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What is the requirements, manners & method of giving Dawah to Islam? Please provide evidences from the Qur'an, Hadith & the salaf
How to give Dawah?
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Requirements, Manners and Method of Giving Da‘wah
Giving da‘wah is a noble act of worship and a responsibility upon the ummah. Its method is not left to personal opinion. It must follow the Qur’an, Sunnah and the understanding of the Salaf.
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1. Requirements for the One Giving Da‘wah
A. Correct Aqidah
Da‘wah must be based upon Tawhid and the creed of the Salaf.
Allah said:
﴿ قُلْ هَـذِهِ سَبِيلِي أَدْعُو إِلَى اللَّهِ عَلَى بَصِيرَةٍ ﴾
“Say: This is my path; I call to Allah upon clear insight.”
Reference: Qur'an 12:108
Basirah means: sound knowledge and correct belief.
B. Knowledge of what one is calling to
A person may not speak about Allah without knowledge.
﴿ وَلَا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ ﴾
“Do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge.”
Reference: Qur'an 17:36
Ibn al-Mubarak رحمه الله said:
الإسناد من الدين، ولولا الإسناد لقال من شاء ما شاء
“Isnad is part of the religion. If not for isnad, anyone could say whatever they wished.”
Reference: Muqaddimah Sahih Muslim
C. Acting upon what one calls to
The Salaf would not give da‘wah while contradicting their own words.
Allah said:
﴿ أَتَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبِرِّ وَتَنْسَوْنَ أَنْفُسَكُمْ ﴾
“Do you command people to righteousness while forgetting yourselves?”
Reference: Qur'an 2:44
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2. Manners of the Da‘i
A. Patience
Da‘wah requires sabr.
Allah said to His Prophet ﷺ:
﴿ وَاصْبِرْ عَلَى مَا يَقُولُونَ ﴾
“Be patient over what they say.”
Reference: Qur'an 73:10
B. Gentleness
Gentleness is a requirement unless harshness is legislated.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
إِنَّ الرِّفْقَ لَا يَكُونُ فِي شَيْءٍ إِلَّا زَانَهُ
“Gentleness is not found in anything except that it beautifies it.”
Reference: Sahih Muslim: 2594
Even Musa and Harun were commanded to speak mildly to Fir‘awn:
﴿ فَقُولَا لَهُ قَوْلًا لَيِّنًا ﴾
“Speak to him with gentle speech.”
Reference: Qur'an 20:44
C. Wisdom
Allah commanded:
﴿ ادْعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ ﴾
“Call to the path of your Lord with wisdom.”
Reference: Qur'an 16:125
Wisdom includes:
- knowing the right time
- knowing the right audience
- prioritizing the most important matters
D. Sincerity
Da‘wah must be purely for Allah.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
إِنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ
“Actions are only by intentions.”
Reference: Sahih al Bukhari: 1
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3. The Method of Da‘wah According to Qur’an, Sunnah and the Salaf
A. Begin with Tawhid before anything else
This is the method of all prophets.
Allah said:
﴿ وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَسُولًا أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُوا الطَّاغُوتَ ﴾
“We certainly sent to every nation a messenger saying: Worship Allah and avoid the taghut.”
Reference: Qur'an 16:36
The Prophet ﷺ sent Mu‘adh to Yemen and said:
فَلْيَكُنْ أَوَّلَ مَا تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَيْهِ أَنْ يُوَحِّدُوا اللَّهَ
“Let the first thing you call them to be the oneness of Allah.”
Reference: Sahih al Bukhari: 7372
This shows the priority of Tawhid above all else.
B. Teach the obligations next
After Tawhid, the Prophet ﷺ instructed Mu‘adh:
فَأَعْلِمْهُمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ افْتَرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ خَمْسَ صَلَوَاتٍ
“Then inform them that Allah has obligated five prayers...”
Reference: Sahih al Bukhari: 7372
This establishes the principle of gradual teaching.
C. Using Qur’an and Sunnah as the foundation
Da‘wah is not built on personal opinions.
Allah said:
﴿ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ قَوْلًا مِمَّنْ دَعَا إِلَى اللَّهِ ﴾
“Who is better in speech than one who calls to Allah...”
Reference: Qur'an 41:33
Meaning: calling to His revelation, not innovations or desires.
D. The Da‘i avoids arguing and unnecessary disputation
The Salaf hated excessive argumentation.
Al Awza‘i رحمه الله said:
إذا أراد الله بقوم شراً فتح عليهم باب الجدل، ومنعهم العمل
“When Allah intends evil for a people, He opens for them the door of arguing and prevents them from acting.”
Reference: Jami‘ Bayan al ‘Ilm: 2/118
The Prophet ﷺ said:
مَا ضَلَّ قَوْمٌ بَعْدَ هُدًى كَانُوا عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا أُوتُوا الْجَدَلَ
“A people do not go astray after being upon guidance except that they become given to arguing.”
Reference: Sunan al Tirmidhi: 3253
E. Calling to the Sunnah and warning from Bid‘ah
This is a foundation of the Salaf.
Ibn Sirin رحمه الله said:
كَانُوا لَا يَسْأَلُونَ عَنِ الْإِسْنَادِ، فَلَمَّا وَقَعَتِ الْفِتْنَةُ قَالُوا سَمُّوا لَنَا رِجَالَكُمْ
“They used to not ask about isnad, but when fitnah appeared they said: Name your narrators.”
Reference: Muqaddimah Sahih Muslim
The purpose: protecting the religion from innovations and false beliefs.
F. Prioritizing rectification of creed and manners before political speech
The Salaf focused on internal purification, not revolutions, activism or political agitation.
Ibn al Qayyim رحمه الله said:
إصلاح القلوب قبل إصلاح الأعمال
“Rectifying the hearts comes before rectifying actions.”
Reference: Madarij al Salikin: 1/446
