Ethics of Al-Da'iah
Prepared by:Salman bin Fahd AlAwdah.
Original language:Arabic.
Publishing house:Dar-Alwatan, P.O.Box 3310 Riyadh, Tel:+966-1-4644659.
Publishing date:1411H/1991G.
A Message from the AuthorPreface
1- Prayers for Noble Conduct
2- To Perfect the Noble Conduct
3- A Muslim and a Da'iah
4- The Noble Manners of the Da'iah
Truthfulness
1- Truthfulness in Shouldering Islam
2- Truthfulness in Sayings
3- Truthfulness in Deeds
PatienceModesty
Modesty with the Superiors
Modesty with Peers
Modesty with the Lessers
Modesty and Work admiration
Modesty and Accepting Advise
Justice
Justice with enemies and friends
Justice in Evaluating Books
Justice in judging Islamic Da’wah and Islamic Movements
Justice in Viewing Da’wah Works and Efforts
Justice in Treatment of Shari’a Texts
Justice in the Overall Look at Islam
Justice with reality
Justice in Dealing with the Difference (AlKhilaf)
Live Feeling
Ambition
Conclusion
Ethics of Al-Da'iah
A Message from the Author
In the Name of Allah most Gracious mostMerciful
This Islamic awakening is inseparable fromus; its glory is ours, its victory is ours and we are most fortunate to be partof it. It is not fit for an able Muslim to only feel fortunate and have no morecontribution. We need this feeling to be positive and to translate into aconstructive word, a sincere advice or a successful consideration. The guidanceof the Islamic awakening is not a matter within the capacity of individuals butit's the responsibility of all. I urge you to contribute positively andseriously to this blessed series before its fruits are picked by others.
Salman bin Fahd AlAwdah
Live Feeling
We are in need of Da'iahs who have burninghearts over the sad realities all over the world of Islam and Muslims, whosympathize with their brothers, and who materialize in themselves the meaning of"being strong against unbelievers but compassionate amongst each other" as Allah(Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) described the companions of the prophet (peace be uponhim). These Da'iahs must be very different from the Kharijis (An old group ofMuslims who deviated by considering that sinful Muslims will be in Hell forever.They used to kill Muslims who do not agree with them in their beliefs, but letunbelievers pass by them safely) who were strong against the Muslims andpermissive with the idolaters.
The believer is required tomaterialize in himself the saying of the prophet (peace be upon him):“ Thesimilitude of believers in regard to mutual love, affection, and fellow feelingis that of one body; when any limb of it aches, the whole body aches because ofsleeplessness and fever”(AlBukhari 6011, Muslim 2585, AlTirmithi 1929)and“ A believers like a brick for another believer, the one supportingthe other”(AlBukhari 6011, Muslim 2586).
We needDa'iahs who feel pain when they know of a misfortune happening to their brotherseven if they had some deficiencies, sins, or Bida’ah.
A goodexample of such Da'iah is sheikh Mohammad Rasheed Ridha. Sadness can be seenclearly on his face when a calamity hits a Muslim while happiness would shineout if it is otherwise. If he got sad, his mother would ask him: What happenedmy son, did a Muslim die in China? She knew that sadness and happiness of herson were linked to that of Muslims. He would be happy when Muslims were happyand he would be sad if it was the other way around. This is what we can call thealliance to Muslims.
A part of this live feeling is to havea heart that gets sad for Muslims when they indulge in sin or when they deviatefrom the right path. Instead of allowing this to detach him from them, he willbe like the physician trying to save them or at least minimize their deviationsor wrong doings.
This live feeling should require thebeliever to be protective of himself, his wife, and his children by enjoiningwhat is right, forbidding what is evil, and preventing what will displeasesAllah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala).
Many are the Da'iahs who speakabout Islam, but the ones with true live feelings are only a few. This feelingwhen it moves in the heart of the Da'iah, it will produce guidance, sincerity,and sharing of pain with Muslims anywhere, but when this feeling is missing thenit means one will live only for himself and his family, enjoying life around himand forgetting about Muslims concerns. At this stage, he is abandoning hisloyalty to the believers even if he speaks about Da’wah, Da'iahs, andmisfortunes of Muslims because he becomes like the hired mourner.
There are many who got used to repeating talks in theoccasions, and memorizing phrases that they hear and say without enthusiasm orlove for this religion or its followers.
Oh, How much thisnation needs burning hearts!
Justice
Justice is a general term which means beingin the middle. Muslims are at this position; and in particular Ahl AlSunnah waAlJamaah are being in the middle in all their matters without exception; theygive every one his rights. Justice has many domains and many forms. Here wepresent some important pictures of justice.
Justice with enemies and friends
It is common that people usually tend tomention their friends with praise that they may be unworthy of and theiropponents with derogation, which may have no real basis.
