction: obedience to greed, following of hawaa, and a person’s being pleased with himself.”

The love and the hate of which we are speaking brings about certain “tastes” and feelings and desires in the presence of the loved or hated thing. Whoever follows these desires and feelings without an order from Allah and His Prophet, is the one described as the follower of his hawaa. In fact, this may even reach the level of shirk wherein he takes as his god his own hawaa! (See Surah Zukhruf 43:25)

THE FOLLOWING OF HAWAA IN THE PREVIOUS RELIGIONS

The following of hawaa in matters pertaining to religion and worship is more grievous and serious than the following of hawaa in matters of ordinary worldly desires. The first of these is the condition of those who became kuffar from the Christians and the Jews and the polytheists, as Allah said about them:

[And so, if they do not answer your call, know that they only follow their own hawaa, and who is more astray than the one who follows his own hawaa without guidance from Allah, and Allah does not guide those who oppress.] Qur’an 28/50

And, in another verse, Allah said:

[(Allah) gives to you an analogy from your own selves: Do you have, among that which your right hands possess (i.e. slaves) any partners in that which Allah has given you such that they are equal to you. You fear them as you fear one another. Thus, we explain the signs to a people who understand. No, those who oppress follow their hawaa without knowledge. Then, who will guide the one who Allah sends astray, and they have no helpers.] Qur’an 30/28-29

And Allah said in another verse:

[(Allah) has explained for you that which you have been forbidden in all except cases of absolute necessity. Verily, many go astray via (following) their own hawaa and without knowledge, and verily Allah is most knowledgeable of the violators.] Qur’an 6/119.

And, in another verse, Allah said:

[Say: O, people of the book, do not introduce excesses into your deen which are not of the truth. And do not follow the hawaa of a people who have already gone astray. They have led many people astray, and have themselves become lost from the straight path.] Qur’an 5/77.

And, Allah said:

[The Jews and the Christians will never be satisfied with you until you follow their traditions and ways. Say: verily, the guidance of Allah, that is the guidance. And if you follow their hawaa even after the knowledge which has come to you, you will have no protector nor any helper against Allah.] Qur’an 2/120.“

And, again in Sura Al-Baqarah, Allah said:

[And, if you follow their hawaa after the knowledge which has come to you, verily, you are of the oppressors.] Qur’an 2/145.

Allah said:

[And judge between them with what Allah has sent down, and do not follow their hawaa and beware of them lest they tempt you away from some of what Allah has sent down to you.] Qur’an 5/49.

Thus whoever goes outside the dictates of the Qur’an and the Sunnah – among those who are called “scholars” or “worshippers” are known as the people of hawaa, just as the salaf, may Allah have mercy on them, used to refer to them as “Ahlu -l-hawaa) i.e. the people of hawaa.

This is because anyone who has not followed the knowledge has followed his hawaa. What’s more, knowledge of the deen (way, or religion) does not come about except through the guidance of Allah with which He sent His Prophet (sas). Thus, Allah said:

[And, verily many of them go astray by (following) their own hawaa and without knowledge.] Qur’an 6/119.

Allah said in another place:

[Who is farther astray then the one who follows his own hawaa without guidance from Allah.] Qur’an 28/50.

WHAT A PERSON LOVES AND HATES MUST BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ORDER OF ALLAH AND HIS PROPHET (Pbuh)

The obligation upon every slave of Allah, then, is to look very closely into his or her likes and dislikes, and the intensity of his love for that which he loves and his hate for that which he hates: is it in harmony with the order of Allah and His Prophet (sas)? This, then is the guidance of Allah which He sent down upon His Prophet such that he was ordered to have these loves and hates. In this way, a slave of Allah will avoid putting himself ahead of Allah and His Prophet (sas), because Allah said:

O you who believe, do not put forth (anything) in front of Allah and His Prophet] Qur’an 49/1. i.e. Do not decide your position in any action or issue without first knowing the position of Allah and His Prophet therein.

Anyone who loves or hates before Allah and His Prophet have ordered him to do so, has entered the area of putting something forth in front of Allah and His Prophet (sas). Simple loves and hates are hawaa, but the hawaa which is forbidden to the Muslim is the following of these inclinations without guidance from Allah. This is why Allah said to His Prophet:

[And do not follow your hawaa such that it leads you astray from the path of Allah. For those who go astray from the path of Allah there awaits a terrible punishment.] Qur’an 38/26.

Here Allah informs us that the following of one’s hawaa will lead one astray from the path of Allah. The path of Allah is the guidance and the program with which He sent His Prophet (sas), and it is the path to Allah.

WHAT ARE “GOOD WORKS”?

In the final analysis, enjoining right and forbidding wrong is one of the most obligatory of actions and one of the best and most praiseworthy acts. Allah said:

[And He will test you, which of you are best in actions.] Qur’an 67/2.

Al-Fadheel ibn Ayaadh (A great Makkan scholar of the second century) said about the “good actions” mentioned in this aya:

“(i.e.) The most sincere, and the most correct. Verily any action if it is done in complete sincerity, but is not correct, it is rejected, and if it is completely correct, but is not done with total sincerity, it is rejected. Only that which is done with complete sincerity to Allah and correctness according to Allah’s law is acceptable. The sincere action is that which is purely for the sake of Allah, and the correct action that which is in the tradition (Sunnah).

It is a requirement of righteous deeds that they be done solely for the Face of Allah ta’ala, for Allah does not accept any actions except for those with which His Face alone was sought. This is as in the sahih hadith narrated by Abu Huraira that the Prophet said:

“Allah ta’ala says: I am the partner least in need of any partner. Whenever someone does an act, partly for me and partly for an imagined partner, I am completely free of that action, and it is wholly for the partner which was associated with me.”

This is the essence of Tauhid which is the basis of Islam. It is the deen of Allah with which He sent all of the Prophets. For its sake, He created the creation, and it is His right over all of His slaves: that they worship Him alone, and not associate with Him anything.

The righteous deeds which Allah and His Prophet have enjoined are simply obedience. Every act of obedience is a righteous deed, and it is the work dictated by the shari’a and the Sunnah. They are everything which has been enjoined upon us either as obligations or as commendable acts. This then is righteous deeds (Al-’amal As-saalih), and it is what is good (hassan), and it is righteousness (Al-Birr), and it is all that is good (Al-khair). Its opposite is disobedience (Ma’siya), and corrupt action (Al-’amal Al-faasid), bad deeds (As-Sayyi’aat), rebellion (Al-fujuur), oppression (Adh-dhulm), and transgression (Al-baghyu).

Every action must contain two thing: intention, and movement (action). Thus, the Prophet said:

“The most truthful names are Harith (i.e. he who tills the earth) and Hammaam (one who ever sets objectives and seeks their fulfillment).”

Everyone is a tiller and a seeker of objectives he has actions, and he has intentions. However, the only praiseworthy intention which Allah accepts and rewards, is the intentions of doing an action solely for the sake of Allah.

The praiseworthy deed is the righteous deed, and it is the the deed with which we have been ordered. For this reason, Umar ibn Al-Khattab used to say in his du’a:

“O, Allah make all of my deeds righteous, and make all of them purely for your Face, and do not make therein any share at all for anyone else.”

This being the case for all righteous deeds, it is also the case for enjoining right and forbidding wrong, and it is necessary for it to be so (i.e. the act of ordering or forbidding must be good and praiseworthy which as we have seen means that it is correct and solely for the sake of Allah, is obedience to Allah, and is done for no ulterior motive.) This is in reference to the one who enjoins and forbids others.

ACTION IS NOT POSSIBLE EXCEPT WITH KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

There can be no righteous deed in the absence of knowledge (‘ilm) and understanding of the law (fiqh), as ‘Umar ibn Abdul-Aziz (the grandson of ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattab, and a righteous Khalifa) used to say:

“Whoever worships Allah without knowledge corrupts more than he benefits.”

And, as in the statement of Mu’adh ibn Jabal (a companion of the Prophet):

“Knowledge is the imam of action, and action is a corollary to it.”

This is obvious: intentions and actions which are not based on knowledge are ignorance and going astray, and following of hawaa, as we have said before. This is the difference between the people of Jahiliya, and the people of Islam. Thus, knowledge of the Ma’ruf and the Munkar are absolute necessities as are the ability to distinguish between them, and knowledge of the condition of those to be ordered and forbidden is also essential.

For optimum benefit, enjoining and forbidding should be performed on the Straight Path. The Straight Path is the shortest route, and the one which leads to the attainment of the sought-after goal.

COMPASSION, PATIENCE AND FORBEARANCE ARE REQUIRED IN ENJOINING RIGHT

These things must be done with compassion. The Prophet (sas) said:

“Compassion does not enter into anything without beautifying it, and is not removed from anything without making it ugly.” (Muslim and others)

And, he (sas) said:

“O, Aisha: Verily Allah is Compassionate, and He loves compassion. He gives based on compassion that which is not given based on force, and is not given based on any other cause.” (Muslim and others)

At the same time, the practitioner of enjoining right and forbidding wrong must be forbearing and patient in the face of adversity and persecution. Persecution must, of necessity, confront the true practitioner of enjoining right. If he is not patient, forbearing and wise in the face of this, he will cause more corruption than reform. Allah tells us of Luqman saying to his son:

[And enjoin all that is right, and forbid all that is wrong, and be patient in the face of that which afflicts you, verily, that is the most upright of positions.] Qur’an 31/17.

Thus, Allah ordered His prophets, and they are the imam‘s of enjoining right and forbidding wrong, to have patience, just as He ordered the seal of the Prophets Muhammad (sas). The order to have patience came along with the order to deliver the message of Islam. When the Prophet (sas) was first ordered to deliver the message to the people, Allah sent Sura Al-Mudaththir, which followed after the revelation of the first five verses of Sura Iqraa’ which announced the beginning of the prophethood. Allah said in Al-Mudaththir:

[O, you covered in a blanket * Stand up and warn * And praise the greatness of your Lord * And purify your garments * And keep yourself well away from false gods and other forms of foolishness * And do not do all of this hoping for gain or payment * And for the sake of your Lord maintain patience.] Qur`an 74/1-7.

Allah began these seven ayas, with which He commissioned the Prophet (sas) to deliver the message to His creation, by ordering the Prophet to warn, and concluded them with the order to have patience. Warning people of Allah’s punishment is of course enjoining them to do right and forbidding them the doing of wrong, so we see that patience is obligatory after undertaking the enjoining of right. In this vein, Allah said:

[And be patient for the decree of your Lord, verily you are in our Eyes] Qur’an 52/48

[And be patient with that which they say, and remove yourself from them in a gracious manner.] Qur`an 73/10

[And so be patient, as the firmly-intentioned prophets were patient.] Qur`an 46/35.

[So be patient for the decree of your Lord, and do not be as the man in the Whale (i.e. Jonah)] Qur`an 68/48

[And be patient, and your patience is none other than by the leave of Allah.] Qur’an 16/127.

[And have patience since, verily Allah does neglect the reward of the good-doers.] Qur’an 11/115.

Thus, three things are absolutely essential: knowledge, compassion, and patience. Knowledge is required before enjoining right and forbidding wrong, compassion is required during its practice, and patience is required after it. This separation is not to negate the fact that these three qualities need to be present at all times. This is similar to a statement narrated from the early generations of scholars and which has been attributed by some to the Prophet. Abu Ya’la mentioned it in his book entitled Al-Mu’tamad as follows:

“None should enjoin right and forbid wrong except one who is knowledgeable in that which he enjoins, knowledgeable in that which he forbids, compassionate in that which he enjoins, compassionate in that which he forbids, forbearing in that which he enjoins, and forbearing in that which he forbids.”

THE DIFFICULTY OF THESE REQUIREMENTS

Make no mistake about it, these requirements of enjoining right and forbidding wrong introduce a high degree of difficulty into the situation for many people. Thus some imagine that the obligation has fallen from his shoulders because of some lack in its prerequisites, and so he neglects it. This may harm him more than he would have been harmed by ordering and forbidding in spite of his lacks or deficiencies in one or more of these requirements, or it may harm him less. Failing to carry out the obligation of enjoining right is disobedience to Allah, and committing what Allah has forbidden therein is also disobedience. One who flees from one act of disobedience to another is like one who seeks refuge from the frying pan by jumping into the fire, or like one who flees from one false religion to another, where the second one may be more evil than the first, or it may be less evil, and they may be equally evil. This is the same in the case of the one who neglects his obligations in enjoining right and forbidding wrong and the one who practices enjoining right, but transgresses and disobeys Allah therein. The sin of the first one may be greater than the second, or of the second one may be greater than the first, or they may be equally great.

DISOBEDIENCE TO ALLAH CAUSES DIFFICULTY, OBEDIENCE CAUSES EASE

One thing which is clearly established from the signs which Allah has shown us between the horizons and in our selves, and with which He has born witness in His book — is that disobedience is a cause of calamities and difficulties. The evil of calamities and punishments comes from the evil of ones actions. Also, obedience is a cause of plenty and ease. The doing of good of the slave is a reason for the doing of good by Allah to him. Allah said:

[And whatever calamity befalls you, it is according to that which your own hands have earned - and Allah forgives much.] Qur’an 42/30

[Whatever good comes to you is from Allah, and whatever evil comes to you is from your self.] Qur’an 4/79

[Verily, those of you who turned their backs on the day when the two armies met, the Shaitan caused them to slip up because of some of what they had earned. Allah has forgiven them.] Qur’an 3/155

[So, is it that when some calamity strikes you (in war), though you have previously inflicted a calamity twice its magnitude, you ask: Why is this? Say: It is from your own selves.] Qur’an 3/165

[Or He may cause them to stop moving altogether (i.e. ships at sea) because of that which they have earned, and He forgives much.] Qur’an 42/34

[And if they are afflicted with some calamity because of that which their own hands have sent forth, verily man is ever ungrateful, faithless] Qur’an 42/48

[Allah is not about to punish them while you are amongst them, and He is not about to punish them while they (i.e. some among them) seek His forgiveness.] Qur’an 8/33

ALLAH’S PUNISHMENT OF THE PREVIOUS NATIONS FOR THEIR DISOBEDIENCE

Allah has informed us of his punishment of the previous nations for their wickedness such as the people of Nuh, and ‘aad, Thamud, the people of Lut, the people of the city of Madyan, and the people of Fir’aun (Pharoah) in this world, and He has informed us of the punishments which await them in the next world. Thus, the believer who had been hiding his belief from the people of Fir’aun said, as Allah tells us in the Qur’an:

[O, my people, verily I fear for you something like the days of the nations who came before, something like the punishment which befell the people of Nuh, 'aad, Thamud, and those who came after them. Allah does not intend any oppression of His slaves. And O, my people, verily I fear for you the day of calling to one another, on that day you will turn your backs and run in fear, and there will be none who can protect you from Allah. Whosoever Allah sends astray has no one whatsoever who can guide him.] Qur’an 40/30-33

And Allah said in another aya about the punishment in this world:

[Such is the punishment, and the punishment in the next world is greater, if only they knew.] Qur’an 68/33

[We will punish them twice, and then they will be returned to a mighty torment.] Qur’an 9/101

