Adapted from the book "Islam-e-Mustafa ﷺ" by Abu Hamzah Abdul Khaliq Siddiqi❖ Exclusive Call to Islam, Not to Other Religions
The Holy Qur’an commands the believers to call only towards the religion of Islam and not to any other faith. Allah ﷻ praises those who invite others to His worship and declares their speech as the best:﴿وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ قَوْلًا مِّمَّن دَعَا إِلَى اللَّهِ...﴾
[Fussilat: 33–34]
"And who is better in speech than one who calls to Allah, does righteous deeds, and says, 'Indeed, I am of the Muslims.' And not equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel evil with that which is better..."
According to the commentators of the Qur’an, the foremost recipients of this verse are:① The Prophets
② The Scholars
③ The Mujahideen
④ The Mu’adhins (callers to prayer)
⑤ The preachers of pure Tawheed and the Qur’an & Sunnah
(Tayseer al-Rahman, 2/1373)
❖ Command to Invite with Wisdom and Patience
Islamic preachers are instructed to use wisdom, excellent exhortation, and gentle argumentation in their mission:﴿ادْعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ...﴾
[An-Nahl: 125–126]
Imam Ibn Jarir at-Tabari (رحمه الله) explains:“Wisdom” here refers to the Qur’an and Sunnah, i.e., the method of dawah must be based on these two sources.
Fath al-Bayan states: “Wisdom is that clear and evident speech that dispels doubts and reveals the truth.”
❖ Du‘a of the Prophet ﷺ for Preachers
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ made a beautiful supplication for those who convey his message:"May Allah freshen the face of a person who hears something from us and conveys it as he heard it."
(Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith: 232 — authenticated by Al-Albani)
❖ Parable of the Preacher of Islam
The Prophet ﷺ gave a powerful analogy to describe those who learn and spread Islamic knowledge:"The example of the guidance and knowledge with which Allah has sent me is like abundant rain..."
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith: 79)
This parable categorizes people into:① Those who absorb and benefit
② Those who preserve for others
③ Those who are barren and gain nothing
❖ The Reward of Calling to Guidance
"Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to those who follow him, without their reward being diminished in any way."(Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 2674)
❖ Preaching as a Form of Ongoing Charity
"When a person dies, his deeds come to an end except for three: a continuous charity, beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child who prays for him."(Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 223)
❖ Condemnation of Mockery and Abandonment of Islam
Mocking Islam or its Prophet ﷺ is a grave crime. Sitting in gatherings where the Qur’an and Islam are mocked is strictly forbidden:﴿إِنَّكُمْ إِذًا مِّثْلُهُمْ﴾
[An-Nisa: 140]
“If you sit with them, you are like them.”
Imam al-Hakim states:Those who attend such gatherings approvingly are deemed disbelievers.
Ibn Jarir and others emphasize: This ruling applies to every innovator till the Day of Judgment.❖ Reproach of Following Desires over Divine Guidance
﴿أَفَرَأَيْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَٰهَهُ هَوَاهُ...﴾[Al-Jathiyah: 23]
"Have you seen the one who takes his desires as his god?"
The Qur’an rebukes those who abandon divine knowledge for worldly desires, likening them to a dog that pants regardless of action. Such scholars are termed 'Ulama as-Su’ (evil scholars), and are warned with severe consequences.❖ Final Words
Preaching Islam is a noble mission, commanded by Allah ﷻ, exemplified by the Prophets, and blessed by the Prophet ﷺ.It is a form of worship, a path to Paradise, and a shield against ignorance and deviation.
Every Muslim should strive to be a bearer of this responsibility with sincerity, wisdom, and patience.
