Invite to the Way of your Lord

Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon prophet Muhammad, and all of his house hold and companions.

I met a man from the Philippines who was once a priest and evangelist then Allah guided him to Islam. What do you think he did after Allah guided him to Islam? He started inviting his nationals to Islam and helped 4,000 persons to embrace it in a few number of years. One would wonder how many persons will join Islam at the hands of these 4,000, and the reward of the first caller to Islam will continue to double until the Day of Resurrection. May he enjoy such a blessing.

The messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "One who guides to something good has a reward similar to that of its doer."

Imam al-Nawawi noted out about guiding, "Guiding to good can be done through words, gestures or writing."

My fellow Muslim brother, calling others to worshipping Allah is among the best acts of obedience and the best ways to draw closer to Allah. Call to Islam requires wholehearted devotion, sincerity, hard work and patience; these qualities are essential for spreading Islam and sticking up for it. Allah says: " O you who covers himself [with a garment], (1) Arise and warn" [Al-Muddathir 74:1-2]
 

Transliteration: Ya ayyuha almuddaththiru (1) Qum faanthir

If the followers of Islam do not carry out this task, who is there to do it for them?

The Muslim must realize that his being a Muslim is a favor from Allah; He is the One Who showed Muslims to the right way. Ibn ul-Qayyim said: "Calling people to Allah is the assignment of the messengers and their followers."

My fellow Muslim brother, the one who offers others a book is a da'ee, one who gives a tape as a gift is a da'ee, one who teaches others is a da'ee, one who guides others to good is a da'ee, one who puts forth useful words is a da'ee. All praise and thanks be to Allah, there are various methods within everyone's reach to be a da'ee. Whenever your determination is weakened recall to your memory the huge reward and the precious fruits that the caller to Allah will reap. Some of them are:

Following the footsteps of the prophets:

“Say, "This is my way; I invite to Allah with insight, I and those who follow me. " [Yusuf 12: 108]
 

Transliteration: Qul hathihi sabeelee adAAoo ila Allahi AAala baseeratin ana wamani ittabaAAanee

Al-Farraa' said: "It's the duty of the one who follows prophet Muhammad -peace and blessings be upon him- to invite others to the same things that the prophet had invited them to, and preach the Quran and good admonition."

It is proof that a person is hastening to do good acts and obtain the reward of Allah. Allah -the All Mighty- praised the people who call to Islam saying:”"And who is better in speech than one who invites to Allah” [Fussilat 41: 33]
 

Transliteration: Waman ahsanu qawlan mimman daAAa ila Allahi

Al-Shawkani said: "There is nothing better than doing this act, nor is there a road clearer than its road, nor is there a reward bigger than its reward."

In doing da'wa one is seeking to obtain many good deeds recorded for him in return to the slightest effort he exerts. Prophet Muhammad brought good news to the da'ees when he said: "One who guides to something good has a reward similar to that of its doer." [Narrated by Muslim]
 

If you guide a person to Islam, you will receive reward for all the good works he does, such as prayers and fast, and it will not diminish the convert's own reward the least bit. If you guide a man to do Hajj properly, you will receive a reward equal to his. This is a magnificent wide-open gateway to good, paved for those whom Allah swt grants help success.

Da'wa helps one to reach success. This is one of the fruits which the doer of da'wa will certainly receive. Allah says: " And those who strive for Us - We will surely guide them to Our ways."[Al-Ankaboot 29: 69]
 

Transliteration: Waallatheena jahadoo feena lanahdiyannahum subulana

Al-Baghawi said, "They are those who strive against the disbelievers to aid the religion."

More than others, doers of da'wa cherish hopes of having a righteous progeny. Having a righteous progeny is a dear blessing in earthly life and in the hereafter. Allah wouldn't leave good-doers without a reward. Allah says: "And let those [executors and guardians] fear [injustice] as if they [themselves] had left weak offspring behind and feared for them. So let them fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice." [Al-Nisaa' 4: 9]
 

Translieration: Walyakhsha allatheena law tarakoo min khalfihim thurriyyatan diAAafan khafoo AAalayhim falyattaqoo Allaha walyaqooloo qawlan sadeedan

One great form of speaking right words; is calling to Allah the All Mighty.

Another fruit of doing da'wa is augmenting the weight of good deeds on the Scale in the Last Day. Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said: "One who guides to something good has a reward similar to that of its doer." [Narrated by Muslim]
 

Al-Nawawi said, "One who starts a good practice will be rewarded for it and will receive a reward equal to that of those who will do it until the Day of Resurrection."

