ISLAM THE
RELIGION OF DA WAH
by
Syed Jalaluddin Umri
PREAMBLE
Allah has ordained an
eternal decree regarding the destiny of mankind by revealing His Deen (the
way of life as ordained by Him). Two alternatives lie open before
man-acceptance of this Deen followed by success in both, the life here and
the life Hereafter or its rejection entailing that eternal perdition after
which no success is possible.
Man’s Success is Bound to Allah’s Deen
(The Way of Life as
Revealed by God):
Man’s success was bound to Allah’s Deen in the
past, it is so in the present, and in the future too, it will remain so. No
change has taken place in this Law since man’s descent upon this earth, nor
will any change ever be possible. In the past too, whenever man rebelled
against this way of life, he ended up in miserable failure; in the present,
he is no less a failure owing to the same cause. He is proud of his material
gains and luxurious means of life, and deems it unnecessary for his Allah to
teach him. His religion and show him the way. This is nothing new. Many
nations of the world have remained vainglorious of their progress and
prosperity, but it was their folly and this folly still continues. The
person deprived of divine guidance has deviated from the straight path. He
is proceeding towards a disastrous end. Despite all his paraphernalia of
worldly means no one can save him from the impending calamity. The ship of
mankind can reach its destined shore only in the light of Allah’s Guidance.
Where there is no such Guidance the ship is sure to sink.
The Way of Life as
Ordained by Allah is Islam:
The way of life as revealed
by Allah has always remained one. It is Islam----the same Deen that was
revealed upon the pious Ones, in every-age, who are called prophets or
Messengers of Allah. The same Deen was finally revealed to Mohammad (Peace
be upon him). It is preserved in Absolute Protection and the lineage of
Prophethood has been ended till doomsday.
What is Islam?
What is this Deen? It is
both ideology and practice. It is both faith and worship. It is conduct as
well as law. It establishes the relation between Allah and human beings and
also mends the connection of men themselves. It is the rectification of
individual and the construction of society. It is Tazkiya (purgation
of soul), Tiharat (purification of the self); a continues struggle (for the
realization of Islamic Ideals); as well as Crusade (against all the opposing
factors that tend to crush Islamic values). It leads to satisfaction of the
soul together with a culmination of material gains. It guards the passions,
sentiments and thought of men and also looks after his dealings in life. It
pulls his soul in prostration before Allah and makes him physically
subservient to Him. It tolds the rights of every one as well as duties. This
Deen is alike for men and women, young and old, master and slave, and the
rich and the poor. It establishes the sovereignty of Allah over the
individual and society. It reigns over both the external and internal
aspects of being. It confers a clean and purified life on individuals and
ascension and progress on nations. It is the Deen of the Holy Allah. It
contains the well-being of this world as well as of the Hereafter:
“Our Lord Give us
Good in this world
And good in the Hereafter
And defend us
From the torment
Of the
Fire”
(al-Baqra: 201)
The Doctrines (Aqaid) of
Islam:
Every system contains some
ideological basis upon which depends the strength of its entire structure.
When the ideological basis are crippled, the whole structure is reduced into
a rubbish heap. Islamic doctrines emanate from its ideological basis, which
subsequently produce the details of Islam and form an extensive system of
life. These details have no raison d’etre in the absence of the doctrines
and the whole system shrivels into a mere lifeless skeleton.
The doctrines of Islam apply
to the acceptance of a few metaphysical realities but their manifestation is
felt in this same multifaceted material, spiritual, physical and
psychological world. These doctrines of Islam give the most accurate answer
to the perplexity of man regarding the nature of the universe, the identity
of man, his origin and destiny, the correct path which has been chalked out
for him, his aim in life, his beginning and end etc. By accepting these
doctrines, he acknowledges that this world belongs to only one Allah. Who
has created man to serve Him and Who sends His messengers to guide him. Man
leads a pious life and is assured of eternal bliss in the hereafter only
through this guidance. When he accepts this reply his perplexity ends and
his uneasiness finds a suitable outlet. He attains the object without which
the world is deprived of peace and lies groping in the dark.
