Giving Dawah to our Japanese Friends During Ramadan

Japanese Muslims has an article that gives some useful advice regarding dawah in Japan which is applicable to any society where atheism is strongly pursued:

"One way we can spread the message of Islam in a soft way is to get involved in our community wherever we live, in a positive way. The community does not need to be an Islamic community only. We can help the poor and the needy, the old and the orphan and the homeless and the people in suffering and the list goes on and on. These rightful acts of ours will Inshallah change the way we are looked by the non-Muslim community members around us.

 This becomes especially important in an atheist society like Japan where a certain stigma is involved in religious discussions. The Japanese people may not be very receptive to what you say about the Oneness of Allah, His most important attributes and Muhammad (May Allah be Pleased with him) being the final Messenger of Allah. However, they will be very positive if you become active in the community and extend help wherever it may be needed.

 This phenomenon has been especially very prevelant during the recent eqrthquake and the ensuing Tsunami and the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster."

Original article here.

Four Principles of Dawah by Juan Galvan

Texas Muslim Juan Galvan has an article at Islam for Today's site entitled "Four Principles of Dawah":

Four Principles of Dawah

Earlier this year, I asked a local Imam advice about dawah. He replied, "Sincerity. Intention. Tension. Manners. First, you must be sincere. Your intentions and actions must be only for the sake of God. Expect tension. Have manners."

1. Sincerity

"Say, Verily my prayer, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for God, the Lord of the Worlds." (Qur'an 6:162).

All our actions should be acts of worship. Sincerity ensures that your intentions and actions are only for the sake of God. Our actions must not be tainted by our own desires.

The work you're doing doesn't have worldly returns. Don't expect any worldly returns. If you always expect things and are waiting for things, you'll never get work done. You will never the get recognition you deserve. All actions are only to gain pleasure from God.

By ensuring our intentions are purely for God, we free ourselves from expectations of worldly rewards. We don't expect acknowledgement, wealth, anything. We are sacrificing our time purely for the religion without expectations.

"[Do not follow] the lust (of thy heart), for it will mislead thee from the Path of God." (Qur'an 38:26).

Race to do good deeds. Friendly competition benefits everyone. Ultimately, we are on the same side. This attitude helps lessen stress and dangerous levels of competition. Sometimes, you will work with people you neither trust nor admire.

A sincere Muslim does not deny anything that is known by necessity to be part of Islam. We cannot make something Halal that is Haram, or something Haram that is Halal. Sincerely repent after committing sins and avoid telling others to avoid setting a bad example. Sincere Muslims practice their religion and educate themselves.

Sincerity requires consistent actions around others and when alone. Respect and good-manners toward others should be sincere. We must be sincere toward everyone. Sincere Muslims should care about current problems and issues within the entire community. Islam is the true, universal religion of our Creator. God is All-Hearing, All-Knowing, All-Aware.

2. Intention.

Prophet Mohammed said: "Actions are only by intention, and every man shall only have what he intended." (Al-Bukhari and Muslim). Actions begin with an intention.

Intention gives you direction. Intention also allows you to quantify your actions. Many new Muslims want to help but have no idea where to start. State your intentions in clear terms. Set deadlines when possible.

Intentions guide actions. What actions do you need to take? What are your strengths and weaknesses? What sacrifices will you need to make? Time. Economic. Emotional.

Always, check your intentions. You may need to modify them. Be flexible. Check your intentions for sincerity. First things first. Prioritize. Learn to think in terms of one year, five years, and fifteen years from now.

Educate yourself. You can only teach up to what you know. No more and no less.

Consider whom you befriend. People want you to follow them. Do not blindly follow people. You may never fully trust the people you follow and/or lead. Know when to lead and when to follow.

"To each is a goal to which God turns him; then strive together (as in a race) towards all that is good. Wheresoever ye are, God will bring you together. For God Hath power over all things." (Qur'an 2:148).

Race to do good deeds. Set your intentions. People with similar interests will miraculously enter your life. When you take a step toward God, He will come running toward you.

"Invite (all) to the Way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious..." (Qur'an 16:124).

Analyze people and situations. Consider current knowledge, background, customs, and culture. Avoid using expressions and vocabulary unfamiliar to non-Muslims. Use little Arabic at first.

Begin by teaching the basics. Begin with Tawheed. Tawheed is the "Unification of Lordship, of Worship, and of His Names and Attributes." Don't confuse people. Explain what Tawheed means. We can't isolate ourselves from non-Latino Muslims and non-Muslims.

The three fundamental concepts of Islam are Tawheed, Prophethood, and Day of Judgment. Explain the Pillars of Faith. Explain the Pillars of Islam. Explain common misconceptions about Islam. People think you're a terrorist. Maybe.