[We will give them a taste of the minor punishment before the greater punishment, that they might turn back (i.e. to what is right)] Qur’an 32/21

[So, watch for day when the sky will come with a distinct smoke * It covers the people; this is a painful punishment * Our Lord! Relieve us of this torment. Verily, we are believers. * How will that (i.e. removing their torment) cause them to remember and believe when a Messenger has already come to them with clear signs? * And they turned away from him saying: "...taught by others" and "...afflicted by jinn". * Verily, we will remove the punishment from them a little, and verily, they will go right back. * On that day when we will strike out the greatest of blows, verily our vengeance will be complete.] Qur’an 44/10-16

PUNISHMENT OF THE EVIL-DOERS IN THIS WORLD AND THE NEXT

Thus, in many of ayaat containing warnings for those who disobey Allah, Allah mentions His punishment of the evil-doers in this world as well as the punishment which He has prepared for them in the next life. In other verses, He mentions only the punishments of the next life, because its punishment is much greater, and its reward is much greater, and it is the place of permanence. So, when the punishments of this world are mentioned, they are secondary to the mentioning of the punishments of the next life, as in the following story of Yusuf (peace be upon him):

[In this way we empowered Yusuf in the earth, he moves therein wherever he pleases. We will not negate the reward of those who do good, and the reward of the next life is better for those who believe, and used to fear Allah.] Qur’an 12/56-57

[And so Allah gave them the reward of this life, and the best of rewards for the next life.] Qur’an 3/148

[And those who migrated for the sake of Allah after they had been oppressed, we will establish them in the earth in a goodly fashion, and the reward of the next life is greater, if they only knew. Those who have patience, and depend fully on their Lord.] Qur’an 16/41-42

Allah said about Ibrahim (upon him be peace) in another aya:

[And we gave him his reward in this life, and verily he is among the righteous in the next life.] Qur’an 16/122

As for what Allah has mentioned about the punishment of this life and the next, we can look to Sura An-naazi’aat in which He said:

[By those (angels) who violently tear out (the souls of the wicked at death) * And by those who gently draw out (the souls of the righteous at death)] Qur’an 79/1-2

And then, in the same Sura, Allah said:

[On that day when the great trembling and quaking occurs (upon the first sounding of the Horn, which signals Allah's putting to death of all creation) * Which is followed by another, similar (the second sounding of the Horn, which signals the bringing to life of the whole creation)] Qur’an 79/6-7

in which He mentioned the day of Qiyama in general, and then He said:

[Has the story of Musa reached you? * When his Lord called him in the sacred valley of Tuwa * (Saying) Go to Fir'aun, for verily he has transgressed * And say to him: Do you have any desire to be purified? * And that I should guide you to your Lord so that you should fear Him? * Then Musa showed him the Great Sign * But Fir'aun rejected and disobeyed * Then he turned away, striving hard (against the truth) * Then he collected his forces, and made a proclamation * Saying: I am your lord, most high * So Allah destroyed him, and made an example of him in the hereafter, and in this life * Verily in this there is an instructive warning for those who fear Allah.] Qur’an 79/15-26

Then, Allah mentioned the place of beginning, and the place of return in detail saying:

[Are you more difficult to create or the heavens? Allah has constructed them * He raised high the canopy, and gave it order and perfection * ... * And so, when the great overwhelming event arrives (i.e. Qiyama) * On that day, man will remember all that he used to strive for * And hell-fire will be made plainly visible for all who see * Then, as for the one who transgressed * And preferred the life of this world * Verily (for such) the fire is the final abode * And as for those who had fear of their standing before their Lord, and forbid themselves the dictates of their hawaa * Verily the Garden (of Paradise) is their final abode.] Qur’an 79/27-28, 34-41

Also, in Sura al-Muzammil, Allah mentions His own statement:

[And leave me with those who deny the truth, who possess the good things of this life, and leave them for a short time * Verily, we have fetters (to bind them) and fire (to burn them) * And food that chokes, and a painful punishment * One day, the earth and the mountains will tremble and quake, and the mountains will be like a heap of sand poured out and flowing down * Verily, we have sent to you a Prophet as a witness over you, just as we sent to Fir'aun a Prophet * But Fir'aun disobeyed the Prophet, so we seized him with a heavy punishment.] Qur’an 73/11-16

Also, in Sura Al-Haaqqa, Allah mentions the stories of the disbelieving nations such as Thamud, ‘aad, and Fir’aun, and then says:

[When a single blast is sounded on the Horn * And the earth and the mountains are lifted up and crushed to powder at a single stroke.] Qur’an 69/13-14

Then, in verses 15-37 Allah describes the people of heaven and hell, and their condition on the day of Qiyama and after.

In Sura Al-Qalam, Allah mentions the story of the owners of the garden (i.e. farm) who conspired to withhold the rights of the poor from them and were punished by the destruction of their crop. Then Allah says:

[Such is the punishment, and the punishment of the hereafter is of greater magnitude, if they only knew.] Qur’an 68/33

Again, in Sura At-Taghaabun, Allah says:

[Didn't the news reach you of those who rejected faith before? * They tasted the results of their actions, and for them is a painful punishment * That was because Messengers used to come to them with clear signs, but they said: "Should mere human beings guide us?" So they rejected faith, and turned away. And Allah is in no need. Allah is free of all needs, worthy of all praise * The disbelievers imagine that they will not be raised up (for judgement) Say: Yes, by my Lord, you will be raised up, then you will be informed of all that you did, and that is very easy for Allah.] Qur’an 64/5-7

Allah has mentioned the condition of those who oppose and disobey the prophets, as well as the threatened punishments which await them in the hereafter in many chapters of the Qur`an. Among them: Qaf, Al-Qamar, Al-Mu’min, As-Sajdah, Az-Zukhruf, Ad-Dukhaan, and many others.

PROMISES AND THREATS OF PUNISHMENT WERE THE FIRST PART OF REVELATION

Tauhid, promises of rewards, and threats of punishments were the first things to be revealed of the Qur’an. In Sahih Bukhari, Yusuf ibn Maahak narrates:

“I was at Aisha’s, the Mother of the believers may Allah be pleased with her, when an Iraqi came to her and said: “Which shroud is best?” Aisha said: “Woe to you, what harms you?” He said: “O, mother of the believers, show me your mus-haf” Aisha said: “Why?” He said: “In order that I may arrange and order the Qur’an according to it, for it is being read with no particular order.” Aisha said: “What is the harm to you whichever of it you read first? Verily, the first of it to be revealed was a sura among the short suras in which is mentioned heaven and hell. After the people came to submission (Islam), the halal and the haram were revealed. If the first thing to be revealed were “Do not drink intoxicants” they would have said: “We will never leave our intoxicants.” And if the first thing to be revealed were “Do not commit fornication and adultery.”, they would have said: “We will never leave fornication.” Verily, the following verse was revealed to Muhammad in Makka while I was a young girl playing: [No, the hour of judgement is more grievous and more bitter (i.e. than any hardships a Muslim may find in the path of Allah in this life)], and the chapters of Al-Baqarah and An-Nisaa (which contain extensive rulings on the halal and the haram) were only revealed while I was with him (sas) as his wife.” Then Aisha took our her mus-haf and dictated to him the verses of the chapter.”

DIFFERENCES ABOUT ENJOINING AND FORBIDDING ARE THE CAUSE OF DIVISION

Kufr, corruption, and disobedience are the cause of evil and strife. A person or group may fall into sin and disobedience. Then another group keeps quiet, and does not fulfill their obligation of enjoining right and forbidding wrong, and that becomes a sin of theirs. And another group enjoins and forbids, but in a manner forbidden by Allah, and that becomes a sin of theirs. The end result is division, difference, strife, and evil. This is one of the greatest sources of evil and chaos in all times, former and present. This is because man is by nature dhaloom (ever given to criminality), and jahool (ever given to ignorance and foolishness). See Qur’an 72/33. This criminality or oppression, and this foolishness are of different types. The oppression and foolishness of the first person or group (i.e. the one committing the original disobedience of Allah) is of one type, while the oppression and foolishness of the second and third groups (those who knew and kept quiet, and those who enjoined and forbid in a manner not allowed by Islam) is of other types.

Anyone who contemplates the strife and chaos which afflicts the Muslims will see that this is indeed their reason. All of the confusion which occurs between the rulers of the Ummah, and its scholars, and those who follow them among the common people has this as its root cause. Also in this category are the various causes of going astray: hawaa in both religious and worldly matters, innovation (bid’a) in religion, and depravity in this life. These things are general, and afflict the entire human race, because of the element in them of criminality and foolishness. Thus, some of the people sin by oppressing themselves (i.e. by any disobedience to Allah) or others by committing fornication or homosexuality or drinking intoxicants, or economic crimes such as betraying of trusts, stealing, taking peoples property by intimidation, and other such crimes.

SINS ARE DESIRED BY HUMAN NATURE

It is known that these sins and acts of disobedience, though understood to be detestable and blameworthy by intellectual reasoning and by the criteria of Islam, are desired by human nature. It is a normal condition of the human self that it does not like others to have what it has not, or to have more of something than it, rather, it wishes for the good which has come to others to come to it. This is known in Arabic as Ghabta which is the lesser of the two forms of envy. Thus, the human self wishes to be superior or over others, and to be preferred to them, or it is envious of them, and wishes for the destruction of the good things which have come to others, even if it will not itself obtain it (this is the extreme form of envy). So, the human self contains these elements of desiring superiority, corruption, pride, and envy which makes it wish to possess its desires over and above others. How will such a self feel when it sees others having possessed what it desires while it has not obtained it? The more reasonable of them desires that all may have their desires on an equal basis, and cannot tolerate some having more than them, as for the others (i.e. who wish for the destruction of the good things possessed by others because they have not been able to obtain it), they are envious oppressors.

These two types of envy occur in relation to things which Islam allows as well as in relation to things which are forbidden by the rights of Allah over His slaves. As for that which is of the first type such as food and drink, spouses, clothes, riding animals, and wealth, the exclusive possession of these things by some and not others can be a cause of oppression, miserliness, and envy.

GREED IS THE CAUSE OF SLIPPING INTO DEVIATION

The origin of all of these problems is greedy desire (shuhh). The Prophet explains this in the following sahih hadith:

“Beware of shuhh (greedy desire), for verily it destroyed those who came before you. It ordered them to be miserly and they were miserly, it ordered them to commit oppression and they oppressed, and it ordered them to cut family ties and they cut family ties.”

For this reason, Allah praised the Ansar (the Muslims of Madinah who received those who migrated from Makka, and helped them) for having the opposite characteristics, saying:

[And those who had prepared the place of dwelling and (accepted) the faith before them (i.e. before those who migrated from Makka) love those who migrated to them, and find in their hearts no need of the good things which they have been given. (i.e. they feel no envy for that which their brothers the Migrators have been given.) And they prefer (others) even over their own selves, even though they are in need. And whoever is protected from the shuhh of his own self, these are the successful ones.] Qur’an 59/9

Abdur-Rahman ibn ‘Auf – a companion of the Prophet – was heard saying as he made his Tawaaf around the Ka’aba:

“O Lord, protect me from the shuhh of my own self. O Lord, protect me from the shuhh of my own self.”

When he was asked about this du’a of his, he said:

“If I am protected from the shuhh of my own self, I will be protected from miserliness, oppression, and breaking of family ties.”

Shuhh, which is the greedy desire of the self, causes miserliness by withholding objects of desire which have been acquired, and causes oppression by the taking of the property of others, and causes breaking of family ties, and it causes envy – which is to hate others possessing what one does not have, and wishing for its destruction. Envy itself entails miserliness and oppression, since envy is miserliness with that which one has been given, and oppression by wishing for others to lose the good which they have acquired.

This being the case of those desired things which are halal, what about those desired things which are haram, such as fornication, drinking intoxicants,etc.? When some people acquire or practice such things, two types of hatred of come about: 1) To hate it because of others having what one has not i.e. out of some form of envy such as occurs in things which are halal and 2) To hate it for the sake of Allah, and because of the violation it entails of the rights of Allah over His slaves.

TYPES OF SINS

For this reason, sins are of three type:

1) Sins which entail oppression of others, such as taking of peoples property, or denying them their rights, or envy or others (of the greater type), etc.

2) Sins which entail only oppression of one’s self, such as drinking intoxicants, and fornication when its harm does not affect others.

3) Sins which entail both of the above, such as an Amir or ruler who takes the peoples property so that he can use it for fornication or using intoxicants, or other crimes. Another example is one who commits illegal sexual acts with someone, and then exposes this to the people in order to do harm to the persons involved, as is often seen from those obsessed with women and young boys. Allah said:

[Say, all that my Lord has forbidden is despicable acts, that which is apparent and that which is hidden, and sins, and transgression without justification, and that you associate with Allah that for which no authority has been sent, and that you say about Allah that which you know not.] Qur’an 7/33

SUCCESS IN WORLDLY AFFAIRS IS BY JUSTICE

The affairs of the people will go straight with the presence of justice which may be mixed with some types of sin more than they will go straight in the presence of oppression and injustice in the rights of the people, even if it is not mixed with other sins. Thus, it has been said: “Allah establishes the just state even if it is disbelieving, and does not establish the oppressing state, even if it is Muslim.”

It has been said: “The affairs of this world last with justice and kufr, but they do not last with oppression and Islam.”

The Prophet (sas) said:

“The quickest of evils to be punished are injustice and breaking of family ties.” (Ibn Majah)

Thus, the unjust transgressor is overcome in this life, even though he may eventually be forgiven in the hereafter.

This is because justice is the system of everything. So, when the affairs of this world are established with justice, they last and are strong, even though its author may have no share in the rewards of the hereafter, and when they are not established with justice, they do not last, even though its author(s) may have that faith for which they may be rewarded in the hereafter.

HUMAN NATURE: TYRANNY, ENVY AND OPPRESSION

Within the human self is a drive to oppress others by tyrannizing them, and by envying them, and by violating their rights. Within it, also, are drives to oppress itself by indulging in despicable acts, such as adultery and consuming unclean things. Thus, a person may oppress others without first being oppressed, and may lust after those indulgences, even though no one around him is doing them. However, when he sees his peers oppressing, or indulging in these desires, a drive appears in him to do these things which is much stronger than previously.

This may also bring about in a person hatred of those having the object of his lower desire, and his envy of them, and his desire for their punishment and the removal of that thing which they have which were not otherwise there. He has an ample justification for this from the direction of intellectual reasoning, and from the principles of Islam because of the fact that those who he opposes are oppressing themselves and the Muslims as a whole, and his enjoining right and forbidding wrong and fighting jihad in the pursuit of that appears to be from Islam.