These doctrines give to
man’s life a certain direction. They make him the servant of One Allah and
the most responsible person of this earth. They protect him from the
clutches of skepticism and idolatory, atheism and agnosticism, innovations
and myths and all wrong theories and beliefs. Islam embodies a complete
Shariah (Law) and guidance regarding each and every aspect of life.
After accepting the doctrines of Islam, man automatically acknowledges its
whole system and becomes bound to its limits. With out accepting these
doctrines, the system of Islam can neither be acceptable to him nor can he
practise it with full concentration. The person having perfect faith in the
unity of Allah alone can refuse to worship any other god. He alone who has
complete faith in the prophethood of Mohammed (peace be upon him) can follow
in his footsteps and remain firm upon it too. He who has full conviction
about the rewards of the Hereafter can alone have the courage to sacrifice
all his worldly benefits in the cause of his faith. History bears testimony
that without accepting these cardinal principles no one has been ever able
to practise its Shariah in his life.
The problem is not confined
to the world, but extends even to the other world. Deliverance in the
Hereafter depends wholly upon these doctrines. The person who believes in
Allah, His prophet and life hereafter alone can be successful, in the next
world. If he disowns these truths, he can be saved by none when Allah’s
Wrath will engulf him.
Prayer and Worship (IBADAAT) in Islam
After doctrines (Aqaid)
comes worship, which holds the next important position in Islam. Prayers (Namaz),
Fasting (Roza), Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj), the Alms (zakat), remembrance of
God (zikr) and prayer (Dua) and repentance (Istighfar) are its various
forms. Man establishes his relation with Allah from various aspects of his
being. Worship is Islam reveals these aspects of his relationship with
Allah. Namaz is entire humility and submission. Through Namaz, man is
converted into perfect portrait of a servant and expresses the Divinity of
Allah by bowing before Him. Zakat is the sign by which the servant expresses
his will to spend his wealth at the command of his Lord. Here he surrenders
his body and soul to Allah and offers his money and health upon the altar of
his Maker. Namaz and Zakat are evidence of the love that men possess for
their Lord as well as the sympathy they harbour in their hearts for their
fellow-beings. Fasting (Roza) produces fear of Allah and austerity. It
teaches the lesson of forbearance. The pilgrimage (Hajj) is the name of
leaving the hearth and home in the way of Allah and struggle and sacrifice
of one’s most cherished of objects. Thus these forms of prayer and worship (Ibadaat)
reveal, through various angles the relation that exists and should exist
between Allah and His servant.
When Prayer and Worship (Ibadaat)
are performed in their true spirit, they induce in man the qualities of
piety, austerity, Godfearingness, reverence, the sentiment of Submission and
sincerity, and the whole being of man is brought prostrate before Allah. All
his actions are reserved for Him. Man starts simultaneously fearing and
adoring Him. He loves to worship and obey him and abhors to defy and disobey
him. The spirit of struggle and crusade ensues within him, the courage of
remaining firmfooted amidst deceit starts awaking in him, the awareness of
helping, serving and sympathysing with his fellow-beings is aroused in him
and his whole life becomes dedicated to Allah. Each of his actions becomes
pure worship until his heart cries out:
Truly, my prayer
And my service
My life and my death,
Are (all)for God, The
Cherisher of the Worlds.
(Al-An’am: 162)
Conduct in Islam
Next to doctrines (Aqaid)
and worship (Ibadaat) Islam has emphasized most upon conduct. Good conduct
produces beauty and excellence in human relationship and the existence of
man becomes profitable and a blessing for others.
Conduct is the best scale to measure human
character. It is a pointer towards the limit of trust that may be put in man
regarding the dealings of life. What amount of love he has for others, what
sacrifice he can make for them, how much he realizes about their sufferings
and of what help he can be to them? Without conduct man is either reduced to
a dead machine devoid of sentiments or a wild beast.
Wherever Quran has described
the merits of the believers, it has given most prominence to their pattern
of conduct. It does not conceive of a Momin (Believer) without high conduct.
