Only and only the invitation of Islam Mustafa peace be upon him:
Allah Almighty’s Holy Quran has commanded only and only the invitation to Islam, and has not commanded the invitation to other religions. And He said, who can have better speech than the one who invites people to worship only one Allah, that is, those who invite to the Quran and Sunnah are considered the best. Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ قَوْلًا مِّمَّن دَعَا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا وَقَالَ إِنَّنِي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ. وَلَا تَسْتَوِي الْحَسَنَةُ وَلَا السَّيِّئَةُ ۚ ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ فَإِذَا الَّذِي بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ عَدَاوَةٌ كَأَنَّهُ وَلِيٌّ حَمِيمٌ﴾
“And who is better in speech than one who invites to Allah and does righteousness and says, ‘Indeed, I am of the Muslims.’ And not equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel [evil] by that [deed] which is better; and thereupon the one whom between you and him is enmity [will become] as though he was a devoted friend.”
The commentators write that the primary exemplars of this verse are first the Prophets, then the scholars, then the Mujahideen, then the callers to prayer (Mu’adhdhin), and then those who invite purely to monotheism and the Quran and Sunnah.
The command to invite to Islam in the best manner:
The callers to Islam have been commanded to invite to Islam in a good and excellent manner. And in this path, they should show patience in trials, hardships, and sufferings. Allah Almighty says:
﴿ادْعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ ۖ وَجَادِلْهُم بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِ ۖ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ.وَإِنْ عَاقَبْتُمْ فَعَاقِبُوا بِمِثْلِ مَا عُوقِبْتُم بِهِ ۖ وَلَئِن صَبَرْتُمْ لَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لِّلصَّابِرِينَ.﴾
“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. And if you punish [an enemy, O believers], punish with an equivalent of that with which you were harmed. But if you are patient – it is better for those who are patient.”
In the above Quranic verse, Allah the Exalted commanded the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) to invite people to His religion, indeed to Islam, with wisdom and knowledge.
The commentator Ibn Jarir al-Tabari (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: “By ‘wisdom’ is meant the Quran and Sunnah. That is, the method of invitation should be determined in the light of these two.” (Tafsir Ibn Jarir, under the verse)
The author of Fath al-Bayan states that “wisdom” means such a correct and clear statement that clarifies the truth and removes every doubt and suspicion.
And “good admonition” means such good speech that the listener likes and benefits from. But if the caller to Allah faces a harsh and quarrelsome opponent, then to explain the truth before him, he should adopt a disputational style. وَجَادِلْهُم بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ points to this, meaning to speak gently with such reasoned words that his evil is suppressed and he becomes ready to accept the truth.
Then it is stated that if a person does not accept the invitation to Islam, then you should not be upset at all, because guiding is not your task. Allah Almighty knows best who will remain misguided and who will accept guidance, and on the Day of Judgment, He will recompense everyone according to their guidance or misguidance. You have been commanded to invite only so that the proof is complete and no excuse remains for the disbelievers.
Furthermore, the callers to Islam are commanded that if they come across non-Muslims, first invite them to accept the truth, and if they refuse and do not pay the jizya, then fight them. If the time comes to take revenge from enemies, do not exceed limits in taking revenge, and it is better that the one who has been wronged should be patient and act with forgiveness and pardon.
Sayyiduna Ubada bin Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates in a Marfu’ (Prophetic) report: “I am telling you something, so whoever among you is present should convey it to those who are absent.”
The Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) Prayer for the Preacher of Islam:
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) in Sunan Ibn Majah: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
نضر الله امرأ سمع منا شيئا فبلغه كما سمعه
Al-Muhaddith Al-Albani has declared it authentic.
“May Allah keep alive the person who hears something from me and then conveys it exactly as he heard it.”