CATEGORIES OF PEOPLE IN THIS ISSUE

People, with respect to this issue, can be divided into three categories:

One group does not become aroused except by the hawaa of their own selves. They are not contented except with those things which they have been given, and do not anger except because of something which they have been denied. If such a person is given all that he desires from the halal and the haram, his anger disappears, and he is contented. When he is given his desires, those things which he called evil, which he actively forbid others and punished them for indulging in them, became angry with them, and openly criticized them, when he obtains these things, he suddenly becomes an indulger in them, and a partner and helper of their users, and a staunch enemy of those who order the people to stay away from these things, and point out to them their evil. This is widespread among the sons of Adam. We all see and hear examples of this whose number is unknown except to Allah. Its cause is that man is, as Allah said, ever given to criminality (dhaloom), and ever given to ignorance and foolishness (jahool). And so, many never practice justice; rather, they may be oppressors in both states. For example, there may be a group of people who criticize the oppression of the ruler and his transgression on the rights of the citizens, and so the ruler appeases them with some position or money. Suddenly, they become the biggest helpers and supporters of this unjust government or ruler. It would have been better for them if they just kept quiet, and refrained from enjoining right and forbidding wrong in the first place.

In the same way, you can see these people acting very harshly with those who take intoxicants, fornicate and listen to music until they manage to get him involved in their sins, or appease him with some of the pleasures in which they indulge. At that time, you will see them becoming the biggest supporters of those acts which they opposed so harshly previously. Such people, when they undertake enjoining right and forbidding wrong may come into a state worse than their state before they began, or perhaps not quite as bad, or equal to it.

Others, have taken the correct stand of religiosity and piety. They are in that sincere to Allah, and in their actions reformers, and bringers of good. In this they are granted success such that they are able to be patient and forbearing in the face of persecution. These are “those who believe and do good works”, and they are of “the best nation brought forth for the people: they enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, and they believe in Allah.”

A third group, combines the characteristics of the first group and those of the second, and these are the majority of the believers. Whoever combines piety and lusts and desires has in his heart a will to be obedient to Allah, and a will to disobey Allah in obedience to his desires. Sometimes the first one prevails, and sometimes the second one prevails.

This triple division is analogous to the division of the souls of people into three types, as alluded to in the Qur’an: Ammaara (that which always orders, i.e. evil), Lawwaama (that which always criticizes and holds to account, i.e. after doing evil, this soul criticizes itself and repents), and Mut’ma’innah (at peace, i.e. the soul which obeys Allah without any inner contradictions). Thus, the first group above is the possessors of the soul which is Ammaara, i.e. which always orders them to do evil, and the second group above is the possessors of the soul which is Mut’ma’innah, to which Allah will say on the day of Qiyama:

[O, you souls at peace: Come back to your Lord, contented and accepted, and enter in among by slaves, and enter into my paradise.] Qur’an 89/27-30

The third and largest group are the possessors of the soul which is Lawwaamah, which commits sins and then blames itself for them. It changes colors, sometimes like this, and sometimes like that. It “mixes a good work with another which is evil”. It is hoped that Allah will forgive these people provided that they acknowledge their sins and repent, as Allah said:

[And others have acknowledged their sins. They mixed a good work with another which was evil. Perhaps Allah will forgive them, verily Allah is most-Forgiving, most-Merciful.] Qur’an 9/102

It is for this reason that during the Caliphates of Abu Bakr and Umar – and they are the two which the Muslims have been ordered to emulate, as the Prophet (sas) said:

“Follow the example of the two who come after me: Abu Bakr and Umar.” (At-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, and Ahmad)

Since the Muslims were still close to the era of the revelation, and greater in faith and piety, and their leaders were more conscientious in fulfilling their duties, and more at peace and free from inner contradictions – the chaos and bloodshed and strife which followed was absent during their two Caliphates. This is because they were as the people of the second category: those whose selves are at Peace and free from inner contradictions about Islam.

Then, at the end of Uthman’s Caliphate, and during the Caliphate of Ali (May Allah be pleased with them both), those of the third category became more numerous. Thus, there appeared in the Muslims desires and lusts along with the presence of belief and Islamic practice. This became the case of some of the administrators, and some of the citizens. Then the problem became worse, and the major fitna (strife) came to pass whose cause is as we have described earlier. Both sides failed to properly analyze the dictates of piety and obedience to Allah. Both sides mixed their understanding of piety and obedience with some element of hawaa and disobedience. Each side, in their own interpretation, believing that they are enjoining right and forbidding wrong, and that they are on the side of truth and justice. This interpretation, however, contains an element of hawaa, and an element of suspicion, and following the desires of the self, even though one of the two sides was closer to the truth than the other.

For this reason, it is upon the believer to constantly pray to Allah to help him, and to depend fully on Allah to fill his heart with faith and piety, and not to let it become contaminated, and to establish him firmly on the guidance, and to protect him from following his hawaa, as Allah said:

[And so for this, pray, and remain steadfast as you have been ordered, and do not follow their hawaa. And say: I have believed in the book which Allah has sent down, and I have been ordered to enact justice between you. Allah is our Lord and your Lord.] Qur’an 42/15

GOOD MUST SUPPORT GOOD AS BAD SUPPORTS BAD

This is also the condition of the Ummah in those issues over which it has become divided and has differed over statements and acts of worship. These issues are among the things which bring about great trials upon the believers. They are in desparate need of two things: They need to repel the evil with which their peers have been afflicted, both in affairs of religion and worldly affairs, away from themselves, in spite of the drive within themselves calling to the same things. They, too, have selves and shayateen (i.e. calling them to evil), just as those who have already fallen into evil. Thus, when evil is seen from their peers, the evil tendencies within themselves are increased. So, even after eliminating the evil around them, the believers will remain with the evil drives within themselves and from the wiswaas of the shaitan. Motivators toward good are an exactly analogous situation: The believers are in need of bringing about the doing of good in others as a motivator toward good, as well as following their own, internal tendencies toward good.

This is why there are so many people who never aspire to good nor to evil until they see someone else – especially among those they view as “peers” – doing a particular action. At that point, they will become interested and undertake that action, too. People are like the feathers of an owl, they instinctually gravitate toward conformity and imitation of each other.

For this reason, the reward and the responsibility of one who establishes a new action for the first time is the same as those who follow him therein. The Prophet (sas) said:

“Whoever establishes a good tradition will receive his reward for it together with the rewards of all those who follow it until the day of Qiyama, without that reducing their rewards in the least. And whoever establishes a bad tradition will be assigned its full responsibility together with the responsibility of all those who follow it until the day of Qiyama, without reducing their responsibility in the least.” (Muslim)

This is because their reality is one, and the status of anything is the status of its equals, and that which is similar to something is an extension of it.

Now, since these two motivators are very strong (i.e. the inner drives towards good and towards evil, and the added motivation resulting from seeing others doing good or doing evil), imagine the situation when two additional motivators are added to them:

This is the situation wherein many of the people of evil love anyone who agrees with them and their program, and the hate those who do not agree with them. This is very clear among the various false religions: each group is exceedingly loyal and devoted to (and only to) those who agree with them, and is exceedingly hostile towards those who do not agree with their programs or beliefs. This is frequently the case in worldly desires as well. Those who indulge in a particular form of pleasure consistently choose and prefer as friends and companions those who share their particular indulgence. This may be in order to aid one another in their pursuit of their pleasure, as in the case of those who conspire together to take over and tyrannize a country, or to form gangs and rob people and such like. Or, it may be simply for the sweetness of company and agreement, as in the case of those who come together to take intoxicants. They want everyone present to partake of their drink, and cannot tolerate the presence of a non-drinker. Perhaps this is due to their hatred of his being better than they are by staying away from their sin, or out of envy of his ability to resist temptation, or that he may not appear superior to them, and be praised by the people for his abstention despite their indulgence, or in order that he will have no argument or evidence against them, or because they are in fear of being turned over for punishment by him or by others, or for fear that he may “blackmail” them with that, and humiliate them, or other such reasons. Allah said:

[Many of the people of the book wish that they could turn you back, after your faith, to be disbelievers out of envy originating within their own selves, that even after the truth has become clear to them.] Qur’an 2/109

And He said about the hypocrites:

[They wish that you would disbelieve as they have disbelieved, so that you would (all) be the same.} Qur'an 4/89

The Khalifa Uthman ibn Affaan once said:

"The Adulteress wishes that all women would commit adultery."

Their coming together in indulgence may be sharing in the very same sin, such as drinking of intoxicants together, telling lies and spreading forgeries, and holding corrupt beliefs. Or, they may choose to share in the sin in the abstract sense, as in the case of the adulterer who wishes that others would also commit adultery, or the thief who wishes that others would steal -- they wish that others would partake of their type of sin, but not of the very same object which they desire to steal, or to have in illegal sexual relations.

The second additional motivator is as follows: They may enjoin upon an individual to participate with them in their unlawful actions; if he agrees to participate, he is left alone, but if he resists, they become his active enemies, persecuting him in a manner which may even become coercion.

Then, these self-same people who wish for the participation of others in their despicable actions, or actually order them to do so, and seek the aid of others in order to bring him into their ways, at that point when he agrees to participate in their actions, and aid them, and obey them, they will at that point hold him in very little esteem, and will belittle and look down on him. This then, will become their argument and evidence against him and against listening to anything he says in other areas as well. (They call and incite him to a particular act, which they themselves are already doing, and when he finally succumbs, this is evidence used to disgrace him in the eyes of the people!!) This is the state of most of the oppressors who have been given some power in the land.

These same motivators which are present in the doing of evil is also present with respect to doing good and its doers, and is even stronger. As Allah said:

[And those who believe are stronger in love for Allah] Qur’an 2/166

Verily, every person also has an internal drive calling him to faith and knowledge, truthfulness and justice, and fulfillment of trusts. Thus, if he finds others who do these things as he does, there arises an additional motivator, especially if they are what he regards as “peers”, and especially if there is a spirit of “competition” in doing of good. This is a praiseworthy type of competition.

Then, if he finds others who love his agreement with them in what is good, and his participation in it from among the righteous believers, who also hate him when he deviates or does not do what is good, there arises a third motivator.

Then, if they order him to do right, and are loyal and dedicated to him when he does, and oppose him and punish him when he neglects it, there arises a fourth motivator.

EVIL MUST BE MET WITH GOOD

For this reason, the believers have been ordered to face evil deeds with their opposites, just as the doctor meets illness with its opposite. So, the believer is ordered to reform himself, and that is by means of two things: doing of good deeds, and avoiding bad deeds. This in spite of the forces and motivators which oppose the doing of good, and encourage the doing of evil, and these are both of four types, as we have said.

The believer is also ordered to reform others with all four of these motivators to the extent of his power and capability. Allah said:

[By the passing of time * Verily, man is in abject loss * Except those who believe and do good works * And remind one another of the truth, and advise one another to have patience.] Qur’an 103

It is narrated that Imam Ash-Shafi’i said:

“If all of the people pondered Sura Al-Asr, it would be sufficient for them.”

It is as he said. Allah has informed us in this sura that all of the people are in abject loss, except those who are in themselves righteous believers, and with others a reminder of truth, and advisor of having patience.

THE SEVERITY OF THE TEST CAUSES ELEVATION OF RANK

When the test becomes severe, that is for the righteous believer a cause for the elevation of his rank, and the greatness of his reward, as can be seen in the following hadith:

“The Prophet was asked: `Which people are most severely tested?’ He said: `The prophets, then the righteous ones, then others in descending order of their righteousness. Each one is tested in accordance to his belief: if firmness is found therein, his trials are increased, if, on the other hand, he is weak and wavering in belief, his trials are lightened. The believer will continue to be subjected to trials and tests until he walks on the surface of the earth without a single sin upon him.’”

Thus, he needs patience more than others, and that is the cause of leadership (Imamate) in faith, as Allah said:

[And we made them leaders (imams) who guide (the people) by our order as long as they were patient, and had a certainty of belief in our signs.] Qur’an 32/24

PATIENCE IS NECESSARY IN THE DOING OF GOOD

A Muslim must have patience in doing what he has been ordered, and in avoiding what he has been forbidden and prohibited. Also included in this is patience in the face of persecution, and upon being spoken ill of, and patience in the face of the various calamities. Also, patience is required in times of ease and plenty so that one does not become proud, boastful, and haughty, and other types of patience.

THE NEED FOR CERTAINTY OF BELIEF

It is not possible for one to have patience if he has nothing from which to derive inner peace, something from which he attains joy and which gives him sustenance: certainty of faith. The Prophet said in hadith:

“Ask Allah for forgiveness and good health for , verily, after certainty of faith, no one has been given anything better than good health.”

In the same way, when he orders others to do good, or loves their agreement with what is correct, or forbids others the doing of evil, he needs to be very good towards those others with which he wishes to work in this way with a graciousness which brings about the success of his intention: the removal of that which he dislikes, and the attainment of that which he likes. Human souls cannot tolerate something bitter unless it is mixed with something sweet. Nothing else is possible. For this reason, Allah ordained the institution of the binding of hearts (ta’leef ul-quluub), even assigning to those whose hearts are to be drawn in a portion of the Zakat. Allah said to His Prophet:

[Choose forbearance, and enjoin all that is right, and turn away from the foolish ones.} Qur'an 7/199

And, Allah said in another aya:

[And, advise one another to have patience, and urge one another to acts of compassion.] Qur’an 90/17

It is necessary for the enjoiner and forbidder to be patient and to be compassionate, and that is true courage and true generosity.

For this reason, Allah mentions prayer and zakat together many times in the Qur’an, and zakat is graciousness towards Allah’s creation, and mentions prayer and patience together on other occasions. All three are essential: prayer, zakat, and patience. The affairs of the believer will not go straight except with these three in relation to his reforming of himself, and in the reforming of others, especially when trials and strife are rampant, then the need for these qualities becomes more severe.

The need for forbearance and patience is common to the entire human race; their affairs will never be straightened out except with these qualities. For this reason, all societies and cultures praise courage and generosity to the extent that most of the poems which have been composed to praise someone dwell on these two qualities. In the same vein, all societies and cultures hold as blameworthy the opposing qualities of miserliness and cowardice.

Any issue about which the thinkers of the entire human race agree cannot be anything but the truth, such as their agreement on the praiseworthiness of truthfulness and justice, and the blameworthiness of lying and oppression. The Prophet (sas) was once asked questions by some bedouins until they forced him over near a tree on which his cloak became caught. He turned to them and said:

“By the one in whose hand is my soul, if I possessed camels equal to the number of these thorns, I would divide them all between you, and you would not find me to be miserly, nor cowardly, nor untruthful.”

This value judgement, however, takes various forms according to specific cases and details and, verily, works are judged by intentions, and to every person is that which he intended.

CRITICISM OF MISERLINESS AND COWARDICE

For this reason, miserliness and cowardice are frequently criticized in the Qur’an and the Sunnah, and courage and forbearance in the path of Allah are praised – in the path of Allah specifically as opposed to that which is not in the path of Allah. The Prophet (sas) said:

“The most evil things which can be found in a person are greedy desire which influences all of his actions, and cowardice which makes him flee.”

And, he said:

“Who is your head man O, children of Salamah?” They said: “Al-Jadd ibn Qais, even though we criticize in him miserliness.” The Prophet said: “And what defect is more serious than miserliness!?”

