Calling people to Allah is a duty and a glorious mission because it means calling people to worship Allah Alone.
It aims at bringing them forth from darkness to light, planting goodness instead of evil and truth instead of falsehood.
Hence, whoever intends to do dawah needs to have knowledge, understanding, patience, forbearance, gentleness, and kindness.
Allah Says:
{اُدۡعُ اِلٰى سَبِيۡلِ رَبِّكَ بِالۡحِكۡمَةِ وَالۡمَوۡعِظَةِ الۡحَسَنَةِ وَجَادِلۡهُمۡ بِالَّتِىۡ هِىَ اَحۡسَنُؕ اِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ اَعۡلَمُ بِمَنۡ ضَلَّ عَنۡ سَبِيۡلِهٖ وَهُوَ اَعۡلَمُ بِالۡمُهۡتَدِيۡنَ}
Interpretation of the meaning: “Invite all to the Way of your Lord with wisdom and kind advice, and only debate with them in the best manner. Surely your Lord alone knows best who has strayed from His Way and who is ˹rightly˺ guided.”
[Quran, 16:125]
How can you effectively and adequately give dawah (inviting people to Islam)?
1- Niyyah (Intention):
When giving dawah, one must have pure intentions and seek Allah’s pleasure rather than worldly benefits.
Every action must stem from sincere intentions.
Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates:
I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, say: “Actions are (judged) by motives (niyyah), so each man will have what he intended. Thus, he whose migration (hijrah) was to Allah and His Messenger, his migration is to Allah and His Messenger; but he whose migration was for some worldly thing he might gain, or for a wife he might marry, his migration is to that for which he migrated.”
[Al-Bukhari & Muslim]
2- Show the Best Manners:
A positive attitude and a friendly disposition can help you win people over. Let us take the example of Prophet Muhammad; peace be upon him, the Messenger of Allah.
Many of the earliest converts to Islam were fascinated not only by the message that he delivered but also by his personality.
His humility, truthfulness, and kindness, peace be upon him, were unparalleled, which made people fond of him.
Notably, many of his staunch opponents accepted Islam simply because – despite their hostility towards him – the Prophet, peace be upon him, treated them with the utmost respect and kindness.
3- Preach what is right:
One will be held responsible for knowingly teaching non-Muslims incorrect information, resulting in sin.
Teaching them the basics before moving on to more advanced topics is essential.
It is reported on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas that Mu’adh said:
The Messenger of Allah sent me (as a governor of Yemen) and (at the time of departure) instructed me thus:
You will soon find yourself in a community one among the people of the Book, so first call them to testify that there is no god but Allah, that I (Muhammad) am the messenger of Allah, and if they accept this, then tell them Allah has enjoined upon them five prayers during the day and the night and if they receive it, then tell them that Allah has made Zakat obligatory for them that it should be collected from the rich and distributed among the poor, and if they agree to it don’t pick up (as a share of Zakat) the best of their wealth. Beware of the supplication of the oppressed, for there is no barrier between him and Allah—[Muslim]
4- Don’t Do a Comparative Analysis:
When giving dawah (inviting people to Islam) to a non-Muslim, it is essential to be polite to the teachings of the religion.
Criticizing something someone is passionate about can put them on the defensive and cause them to shut down or condemn you and your beliefs.
It is crucial to approach the conversation respectfully and kindly to create a safe space for dialogue and understanding and showcase the kind teachings of what you stand for.
5- Invite them to Islamic Events:
When Umar, may Allah be pleased with him (Before becoming a Muslim), was on his way to kill the Prophet, peace be upon him, he overheard his sister reciting the Quran.
The words moved him so much that he accepted Islam. This shows the power of the Quran and how it can impact people’s lives.
To help non-Muslims understand the religion better, exposing them to what Muslims do is essential.
If the non-believers are members of your family, One way to do this is to play or recite the Quran in the house.
Even if they don’t understand the meaning at first, hearing the recitation of the Quran can become a soothing sound.
You can also invite them to Islamic events, charity programs, khutbah (sermons), and other places where they can hear the message of Islam from someone else and interact with Muslims.
These experiences can help them to learn more about Islam and become more comfortable with it.
6- Sabr(Patience):
When giving dawah, it is crucial to have patience and tolerance towards all the things that you might encounter.
We should remember the hardships faced by our beloved Prophet Muhammad; peace be upon him while preaching the message of Islam.
He remained patient despite being called foul names, and Allah Almighty helped him.
Allah Says:
{وَٱصۡبِرۡ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَٱهۡجُرۡهُمۡ هَجۡرٗا جَمِيلٗا}
Interpretation of the meaning: “And be patient over what they say and avoid them with gracious avoidance.”
[Quran, 73:10]
Remember that immediate results may not be visible when giving dawah (Inviting People to Islam).
People often need time to consider the significant change of converting to Islam and accepting Allah’s teachings.
So, it’s expected that one will require time to think about their decision and weigh their choices.
And always remember:
“You surely cannot guide whoever you like ˹O Prophet˺, but it is Allah Who guides whoever He wills…”
(interpretation of the meaning) [Quran, 28:56]