It says of the believers that they are sympathizers and well-wishers of men.
They give preference to the benefits of others over their own. They are
truthful, sincere and trustworthy. They abide by their vows and promises.
They remain far removed from adultery and evildoings and protect their
chastity. They possess forgiving nature and do not indulge in haughtiness
and vanity. Courtesy and humility are characteristics of the believers. They
are soft-spoken and of moderate temperament. They do not exhibit ignorance
and barbarism. They value wealth as a trust from Allah, hence neither do
they show frugality in its use nor misuse it for wrong purposes. They
recognize the rights of others and keep themselves free from tyranny or
violence. They do not shed innocent blood or encroach upon the property of
others or involve themselves in oppression. They are slaves of Allah no
other slave of Allah is harmed by them.
Further, moral values are
unchangeable in Islam. They are not transient but of eternal significance.
Truth and honesty should be meted out to everybody and be established
permanently. Dishonesty and improper dealing are to be firmly condemned as
much for others as for close relatives. Honesty and modesty should be
preserved at all cost, and oaths and pledges be essentially fulfilled. The
value of honesty and chastity is not time-bound, but eternal. Adultery and
immoral acts are not justified in any way.
Thus Islam gives a clear
conception of conduct, describing the details of both moral turpitude and
rectitude. In discourages involvement in the former and encourages the
permanent establishment of the latter.
Together with this, Islam
holds that the believers are torch bearers of truth. Justice and fairplay
are established by them in this world. The excellent code of conduct and the
behaviour that this great work demands is present in their lives. They are
friends of truth and enemies of false hood. They are not irresolute or hasty
in their actions. They face trouble with patience and possess confidence and
trust in themselves. They are as firm as a rock which may be broken but
cannot be shifted from its place. They are embodiments of courage and valour.
They harbour only the fear of Allah in their hearts. They can stake their
lives, sacrifice their wealth, their closest relatives and all their near
and dear ones for the achievement of their aims. They know how to proclaim
the Declaration of Truth (Kalima-e-Haq) even at the point of being
hanged. Highest prices cannot purchase them. They live and die for Allah’s
Deen and their friendship and enmity are for Him alone.
Dealings in Islam
Apart from the lesson of
conduct and behaviour, Islam organizes in an excellent way the dealings of
human life and gives the best directions and laws for its establishment. The
Islamic conception is that not only prayer and worship but all dealings of
life must conform to obedience to Allah’s Deen. Man is Allah’s slave. As
such, he possesses no right to ignore Allah and settle the dealings of his
life and frame its laws independently. If he takes such steps he actually
exceeds the limit and commits a grave injustice. He will be answerable for
it in the Hereafter and in this world too, his end will not be good. Hence,
whenever he installed himself on the position of Allah, to solve the
problems of life himself, he got involved between two extremes, and lost the
protection of truth and justice. Whenever such change took place, sometimes
individuals were oppressed and sometimes some particular party oppressed
another, and thus the exploitation of the weak by the strong continued. This
had to be the logical outcome of separating the dealings of life from Allah.
Man could not avoid it in the past, nor will he ever be able to do it in
future.
Islam arranges the human
economy, society and polity according to the will of Allah, strengthening
the various sections of life, from the family to the government and state,
on the basis of justice. It gives such a balanced law which sees no
difference between the prince and the pauper. It sees that the oppressed
gets his full share of rights, and oppressor gets the exact punishment for
his crime. It frames laws under which the weakest of men feel protected and
strongest of men must think a thousand times before tyrannizing upon others.
Islam is the upholder of the best system of justice and wants to establish
it upon the entire world.
ISLAM---- THE RELIGION OF DAWAH
This, in short, is an
introduction of Islam. It is an invitation, a movement, a revolution. The
world sees the rise of materialistic as well as spiritual movements.