The Example of One Who Invites to Islam:
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
مثل ما بعثني الله به من الهدى والعلم كمثل الغيث الكثير أصاب أرضا ، فكان منها نقية قبلت الماء فأنبتت الكلأ والعشب الكثير، وكانت منها أجادب، أمسكت الماء فنفع الله بها الناس فشربوا وسقوا وزرعوا، وأصابت منها طائفة أخرى، إنما هي قيعان لا تمسك ماء ولا تنبت كلا، فذلك مثل من فقه فى دين الله ونفعه ما بعثني الله به فعلم وعلم ومثل من لم يرفع بذلك رأسا ولم يقبل هدى الله الذى أرسلت به
“The example of the one whom Allah has guided and given knowledge to me is like a heavy rain that fell on the earth. Some parts of it absorbed the water and produced grass and much vegetation. Some parts were quite hard and retained the water. Then Allah benefited the people from it. People drank from it, gave drink to others, and grazed their livestock (i.e., cultivated from it). And some parts were barren land. It neither retained water nor grew grass (like a smooth rock where water falls and flows away). This is the example of the one who understood Allah’s religion and Allah benefited him. He took what was given to me and acquired knowledge himself and taught others. And the one who did not raise his head towards it (i.e., did not pay attention) and did not accept Allah’s guidance which I was sent with.”
I want to ignite every candle of the heart with hidden burning,
In your dark nights, I will leave it illuminated.
Reward and Merit for the Preacher of Islam:
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
من دعا إلى هدى كان له من الأجر مثل أجور من تبعه، لا ينقص ذلك من آثامهم شيئا
Whoever invites someone to the path of guidance will receive the same reward and merit as the one who acts upon it, but their reward will not be diminished in any way. And whoever calls to misguidance will bear the same sin as the one who acts upon it, but their sins will not be diminished in any way.
Preaching Islam is a Continuous Charity:
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
إذا مات الإنسان انقطع عنه عمله إلا من ثلاثة، إلا من صدقة جارية، أو علم ينتفع به، أو ولد صالح يدعوله
“When a person dies, his deeds come to an end except for three: ongoing charity, knowledge from which benefit is derived, or righteous offspring who pray for him.”
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: O Allah! Have mercy on my successors. The Companions asked: O Messenger of Allah! Who are your successors? He said: Those who will narrate my hadiths and teach them to people.
Learning Islam is a cause of reward and blessing:
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
ومن يرد الله به خيرا يفقهه فى الدين
“And whomsoever Allah intends good for, He grants him understanding of the religion.”
It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha Siddiqah (may Allah be pleased with her) that every creature, including the fish of the sea, prays for the one who teaches goodness.
Nothing should become an obstacle in the propagation of Islam:
Allah Almighty sent the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, as His Prophet and Messenger. This great blessing required that he never abandon the recitation of the Holy Quran, acting upon it, and preaching it, and that he invite people to the Oneness of their Lord and to follow His Islamic Shariah. Accordingly, he did exactly that. Allah Almighty commanded this in the following words:
﴿وَلَا يَصُدُّنَّكَ عَنْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ بَعْدَ إِذْ أُنزِلَتْ إِلَيْكَ ۖ وَادْعُ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ ۖ وَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ﴾
“And let not the disbelievers avert you from the verses of Allah after they have been revealed to you, and invite [people] to your Lord, and do not be among the polytheists.”
Qadi Baydawi, may Allah have mercy on him, writes: Since it is inconceivable to associate polytheism with the Prophet, peace be upon him, so as to prevent him from preaching, this means to utterly disappoint the polytheists so that they will in no way support the polytheistic actions of the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him. End
Prohibition of mocking the religion of Islam:
Mocking the religion of Islam is forbidden. Those who mock Islam and the Prophet of Islam, it is a great sin even to associate with their gatherings. Allah Almighty has said:
﴿وَقَدْ نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الْكِتَابِ أَنْ إِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ يُكْفَرُ بِهَا وَيُسْتَهْزَأُ بِهَا فَلَا تَقْعُدُوا مَعَهُمْ حَتَّىٰ يَخُوضُوا فِي حَدِيثٍ غَيْرِهِ ۚ إِنَّكُمْ إِذًا مِّثْلُهُمْ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ جَامِعُ الْمُنَافِقِينَ وَالْكَافِرِينَ فِي جَهَنَّمَ جَمِيعًا﴾
“And Allah has revealed in the Book that when you hear the verses of Allah being denied and mocked, do not sit with them until they engage in some other talk. Otherwise, you would be like them. Indeed, Allah will gather the hypocrites and disbelievers in Hell all together.”
The polytheists of Makkah used to mock Islam in their gatherings, so Allah, the Lord of Glory, forbade the Muslims from attending their assemblies and revealed the verse of Surah Al-An’am (68):
﴿وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ الَّذِينَ يَخُوضُونَ فِي آيَاتِنَا فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ حَتَّىٰ يَخُوضُوا فِي حَدِيثٍ غَيْرِهِ ۚ وَإِمَّا يُنسِيَنَّكَ الشَّيْطَانُ فَلَا تَقْعُدْ بَعْدَ الذِّكْرَىٰ مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ﴾
“And when you see those who engage in [offensive] discourse concerning Our verses, then turn away from them until they enter into another conversation. And if Satan causes you to forget, then do not remain after the reminder with the wrongdoing people.”