In another version of the above hadith, the Prophet is reported to have said:

“Verily, no head man can be miserly, rather your head man is Al-Abyadh Al-Ja’ad Al-Baraa’ ibn Ma’rur”

Similarly, in the sahih the statement of Jabir ibn Abdullah to Abu Bakr As-Siddique (May Allah be pleased with him):

“You can either give me, or you can be miserly (tabkhalu ‘anniy.)” Abu Bakr said: “Do you say you can either give me, or you can be miserly?! And which defect is more serious than miserliness?!”

Abu Bakr, like the Prophet (sas) considered miserliness to be one of the most serious diseases or defects.

In Sahih Muslim, on the authority of Sulaiman ibn Rabi’ah:

Umar said: “The Prophet (sas) carried out a division of property, and I said: `By Allah, others are more deserving than these (who have been given).’ The Prophet said: `They gave me the choice, either they would ask me in an improper and outrageous manner, or they would call me miserly, and I am not a miser.’”

The prophet here is saying: They have asked me in a way which is not proper, so that if I give them, that is fine, but if I do not, they will say “He is miserly.” Thus, they gave me the choice between two evils, and left me no other choice: improper asking, or being called miserly. Being called a miser is more serious of an evil, so I repel the greater evil by giving them.

TYPES OF MISERLINESS

Miserliness is a general category within which are various types – some are major sins, and some are not major sins. Allah said:

[Let not those who were miserly with what Allah gave them of His bounty imagine that it is good for them, rather it is very bad for them. They will be emburdened with all that they were miserly with on the day of Qiyama.] Qur’an 3/180

[Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and be gracious towards your two parents ... Verily Allah loves not every proud and arrogant one, those who are miserly, and enjoin miserliness on others.] Qur’an 4/36-37

[And nothing prevented their (i.e. the hypocrites) expenditures from being accepted except for the fact that they have rejected faith in Allah and in His Prophet. They attend the prayer only with laziness, and they spend of their wealth only reluctantly and with dislike.] Qur’an 9/54

[And, when He gave them of His bounty, they were miserly with it. They turned away, rejecting. And so, Allah decreed for them after that hypocrisy in their hearts until the day when they will meet Him.] Qur’an 9/76-77

[Whoever is miserly, denies only himself] Qur’an 47/38

[And so woe unto those who pray * But are unmindful of their prayers * Those who only strive (in their prayers) to be seen by people, and who withhold even minor acts of generosity.] Qur’an 107

[As for those who build up wealth of gold and silver, and do not spend of it in the path of Allah, warn them of a painful punishment. On the day when it (i.e. the gold and silver) will be heated up on the fires of hell, and it will be used to brand their foreheads and their sides and their backs, (it will be said to them:) This is what you hoarded away for your selves, so taste that which you used to hoard.] Qur’an 9/34-35

There are very many verses in the Qur’an which enjoin giving and spending and generosity, and criticize whoever neglects them, and all of that is a criticism of miserliness.

CRITICISM OF COWARDICE

In the Qur’an, Allah’s criticism of cowardice is also found in very many verses, such as in the following:

[And anyone who gives them (i.e. the enemy in war) his back on that day (of battle) except as a stratagem of warfare, or to regroup with other fighters, has come back with a great anger from Allah, and his dwelling place is hell, and what an evil place to end up.] Qur’an 8/16

[And they (i.e. the hypocrites) swear by Allah that they are of you, while they are not of you, rather they are a people afraid (to oppose the believers openly) * If they were to find any place of refuge or some caves, or even any uncomfortable place in which to conceal themselves, they would turn to it in great haste (because of the intensity of their concealed hatred for Islam and the Muslims).] Qur’an 9/56-57

[When a clear chapter is sent down and fighting is mentioned therein, you can see those in whose hearts is disease looking at you as one in the throes of death.] Qur’an 47/20

[Did you not see those to whom it was said: "Be non-violent, establish the prayer, and give the Zakat?" And then, when fighting was made obligatory upon them, lo, some of them fear people as the fear of Allah or an even stronger fear. They say: "Our Lord, why have you made fighting obligatory upon us? If only you were to give us respite for a short time!" Say: "The provision of this lower life is but little, and the hereafter is better for those who have piety, and you will not be mistreated or dealt with unjustly in the least.] Qur’an 4/77

Every verse in the Qur’an in which Allah urges the believers to jihad, and explains its desirability, and harshly criticizes those who turn away from it and neglect it all of that constitutes a condemnation of cowardice.

HUMAN AFFAIRS WILL NOT GO STRAIGHT EXCEPT WITH COURAGE AND GENEROSITY

Since reform of human affairs in this world and the next will not be perfected except with the presence of courage and generosity, Allah has explained to us that anyone who turns his back on courage – by failing to struggle in the path of Allah – will be replaced by others who will fulfill their duties. And whoever turns away from the spending of their property in the path of Allah, will be replaced by others who will fulfill their duties. Allah said:

[O, you who believe, what is wrong with you such that when you are called to come forth in the path of Allah, you become heavy, stuck to the earth? Are you contented with the life of this world in preference to the hereafter? Verily, the provisions of this life are but little in relation to the hereafter. If you fail to come forth, Allah will punish you a painful punishment, will replace you with another people, and you will not harm Allah in the least. Allah is capable of all things.] Qur’an 9/38-39

[You are the ones, you are called to spend in the path of Allah. Then, some of you are miserly and withhold. And whoever withholds denies only himself. Allah is wealthy, free of all needs, and you are the impoverished ones. If you turn away, Allah will replace you with another people, and they will not be like you.] Qur’an 47/38

It was courage and generosity with which Allah preferred “those who came before” (as-Saabiquun), saying:

[They are not the same, those of you who spent (in the path of Allah) and fought and struggled before the victory - these have a greater reward than those who only spent of their wealth and struggled and fought after that, and to each of them, Allah has promised good.] Qur’an 57/10

Allah has mentioned jihad with ones life and ones property in His path, and praised them in many verses of His book. This is courage and forbearance in obedience to Allah ta’ala. Allah said:

[How many small groups have overcome large groups with the permission of Allah? Allah is with those who have patience.] Qur’an 2/249

[O, you who believe, when you meet (an opposing) army, be steadfast and remember Allah much, that you may be successful. And obey Allah and His Prophet, and do not disagree such that you cause your own defeat, and lose your (favorable) wind. And be patient, verily Allah is with those who have patience.] Qur’an 8/46

WHAT IS COURAGE?

Courage is not strength of the body. A man may be strong physically, but weak in heart. Rather, courage is the strength of the heart and its steadfastness. The critical factors in warfare are physical strength, skill in warfare, and the courage and steadfastness of the hearts of the fighters.

The only courage which is praiseworthy is courage based on knowledge and information, not mere wildness, with neither thought nor differentiation between praiseworthy and blameworthy actions. For this reason the strong and capable, as defined by Islam, is the one who can control himself when in anger such that he does only that which is truly beneficial. As for the one who is overcome by his anger, he is neither courageous nor capable.

A RETURN TO PATIENCE AND ITS TYPES

As we have said, the key to true strength is patience, it is a necessary element. Patience is of two types: patience when angry, and patience when afflicted with calamity. Al-Hassan (i.e. Al-Basry) said:

“No slave of Allah has struck a more effective blow than wisdom and forbearance in anger and patience in the face of calamity.”

This is because the common element in all of these things is patience with what is painful. The courageous and capable is the one who can be patient and persevere in spite of pain.

Something painful – if it is something which can be driven away – causes anger. And, if it is something which cannot be driven away, it causes grief (huzn). This is why the face becomes flushed in anger, as the blood boils due a feeling of power and capability to destroy what is causing the anger, and the face becomes pale and bloodless in grief, as the blood recedes due to the feeling of weakness and inability to do anything about the cause of grief.

Thus, the Prophet (sas) joined the two types of patience in the following sahih hadith found in the collection of Muslim:

“The Prophet said: “How do you define Ar-Raqoob (childless) among you?” They said: “Ar-Raqoob is the one to whom no child has been born.” The Prophet said: “That is not Ar-Raqoob, rather Ar-Raqoob is the one who has not offered any one of his children” (i.e. in the path of Allah). Then, the Prophet said: “And who do you consider invincible (or “the mighty”) among you?” They said: “The one who men cannot overcome or defeat.” The Prophet said: “It is not so, rather, the mighty is the one who can control himself in anger.”

In this hadith, the Prophet mentioned that which includes patience in the face of calamity (i.e. losing of sons to fighting in the path of Allah), and patience in anger. Allah said about calamity in general:

[And give glad tidings to the patient ones * Those who, when afflicted by any calamity, say: "Verily, from Allah we came, and unto Allah we will return.""]

And Allah said about anger:

[Good acts and bad acts are not the same. Drive away (bad) with that which is better. Suddenly, the one with whom there was enmity becomes as a close and devoted friend * And none will achieve this except those who are patient, and none will achieve this except those of the greatest good fortune.] Qur’an 41/34-35

This exposition of common elements between patience in the face of calamity, and patience in anger is analogous to the citing of the common element between patience in adversity and patience in plenty and ease as in the following verse:

[And if we give man a taste of mercy from us, and then take it away from him, verily he is despondent and ungrateful. And if we give him a taste of plenty after some adversity which had afflicted him verily, he will say: The evil has left me. Verily, he is joyous, haughty. All except those who are patient and do good works, for these are forgiveness and a great reward.] Qur’an 11/9-11

[In order that you may not become despondent over that which did not come to you, nor (overly) joyous over that which came to you.] Qur’an 57/23

With this characteristic, the poet Ka’ab ibn Zuhair described the Migrators among the companions (May Allah be pleased with them) saying:

“They are not overly joyous when there swords have struck their opposition, nor are they despondent when they themselves are struck.”

Another poet, Hassaan ibn Thabit said in description of the Ansar (Helpers):

“There is no haughtiness if they inflict wounds on their enemy, and there is no lassitude and no discontent if they themselves are wounded.”

Some of the Arabs used to say about the Prophet:

“When he is victorious he is not haughty, and when he is defeated he is not grief-stricken.”

THE FORBIDDANCE OF TRANSGRESSING THE BOUNDS

Since shaitan is calling people, during these two types of situations, to transgress the bounds established by Islam with their hearts, voices, and hands, the Prophet (sas) has interdicted that as in the following hadith:

It was said to the Prophet when he was seen to shed tears when he saw his son Ibrahim prepared for burial: “Do you weep, though you have forbidden the weeping and wailing over the dead?” The Prophet said: “That which I have forbidden is none other than two idiotic, obscene voices: one voice in times of plenty and ease: frivolity, playing of games, and the pipes of Satan (i.e. music); and another voice in times of calamity: beating of (one’s own) cheeks, and tearing of clothes, and invoking the invocations of the jahiliyah (i.e. cries for revenge or asking for evil to befall someone based on nationalism or tribalism).

in which the Prophet has mentioned both of them in the same hadith. In another hadith, he forbids that in relation to calamities only:

“Whoever hits his cheeks and tears his clothes, and calls out with the invocations of the jahiliyah is not one of us.”

And, in another hadith:

“I am innocent of (the sins of) the one who shaves his head, and the one who wails, and the one who tears his clothes (i.e. the one who does these things when afflicted with calamity.”

“Verily, Allah does not hold anyone to account for the tear of an eye, nor the grief of the heart, rather, He punishes or has mercy based on this. (While saying this, he pointed to his tongue.”

“Whoever people weep and wail for is punished because of their weeping and wailing.” (This hadith, and all before it in this section are from Bukhari)

One of the conditions demanded of the women in the first Oath of Allegiance was that they must agree never to weep and wail over the dead, and he said:

“Verily, the woman who weeps over the dead, if she does not repent before her death, will be dressed on the day of Qiyama in a vest of sores, and a dress of molten tar.”

The Prophet mentioned the two idiotic and obscene voices: a voice which brings about transgression in joy such that the person becomes “joyous and arrogant” (farihun fakhuur), and another voice in times of grief which brings about impatience and despair, such that the person becomes “discontent and impatient” (haluu’an jazuu’an).

As for the voice which arouses anger for the sake of Allah, such as the battle cries and the poetry which is composed for jihad, this was never done with musical instruments. Similarly, the voices of spreading the word at wedding celebrations. These two have been permitted, and exempted from the general ruling by the Sunnah of the Prophet: cries and poems of battle, and the beating of the daff (a bangle-less tambourine) at wedding parties, and festivities for women and young children.

Most of the poems which are read aloud to arouse feelings in people are of these four types: i.e. love poetry and descriptions of the beloved one, poems of anger and fervor (nationalistic or other), poems of lamentation over calamities, and poems of ease, plenty, and joy, which are the poems of flattery.

The norm of the poets is that they follow human nature, as Allah said:

[Did you not see that they are in every valley, wandering aimlessly? * And that they say that which they do not do?] Qur’an 26/225-226

For this reason, Allah informs us that the poets are followed by the ghaawoon (singular: ghaawi). The ghaawi is one who follows his hawaa without knowledge and without guidance, and this is referred to as ghayy. Such a person is not guided (muhtadiy). Just as one who is astray or “lost” (dhaall) is the one who does not know that which is in his own benefit, again in contrast to the one on the guidance. Allah said:

[By the star as it sinks * Your companion is not lost (dhaall), nor is he misgiuded (from ghayy).] Qur’an 53/1-2

And, for this reason, the Prophet (sas) said:

“What is upon is (to follow) whatever you come to know of my tradition (sunnah), and the tradition of the early, rightlyguided successors, clamp down on this with your molars!”

Thus we find them (the poets) praising all types of bravery and forbearance, since the lack of these traits is blameworthy in any situation whatsoever. As for the presence of these traits, it will bring about the achievement of what the self desires whatever that may be, but the final benefit is only for the pious. As for the impious, they will have benefits in the short run (i.e. this life), but not in the long run (i.e. in the hereafter).

The “final benefit”, though it is ultimately in the hereafter, can also be in this life, as Allah said after mentioning the story of Nuh, and his being saved in the ark:

[It was said: O, Nuh, come down (from the ark) with peace from us and blessings upon you and upon other peoples (which will spring) from you. And to other peoples we will grant pleasures (for a time) then touch them with a painful punishment * These are some of the stories of the unseen which we have revealed to you. Neither you nor your people knew them before this. So, have patience, verily the final benefit is for the pious.] Qur’an 11/48-49

[And so whoever transgresses against you, transgress against them to the same degree in which they transgressed against you, and have fear (taqwa) of Allah, verily, Allah is with those who fear Him.] Qur’an 2/194

FERVOR AND COURAGE WHICH IS PRAISEWORTHY

The criterion here is that the only fervor or courage which is praiseworthy is that which has been praised by Allah and His Prophet (sas). Allah is the one whose praise is beauty and whose censure is dishonor, and this is to no one other than Allah, neither poet, nor orator, nor anyone else. Thus, when an Arab from the tribe of Bani Tameem said to the Prophet (sas) “My praise is beautification, and my censure is disgrace”, the Prophet said to him: “That is Allah!”.

Allah has praised courage and forbearance in His path, as in the sahih, narrated by Abu Musa Al-Ash’ariy (may Allah be pleased with him):

It was said to the Prophet: A man may fight out of courage, and he may fight out of fervor and excitement, and he may fight to be seen by others, so which of those are (truly) in the path of Allah? The Prophet said: Whoever fights so that the word of Allah may be uppermost is in the path of Allah.”