Materialistic movements discuss the material problems of man, while
spiritual movements aim at the rectification of the soul. Materialistic
movements are limited to either the economic problems of man, or to capture
the political power. Some think untouchability is the main problem. Some of
them consider man’s educational, industrial and technological problem of
foremost importance and make these their main aim. Like these, they have one
or more than one problem before them. Those movements that arise for the
upliftment of the soul preach the gospel of renouncing this material world.
They teach the art of abstinence and self-control through austerity, and
light the path of retreat and asceticism. Islam, on the contrary, does not
take up any one or few problems of human existence, but deal with all
problems of man, giving a particular direction both to the physical and
spiritual aspects and teaches the method of fulfilling all his needs. The
propagator of Islam ventures forth with this very aim. What a great task he
has before him. What a great enterprise that he must undertake to perform.
Basis of the Idea of Dawah
The basis of the idea of
Dawah lies in the fact that a person chooses the same truth for others which
he has accepted for himself. It must be his endeavour to invite others to
walk on the same path which he himself believes to be the correct one. He
must consider the same faith and action; conduct and etiquette; society and
politics; constitution and law; correct and right for others, which he
chooses as right for himself; as revolt against God is not justifiable for
others if it is not for him. Sin and wrong-doing are as harmful for others
as for him. A life devoid of belief in the Hereafter is as impracticable for
others as for him.
It is very unnatural
for a person who has chosen Truth for his own life to remain complacent when
others are being deprived of it; or pronounce the impropriety of
something yet bear to see the world adhering to it, or possess faith in
Allah’s Deen yet lack the zeal to establish it over the world and elevate it
about everything.
No doubt, such men also exist in this world who
accept something as incorrect yet continue to bear its existence
unperturbed. Similarly, there are people, who, after declaring their goal as
correct do not care to induce others to accept it and adopt it in their
lives. Like mute spectators they continue to tolerate the accumulation of
filth directly under their noses; despite their keen sense of cleanliness.
They are the least bothered to clear away the rubbish heap and plant flowers
in its place. Movements their doors shut for such passive and immobile
people. If they do enter their live, they stay but for a short time and soon
part from their company.
The Field of Dawah
Some people surprisingly ask
what should be their task and what is the field of Dawah, although this
question is meaningless for a person who rises with the aim of establishing
Allah’s Deen on the earth. He has work all round him. He has to free men
from the enslavement of false gods and bring them under the subjugation of
one Allah. He has to combat atheism and polytheism. He has to counter
disbelief and infidelity. He has to fight against immorality and immodesty;
encounter falsehood, deceit, fraudulence, bribery and all such evils. He has
to call people towards right faith and action, towards a high code of
conduct, and towards obedience to Allah’s Will regarding civilization,
culture, society and politics. He stands for the establishment of right (Amr
bil Ma’roof) and prohibition of wrong (Nahi anil Munkar). His
work does not end until the time when even a single evil persists, or even a
single right is left unestablished.
Worldly movements and their
absolutely busy workers actually work for the realization of limited aims,
and for particular nations or classes of people. Some work for labourers;
some are concerned with the interest of capitalists; some work among people
of higher castes; while some struggle for the members of lower casts. There
are some who are interested in the minority and others who are interested in
the majority. Some have one particular nation in their view; others aim at
social reformation; while still others at educational progress. Some people
proclaim the slogan of economic revolution, and some of political
upheaval---and so on. Thus each group is actually confined to a narrow
circle. Outside this circle it has no other work and its aim is marked by
limitation. What is amazing is that for the people such limited aims, work
exists; and for those who are custodians of a wealth like Islam, meant for
all mankind, upon which depends the success of this world and the next;
there seems to be no field of work.
How to do Justice to Dawah Work
Islamic propagation (Dawah) is the most difficult
work on the earth. Justice cannot be done to it by merely appearing on the
dais and delivering a speech, or writing a book on the virtues and valours
of Islam, or attending a symposium or seminar concerning Islam. This duty
involves the struggle throughout life. It is essential for the propagator to
keep the aim of Dawah alive and active in his mind. It should form the
center of his conversation, the orbit of his interests and the basis of his
relations. He must remember it in his talks, visits, education and trade;
and never lose any opportunity to convey his message to his listeners. He
should be recognized by this work and his breath should be mingled in this
task alone. His actions should be regulated by and subordinated to this
propagation work and all the persons who see him must feel clearly that he
is living for Dawah. His zeal and fervour should instigate others and his
ideology should compel others to think along similar lines. It should be on
the basis of Dawah that people may form or sever relations with him, or feel
close to him, or far removed from him.