Isit possible for the Da'iah to speak about the shortcomings of people closest tohim who agree with his way and method or the shortcomings of a partner workingwith him to complete some task? Can he sincerely speak about the merits ofsomeone who is in difference with him in some issues? If the Da'iah can do so,then he has realized justice in this respect. Unfortunately, the opposite is thecommon practice; many people are being unjust with their opponents when theyblame them of flaws they are free from, and being unjust with their friends whenthey praise them with merits they lack. The latter would appear as an act offriendship, but, in fact, it is an act of injustice and derogation because thisfriend will have a lower status in the eyes of others when they discover that hedoes not have such merits.
Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala)ordered us to be just even with enemies:“ And let not the hatred ofothers to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that isnext to piety”(Meaning of Quran 5:8). It is sad that even when we acceptthis advice from Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), we do not put it in practice. Assoon as we find someone has done what we think is a mistake, we degrade him andturn our attention away from him. In many instances, the many merits of someonewill obliterate his few shortcomings and the many shortcomings will obliteratethe merits. The matter is actually worse; In many occasions, It is the few flawsthat make us forget the many merits, which is contradictory to the Shari’a rulethat states: if the water amounts to two jars then impurities (or scum) can beneglected.
Justice in Evaluating Books
It is not just to state what are negativeabout a book and not mention its positive sides. For example, you say that thebook contains weak or not authentic hadeeths and that it has some strangeopinions meanwhile you ignore to mention the good scientific research and theuseful ideas it may have. Stating half the truth and ignoring the other half isa departure from honesty.
When a mistake is found in a book,as quoting a weak hadeeth or having a fault in discussing a case, you will findmany people losing trust in the book and warning others about it. If we dealwith books of scholars using this criterion we will be left with no books toread. Take for example Saheeh AlBukhari, The most authenticated book after theQuran. Is it absolutely perfect? No, Some parts are left blank, some topics werestated without reporting any hadeeth, and some hadeeths either had broken chainof narrators or had differences in the narration.
ExcludingQuran, any book will have some sort of imperfection; therefore, justice requirespresenting both its negative and the positive sides.
Justice in judging Islamic Da’wah and Islamic Movements
Since the fall of the Islamic Caliphate,many Da’wahs and movements had evolved targeting noble objectives asreestablishing the Islamic way of life, reviving the Islamic government,propagating the Islamic message among non-Muslims, reviving Sunnah, and othersimilar objectives.
These Da’wahs are different in theirmethods, their basis, and their objectives. They are also different on how closeor far they are from the way of AlKitab and AlSunnah (The Quran and the way ofthe prophet, peace be upon him).
Many have talked aboutthese Da’wahs and studied their different aspects. You find that many studieslack justice. This is either because the writer of such a study is a follower ofa Da’wah who likes its methods and ways or an adversary who cannot see butflaws; and between the two, truth is lost.
Allah (Subhanahuwa Ta’ala) likes justice and despises unfairness. If one was deficient in oneside, it does not imply that he is deficient in all sides. It is not appropriateto neglect the few advantages even beside the numerous disadvantages.
Sometimes, you will find someone who talks about a group ofDa'iahs picturing them like devils. He will try to twist the meanings of theirwords and acts; even uttering the Shahadatan ( the two testimonies of acceptingthat there is no god worthy of worship except Allan and that Mohammad is hismessenger), will be interpreted in a twisted manner. Making a generalizedjudgment in the case of Da’wahs is wrong. Da’wahs should be studied with carefulconsideration, giving results that are detailed, accurate, scientificallydisciplined, and fulfilling justice in presenting both positive and negativeaspects.
The Imams (leaders) of Ahl AlSunnah wa AlJamaah,when they mentioned Ahl AlBida’ah (heretics), they blame them and warn peopleabout their ways, but they do not forget to mention the efforts of such peoplein charity, in standing against others who have more Bida’ah (heresy), againstoutside enemies, or to call non-Muslims to Islam where the new Muslims will havesome Bida’ah but it is in any case better than remaining a non-Muslim.
It is just that we do not overlook the Bida’ah on thepretext that Ahl AlBida’ah (heretics) were good on some issues at the same timethat we do not ignore their good works on the pretext that they are of AhlAlBida’ah.
Justice in Viewing Da’wah Works and Efforts
There are efforts in the field of Da’wahthat cannot be associated with any certain group, but it is a collection ofjihad and Da’wahs works from many Muslim groups and individuals. It is a humaneffort that can be right or wrong and it is not infallible in any way. It is ofobvious interest that these efforts should be evaluated justly and correctly.This will result in benefiting from positive aspects and enhancing them whileavoiding negative ones and getting rid of them. This way mistakes will not berepeated and Muslims will not start from the same point again.
This obvious interest might get wasted between two sides. Aside that views this effort as a perfect one and will incriminate any one whotries to criticize it and another that cannot see but flaws to the point that herenders this effort useless.