Just as Allah said:

And fight them until there is no more chaos and discord, and all religion is solely for Allah Qur’an 8/39

This, in fact, is the purpose for which Allah has created mankind, as He said:

And I have not created the jinn and humankind except that they may worship Me. Qur’an 51/56

Thus any act which is in pursuit of the overall goal for which the entire creation has been created is praiseworthy in the sight of Allah; and it is that which has some remaining benefit for its doer, and Allah will benefit him because of it. These then are the righteous deeds (Al-a’maal As-Saalihaat) referred to in the Qur’an. In this regard, people can be divided into four categories:

1) Those who strive and work for the sake of Allah with courage and forbearance. These are the believers who deserve the reward of paradise.

2) Those who strive and work for other than Allah with courage and forbearance. These benefit from their efforts in this life, and there is nothing of that for them in the hereafter.

3) Those who work for Allah, but without courage and without forbearance. These have an element of hypocrisy (nifaaq) and lack of faith (imaan) to the degree of their cowardice and discontent.

4) Those who do not work for Allah, and who have no courage and no forbearance. These have no share neither in this world nor in the hereafter.

THE CHARACTER NEEDED BY THE BELIEVER

These traits and these works are needed by the believer in general, and especially in times of chaos, strife, and extreme trials. They are in need of thorough reforming of their selves, in spite of the presence of that within them which calls to chaos and corruption. And they also need to fulfill their obligations in terms of enjoining others what is right and forbidding them what is wrong to the extent of their ability. Both of these obligations contain great difficulties as we have seen, though are easy for those for whom Allah has made them easy.

This is because Allah has ordered the believers to have faith and do good deeds, and has ordered them to call the people and struggle with them to bring about faith and the practice of good deeds. And Allah has promised them His aid in these pursuits. Allah said:

“And Allah will certainly aid those who aid Him (i.e. His cause), and verily Allah is strong, mighty. Those who, if we empower them in the land establish the prayer, pay the Zakat, enjoin all that is right, and forbid all that is wrong. And unto Allah is the end of all affairs” [Surah Al-Hajj 22:41]

“Verily, we will support our prophets and those who believe in the life of this world, and on the day when the witnesses stand forth. (i.e. Qiyama)” [Surah Ghafir 40:51]

“Allah has decreed: I will be victorious, my self and my prophets. Verily, Allah is strong, mighty” [Surah Mujadila 58:21]

[Verily, our forces will vanquish them.] Qur’an 37/173

FEAR OF FALLING INTO TEMPTATION AS AN EXCUSE FOR NEGLECTING ENJOINING RIGHT

Enjoining right and forbidding wrong, and fighting in the path of Allah (Jihad) contain severe tests and trials in which one is exposed to the risk of succumbing to various kinds of temptation. For this reason, a group appears among the people who cite their fear of these temptations as their excuse for avoiding that which has been made obligatory upon them claiming that they only seek safety from these temptations. Just as Allah said about the hypocrites:

[Among them are he who says: Excuse me, and do not expose me to temptation. But, verily, they have already fallen for temptation.] Qur’an 9/49

The scholars of tafsir (Qura’anic interpretation) have mentioned that this verse was revealed concerning a man named Al-Jadd ibn Qais when the Prophet (sas) ordered him to prepare himself for the battle or Rum (The Romans). I believe the Prophet said to him: Do you have some problem with the women of the white folk? Al-Jadd said: O, Prophet, there is no man as infatuated with women as myself, and I fear that, when I see the women of the white people, I may not be able to restrain myself. The Prophet turned his face away from Al-Jadd and said: “I have excused you.” (From the Seera of Ibn Hisham)

This man is the same one who failed to take the Oath known as Bai’atul Ridhwan which the companions gave to the Prophet under a tree (shortly before the truce of Hudaibiya), and concealed himself behind a red camel. In the hadith, the Prophet (sas) once said: “All of you have been forgiven his sins, except the man of the red camel.”

And so, Allah revealed the above aya about this man, saying: “Among them are he who says: Excuse me, and do not expose me to temptation. But, verily, they have already fallen for temptation” [Surah Taubah 9:49]

Here, Allah is saying: This man has requested to remain behind to keep himself from the temptation of women, so that he may not be subjected to trials because of them: either he needs to fight his innate tendencies, and suffer because of this inner conflict, or he may give in to his base desires, and fall into sin. Whoever sees a very beautiful figure and desires it – if he is unable to obtain his desire – either because of the forbiddance of the law, or because of his own inability, suffers torment in his heart. If he is able to take it, even though it is forbidden, he is destroyed, and even in the halal of that i.e. interaction with women, are dangerous traps.

This is the meaning of the statement of Al-Jadd: “… and do not expose me to temptation.” And so, Allah said: [Verily, they have already fallen into temptation.] i.e., saying: His very turning away from the obligation of jihad, and his withdrawing from it, and the weakness of his faith, and the sickness of his heart which made his trying to avoid jihad seem good and acceptable, is a great temptation for which he has already fallen. This being the case, how can he ask for relief from a minor temptation, which has not even befallen him yet, by succumbing to a greater temptation which has already occurred? Allah said:

[And fight them until there is no more chaos, and religion is wholly for Allah.] Qur’an 8/21

So, whoever avoids the fighting which Allah has ordered so as not to be exposed to temptation, has already fallen to temptation, because of the doubt and sickness which have come into his heart, and his neglecting of the jihad which Allah has ordered him to undertake.

Contemplate this very carefully, for it is a very dangerous question. People, in this regard, are in two categories:

1) One group enjoins and forbids and fights in order, as they imagine, to remove chaos and temptations. There actions are a greater chaos or temptation than that which they seek to remove. This is the example of those who rush to fight in the conflicts which arise among the Muslims, such as the khawaarij.

2) Another group leaves enjoining right and forbidding wrong and fighting in the path of Allah by which religion may become solely for Allah, and His word may be uppermost, in order that they may avoid being tempted. They have already fallen into and succumbed to temptation.

The temptation mentioned in the above verses includes the temptation of beautiful faces, since it is the story behind the revelation of the verse. In a more general sense, this is the case of many so-called “religious” people. They neglect the enjoining of right and forbidding of wrong which is obligatory upon them and the fighting in the path of Allah with which all religion can be for Allah, and by which the word of Allah becomes uppermost, in order to avoid the temptations and lusts of this world. In fact, they have already fallen for a much more dangerous temptation than the one which they imagine themselves to be fleeing from.

What was upon them was to fulfill their obligations of enjoining right and forbidding wrong and keeping away from the forbidden. Keeping away from the forbidden and fulfilling the obligatory are two sides of the same coin, since their selves will not allow them any choice other than doing both of them together, or neglecting both of them together. This is the case of many of those who seek leadership or property or illegal desires: whenever they fulfill what is upon them in terms of enjoining and forbidding and fighting and ruling and such things, they always commit along with that some forbidden acts. What is upon them at that point is to analyze which are the greater of the two elements. If the obligations are greater in reward than avoiding the forbidden, they should continue, and not leave the duties which they are carrying out for fear of falling to a temptation of lesser magnitude. On the other hand, if the avoiding of the forbidden involved is greater in reward, they must not forsake this reward in the hopes of a reward of lesser degree for doing the obligatory involved. There is, in this combination of good and bad acts, a mixture of good and bad results on their account with Allah. A detailed explanation of this concept would be too lengthy.

EVERY HUMAN BEING IS IN NEED OF ENJOINING AND FORBIDDING

Every one on the face of the earth must of necessity have enjoining and forbidding. It is a must that he be ordered and forbidden. Even if he was completely alone, he would order himself and forbid — either with what is good, or with what is evil, as Allah said about the human self:

[And, verily the self is ever ordering (one to commit) evil.] Qur’an 12/53

Ordering is in essence requesting a particular action, and intending it, while forbidding is requesting the avoidance of a particular action, and intending it.

THE SONS OF ADAM DO NOT LIVE EXCEPT IN SOCIETIES

Every living thing must, of necessity, entail intentions and wants within itself with which it determines its own actions, and with which it determines the actions of others whenever that is made possible for it. Verily, man is a living thing, he moves with his will and intention, and human beings do not live except by coming together in groups and living with one another.

Whenever two or more come together, there must of necessity be between them mutual enjoining of some things, and mutual forbidding of other things. For this reason, the smallest congregation in prayer is two people, and it has been said: two people or more constitutes a “congregation” (jama’a), and since their coming together is strictly for prayer, that is accomplished with only two, whereby one is the leader (imam), and the other is the led (ma’moom). As the Prophet (sas) said to Al-Malik ibn Al-Huwairith and his companion:

“When the time of prayer comes, make the adhan and the iqama, and then let the older of you lead the prayer.” (They were similar in ability to read the Qur’an.)

As for ordinary affairs (other than prayer), it is narrated in the books of hadith that the Prophet said:

“It is not allowed for three who go on a trip to fail to appoint one of them as amir” (leader)

THIS ENJOINING MUST BE WITH THAT WHICH ALLAH AND HIS PROPHET HAVE ENJOINED

Enjoining and forbidding are of necessity present with the presence of human beings. However, one may fail to enjoin the ma’ruf which Allah and His Prophet (sas) have enjoined, and to forbid the munkar which Allah and His Prophet have forbidden, and to be ordered to do the ma’ruf which Allah and His Prophet have ordered, and to be forbidden the munkar which Allah and His Prophet have forbidden. Even so, there will always be some kind of enjoining and forbidding, and being enjoined and being forbid. This may be with that which is opposite to the good and the evil which Allah and His Prophet have defined, or it may be with that which contains elements of both the truth which Allah sent down, and the falsehood for which Allah has sent no authority. If this admixture is taken as a way of life (deen), it is a deen of innovation, falsehood, and going astray. And since, as we have shown, every single person is living, acting with free will, a a seeker of objectives, a “tiller of the earth”, whoever’s intentions and actions are not righteous and for the sake of Allah, must of necessity commit actions which are corrupt, or not for the sake of Allah – and that is falsehood and invalid. As Allah said:

[Verily, your efforts are various.] Qur’an 92/4

Such actions, all of them, are invalid like the actions (however good) of the disbelievers:

“Those who reject faith, and hinder from the path of Allah, Allah will send all of their works astray” [Surah Muhammad 47:1]

“As for those who disbelieve, their works are like a mirage in an empty plain. The thirsty one believes it to be water, but when he reaches it, he finds it to be nothing, and he finds Allah there who gives him his full account, and Allah is very quick to take to account” [Surah Nur 24:39]

“And we turned to all the works which they had done, and made them (as) floating dust. (The word literally means the dust which can be seen in the air in the beam of light coming in through a small opening.)” [Surah Furqaan 25:23]

WHO ARE “THOSE IN AUTHORITY AMONG YOU” WHO ENJOIN WHAT IS RIGHT?

Allah has ordered us in His Book to obey Him, to obey His Prophet, and to obey those in authority among the believers saying:

“O, you who believe, obey Allah and obey His Prophet, and those in authority among you. And if you disagree in any issue, take it back to Allah and to the Prophet, if you truly believe in Allah and in the Last Day. That is best, and will have the best final result (in application)” [Surah Nisa 4:59]

“Those in authority” are: the possessors of authority, and its people. They are the ones who enjoin the people and forbid them. This is shared by both those having political and temporal power, and the people of knowledge and intellectual influence.

Thus, “those in authority” consist of two categories: the scholars and the rulers. When they are righteous, the people are righteous, and when they are corrupt, the people are corrupt. Just as Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) said to Al-Ahmasiya when she asked:

“How long will we (be able) to remain in this good state?” Abu Bakr said: “As long as your rulers are upright.”

Of this group are the kings and the “Shaikhs“, and the men of religion, along with anyone who is followed by someone, who is also in a position of “authority” among you.

It is upon each and every one of these to enjoin what Allah has enjoined, and forbid what Allah has forbidden. Furthermore, it is upon everyone who is required in Islam to obey his amir, or others, to obey them in (all that is) obedience to Allah, and not to obey them in disobedience to Allah, Abu Bakr said when he first assumed the Caliphate:

“O, people, the strong among you is the weak as far as I am concerned until I take peoples right dues from him (and give them to their rightful owners). Obey me, as long as I obey Allah, and if I disobey Allah, I have no right to your obediance.”

PURE INTENTION TO PLEASE ALLAH IS REQUIRED IN ALL RIGHTEOUS DEEDS

All righteous deeds must contain the following two elements: that they be done solely for the sake of Allah, and that they be in accordance with the shari’a. This is for both statements and acts. It is one of the requirements of goodly speech and righteous action, in matters of knowledge and understanding, as well as matters of application, and of worship and devotion. It has thus been well authenticated in the sahih that the Prophet (sas) said:

“Verily, the first three (categories) for which hell is fired up are: A man who learned knowledge and taught it, and read the Qur’an and taught others to read it in order that the people might say: He is knowledgeable, and he is a good reciter. And a man who fought and struggled so that the people would say: He is courageous, and he is a good fighter. And a man who spent of that which he was given and gave charity so that the people would say: He is generous, and he is openhanded.”

These three people desire eyeservice and reputation and credit. They are in opposition to the three which have been mentioned in the Qur’an after the prophets: the ever truthful and believing (As-siddiqeen), the martyrs in the cause of Allah (Ash-shuhadaa’), and the righteous doers of good (As-saaliheen).

One who learns the knowledge with which Allah sent His prophets and teaches it purely for the sake of Allah, is one of As-siddiqeen. And, whoever fights so that the word of Allah may be uppermost until he is killed is one of Ash-shuhadaa’, while one who gives his property in charity desiring only the Face of Allah, is one of As-Saaliheen.

This is why the one who neglected the obligations upon in his property, will ask to be sent back at the time of death. Ibn Abbas said:

“Whoever was given property, but did not make Hajj, nor pay the Zakat due on that property, will ask to be sent back at death. Then he read the verse of the Qur’an which reads: [And spend of that which we have given you before death comes to one of you, and so he says: My Lord, if only you would give me respite for a short time so that I could give in charity, and be one of the doers of good.] Qur’an 63/10″

So, in these matters of knowledge and rhetoric, the enjoiner of good needs to make sure that all the information he passes on about Allah and the Last Day, and about things which were and are is completely correct. Also, he must be sure that everything which he enjoins on others and forbids them is just as it was delivered by the prophets from Allah. This is the right way which is in accordance with the Sunnah and the Shari’a, and it is the way of following the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Prophet (sas)

Just as acts of worship, which are taken as devotions – if they are of that which Allah has prescribed, and His Prophet has ordered us to do – are valid and correct and are in accordance with the message with which Allah sent the prophets. On the other hand, acts of “worship” which are not so (i.e. not part of what Allah and His Prophet have ordered) are falsehood, foolishness, and innovation which leads astray, even though its devotees may call it: knowledge, understandings, devotions, exercises, experiences, or stations.

He (the enjoiner of right) also needs to order only because of Allah’s order, to forbid only because of Allah’s forbiddance, and to inform only with that of which Allah has informed us, because this is the truth, the true faith, and guidance, as the prophets have informed us. This, just as true worship requires that the Face of Allah be the only thing intended with it. If any of this is done out of following of hawaa, and passion and fervor, or to make a show of ones dignity, or to seek reputation and eyeservice, this is like the situation of one who fights out of courage and passion, and in search of eyeservice of others.

