In Islam, understanding, loving, and emulating the character of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is one of the most significant aspects of our faith.
This is evident when we recite Shahadah, which comprises two inseparable parts: the belief that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Prophet Muhammad is His last prophet and messenger.
It is important to note that dawah (inviting people to Islam) is the practice of the Messenger Muhammad; peace be upon him and his followers.
Allah says:
{قُلۡ هَـٰذِهِۦ سَبِیلِیۤ أَدۡعُوۤا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِۚ عَلَىٰ بَصِیرَةٍ أَنَا۠ وَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَنِیۖ وَسُبۡحَـٰنَ ٱللَّهِ وَمَاۤ أَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِینَ}
Interpretation of the meaning: “Say [O Muhammad]: ‘This is my way; I invite to Allah with insight, I and those who follow me. And exalted is Allah; and I am not of those who associate others with him.’”
[Quran, 12:108]
The Prophet’s Dawah was in Stages:
In the Prophet, peace be upon him; we have the best example of how to call people to Islam.
He followed a gradual approach in phases, with unwavering determination and will, until Islam became deeply rooted in the Arabic community and began to spread to neighboring countries.
The first phase: Secret Dawah
At the start of his mission – the Prophet, peace be upon him – invited people to Islam individually and in secret, focusing on the Shahadah, faith, and heart-purification.
After three years of constant efforts, a small community of sincere believers emerged who had unwavering faith and detached themselves from the deceptive pleasures and desires of life.
Second Phase: Open Dawah
Allah commanded the Prophet to openly spread his message to the people of Makkah, especially his relatives and tribe.
However, this led to persecution of the early followers of Islam, and many of them had to flee to Ethiopia. Despite this, Islam continued to grow stronger.
Third Phase: Dawah Beyond Makkah
Towards the end of the 10th year, Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, formed a treaty of alliance with the people of Madinah, and Muslims began migrating there.
This migration marked a significant turning point in Islamic history, as a new Muslim society was established, and a state based on Islamic principles emerged, which gained power, respect, and influence.
Fourth Phase: Dawah Beyond Arabia
After the peace treaty of Al-Hudaibiyah, Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, intensified his ceaseless efforts to propagate the Islamic Dawah beyond Arabia.
He initiated correspondence with kings and princes of neighboring countries to spread the message of Islam.
Five prophetic methodologies and principles:
The Prophet, peace be upon him, employed specific methods in calling to Allah, which can be summarized in five directions.
1. Actions speak louder than words:
A Muslim should lead by example before inviting others to embrace Islam. They should display good actions and manners before calling people to follow Islamic laws.
People are more influenced by actions and behaviors than mere words and statements.
Allah says:
{أَتَأۡمُرُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ بِٱلۡبِرِّ وَتَنسَوۡنَ أَنفُسَكُمۡ وَأَنتُمۡ تَتۡلُونَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَۚ أَفَلَا تَعۡقِلُونَ}
Interpretation of the meaning: “Do you order righteousness of the people and forget yourselves while you recite the Scripture? Then will you not reason?”
[Quran, 2:44]
Allah also directly addressed the believers, asking for:
{يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنوا لِمَ تَقولونَ ما لا تَفعَلونَ}
Interpretation of the meaning: “O you who believe, why do you say what you do not do?”
[Quran, 61:02]
2. Give glad tidings or rewards before mentioning Allah’s warnings:
When advising people, it is recommended to first give them good news or tips before warning them of potential consequences.
This approach is exemplified in the Quran, where the Prophet is described as a giver of glad tidings before a warner to humanity.
Similarly, when the Prophet, peace be upon him, sent Abu Moosa al-Ash’aree and Mu’adh ibn Jaba, may Allah be pleased with them,l to Yemen, he instructed them to make things easy for people, give them good news and not be overly strict. Muslims need to use this same approach when inviting others to Islam.
Rather than focusing solely on the potential consequences of not following the religion, one should also emphasize the many benefits of embracing Islam.
Overall, the key is to begin by offering rewards and good news and, if necessary, move on to warnings and punishments.
When you read the Quran, you will find that Allah combines glad tidings of reward with the threat of punishment.
However, Allah brings the glad tidings of the reward before the threat of punishment.
Allah says:
{وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَـٰكَ إِلَّا كَآفَّةًۭ لِّلنَّاسِ بَشِيرًۭا وَنَذِيرًۭا وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ}
Interpretation of the meaning: “We have not sent you (O Muhammad) except as a Giver of glad tidings and a Warner to all mankind, but most of men know not”
[Quran, 34:28]
3. Moderation in giving dawah and being careful of going to extremes:
Every person who calls to Islam should maintain restraint in their approach. Neither excessive rigidity nor total leniency will benefit the cause of dawah.
Unfortunately, some preachers begin with extreme positions, such as declaring someone a non-believer or accusing them of sin and disobedience, which is not helpful.
It is essential to follow a moderate methodology of assessing situations, people, ideologies, intentions, and objectives.
4. Small steps at a time:
The Quran and the Prophet, peace be upon him, teach us to share our beliefs gradually.
Let’s start with the most essential ideas and add more details later.
It’s crucial to prioritize and understand the teachings of our religion before sharing them with others.
This gradual approach is shown in the story of Mu’adh Ibn Jabal, may Allah be pleased with him, when the Prophet, peace be upon him, sent him to Yemen.
He first taught the people to worship Allah alone and then added information about prayers and Zakat.
The laws of Islam were revealed in stages over several years. Most were revealed in Madinah after the Prophet; peace be upon him, had taught his followers the correct beliefs in Makkah for 13 years.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, used this gradual approach to call people to Islam.
5. Connect people to the truth and do not connect them to individuals and personalities:
To be a successful Muslim preacher, it’s essential to connect people to the truth. This means helping them connect with Allah and His religion instead of specific individuals, personalities, or parties.
That’s why the focus should be on the sacred texts, which provide the basis for the faith.
It’s essential to rely on scholars who call for the truth to understand the Sacred Texts.
They have inherited this knowledge from the Prophets through learning and studying.
The prophet invited people to Islam, starting with his family and extending to the entire Arabian Peninsula.
He used consistent, reasonable, and realistic methods that were successful. He gathered a group of believers around him and created a community that spread his message to other lands.
As the Messenger of Allah, he sent letters to neighboring states to invite them to join. His call to Islam spread rapidly over the following centuries.