After the revelation of this noble verse, the Muslims stopped attending the gatherings of the disbelievers. When the Muslims migrated to Madinah, they began sitting in the assemblies of the Jews and hypocrites, where the Jews mocked Islam. Then this verse was revealed reminding the Muslims that Allah had already commanded in the Quran not to sit in gatherings where the disbelievers mocked the Quran, because attending their assemblies is a sign of your approval of the denial and mockery of Allah’s verses, and thus you become like them deserving of disbelief and the punishment of Hell. Allah further said that “Allah will gather the hypocrites and disbelievers in Hell.”
Imam Hakim (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “There is no prohibition for Islamic scholars to attend the assemblies of atheists and opponents of Islam for the purpose of debate; rather, they will be rewarded. But if in any gathering Allah, His Messenger, or Islam is mocked and a person is pleased with it, he becomes a disbeliever, because Allah said: ﴿إِنَّكُمْ إِذًا مِّثْلُهُمْ﴾ meaning ‘you will be like them.’ End.”
The commentator Ibn Jarir (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated the statement of Dhahhak (may Allah have mercy on him) that every person who innovates something new (bid’ah) in Islam will be included under this verse until the Day of Judgment. End. (Tafsir Ibn Jarir, under the verse)
Allama Shawkani (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote that since the Quran uses general terms and not specific causes, it is obligatory to avoid every place and situation where the evidences of Shariah are mocked. For example, a blind follower who accepts people’s opinions instead of the Quran and Sunnah, and when he sees a scholar arguing with Quran and Sunnah on this issue, he mocks him and convinces people that he has committed a great sin by opposing their religious leader, whom they have given the status of the teacher of the Shariah, the Prophet (peace be upon him). It is necessary to avoid such people’s gatherings. End.
And in Surah At-Tawbah it is stated:
﴿يَحْذَرُ الْمُنَافِقُونَ أَن تُنَزَّلَ عَلَيْهِمْ سُورَةٌ تُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ ۚ قُلِ اسْتَهْزِئُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ مُخْرِجٌ مَّا تَحْذَرُونَ.وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ إِنَّمَا كُنَّا نَخُوضُ وَنَلْعَبُ ۚ قُلْ أَبِاللَّهِ وَآيَاتِهِ وَرَسُولِهِ كُنتُمْ تَسْتَهْزِئُونَ.لَا تَعْتَذِرُوا قَدْ كَفَرْتُم بَعْدَ إِيمَانِكُمْ ۚ إِن نَّعْفُ عَن طَائِفَةٍ مِّنكُمْ نُعَذِّبْ طَائِفَةً بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا مُجْرِمِينَ.﴾
“The hypocrites fear that a surah will be revealed about them, exposing what is in their hearts. Say, ‘Mock [as you wish]; indeed, Allah will expose that which you fear.’ And if you ask them, they will surely say, ‘We were only conversing and joking.’ Say, ‘Is it Allah and His verses and His Messenger that you were mocking?’ Make no excuse; you have disbelieved after your belief. If We pardon one faction of you, We will punish another faction because they were criminals.”
Ibn Abi Shaybah, Ibn al-Mundhir, and others narrated from Imam Mujahid (may Allah have mercy on him) that when the hypocrites spoke among themselves against the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and the Muslims, they feared that Allah might inform Muhammad of their words. Another narration states that a hypocrite said, “I wish we were given a hundred lashes and a Quran was revealed about us exposing our secrets,” and this verse was revealed. Allah threatened them, saying mock Islam and the Muslims as much as you want, but know that Allah will expose all your wickedness and hypocrisy. End.
Abu Nu’aym (may Allah have mercy on him) in “Hilyat al-Awliya” narrated from Shurayh ibn Ubayd, and Allama Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abi Hatim, Ibn Mardawayh, and others narrated from Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) regarding the occasion of revelation of this verse. The summary is that a man (probably Abdullah ibn Ubayy al-Ansari) said in a gathering during the Battle of Tabuk, “We have not seen anyone more lying and cowardly than these reciters.” The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) heard this and the Quran was revealed. That man was running holding the bridle of the Prophet’s she-camel, while people were throwing stones at him, and he was saying, “O Messenger of Allah! We were only chatting.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) was being told, “Did you mock Allah, His verses, and His Messenger?” End.