From this, you can understand that into which many people of knowledge and influence and devotion in worship and well-being have fallen. So many such people speak many things which are in conflict with the Qur’an and the Sunnah, or that which contains some elements in accordance with the Qur’an and the Sunnah and other elements in conflict with them. And so many of them devote themselves in acts of “worship” with which Allah has never ordered them, and in fact, which He has forbidden, or acts of devotion which contain elements enjoined by Allah, and other elements which have been forbidden. And so many of them fight in wars which are not in accordance with the fighting which has been ordered by Allah, or which contains elements ordered by Allah, and other elements which He has forbidden.

Furthermore, within each of these three categories: ordered by Allah and His Prophet, forbidden, and a combination of elements from each type, are three possibilities of intentions on the part of the doer: a pure intention for the sake of Allah, following of one’s own hawaa, or a mixture of these two. This makes a total of nine categories in the area of intention and validity of action.

As for the bad actions in these matters, it is possible that their doer may be mistaken, or merely forgot, in which case they are forgiven, just as in the case of the judge who exerts himself to arrive at the correct ruling, but is mistaken: he is rewarded for his effort, and his error is forgiven. Also, wrong actions may be minor sins (Saghaa’ir) which are expiated by avoidance of the major sins (kabaa’ir), or he may be forgiven through repentance, or by good deeds which wipe out the bad, or they may have been expiated through calamities in this life, or for other reasons. Nonetheless, the deen (way) of Allah with which He sent the revealed books and with which He sent the prophets is what we have said earlier: seeking Allah with righteous actions (i.e. obediance to Him).

[Source: Book titled "Enjoining right and forbidding wrong" by Shaykh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (Ra)]

Indeed calling to Allaah was the mission of all the Messengers and their followers, in order to bring the people out of darkness and into light, from unbelief (kufr) to true Faith (eemaan), from shirk to tawheed, and from the Fire to Paradise. This call to Allaah rests upon firm pillars, and is established upon foundations which are absolutely essential. If any of these are missing the da’wah will not be correct and will not produce the desired results – no matter how much effort is expended and time wasted – and this is the reality which we witness with regard to many of the present day calls which are not supported by those pillars and built upon those foundations. These pillars which support the correct da’wah are clearly shown in the Book and the Sunnah, and can be summarized as follows:

Knowledge of that which one calls to:

Since the ignorant person is not suitable to be a caller (daa’ee). Allaah, the Most High, said to His prophet (Pbuh):

“Say, O Muhammad (Pbuh): This is my way, I call to Allaah (to the testification that none has the right to be worshiped except Allaah, alone, having no partner) upon certain knowledge (baseerah). I, and those who follow me”[Surah Yoosuf 12:108]

‘Baseerah’ is knowledge. So the caller is certain to face those who are scholars of misguidance, those who will attack him with doubts and futile arguments in order to rebut the truth. Allaah, the Most High, says:

“And argue with them in a way that is better” [Surah an-Nahl 16:125]

Furthermore the Prophet (Pbuh) said to Mu’aadh (Ra), “You are going to a people from the People of the Book.” So if the caller is not armed with sufficient knowledge for him to face every doubt and contend with every opponent, then he will be defeated in the first counter, and will be halted at the beginning of the way.

Acting in accordance with that which he calls to:

So that he will be a good example – his actions attesting to his words, and leaving no excuse for the opponents of the Truth. Allaah, the Most High, said about His Prophet Shu’ayb that he said to his people:

“I do not wish to forbid you from something and then do it myself. rather I only wish to rectify you as far as I am able”[Surah Hood 11:88]

Allaah, the Most High, said to His Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh):

“Say, O Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam): Indeed my Prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are all purely and solely for Allaah, Lord of all the Worlds. There is no share in any of that for other than Him. That is what my Lord ordered me, and I am the first of this nation to submit to Allaah as a Muslim” [Surah al-An'aan 6:162-163]

Allaah the Most High, said:

“Who is better in speech than one who calls the people to Allaah and does righteous deeds?” [Surah Fussilat 41:33]

Purity of intention (al-ikhlaas):

Such that the call is made purely and sincerely to seek the Face of Allaah (and seeking His Reward) – not for show, or repute, or status, or leadership, nor desiring worldly goals – since if any of these goals adulterate it, the call will not be for Allaah, rather it would then be a call for oneself or for the attainment of the worldly goal – as Allaah informs that His Prophets said to their people:

“I do not ask you for any reward for conveying this Qur`aan” [Soorah al-An'aam 6:90]

“I do not ask you for any wealth for my admonition” [Soorah Hood 11:29]

Thus we understand that it is very important to follow the methodology of Prophet (pbuh) and the salaf while indulging in Da’wah. This is the only way which is accepted in the sight of Allah and we shall surely be rewarded for it.

[source: "Methodology of prophets in calling to Allah" by Shaikh Saalih ibn Fawzaan]

*The last two lines have been added to conclude the topic and are not the part of this source.

X—————————————X——————————————X

IMPORTANT ADVICE FOR DA’EES

Beware of being extreme

It is correct to name this awakening which pleases and excites every believer, an Islamic movement, an Islamic revival and an Islamic movement. It is necessary to encourage and guide this awakening towards adhering and clinging to the Qur’aan and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) as well as warning leaders and individuals within this awakening from exceeding the limits, exaggerating and being extreme in their actions. In accordance with what Allah says in the Qur’aan;

“O people of the scripture, do not exceed the limits in your religion.” [An-Nisaa 171]

The Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) is reported to have said: “O you people, beware of being extreme and exceeding the limits in the religion, for that which destroyed the people before you was none other than extremism in the religion.”

He (Pbuh) also said: “The extremists are destroyed! The extremists are destroyed! The extremists are destroyed!”

Speaking without knowledge

Speaking about Allah without knowledge Beware of speaking about Allah, the Most High, without knowledge. It is not permissible for one who believes in Allah, the Most High, and the Last Day to say: ‘This is halaal and this is haraam’ or ‘This is permissible and this is prohibited’, except with a proof and completely depending upon that. It should be sufficient for him to do what the people of knowledge did before him, and that is to restrain oneself from rushing into saying that which he does not know but rather to say: “Allah knows best” or “I do not know”.

“How excellent is the speech of the angels when they said to their Lord, Glory be to You, we have no knowledge except that which You taught us.” [Al-Baqarah 32]

When the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) were asked about something that they did not know, they would say: “Allah and His Messenger know best.” This is only because of the completeness of their knowledge and their faith and their glorification of Allah, and being far removed from embarking on matters beyond them.

Beware of accusing someone of disbelief or being sinful without proof

Indeed it is a most dangerous matter for one to dare to accuse some one of disbelief or of being sinful without proof and authorization from the Qur’aan and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh). There is no doubt that this is insolence towards Allah and His religion and it is also speaking about Him without knowledge. This is also in contradiction to the behavior of the people of knowledge and faith from among the pious predecessors, radiallaahu ‘anhum. May Allah make us from amongst their
followers in righteousness.

It has been authentically reported that the Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) said: “Whoever says to his brother, ‘O kaafir!’ It returns to one of them.” He also said: “Anyone who called his brother ‘O kaafir!’ Or ‘O enemy of Allah!’ And it was not correct, it would return back to him.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaari] i.e., whatever he said falls back on him.

This is a strong threat, warning the people of accusing others of disbelieving and being sinful, except when they have sure knowledge and understanding. This and other evidences are also a warning that one should be careful to guard his tongue, and only say that which is good.

Beware of being hasty.

How many calamities, difficulties and problems have afflicted those who are hasty! The days and nights are going and leaving behind the traces and consequences of hastiness! How much corruption and destruction and un-praiseworthy consequences have occurred because of partisanship and the following of desires? We ask Allah to keep us safe from that.

Beware of partisanship to a group.

It is not permissible for one to blindly follow this person or that person, or the opinion of such and such a person. Nor should he follow blindly the methodology, or group of any individual.

Differing, It’s Effects and Cure

There is no doubt that differing is one of the greatest trials and calamities to befall the Muslim Ummah. It is one of the reasons why efforts are being wasted and truth is lost. Differing among Islamic groups and Islamic centers, harms the Islamic da’wah. The only way that they can succeed is to have a unification of goals and is that they all exert their efforts and work together towards the goal which will secure the power and glory of Islam and the safety of the Muslims. It is necessary for every group, institution and community who want success in the Hereafter to help each other enjoin al-Birr (righteousness) and taqwa (piety). They should be sincere in their actions towards Allah and their primary concern should be the victory of Allah’s deen, so that everyone can join together upon the truth and work upon what Allah has said in His Book

Help you one another in al-Birr and at-Taqwa. [Al-Maaidah 2]

My advice for the daa’ees is that they should make sure that the actions should be done sincerely and purely for the sake of Allah, the Most High, alone. They should help one another in al-Birr and Taqwa and agree to rule by the Qur’aan and Sunnah whenever a disagreement breaks out amongst them, in accordance to what Allah says in the Qur’aan, And if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger if you believe in Allah and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination. [An-Nisaa 59]

By this the goal will be one and the same and the efforts to search for success and warn away from following desires will be unified. Allah, the Most High, says,

But if they answer you not, they know that they only follow their own lusts, and who is more astray than one who follows his own lusts, without guidance from Allah? [Al-Qasas 50]

Allah says in the Qur’aan addressing His Prophet and His Messenger Daawood,
‘alaihis-salaam,

O Dawood! Verily We have placed you as a successor on earth, so judge you between men in truth and follow not your desire, for it will mislead you from the Path of Allah. [ Saad 26]

Beware of Taqleed (Blind Support of Something without Evidence)

Beware of Blindly Supporting an Opinion Just Because it Agrees With Yours – Or Blindly Opposing an Opinion Because it Conflicts With Yours.

The deen of Allah must be the authority that judges everything. Beware of following your brother just because he agrees with you over an opinion and oppose another because he disagrees with you over an opinion or an issue. This is not being just or fair. We know that the sahaabah differed in issues, but this did not effect the good faith, support and love between them, radiallaahu ‘anhum. So the believer acts by Allah’s laws and he accepts and submits to the truth and he makes it precede everything else.

The believer should not oppress his brother, or act unjustly towards him if he differs with him over an opinion from the issues of Ijtihaad, in which the proofs may not be clear or issues in which there may be differing interpretations of the text. He may have an excuse, so you must advise him and love the khair (goodness) for him and do not allow the differing to induce and prompt aggression and discord between you. Do not enable the enemy to take advantage of you and your brother. And there is no movement or power except with Allah the Most High.

[Source: Excerpted from the book "Words Of Advice Regarding Da'wah" by Sh. 'Abdul-'Azeez Ibn 'Abdullah Ibn Baaz (rahimahullah)]

Allah (swt) mentions in the Holy Qur’an, in Surah-Ale-Imran 3: 110, “You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind….”

Here Allah is calling us “Kuntum khairah Ummah” which means “Best of the nation or people”. He is giving us an honor. But natural, this honor is followed by certain amount of responsibility. Now what is this responsibility? The same verse gives you the reply.

“You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah…..” [Surah Ale-Imran 3:110]

If we do not call people towards good and forbid them from doing wrong, we are not fit to be called as “Kuntum Khairah Ummah”, we are not fit to be called as “the best of the people or nation”. Da’wah is nothign but inviting people towards the ultimate good and forbidding them from doing wrong.

Most Muslims know that Islam is a universal religion, meant for all mankind. Allah (swt) is the Lord of the entire Universe, and Muslims have been entrusted with the duty of conveying His message to all mankind. Unfortunately, most Muslims today have become callous towards this duty! While accepting Islam as the best way of life for ourselves, most of us are unwilling to share this knowledge with those to whom the message has not yet been conveyed.

The Glorious Qur’an says: “Ah! Who is more unjust than those who conceal the testimony they have from Allah? But Allah is not unmindful of what ye do!” [Al-Qur’an 2:140]

In order to convey the message of Islam, dialogue and debate become inevitable. Thus Allah commands in Surah Nahl 16:125, “Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His way, and He is most knowing of who is [rightly] guided.”

In the above Ayah, Allah shows us a way how to do Da’wah. It should be done with wisdom, good preaching and beautiful arguments. Which means anger, sarcasm, filthy talk, and abuse has no place in Da’wah. This is a noble work which has been entrusted upon our ummah.

In the sight of Allah, there is no better persons speech than the one who calls people towards his deen. Allah mentions in Surah Fussilat 41:33, “And who is better in speech than one who invites to Allah and does righteousness and says, “Indeed, I am of the Muslims.”

Upon whom is Da’wah Obligatory

This question was put to Imaam Muhammad Ibn Saalih al-’Uthaymeen (rahimahullaah) and he replied:-

When a person has knowledge and insight into that which he is calling to, then there is no difference between the one who has a great amount of knowledge, or a student of knowledge who has recently started in pursuit of knowledge or a lay person – as long as he has certain knowledge of the issue at hand. The Prophet (sal-Allaahu ’alayhe wa sallam) said:

“Convey from me, even if it is one verse.” [Sahih Al-Bukhaaree Hadith no.346]

So it is not a condition upon the daa’ee (the one calling) to attain a great amount of knowledge, but the condition is that one must have knowledge of what one is calling to. If this calling is established upon ignorance and built upon emotion and passion, then it is not permissible.

Thus, we see that some of the brothers who call to Allaah, they do not have except a little knowledge. We see them, due to their strong emotions, prohibiting that which Allaah has not prohibited, whilst making obligatory that which Allaah has not made obligatory upon His worshippers. This is a very dangerous matter, since permitting what Allaah has made haraam (unlawful) is like prohibiting what Allaah has made halaal (lawful). So when they begin prohibiting people for making a particular matter then others will rebuke them for making it haraam. Allaah – the Most High – says:

“And do not say, concerning that which your tongues falsely put forward, ‘This is lawful and this is forbidden,’ so as to invent lies against Allaah. Indeed, those who invent lies against Allaah will never prosper.” [Surah Nahl 16:116-117]

As for the lay person, then he must not call to Allaah if he does not have knowledge. Rather, it is essential to have knowledge in accordance with the saying of Allaah – the Most High:

“Say: This is my path. I call to Allaah upon sure knowledge.” [Soorah Yoosuf 12:108]

So it is a must to call to Allaah upon knowledge. However, if a matter is clearly known to be evil or good, then one can command it – if it is good, or forbid it – if it is evil.

So the callers to Allaah must start with knowledge. Whosoever calls to Allaah without knowledge, then such a person will cause greater harm than good – as is evident. So it is obligatory for a person to first acquire knowledge, then to do da’wah. As for the clear evils and that which is clearly good, then the good is enjoined and the evil prohibited.