The work of Dawah must be
performed by him in such a way that neither the commoners nor the nobility
remain deprived of its knowledge. It should be the topic of discussion in
huts as well at palaces. It should become familiar to the higher as well as
the lower classes of society. Islam should be presented in its true form in
all languages and before people of every caste, colour and occupation. Every
city, lane, and locality and should become familiar with its message.
Schools, colleges, religious institutions, monasteries, market-places,
centers of trade and commerce, and all small and big institutions must
reverberate with the Islamic message and the whole country resound with its
echoes, so much so that individuals and parties should become equally
compelled to draw up a definite attitude towards Islam, and it may become
impossible for people to ignore it.
SOME IMPORTANT QUALITIES FOR THE WORKER OF
DAWAH
(a) Relation with Allah
(‘Ta’ Alluq Billah)
The Quran and Hadith clarify
that he alone can best serve Allah’s Deen who is deeply attached to Him; who
knows how to live and die, adhere and sever, give and take for Him alone;
who loves Him profoundly and fears Him the most; who can relish hardships
for His sake; and whose tongue never utters a word of complaint despite the
hardest of trials. His heart never harbours but the greatest awe and
reverence for his Master, such that he fears no one else in the world. Even
after he has sacrificed his entire ability, ease, pleasure, wealth,
interests and gains in the way of Allah he feels that he has not yet done
justice of Him. Even after doing all within his reach the feeling of
inefficiency pricks him. The Almighty Allah is most beloved to Him, and his
love supersedes all other loves. He is the person who feels any loss to
Allah’s Deen as equivalent to personal loss and exults in the progress of
Deen more than in personal progress. He considers all attacks on Deen much
more difficult to tolerate than nay personal attack, and prepares himself to
endure all kinds of loss in its defence. A person whose relation with Allah
does not stand on a strong basis cannot do any work of Deen. Perhaps some
transient emotion may compel him to start the work but it will be impossible
for him to continue it for long and endure the difficulties and the trouble
of sacrificing everything for its fulfillment.
(b) Obligatory Prayers (Namaz)
Namaz is a source
through which this relation with Allah is established and further
strengthened. Namaz has such a deep link with Dawah work that both are
inseparable. Direction has been given to commence Dawah with Namaz and end
it with Namaz and remembrance. When the holy prophet (p.b.u.h) was entrusted
the work of Dawah, he was advised to offer Tahajjud i.e., optional
prayer after midnight and before the sunrise. It was mentioned that during
the day he was too busy, hence he should remember Allah in the night, during
the greater part of the night, half the night, or more, or less. It occurs
in the holy Quran:
O thou folded in
garments!
Stand (to prayer) by
night,
But not all night,
Half of it,
Or a little less,
Or a little more,
And recite the Quran
In slow, measured
rhythmtic tones
Soon shall we send down
To thee a weightly
message
Truly the rising by night
Is most potent for
governing
(The soul), and most
suitable
For (Framing) the Word
(of prayer and praise)
True there is for thee
By day prolonged
occupation
With ordinary duties.
