Question:
As Salam Alaikum wr wb,
I want to discuss a big problem going around internet. Many modern daees claims that giving Dawah is individual responsibility and most important responsibility of a Muslim. They quote a hadith that we should convey knowledge even if we know a verse. From this they claim that one doesn’t have to be a scholar, student of knowledge or trained Daee but anyone can give dawah. From this many individual who have no knowledge of aqeedah, arabic, tajweed and many have not even read Quran becomes a daees. They stop seeking necessary knowledge and go for useless stuff like scientific miracles. They just have watched video of popular daees and they starts to give dawah based on that. What latter happened with most of them when they encounter doubt from non-muslims they comes up with weird interpretations of Islamic text, becomes hadith rejector and even apostate from Islam.
I want to discuss that
1)Is dawah a responsibility of a scholars/students or everyone?
2)what are prerequisites of giving dawah.
3)and how laymen should be involve in Dawah.
Inshallah I will post that to my blog.
JazakAllahKhair.
Reply:
Shaykh ‘Uthaymeen gave advice as follows:
بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
“As for the lay person, then he must not call to Allaah if he does not have knowledge.
Rather, it is essential to have knowledge, in accordance to the statement of Allaah the Most High:
قُلۡ هَـٰذِهِۦ سَبِيلِىٓ أَدۡعُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ*ۚ عَلَىٰ بَصِيرَةٍ
“Say: This is my path, I call unto Allaah upon sure knowledge.”
So the callers to Allaah must start with knowledge.
Whosoever calls to Allaah without knowledge, then such a person will cause greater harm than good – as is evident.
So it is obligatory upon a person to first acquire knowledge, then to give da’wah.
As for the clear evils, and that which is clearly good, then the good is enjoined and the evil prohibited.”
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Shaykh Al-Albani (Rahimahullāh):
“…I reject the use of the word “da’wah” amongst the male youth by them making it seem like they are from the people of da’wah – as if the word da’wah has become the fashion of modern times. So every individual that knows something about the Religion becomes a Da’ee (caller to Islaam)!…”
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Shaykh Rabee’ ibn Haadee al-Madkhalee said :
“The one who does not call to Tawheed and the correction of the Aqeedah, is like the one who seeks to cure a body whose head has been cut off, since the place of the Aqeedah in the religion is like the head with regards to the body.”[Al-manhaj al-Anbiyaa fee Da’wah ill-Allaah]
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Not everyone is fit for Da’wah, and not everyone who has enthusiasm is right for Da’wah. Enthusiasm coupled with ignorance brings harm and does not benefit.
Shaykh Salih Al-Fawzan, Al-Ajwibat-ul-Mufeedah, p.79.