[Source: as-Sahwatul-Islaamiyyah (pp.75-76) of Shaykh Ibn ’Uthaymeen]

Br. Muhammed Asifuddin, the President of IACR, has been a student of comparative religion for about 12 years. Allah has blessed him not only with knowledge of Islam but also with in depth understanding of religions such as Hinduism and Christianity. He is qualified as  an MBA and LLB. He has proficiency in Telugu, English, Urdu and Hindi. He also has fair acquaintance with scriptural languages such as Arabic, Sanskrit, Greek etc. He has learnt ‘Methodology of Da’wah’ from Dr. Zakir Naik of Islamic Research Foundation (IRF, Bombay) in the year 2001.

He gave up is professional career to take up much better career in the field of Dawah. Now, Br. Asif is a full time Daee dedicating his entire time towards spreading the message of Islam.

Apart from English, Br. Asif is also a well known speaker in Urdu and Telugu in India. He has delivered several lectures, conferences and debates in various parts of India.

More information on him can be sought from IACR’s website http://www.iacr.net/

MIR IMRAN ALI

M.I.ALI is the founder president of Peace Propagation Center (PPC), Hyderabad, India. An Electronic Engineer by qualification; He is presently working in the IT sector of “LARSEN & TOUBRO (L&T)” as a Project Lead (in Embedded Systems). He completed his B-Tech from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University and presently pursuing M.B.A from ICFAI University. He worked for many Multinational companies like GE (General Electric), SATYAM, Bellsouth, AT&T, Gillete, Verizon Wireless and C3i. He also happens to be a web developer and practices this skillset as freelance.

With a rich corporate and professional exprience, Br. ALI entered the field of Islamic Dawah. He is a student and an Islamic Orator on comparative religions. He is presently pursing his Islamic courses from Islamic Online University. He recieved Dawah Training from Seniors in this field. He gained knowledge from several renowned scholars like Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid, Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Phillips, Dr. Israr Ahmed, Sheikh Khalid Yasin, Sheikh Hussain Ye, Dr. Zakir Naik, Sheikh Arshad Baseer Al-Madani, Sheikh Abdus Salaam Jamai, Shiekh Abdur Raheem Green, Shiekh Shabbir Ali and many more. He has delivered many public talks on various topics like “Is Jesus God?”, “Communal Harmony-An Islamic perspective”, “Peace,Progress & Salvation”, “Quran & Modern Science”, “Al-Quran: Should it be read with understanding?”, “Changing the world through Da’wah”, “Al-Quran & Muslims”, “Dawah: Mission possible?”, “Human rights in Islam”, “Misconceptions Cleared”, “Dawah: The foremost responsiblity”, “Strangers”, “Purpose of life” …and many more.

A young and Dynamic Orator, Br. Ali started “Peace propagation center” with the intention of spreading the much wanted peace in the world. He does this by inviting people towards oneness of God, which is the common teaching of all religions. He also invites people of other faiths to have religious dialogues and debates; thus removing misconceptions about Islam.

He can be reached at ” ali@peacepropagation.com“

DR. EZZUDDIN AKIF

Dr. AKIF is the General Secretary of Peace Propagation Center (PPC). He is also the Co-founder of PPC. He is a Medical Doctor by qualification. Dedicating his Medical career for a much better career of Dawah, Dr. Akif is now a fulltime Daee. He is a student and an Islamic Orator on comparative religions. He is presently pursing his Islamic courses from Islamic Online University and recieved Dawah Training from Seniors in the field of Dawah.

He is also the Student of Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Phillips & Shiekh Riaz Moosa Malabari. He gained knowledge from several renowned scholars like Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid, Shiekh Ahmed Deedat, Dr. Israr Ahmed, Sheikh Hussain Ye, Dr. Zakir Naik, and many more. He has delivered several public talks on various topics like “Muhammad’s Prophethood: A critical Analysis”, “Quran & Modern Science”, “Quran & Embryology”, “Purpose of Creation” …and many more. He joined M.I.ALI in this noble cause with an intention of spreading peace and communal harmony in the world. He is a student of comparative religions. He also delivered many public talks on various topics pertaining to social problems. He also had many one-on-one talks with people of other faiths. A very prominent figure amongst the educated youth, He caters largely to the youth of present time.

He can be reached at “akif@peacepropagation.com“

MOHD IRSHAD

Mohd Irshad is the Vice President of Peace Propagation Center (PPC). He is also the Co-founder of PPC. He is an Masters in Business Administration (MBA) by qualification. Brother Irshad worked in many multinational companies like Dell Computers, Satyam, C3i and presently working in Computer Science Corporation (CSC) as Systems Engineer. Adhering to the command of Allah, Brother Irshad joined Brother Ali in his noble mission of spreading peace. He is a student and an Islamic Orator on comparative religions. He also recieved Dawah Training from Brother Ali.

Brother Irshad gained knowledge from several renowned scholars like Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid, Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips, Dr. Zakir Naik, Sheikh Ahmed Deedat, and many more. He has delivered quite a few public talks on topics like “Interest free economy”, “Muhammad (pbuh) in world religious scriptures”, “Seerah of Sahabah”,…and many more. He joined M.I.ALI in this noble cause with an intention of spreading peace and communal harmony in the world. He is a student of comparative religions. He expertises in Islamic history and Lives of the great scholars. He also had many one-on-one talks with people of other faiths. Apart from English, Brother Irshad also delivers lectures in Urdu language. He is well versed in that language and usually cater to a large chunk of Urdu speaking youth.

He can be reached at “irshad@peacepropagation.com“

• Born in the Surat district of India in 1918, Ahmed Hoosen Deedat had no recollection of his father untill 1926. His father a tailor by profession had emigrated to South Africa shortly after the birth of Ahmed Deedat.
• With no formal education and fighting off the extreme pangs of poverty, he went to South Africa in 1927 to be with his father. His farewell to his mother in India in 1927 was the last time he saw her alive for she passed away a few months later.
• In a foreign land, a boy of nine with no formal schooling and command of the English language began preparing for the role he was to play decades later without realizing it.
• Applying himself with diligence to his studies, the little boy not only was able to overcome the language barrier but excelled in school. His avid passion for reading helped him gain promotions until he completed standard 6. Lack of finance interrupted his schooling and at the early age of about 16 he took on the first of many jobs in retailing.
• The most significant of these was in 1936 where he worked at a Muslim owned store near a Christian seminary on the Natal South Coast. The incessant insults of the trainee missionaries hurled against Islam during their brief visits to the store infused a stubborn flame of desire within the young man to counteract their false propaganda.
• As fate would have it, Ahmad Deedat discovered by pure chance a book entitled Izharal-Haq, meaning the Truth revealed. This book recorded the techniques and enormous success of the efforts of Muslims in India in turning the tables against Christian missionary harassment during the British subjugation and rule of India. In particular the idea of holding debates had a profound effect on Ahmed Deedat.
• Armed with this new found zeal, Ahmed Deedat purchased his first Bible and began holding debates and discussions with the trainee missionaries. When they beat a hasty retreat in the face of his incisive counter arguments, he personally called on their teachers and even priests in the surrounding areas.
• These successes spurred Ahmed Deedat in the dirrection of Da’wah. Not even his marriage, birth of Children and a 3 year sohourn to Pakistan after its independence dampened his enthusiasm or dulled his desire to defend Islam from the deceitful distortions of the Christian missionaries.
• With missionary zeal to project the Truth and beauty of Islam, Ahmed Deedat immersed hiself into a host of activities over the next three decades. He conducted classes on Bible studies and gave numerous lectures. He established the As-Salaam, an institute to train propagators of Islam. He, together with his family, almost single-handedly erected the buildings including the masjid which is still a landmark today.
• He was a founder member of the Islamic Propagation Centre International (IPCI) and became its President, a position he still holds today. He has published over 20 books and distributed milions of copies free of charge. He has delivered thousand of lectures all over the world and successfully engaged Christian Evangelists in public debates. Several thousand people have come into the fold of Islam as a result of these efforts.
• In a fitting tribute to this monumental achievement, he was awarded the King Faisal International award in 1986, a prestigious recognition of enormous value in the world of Islam.
• No number of awards and honours can truly capture the man’s essence and zeal for Islam. This anthology of books is no exception. It demonstrates Sheikh Deedat’s analytical compilations drawn from personal encounters and experiences against Christian distortions.
• In 1996 Shaikh Ahmed Deedat suffered from a serious stroke and remained paralysed and bedridden for 9 years. On 8th August, 2005 he passed away. May Allah (swt) bless his soul with Jannatul Firdous for his path-breaking and excellent efforts for Daw’ah of Islam worldwide as well as reigniting the spirit of self-esteem and renaissance amongst millions of Muslims the world over.
• Books by Shaikh Ahmed Deedat: The Choice – Between Islam and Christianity – Volume I The Choice – Between Islam and Christianity – Volume II Is the Bible God’s Word? Al Qur’an the Miracle of Miracles What is His Name? Christ in Islam What was the sign of Jonah? What the Bible says about Muhammed (pbuh)? Resurrection or Resuscitation? Arabs and Israel – Conflict or Conciliation? Crucifixion or Cruci-Fiction?
• 49, Trevenneri Road, Verulam 4340, Republic of South Africa. Tel (Res.): 331790
• Postal Address : 49, Trevenneri Road, Verulam 4340, Republic of South Africa. Tel (Res.): 331790

DR. ZAKIR NAIK

A medical doctor by professional training, Dr. Zakir Naik is renowed as a dynamic international orator on Islam and Comparative Religion. Dr. Zakir Naik clarifies Islamic viewpoints and clears misconceptions about Islam, using the Qur’an, authentic Hadith and other religious Scriptures as a basis, in conjunction with reason, logic and scientific facts. He is 37 years old. Dr. Zakir is popular for his critical analysis and convincing answers to challenging questions posed by audiences after his public talks. In the last 6 years (by the year 2002), Dr. Zakir Naik has delivered more than 600 public talks in the U.S.A., Canada, U.K., Saudi Arabia, U.A.E., Kuwait, Singapore, Hongkong, Thailand, Guyana (South America) and many other countries, in addition to numerous public talks in India.

He has successfully participated in several symposia and dialogues with prominent personalities of other faiths. His public dialogue with Dr. William Campbell (of USA), on the topic, “The Qur’an and the Bible in the light of Science” held in city of Chicago, U.S.A., on April 1, 2000 was a resounding success.

Sheikh Ahmed Deedat, the world famous orator on Islam and Comparative Religion, who had called Dr. Zakir, “Deedat plus” in 1994, presented a plaque in May 2000 awarded to Dr. Zakir Abdul-Karim Naik for his achievement in the field of Da’wah and the study of Comparative Religion with the engraving “Son what you have done in 4 years had taken me 40 years to accomplish, Alhamdullilah.”

Dr. Zakir Naik appears regularly on many international T.V. Channels in more than 100 countries of the world. He is regularly invited for T.V. and Radio interviews. More than a hundred of his talks, dialogues, debates and symposia are available on video cassettes, video CDs and audio cassettes. He has authored books on Islam and Comparative Religion.

DR. ABU AMEENAH BILAL PHILLIPS

• Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips was born in Jamaica, but grew up in Canada where he accepted Islam in 1972.
• He completed a diploma in Arabic and a B.A. from the College of Islamic Disciplines (Usool ad-Deen) at the Islamic University of Madeenah in 1979.
• At the University of Riyadh, College of Education, he completed a M.A. in Islamic Theology in 1985 and in the department of Islamic Studies at the University of Wales, U.K. he also completed a Ph.D. in Islamic Theology in 1994.
• He taught Islamic Education and Arabic in private schools in Riyadh for over ten years and for the past three year he has been lecturing M.Ed. students in the Islamic Studies department of Shariff Kabunsuan Islamic University in Cotabato City, Mindanao, Philippines.
• Since 1994 he has founded and directed The Islamic Information Center in Dubai, U.A.E. and the Department of Foreign Languages at Dar al Fatah Islamic Press in Sharjah, U.A.E.
• Among the author’s published works are translations of “Ibn Tayameeyah’s Essay on the Jinn”, “The Devil’s Deception” and Arabic Calligraphy in Manuscripts,
• He has also co-authored “Polygamy in Islam”, and authored “Evolution of Islamic Law”, “Through Repentance”, “Islamic Studies”, “Hajj and Umrah According to Qur’aan & Sunnah”, “Islamic Rules on Menstruation”, “Arabic Reading & Writing Made Easy”, “Arabic Grammar Made Easy” and “The Purpose of Creation”.
• Author’s published works are translations of “Ibn Taymeeyah’s Essay on the Jinn”, and Arabic Calligraphy in Manuscripts.
• He has also co-authored “Polygamy in Islam” and authored “The Qur’aan’s Numerical Miracle – Hoax and Heresy”, “Evolution of Fiqh”, “Islamic law and The Madh-habs”, “Tafseer Soorah al-Hujuraat”, “The Ansar Cult”, “The Fundamentals of Tawheed”, “Hajj and ‘ Umrah According to Qur’aan and Sunnah”, “Islamic Studies (Book:1)”, and “Salvation Through Repentance”.
• Postal Address : P. O. Box 23424, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Tel (Res.): 339864 Tel (Off.): 445779 Fax: 323724 Pager: 91946608 Mobile No. 0097150-6264139 e-mail: alftah@emirates.net.ae; bilal17@bilalphilips.com

ABDUR RAHIM GREEN

• • Lanky, blonde, green-eyed, 33-years-old Abdur Rahim Green appears to be a character straight out of a Hollywood movie Ben Hur.
  • He was born to British parents in Darussalam in Tanzania in 1964.
  • He was educated at a famous Roman Catholic Monastic School called Ampleforth College and went on to study history in the London University. However, he left his education unfinished.
  • He was dissatisfied with Christianity since the age of eight.
  • He was practising Buddhism for nearly three years though he never formally embraced it.
  • His study of the Noble Qur’an immediately attracted him to Islam and he embraced Islam in 1988. He has been a Daw’ah practitioner in Britain since then.
  • He wears a look that instantly evokes comparison with the popular portrayal of the Prophet Jesus (Pbuh) in the imagery of Christian Europe.
  • He has two wives, both British-born Muslims of Indian origin and six children.
  • Currently, he is working with an Islamic media company based in England and engages himself in da’wah activities including lectures on Islam in London’s famous Hyde Park. He is well known for his efforts at the renowned “Speaker’s Corner” in London’s Hyde Park.
  • He also delivers talks and lectures for Muslims, and concentrates on the pure teaching to the say of Prophet Muhammad (May God’s peace and blessing be upon him), and the early Muslims.
  • Email : abuabdulla@aol.com

SHEIKH HUSSAIN YE

• Shaikh Hussain Ye is the President of Al Khadim Organization in Malaysia. He is a Malaysian national of Chinese descent. Although born into a Buddhist family, he embraced Islam at the age of 18 in 1968.

  He pursued further studies at the Islamic University of Madinah in Saudi Arabia majoring in Hadith. After graduating in 1978, he joined the Muslim Welfare Organization, ‘Perkin’, in Malaysia, which focuses on the well being of the new converts to Islam.  Later he seconded as director of Islamic centre in Hong Kong. With his vast experience in Islamic Social Welfare and Da’wah work, he founded Al Khadim with a group of volunteers in 1984.

