Is Dawah Obligatory?
Posted by: "Mohammad Usman" musman@kindasa.com usmankkkk
Date: Sun Jul 6, 2008 9:07 pm

Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace,
Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.


I have a question about DAWAH. Few days back I was watching a question
answer session with Dr. Naik from India. I do not know what the question
was but the answer Dr. Naik gave, makes me worried and think about
myself. He said that to enter Janna every body has to be judged on four
criteria's.
1.Shahada
2.Good deeds(include prayer, hajj, charity, zakat etc)
3.DA` WAAH

4. I did not remember.

According to him if any body who is not doing any DA`WAH to non Muslims
he will not be able to enter JANNAH do not matter how good he is in other
things like praying, charity, Zakat etc.

Now I am very much worried about my self after listening to him as I
lack very much in that area. I am not saying that I am very good in
other area but at least I tried in those areas. But for DAWA I did talk
to my family, friends and relatives if I saw that they are doing some
thing not according to Islamic laws. But I did not give DA`WAH to
non-Muslims.


I hope you understand my question. I want to know your opinion in this
regard. Please help me as I am too much worried about my self hereafter
on the day of JUDGMENT when every body have stand infront OF ALL MIGHTY
ALLAHA.

JAZAK ALLAH



(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above
statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments
and statements received from our readers for circulation in
confidentiality.)

Answer:
Is Dawa Tabligh Obligatory

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His
forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He
allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that
there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam,
no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness
that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His
Messengers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale Imran verse 110:

110 Ye (believers) are the best of peoples evolved for mankind,
enjoining what is right forbidding what is wrong and believing in Allah.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 22 Surah Hajj verse 78:

78 And strive in His cause as ye ought to strive (with sincerity
and under discipline): He has chosen you and has imposed no difficulties
on you in religion; it is the cult of your father Abraham. It is He Who
has named you Muslims both before and in this (Quran); that the
Messenger may be a witness for you, and ye be witnesses for mankind! So
establish regular Prayer give regular Charity and hold fast to Allah! He
is your Protector, the Best to protect and the Best to help!

Dear and Beloved brother in Islam, there is absolutely no doubt that
'Dawa' or the propagation of the Truth to mankind is an obligatory duty
and responsibility that the Lord Most Merciful has laid upon every
person who sincerely believes in Him and the Last Day.

If one has been blessed and honored by the Merciful Lord to be guided to
the Truth of Al-Islam, it would indeed be extremely selfish or rather
unnatural for him to keep this Truth to himself! Once true 'Eemaan' or
faith in the Truth of Allah Subhanah and His Message has entered one's
heart, it is not possible for the person to contain or hide this within
himself; but his condition will be that he would go out of his way to
invite all who care to listen to good caution to the Truth.



Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 66 Surah Tahreem verse 6:

O you who have believed, save yourselves and your families from a Fire
whose fuel shall be men and stones; over which shall be appointed
fierce and stern angels, who never disobey Allah's Command, and they
only do as they are commanded!

In the above Aayah of the Glorious Quran, Allah Subhanah commands the
believers to first and foremost save oneself and their families from the
Eternal Fire of Hell by submitting to Him. That would be an obligatory
(fard) duty on each and every individual who believes.

Furthermore, Allah has guided the whole Ummah or nation of believers to
invite all mankind to the Truth of Al-Islam in the best and most polite
manner; and named it amongst the best deeds one can do.

Allah says in the Holy Quran: Chapter 16, Surah An-Nahl Ayat 125:

Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and excellent admonition and
argue with people in the best manner. Your Lord knows best who has gone
astray from His Way and who is Rightly guided.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 41 Surah Fussilat verse 33:

Who is better in speech than one who calls (men) to Allah, works
righteousness, and says "I am of those who bow in Islam?"