3. Tension.

"How many of the prophets fought (in God's way), and with them (fought) large bands of godly men? But they never lost heart if they met with disaster in God's way, nor did they weaken (in will) nor give in. And God loves those who are firm and steadfast." (Qur'an 3:146).

Anyone who gives dawah will experience tension. You will be criticized. The more you do, the more criticism you will get. You will need to give advice, suggestions, and ask questions.

Expect tests and trials. Your patience will be tested. You will make mistakes. Learn from your mistakes. Don't give up. Read your tension. Tension often speaks to you.

Perform an action then leave the results in the hands of God. You can't control everything. God knows best. Patience. Everyone is busy; all the time. Only God knows what's in your heart.

Be committed. Make things happen. Next time, you'll get more volunteers. Remind people. We forget. Time is the most valuable asset you can give. People are your most valuable asset.

Prophet Mohammed would assign Muslims jobs according to their ability. We will not all be scholars, administrators, or heroes. Do your best with what is available.

"And in no wise covet those things in which God Hath bestowed His gifts more freely on some of you than on others." (Qur'an 4:32).

Don't be a hypocrite. You will be called a hypocrite. Don't burn bridges. You will burn bridges. Consequences come from our behavior. Don't be afraid to make decisions. Get advice and ask questions when appropriate. Listen.

We're on the same side. Seek to empower people rather than making them your slaves. The more you help others, the more they can do for themselves and others. That's freedom for everyone. Seek long-term friendships.

Everyone is a human with feelings and needs. Everyone thinks they are right. Watch your ego. Know when to let go of your pride.

4. Manners.

Abd Allah ibn 'Amr said, "Prophet Mohammed of God, upon him be peace, was never obscene or coarse. Rather, he used to tell us that the best among us were those with the best manners." (Bukhari).

I have emphasized manners throughout the other points.

Bad morals destroy society. People will avoid and humiliate you. No one will like your personality. Avoid people who have bad manners.

"Do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, those in need, neighbors who are of kin, neighbors who are strangers, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (ye meet), and what your right hands possess." (Qur'an 4:36).

People who follow the example of prophet Mohammed attract people. Be a role model. Be wise. Be patient. Be truthful. Be fair. Be courageous. Be considerate. Be just. Be generous. Be compassionate. Be forgiving. Be respectful.

May God guide us all. Surely, God is the best guide.

Muhammad Alshareef - Essential Da'wah techniques: How to give Da'wah

Da’wah to Elderly Parents

There is a useful post on the award-winning Sadaf's Space blog entitled: "Da’wah to Elderly Parents: a Challenging, Tedious Task". I loved the way this post begins with the example of the Prophet Ibrahim (AS) trying to save his father from indulging in shirk. The post then discusses some of the difficulties in making dawah to your own parents (particularly Muslim parents) and offers some solutions:

"This post is about warning parents, because conveying the message of Islam, particularly one containing warning and admonishment, is a tricky, sensitive issue when it comes to them. Every man knows how to command his wife to do something or abstain from something for the sake of Allah. Similarly, every mother knows how to scold her children to make them offer prayers or speak the truth.

What many people are too ignorant, unequipped, unconfident and unprepared to do, though, is warn their parents when the latter do something, even if it is something that is explicitly forbidden in Islam. "

You can read the full post here.

More Than Eighty Ways To Make Dawah

Muslim1st.com has an article entitled "More Than Eighty Ways To Make Dawah" which outlines how you can do this at home, in the masjid, at school and at work:

"It is from Allaah’s grace upon us in these times that there are many ways to give da‘wah (calling to Islaam) and sufficient opportunities for everyone to participate and benefit from its great rewards. One who calls to Islaam is obliged to choose the most suitable way for those whom he or she calls. Furthermore, the caller has to vary these methods according to the particular circumstances he finds himself in, as Prophet Noah and the prophets before him did.

The responsibility of the caller is to be aware of the various forms of invitation in order to facilitate his work. The caller should also direct his invitation to everyone, including his immediate family, relatives, servants, guests, neighbors, colleagues and his friends. He should also be aware of the various locations where the invitation can be given like mosques, prayer halls, schools, hospitals, prisons, parks, beaches and recreational areas, Hajj tents, hotels, residences, airports, bus stations, banquet halls, shopping centers, market places, barbershops, public buses, offices, lunch rooms, cafeterias, and restaurants. Places where new comers to the country frequent such as passport offices, duty free shopping areas, immigration offices, post offices, traffic police offices, police stations, tourist bureau, information counters in the various governmental departments and embassies.