  He also studied under one of the great scholars on Hadith of his time, Shaikh Muhammad Nasiruddin Al Albani. Today, Ustaz Muhammad Hussain Ye is a well-known personality in the Islamic world. He gives regular lectures in the Asia Pacific region and conducts a lot of summer camps in UK and Europe by the invitation of local and international organizations.

Dr. Jamal Badawi

• Dr. Jamal Badawi is the director of the Islamic Information Foundation, Halifax, Canada. Dr. Badawi is a professor of Management at Saint Mary University in Halifax.
• He has authored several books and articles on Islam and designed and participated in the production of nearly 350 half-hour segments of a TV series on Islam.
• He has lectured extensively in North America and abroad, and is an excellent speaker on a variety of topics including Islam & Christianity.
• He is expert in Christian-Muslim Dialogues.
• Dr. Badawi is also a member of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) Fiqh Council.
• Dr. Jamal Badawi is a Professor from St. Mary’s University, Canada. An Egyptian by birth, he obtained his Ph.D. in business Administration.
• Active in journalism and broadcasting he has had a series of programs concerning Islamic belief and practices shown on Canadian television throughout the world.
• President of the Islamic Information Foundation. Canada he is the author of a number of books and articles on Islam.
• Postal Address : Department of Management, Saint Mary’s University, Nova Scotia, Halifax B3H 3CE, Canada. Tel (Res.): 902-4452494 Tel (Off.): 902-4205776 Fax: 902-4205119

ABDULLAH HAKIM QUICK

• Abdullah Hakim Quick graduated with honors in Da’wah and Islamic sciences at the Islamic University of Madeenah. He has also studied at the University of Toronto where he achieved a Ph.D. (Philosophy) in West African History and an MA (Philosophy) in African History.
• He has been a consultant on African and Islamic exhibits for the Ontario Science Centre’s project, “A Question of Truth”
• He has appeared as a guest lecturer at York University (University of Toronto), and McGill University for the Departments of History, Women’s Studies, Geography, and Middle-East Islamic Studies.
• He was a regular columnist in the Life Section of Canada’s Largest newspaper, the Toronto Star.
• He has developed and facilitated workshops and training sessions for diverse organizations such as Children Aids Society, Family Service Association, The Canadian Churches Forum for Global Ministries, etc.
• Postal Address : President / Imam / Counsellor Islamic Social Servies & Resources Association (ISSRA)
2375 St. Clair Avenue West,
Toronto, Ontario, M6N 1K9, Canada.
Tel: 7679358 / 7671531 Fax: 7670328

YASIR FAZAGA

•Yassir Fazaga is an inspiring, multi-lingual speaker sought-after from USA through Canada to the Middle and Far East. He was born in Eritrea in Northeast Africa and moved to the United States at the age of 15. He has a Bachelors Degree in Islamic Studies from Imam Saud University, Institute of Islamic and Arabic Sciences in Virginia in addition to his Masters Degree in Psychotherapy from the California State University of Long Beach. At present, Shaikh Yassir is undertaking his Masters in Theology at Loyola Marymount University.

He serves as the Imam (Religious Leader) of the Orange County Islamic Foundation (OCIF) in Mission Viejo, California. He is involved as a therapist at FACES, where he helps families with different challenges in life which include: domestic violence issues, communication problems, marital matters, generational gap, difficult teens, some mental and personality disorders, divorce, grief, and single parenting among others.

Yassir Fazaga has taught the Arabic language and Islamic Sciences for the past eight years and has taught Islamic courses on Scriptural Exegesis, and Islamic financial contracts for American Open University.

Shaikh Yassir Fazaga has done numerous interviews about Islam on television news stations and radio stations around the globe. He speaks on Islam and related topics for conferences, churches, high schools, colleges and universities. He also participates on behalf of foundation in many outreach and interfaith events.

Shaikh Yassir Fazaga has this charismatic ability to instantly connect with audiences, through his lucid wit and profound wisdom, his timely humor and the warmth that his presence exudes.
Email:
yassirf@hotmail.com

IMAM SIRAJ WAHAJ

• Imaam Siraj Wahhaj is one of the most admired Muslim leaders and speakers in America.
• Once a minister for the Nation of Islam (NOI) in the early 70s, the Imam left upon discovering NOI’s differences from mainstream Islam.
• He is an accomplished Muslim activist MashaAllah, once leading a community-based anti-drug campaign in the Bedford-Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn, in which he staked out drug houses in the cold of winter for 40 days and nights, forcing the closure of 15 drug houses.
• In 1991 Imam Siraj Wahhaj offered an invocation (opening prayer) to the United States House of Representatives. He was the first Muslims to do so.
• He is the founder and Imaam of Masjid At Taqwa in Brooklyn, New York, and is currently serving as the elected leader of the Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA).
• He was the vice president of the Majlis as-Shura of New York. He has also served on the executive board of the Islamic Society of North America.
• Postal Address : Masjid At-Taqwa 1266 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11216, United States of America.
Tel (Res.): 622 0800 Fax: 857 8984

YUSUF ISLAM

He was born Steven Demetre Georgiou, in London, 21st July 1948. His mother was Swedish and his father was a Greek Cypriot restaurant owner, they lived in the centre of London and Steven went to Roman Catholic Primary School.

• Having left school at the age of 16 with an ‘A’ grade O-Level in Art, he entered Hammersmith Art Colleges and the following year, 1966, as ‘Cat Stevens’, he recorded his first single. From then right up to 1977 Cat Stevens composed and sang many hit records including ‘Mathew and Son’, ‘Here Comes My Baby’, ‘Wild World’, ‘Morning Has Broken and ‘Moonshadow’, selling approximately 40 million long playing records throughout the world.
• Following a bout of TB during his career, Cat Stevens undertook an ongoing search for peace and ultimate spiritual truth. This yearning often expressed in his songs and reflected through his investigations into eastern faiths such as Zen Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism and Astrology, resulted in this embracing the Islamic faith in December 1977. ‘Cat Stevens’ became Yusuf Islam.
• Since embracing Islam, Yusuf Islam has married and now has five children.
• He is a leading and active member of the Muslim community in Britain and is principally involved in three areas: Education of Muslim children, Da’wah to non-Muslim and Humanitarian Relief work. Among his well known projects can be listed the following :
• ISLAMIA SCHOOLS Islamia Primary School was founded by Brother Yusuf in October 1983, with 13 boys and girls between the ages of 3 and 4.
• The School grew in popularity, numbers increased very quickly and in the following year the waiting list exceeded one thousand.
• In 1989 he set up the Islamia Girls’ Secondary School, teaching up to GCSE examination level. This soon became top in local examination results and set a new standard for Muslim Schools in the UK. Today Islamia School’s Centre teaches over 430 pupils has recently expanded its activities to include A-Level courses for girls: Islamia 6th Form college.
• OTHER EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES Brother Yusuf is also Chairman of the United Kingdom Islamic Education Waqf (UKIEW) which offers financial help to Muslim schools. He is also Chairman of the Association of Muslim Schools which gives advice on educational matters and representation to over 40 schools in Britain.
• WAQF AL-BIRR EDUCATIONAL TRUST Waqf al-Birr Education Trust a registered UK Charity, was founded by Brother Yusuf Islam in 1992 specifically to cater for Da’wah as well as educational research and development.
• It is instrumental in providing expert advise and assistance to both new and well established Muslim schools in matter relating to staff recruitment, curriculum development and teacher training. This is done through its involvement with the International Board of Educational Research and Resources (IBERR).
• In September 1996 Waqf al-Birr opened its Brondesbury College for Boys in London. The college was founded by Brother Yusuf in recognition of the need for the provision of a board system of educational excellence, one that would meet the demands of parents who want their sons to have the necessary skills and moral qualities for tomorrow’s world. The school holds 125 boys of the secondary age.
• MOUNTAIN OF LIGHT – Mountain of Light was set up as a Company by Brother Yusuf Islam in December 1994, and its activities were fully operational by July 1995, its principle aim was to provide high quality Da’wah material, primarily in audio-visual form. Brother Yusuf turned his attention to studio work and this has resulted in an audio recording of his highly popular CD and cassette release of ‘Life of the Last Prophet’.
• This spoken- word production, which is designed for both Muslim and a non-Muslims listening public, is Brother Yusuf’s first official record since departing from the music business nearly twenty years ago. This latest production is a Book and CD / Cassette recording of ‘A is for Allah’, which teaches Islam.
• This spoken- word production, which is designed for both Muslim and a non-Muslims listening public, is Brother Yusuf’s first official record since departing from the music business nearly twenty years ago. This latest production is a Book and CD / Cassette recording of ‘A is for Allah’, which teaches Islam.
• RELIEF WORK Muslim Aid, an international aid agency, was established by Brother Yusuf Islam in 1985 in co-operation with other Muslim organisations, he being the founding Chairman.
• Its aim was to alleviate poverty and provide relief for the victims of wars and natural disasters. In 1994 / 1995 the organisation helped some 400,000 people in need around the world, distributing around £2 million in aid.
• Last year Brother Yusuf resigned his role as Chairman and left Muslim Aid, but is still very actively involved in Relief with his new charity Small Kindness which concentrate on orphans and families. He currently supports 2,500 orphans and children in Kosova and is supporting ‘100 – Homes’ building project in Turkey.
• Postal Address : 2 Digswell St, London N7 8JX, United Kingdom. Tel: 171-6076655 Fax: 171-7000425 e-mail: risala@yusufislam.org

IMAM MOKHTAR MAGRAOUI

• Imam Mokhtar received his doctorate in Physics from Syracuse University. He received his Islamic education in Algeria before coming to the U.S
• He has been an Imam in the state of New York and is a Central Shura Member of the Islamic Circle of North America.
• Dr. Maghraoui is counted among the well respected Muslim scholars in North America.

Email:
anazem@msn.com

SHABBIR ALI

• Brother Shabir Ally is currently the President of the Islamic Information and Da’wah Centre International, Toronto, Canada.
• He is a former student of Dr. Jamal Badawi, professor of economics at St. Mary’s University in Nova Scotia, Canada, who is considered the prominent Muslim debater dealing in Christianity. Like Dr. Jamal Badawi, Brother Shabir Ally is also an accomplished and experienced debater for Islam.
• He is presently pursuing a degree in Religious Studies in the area of comparative religion.
• He is the author of numerous booklets and articles on Islam and comparative religion.
• He has held debates with figures such as Tony Costa, Robert Morey, Sam Shamoun, Dr. Peter Atkins, Prof. Kenneth Howkins, Rev. Bill Musk and many more.
• He frequently delivers talks on Islam and comparative religion across Canada, United States and the United Kingdom.
• email : shabir.ally@afi.org.uk
website:http://www.members.home.net/shabirally/index.htm
http://www.islaminfo.com
• Postal Address : President Islamic Information and Da’wah Centre International 957 Dovercourt Road, Toronto, Ontario M6H 2X6, Canada.
Tel (Res.): 536 8433 Fax: 516 1543
e-mail: islaminfo@inforamp.net

YUSUF ESTES

• He was raised as a strong Protestant Christian, born in Ohio, raised and educated in Texas and was a successful marketing entrepreneur and preacher of Christianity.
• At present he is the National Muslim Chaplain for American Muslims, sponsored by a number of organizations in Washington, DC and delegate to the United Nations Peace Summit for Religious Leaders.
• He has travelled around the entire world lecturing and sharing the message of the Christ of the Quran in Islam.
• He hold dialogs and discussion groups with all faiths and enjoy the opportunity to work alongside of rabbis, ministers, preachers and priests everywhere. Most of the work is in the institutional area, military, universities and prisons.
• Primarily his goal is to educate and communicate the correct message of Islam and who the Muslims really are.
• Although Islam has grown now to tie Christianity as the largest of religions on earth, he see many of those who claim Islam as Muslims, that do not correctly understand nor properly represent the message of “Peace, Surrender and Obedience to God” (Arabic = ‘Islam’).
• Chaplain Estes is well known around the Muslim world for his efforts in bringing many new people to Islam. His articles on Islam in modern times, along with his work online with other Internet websites.
• Yusuf Estes sheikyusuf@aol.com; sheikyusuf@yahoo.com; islamtoday@usa.com; Yusuf@99islam.com.
National Chaplain for
Today Islam Project visit them at: http://www.TodayIslam.com/
& WAMY [World Assembly of Muslim Youth]
Visit WAMY at: http://www.wamy.org/

GARY MILLER

• Brother Gary R. Miller (ABDUL AHAD OMAR) is a mathematician and a theologian. Born in a Christian family, he was active in Christian missionary work in his youth. Later he discovered many inconsistencies in the Bible.
• In 1978, he happened to read the Qur’an expecting that it, too, would contain a mixture of truth and falsehood. To his surprise, the Qur’an did not contain any falsehood nor any discrepancy. Brother Gary Miller embraced Islam and became a Muslim.
• Brother Gary Miller (Abdul-Ahad Omar) has given several public presentations and radio and television appearances on Islam. He has also the authored several articles and publications on Islam.
• Postal Address : King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals
P. O. Box 192, Dhahran 31261,
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Tel (Res.): 8606915
Tel (Off.): 8602810
Fax: 8602340
e-mail: gmiller@dpc.kfupm.edu.sa

AHMAD VON DENFFER

• Ahmad Von Denffer was born in Germany in 1949.
• He completed his education on Islam & Social Anthropology from the University of Mainz.
• He is the honorary Vice-President of U.K. based International Council for Islamic Information.
• He is also the founding member of International Islamic Charitable Organization, Kuwait.
• Some of his published works include:
a) A Day with the Prophet
b) German Translation of “Nawawi’s Forty Hadith”
c) Islam for Children
d) Christians in the Qur’an and the Sunnah
e) Ulum Al-Qur’an: An Introduction to the Sciences of the Qur’an
f) Research in Islam: Basics, Principles & Practical Suggestions.

Dr. SHUAIB SAYYAD

• Though a medical practitioner by education, training and profession with over seven years of successful medical practice, Dr. Shuaib Sayyad joined the IRF in February 1997 and is the Manager (Research, Comparative Religion) and an Islamic orator at IRF.
• He had also been involved with the activities at IRF as an active and responsible volunteer since its inception.
• Dr Shuaib Sayyad handles the question and answer sessions at the weekly programmes at IRF in the absence of Dr. Zakir Naik. He has been a very active Da’wah worker since his college days.
• In the past couple of years, Dr. Shuaib Sayyad has been invited by several organizations in India and around the world to speak at public talks organized by them. These have been appreciated by audiences.
• He has delivered public talks in Bangalore, Surat, Pune, Calicut, Trichur, Cannanore, Jalgaon, Bijapur, Mangalore, and Amravati as well as in Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa, Mauritius, and Botswana.
• He has addressed a Christian Conference of over hundred and fifty pastors on the subjects, ’ Concept of Sin and Salvation in Islam’ and ’ Islam and Christianity’.
• He has had debates with Christian Missionaries in Bijapur and in Mumbai.
• Dr Shuaib has imparted Da’wah training to young Muslim students in Mumbai and Bangalore.
• He assisted Dr Zakir Naik as a co-faculty for the international Da’wah Training Programme conducted by IRF in July & August 1999.
• Email : questions@irf.net

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