Take, for example, the AfghaniJihad, which lasted for more than ten years with much sweat, tears, blood,sacrifices, struggle and sleepless nights. You find someone that considers it asfree from mistakes and flaws and that it resembles the jihad of the prophetcompanions. He will see it as a jihad that is above any criticism, comments, orsupervision. On the other extreme, you will find another who classifies theMujahideen as ignorants and of Ahl AlBida’ah without any hesitation and withoutgiving any details. When asked how did he arrive at such judgment he will saythat they use amulets and have mosques that are not according to Sunnah. It iseven graver! Someone has declared that this is not jihad but polytheistsfighting atheists. I have read another stray comment by someone about Muslimgroups that follows the way of Kitab and Sunnah; it says: "He is an infidel whodoes not consider this group as infidels." If this was his judgment on such agroup then what do you expect about his judgments on groups who are not as closeto Kitab and Sunnah. This is not the just balance that Allah (Subhanahu waTa’ala) has put for this nation and this is not the real adherence to the way ofthe prophet (peace be upon him) who would acknowledge the value of each andevery one and who would not rob people from the rights they should have. Hasn'the praised people, if it was of common interest, because of the good deeds theyhave even if they were not free from flaws. Hasn't he (peace be upon him)praised AlNajashi and said that“ He is a king that no one is treatedunfairly under his rule”(Ibn Ishaq in Biographies and Campaigns 213,AlBaihaqi 9/9, Ahmad in AlMusnad 5/290) even though AlNajashi was not a Muslimat the time.
There is a group of Da'iahs who look at mattersfrom one angle; either from the angle of satisfaction where he misses theshortcomings or from the angle of hostility where he misses the merits. Da'iahshould strife for right judgment that holds the scale from the middle and looksat matters with a balanced look that is careful not to be influenced by emotionspositively or negatively.“ And let not the hatred of others to you makeyou swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next topiety”(Meaning of Quran 5:8).
Justice in Treatment of Shari’a Texts
Those texts that are firm and clear(Muhkam) are a "religion". They must be accepted, followed, and believed in; notext can be abandoned as long as it remained firm and was not substituted ordeleted (Mansookh) during the life time of the prophet (peace be upon him).
Having a balanced look at these texts is an act of justice;so, do not take a type of these texts and reject another type, particularly whenthe two types deal with the same subject or two opposing subject like belief anddisbelief.
Some people will take the texts of threats andignore the texts of promises. For example, someone will take the hadeeth:“ The person who severs the bond of kinship will not enterparadise”(AlBukhari 5984, Muslim 2556, Abu Dawwod 1996), or thehadeeth:“ The Qattat (The qattat is the person who conveys informationfrom one person to the other with the intention of causing harm and enmitybetween them) will not enter paradise”(AlBukhari 6056, Muslim 105, AbuDawood 4771, AlTirmithi 2127). and will label others of disbelief if they dosuch acts according to what may appear as the meaning of these texts neglectingother texts of promise and anticipation as the hadeeth narrated by Utban:“ If anybody comes on the day of resurrection who has said: La ilaha illaAllah, sincerely, with the intention to win Allah's pleasure, Allah will makethe hell fire forbidden for him”(AlBukhari 4623, Muslim 33), or thehadeeth:“ If any one testifies that none has the right to be worshippedbut Allah Alone Who has no partners, and Mohammad is His slave and his apostle,and that Jesus is Allah's slave and His apostle and His word which He bestowedon Mary and a soul from him, and that Paradise is true, and Hell is true, Allahwill admit him into Paradise with the deeds which he has done even if thosedeeds were few”(Ahmad 5/314, AlBukhari 3435, Muslim 28, AlTirmithi2640).
On the other extreme you will find someone who takesonly texts of anticipation leaving out texts of threats, making people feel safefrom Allah's design,“ After them succeeded an (evil) generation: theyinherited the book, but they chose (for themselves) the vanities of this world,saying (for excuse): (every thing) will be forgiven us. Even so, if similarvanities came their way they would (again) seize them”(Meaning of Quran7:169).
The justice is to take this text and that one untilthe scales are balanced.
Another aspect of justice ondealing with Shari’a texts is the justice between the particular and thegeneral. Religion in its entirety belongs to Allah, so there is nothing in itthat is trivial or that can be ignored or neglected. This is why the prophet(peace be upon him) , when he answered Gabriel about AlIsalm, AlIman, andAlIhsan said:“ This is Gabriel came to teach you your religion”(AlBukhari 50, Muslim 1009, Abu Dawood 4698, AlNisai 4990).
This is why if someone denies a matter that is known by necessity from thereligion and that has been reported through several different chains ofnarrators and that is firmly proven to be authentic, he will be a disbelievereven if this matter is a Sunnah or fardh kifayah (Duty that is sufficient to bedone by some Muslims), like the Sunnah of two rakaahs before fajr prayer and thefardh kifayah of Adhan (call for prayer) and other similar works.
There are no marginal matters or trivialities in thereligion as some hasty ignorant or opponent would claim without having alegitimate proof, but there are priorities like matters of belief and theprecedence of general mattersbefore particular ones. When you see a personhaving different sort of mistakes, it is wise to start with the graver onesfirst. It is not advisable that you blame this person on uttering athkar(remembrance of Allah, like subhan Allah, AlHamd li Allah,...) which are Sunnahwhile he is still having problems with pillars of prayer like recitingAlFatihah; it is neither logical to start your journey of Da’wah with him byasking him to stop smoking while he is falling in shirk (polytheism).