Taking up the assignment of inviting to Allah is a reason for success and prosperity in this life and the hereafter. Allah the All mighty says: “By time, (1) Indeed, mankind is in loss, (2) Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience. [Al-Asr 103: 1-3]
 

Transliteration: WaalAAasri (1) Inna alinsana lafee khusrin (2) Illa allatheena amanoo waAAamiloo alssalihati watawasaw bialhaqqi watawasaw bialssabri

Inviting to the way of Allah helps to bring victory against the enemies. Allah said: " O you who have believed, if you support Allah, He will support you and plant firmly your feet." [Muhammad 47: 7]
 

Transliteration: Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo in tansuroo Allaha yansurkum wayuthabbit aqdamakum

The reason is that through the instrumentality of da'wa, Allah will be worshiped in the same way He prescribed to His servants and many evils will be eliminated. The nation will be able to maintain its dignity and head toward victory.

Through calling others to Allah the highest ranks are attained. Sheikh Abdul-Rahman el-Saa'di said, "The level of practicing da'wa can reach its peak with as-siddiqueen (the steadfast in affirming truth), who work to perfect themselves and others. They are, in all conscience, the successors of the messengers."

Allah, His angels and the inhabitants of the heaven and the earth send their salah (prayer) on the one who teaches people good things. He takes part in transmitting authentic knowledge to coming generations. The prophet of Allah swt said: "Allah, His angels and the inhabitants of heavens and earth; nay, even the ant in its hole and the whales in the sea, pray for the one who teaches people what is good.” [Narrated by al-Tirmizi]
 

Taking up the assignment of da'wa raises the status of the da'ee in this life and the other. Ibn-ul Qayyim said, "The best grade a creature may acquire before Allah is the grade of messengership and prophethood for the cause of spreading His word. Allah chooses messengers from among men and angels."

One of the fruits of da'wa is that the da'ee continues to receive reward for his da'wa after he passes away. Prophet Muhammad -peace and blessings be upon him- said: "Whoever introduces a good practice (in Islam) he will receive a reward like the one who follows it during his life or after his death until it is abandoned." [Declared authentic by Al-Albani]
 

He also said: "When a man dies, all of his deeds are terminated except for three types: "one of these types is "knowledge given by him from which others benefit".
 

The da'ee will attain the love of his Lord for embarking upon the task of spreading His religion and delivering His message. When he heard the verse, “And who is better in speech than one who invites to Allah and does righteousness and says, "Indeed, I am of the Muslims."” [Fussilat 41: 33]

Transliteration: Waman ahsanu qawlan mimman daAAa ila Allahi waAAamila salihan waqala innanee mina almuslimeena

Al-Hasan said: "It is about the believer who answers Allah's call, then invites people to that call which he had answered, and does righteous deeds after he answers Allah's call. Such is the beloved by God, such is the walei of God (the protected and helped by God). "

Among the most lovable fruits of da'wa which pleases the soul, brings relief to it and helps one to face hardships is the supplication of prophet Muhammad -peace and blessings be upon him-for those who transmit his words to others: "May Allah brighten the face of a person who hears my words and conveys them to others" [Narrated by Ibn Majah]
 

Congratulations to the lucky for whom this supplication will become true.

One of the things which enable the da'ee to do da'wa with diligence is the following supplication of the prophet -peace and blessings be upon him-: " May Allah brighten the face of a person who hears a saying from me, memorizes it to convey it to others" [Narrated by Ahmad]
 

Means of conveyance are widely available, such as well-prepared books or tapes. I remember a person who used to work in a Muslim country for years and then returned home. No one invited him to Islam during this period. After a year he found another job opportunity in company for rented apartment maintenance, and he went back to the same country. He said: "One day I found a small brochure left on the kitchen table after the tenant has left. It contained information about Islam. This brochure was for me a point of departure. I started searching and posing questions about Islam until I finally embraced it and so did my parents and wife. Now I'm trying to convince the rest of my family members of Islam." What kind of joy the compiler of this brochure would feel on the Day of Judgment when he finds this family and other ones making the balance of his good deeds heavy?

Another ripe fruit of da'wa to Allah is that it is considered a kind of charity. Allah says: “Who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them,” [Al-Baqarah 2:3]
 

Transliteration: Allatheena yuminoona bialghaybi wayuqeemoona alssalata wamimma razaqnahum yunfiqoona

Al-Hasan commented on this verse saying: "One of the best kinds of charity is giving knowledge."

I pray that Allah makes us among the callers to His religion and to grant us sincerity in word and deed.


Daar Al- Qasim
Kindom of Saudi Arabia
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