Doing 'Dawah' does not necessarily mean that every person has to go
give a speech, or write books, or stand in the streets and invite
everyone who passes by! If one simply submits his will to Allah
Subhanah and strives to abide by all the laws of Allah and His Messenger
(saws), and gives each human being his due rights in full; it would
indeed be considered a great source of Dawah. For nothing melts the
hearts of a human being than the interaction of another human being; and
when one who does not believe realizes that a person who calls himself a
muslim has such high morals, and character, and manners, and
integrity...he will automatically be attracted to the way of life that
is followed by the true believer; and that in itself would fulfill the
obligatory duty of 'Dawa'; albeit at it lowest level.

Beloved Brother in Islam, Allah Alone knows in what context the question
was asked to Dr. Brother Zakir Naik and in what context our respected
and beloved brother answered that question; and it may also be a
possibility that you did not hear or comprehend the answer in the
context in which it was given.


Talhah ibn 'Ubaidullah narrated that a bedouin with unkempt hair came to
the Messenger of Allah (saws) and said, "O Messenger of Allah (saws),
inform me of what Allah has made obligatory on me as regards praying."
He said, "Five prayers, unless you do others voluntarily." He asked the
Prophet (saws) to inform him about fasting, and he said, "The fast of
Ramadan, unless you do others voluntarily." Then he asked him about
charity...and the Messenger of Allah (saws) informed him of the Islamic
legislations on zakah. The bedouin then said, "By the One who has
honored you, I shall not voluntarily add anything to it, nor shall I be
deficient in what Allah has ordered me to do." The Messenger of Allah
(saws) then said, "He will enter Paradise if he is truthful (to what he
said)." (Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.)


Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.480 Narrated by Abu Huraira

A desert arab came to the Prophet (saws) and said, "Tell me of such a
deed as will make me enter Paradise, if I do it." The Prophet (saws)
said, "Worship Allah, and worship none along with Him, offer the (five)
prescribed compulsory prayers perfectly, pay the compulsory Zakat, and
fast the month of Ramadan." The Bedouin said, "By Him, in Whose Hands my
life is, I will not do more than this." When he (the Bedouin) left, the
Prophet (saws) said, "Whoever likes to see a man of Paradise, then he
may look at this man."

The acts that automatically render all ones deeds vain and fruitless in
the Sight of Allah as listed in the Quran are the acts of 'shirk'
(associating other gods with Allah Subhanah), 'kufr' (disbelief),
'nifaaq' (hypocricy), and apostasy (declaring disbelief after accepting
faith).

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah Zumar verse 65-66:

If you commit 'shirk' all your works will be rendered vain and you will
be among the losers. Therefore, you should worship Allah Alone, and
be among His grateful servants.


Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 47 Surah Muhammad verses 8-9:

8 But those who reject (Allah) for them is destruction and
(Allah) will render their deeds astray (from their mark).

9 That is because they hate the Revelation of Allah; so He has
made their deeds fruitless.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verses 18-19:

18 Verily Allah knows those (hypocrites) among you who keep back
(men) and those who say to their brethren "Come along to us" but come
not to the fight except for just a little while.

19 Covetous over you. Then when fear comes thou wilt see them
looking to thee their eyes revolving like (those of) one over whom
hovers death: but when the fear is past they will smite you with sharp
tongues covetous of goods. Such men have no faith and so Allah has made
their deeds of none effect: and that is easy for Allah.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 47 Surah Muhammad verses 28:

28 This because they (the apostates) followed that which called
forth the Wrath of Allah and they hated Allah's good pleasure; so He
made their deeds of no effect.


Thus in conclusion my beloved brother, it would be prudent if you could
revisit and recheck in what context did our respected brother and
teacher Dr. Zakir Naik said this statement, if indeed he did say it as
understood by you. Brother Dr. Zakir Naik is a personal friend and we
assure you that I will discuss this topic with him when I am blessed
with the opportunity to meet with him Insha Allah; and if there is
anything to add we will write back to you again, if Allah Wills.


Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah's Assistance
and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows
Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,
Burhan
Source: www.q&a@islamhelpline.com