Those who mock Islam and the Prophet (peace be upon him) will face painful punishment. Allah said:
﴿ذَٰلِكَ جَزَاؤُهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ بِمَا كَفَرُوا وَاتَّخَذُوا آيَاتِي وَرُسُلِي هُزُوًا﴾
“Their recompense will be Hell, for they denied Our verses and were heedless of them.”
Condemnation of abandoning Islam and following carnal desires:
Allah Almighty has condemned those people to whom He gave the knowledge of the heavenly book, which required them to benefit from the proofs and evidences contained therein, establish their relationship with Allah Almighty, and adopt a life of reform and piety. But the matter turned out the opposite; they denied Allah Almighty for the sake of worldly temporary benefit, cast aside the revealed book behind their backs, and distanced themselves from it as if a snake sheds its skin and goes away. When they reached such a state, Satan trapped them and made them his friends and companions, leading them into the dense darkness of misguidance and error. Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَاتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَأَ الَّذِي آتَيْنَاهُ آيَاتِنَا فَانسَلَخَ مِنْهَا فَأَتْبَعَهُ الشَّيْطَانُ فَكَانَ مِنَ الْغَاوِينَ.وَلَوْ شِئْنَا لَرَفَعْنَاهُ بِهَا وَلَٰكِنَّهُ أَخْلَدَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ ۚ فَمَثَلُهُ كَمَثَلِ الْكَلْبِ إِن تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْهِ يَلْهَثْ أَوْ تَتْرُكْهُ يَلْهَث ۚ ذَّٰلِكَ مَثَلُ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا ۚ فَاقْصُصِ الْقَصَصَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ.﴾
“And recite to them the news of him to whom We gave Our signs, but he detached himself from them; so Satan followed him up and he became of the deviators. And if We had willed, We could have elevated him thereby, but he adhered to the earth and followed his own desire. So his example is like that of a dog: if you chase him, he pants, or if you leave him, he pants. That is the example of the people who denied Our signs. So relate the stories that perhaps they will give thought.”
This noble verse contains a great warning for the evil scholars who forget the Hereafter for the sake of the temporary pleasures of this world and become engrossed only in this world. May Allah Almighty protect all the scholars of Islam from becoming an example of this verse.
Abu Uthman Nisaburi, may Allah have mercy on him, said: Whoever makes the Sunnah sovereign over himself in word and deed, wisdom begins to flow from his tongue; and whoever makes the desires of the self sovereign over his words and deeds, innovation flows from his tongue.
Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
لو كان الدين بالر أى لكان أسفل الخف أولى بالمسح من أعلاه
Al-Muhaddith Al-Albani declared it authentic.
“If religion were a matter of intellect, then wiping over the socks from above would be better than wiping from underneath.”
This blessed hadith also condemns giving precedence to the desires of the self over Islam. Describing the exalted status of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, Allah Almighty said:
﴿وَالنَّجْمِ إِذَا هَوَىٰ. مَا ضَلَّ صَاحِبُكُمْ وَمَا غَوَىٰ. وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ.﴾
“By the star when it descends, your companion (i.e., the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him) has not strayed, nor has he erred, nor does he speak from his own desire.”
Whoever follows the desires of the self and disregards Islam, according to the Holy Quran, has made his desires his god. Allah says:
﴿أَفَرَأَيْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَٰهَهُ هَوَاهُ وَأَضَلَّهُ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ وَخَتَمَ عَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَجَعَلَ عَلَىٰ بَصَرِهِ غِشَاوَةً فَمَن يَهْدِيهِ مِن بَعْدِ اللَّهِ ۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ﴾
“Have you seen the one who has taken his desire as his god? Then would you be responsible for him?”
“And Allah has sent a seal upon his hearing and his heart and put a veil over his vision. So who will guide him after Allah? Then will you not be reminded?”
If the desires of the self prevail over the love of Allah Almighty, it disrupts monotheism; if monotheism were not disrupted, this expression would not have been used that he made his desires his god.
Some of the Salaf said:
من شغلك عن الله فهو صنمك
“Whoever distracts you from the remembrance of Allah is your idol.”
