📚 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.