Cooperation in da‘wah is also important as there are many others striving to give the invitation whose skills and experience may benefit you and yours may benefit them. Learning from their experiences will help you to be more creative and upgrade your knowledge and da‘wah skills. Consequently, the caller should eagerly encourage others to collaborate with others in da‘wah and to give their utmost in serving the religion, whether they are from his family or not. Futhermore, he or she should utilize a variety of da‘wah materials and advertisements to recruit others to this noble cause by jointly printing books, pamphlets, and brochures, as well as copying tapes, CDs, video tapes, etc. and distributing them as widely as possible within his or her circle of friends as well as outside of the circle."

Read the full article with the 80+ ways of giving described here.

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Islam's Green on Ways to Make Dawah

Brother Abdur-Raheem Green's blog Islam's Green has some useful articles on ways to make dawah:

101 ways to give Dawah
Lists ways that we can make dawah in every day life like through youth work, sports and engaging with schools. So far the list is at 71, so readers suggestions are welcome.

Da’wah from the comfort of your home!
This is an article taken from Sisters magazine and written by Fatima Barkatulla and gives some excellent examples of ways that sisters can make dawah.

The Invitation - A new era in Dawa, inshallah!
Explores what is dawah and some of the reasons it is so important.

Advice for "I wanna be a diaee"
In this post brother Abdur-Raheem Green publishes his reponse to a brother seeking advice about how to give dawah.

E-Dawah

Islam for Today has an article entitled "E-Dawah: Fundamentals and Methods" by Juan Galvan which explains how Muslims can use modern technology to share the message of Islam:

"The Internet is revolutionizing the everyday life of ordinary people. Many Muslims do not recognize the unique opportunity the Internet offers for conveying Islam. Many nonMuslims searching for truth also benefit from the Internet. The Internet will never replace face-to-face dawah and direct mailing of Islamic literature, but the Internet will continue to broaden dawah opportunities in new ways that benefit both Muslims and non-Muslims. With the growth of the Internet, we have seen an amazing growth of business conducted over the Internet, or E-Commerce. I want to encourage using the Internet to convey the guidance of Islam, or E-Dawah. I want to explain specific ways we can use the Internet to propagate Islam. This article is only meant to be a starting point."

You can read the full article here.

21 Techniques for Dawah

Khutbah.com has an excellent article by Shaykh Muhmmad AlShareef entitled "Humanity’s Teacher: 21 Teaching Techniques of the Prophet". This outlines some of the different ways that our beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) passed on knowledge of the faith to his companions and how these methods might be used by us today to pass on that same knowledge and engage in dawah:

"So how does learning these teaching techniques benefit you? First, when you understand these techniques, you are better able to grasp what is being said. Now when you come across a hadith that you are already familiar with, you will be able to recognize the teaching technnique being used by the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam and it will help you in both your learning and teaching of the information.

Secondly, when you gain knowledge about the techniques of RasulAllah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam and you see how beautiful they are, it will increase your love for RasulAllah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam. If you notice for example, in the hadith of the man who urinated in the masjid, everybody got angry at him except the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam. And in the end of the story, because of the way the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam taught him, the man raised his hands and said, “Oh Allah, forgive me and forgive Muhammad and don’t forgive anyone else after this.” This is how much he loved the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam for the way he taught him and in sha Allah, when you learn the techniques of RasulAllah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam, your love for him will also increase.

Another benefit of learning these techniques is their effect on our da’wah efforts. Something interesting I have noticed is that so many people, including Muslims, constantly buy lottery tickets hoping to win the jackpot and never feel sad again. The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said:

“If one person gets guided on your hands, it is better for you than a red she-camel.”

This means that it is better for you than the dunya and everything in it. So in today’s terms, if the jackpot is three hundred million dollars, giving da’wah is your way to win it, and the odds are not one in twenty-five million; rather they are very good, in sha Allah.

For people who are involved in da’wah, learning the teaching techniques enables them to recognize when and how to apply these techniques. As a result, when people approach them to talk about Islam, they will be better able to convey the message of Islam to others.

Another benefit of learning the techniques is that it may be related to your work. Someone may be teaching at a Saturday or Sunday school or even at a full time Islamic school and may have knowledge of sciences, math, or literature, but not necessarily knowledge of Islam. Some of these techniques are taught in schools of education today. But these ‘modern’ teaching techniques are actually teachniques that the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam taught us; they are actually techniques of the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam that you’ll find in ahadith. When a teacher knows how to correctly use these techniques, it reflects well on himself, as the parents see that their child is understanding and is changing. That in turn also reflects that the school is able to touch the children and it brings more benefit to the entire system that is striving to educate."

You can read the full article which explains each of the techniques, it's benefits and how to apply them here.