But keep in remembrance
The name of thy Lord
And devote thyself to Him
whole-heartedly
(He is) Lord of the east
And the west, there is no
god but He:
Take Him therefore
For (thy) Disposer of
affairs. (Al-Muzammil)
The person who is busy all
the time in the work of propagation and who becomes absolutely tired after
the day’s work should apparently be advised to rest during the night, but
the command is being given here for long prayers. This in itself is enough
evidence that the heavy task to be performed in the day may draw its
sustenance from prayers performed in night. After twenty three years’ effort
when the Islamic Dawah became successful, the tribe of the Quraish was
vanquished, and the House of Allah (Ka’aba) came under the custody of
Allah’s slaves with the conquest of Mecca; then too, the servants of Allah
were commanded to bow their heads in submission and chant the Lord’s
praises:
When comes the Help
Of God, and victory,
And thou dost see
The People enter God’s
Religion
In Crowds,
Celebrate the Praises
Of thy Lord, and pray
For His forgiveness:
For He is oft-Returning
(In Grace and
Mercy). (Al-Nasr)
Namaz is connected to Dawah
from beginning to end. Dawah has not ever been served fully without Namaz,
nor can it every be served without it till doom’s day. Just as life is
impossible without air and water, Dawah cannot be sustained, or made to
progress or succeed without Namaz.
1. Namaz Builds
Forbearance:
Two essential qualities are
inevitable in the work of Dawah. Firstly, forbearance in adverse and
difficult situations, and secondly, constancy in the struggle against
falsehood. Both these qualities are produced by Namaz. The Meccan period of
Islamic Dawah was an age of forbearance and patience. Thorns were strewn on
the path of a selfless, man of an exemplary character, gentle and (p.b.u.h).
He was pelted with stones, dubbed a lunatic, a heretic, a story teller and
person, what he says is but a lie, which he has forged, and anothers have
helped at it, we take refuge in Allah from these absurd utterances (Naoozobillah).
History is witness to the fact that he (p.b.u.h) was never the least
perturbed by such baseless allegations, but continued his mission with
conscience of opponents, appealed to their sense of wisdom, called upon them
to cultivate deep thinking and warned them of the dangerous results of their
opposition. Thus he discharged his duties successfully in an environment of
enmity and hatred.
The respected followers of
the Prophet adopted the same pious character and remained constant amidst a
storm of opposition. If their Jehad (struggle) was exemplary, their
patience too, was unique. Again, it was not the patience of cowards and
impotents. It was the patience of the brave who knew how to play with death.
It was the patience of the sons of a nation who drew their swords at the
slightest provocation and whose flame of anger never extinguished without
revenge. They never allowed their opponents or friends to be harmed by
anyone. Each individual here became an angry lion on being wounded.
Endurance of tyranny was to them synonymous with to cowardice. They answered
ignorance and barbarism with a cruder kind of ignorance and barbarism. It is
really surprising how Islam converted such a nation (comprising mainly of
youths) into a patient and forbearing people, so much so that it is hard to
find their comparison in the whole history of Mecca. No example can be found
among them when they may be seen to have lost control of themselves at the
slightest provocation or false allegation; where either their passion for
revenge was found to have kindled easily or they were caught in the action
of misusing their tongue in return to that of others. There has not been a
single instance where they have raised their dagger to answer the raised
dagger of the enemy; or emerged with their sword against the sword of the
enemy. This extraordinary power of forbearance is produced by Namaz. Hence,
generally the Quran has commanded forbearance it has also advised the
observance of Namaz:
Bear, then, with
patience, All that they say,
And celebrate the praise
of thy Lord, before,
The rising of the sun and
before (its) setting,
And during part of the
night (also),
Celebrate His praises and
(so likewise)
After the postures of
adoration. (Qaf: 39-40)
2.Importance of Patience
for the Propagator
Those who have undertaken the difficult task of
propagating religion need patience as much today as they had needed
yesterday. On the one side, the enemies of religion and agnostics are armed
against them; while on the other, the apparent professors of the name of
Allah and His prophet are also organized against them. Those people who are
discontented with religion are trying their best to prove them to be
regressive, obscurantists, anti-nationals, unpatriots, communalists, and
what not. The reason for this attitude is not that they have found the
servants of religion thus; or seen their struggle to be as they allege; but
they actually find them the greatest obstacle in their way; and therefore,
using them as scapegoats they are opposed to Allah’s Deen, its doctrines (Aquaid)
and its philosophy of life. Even those who are thought to be religious are
heaping false allegations upon them. Sometimes they attack their faith while
at other times it is said that they believe in God but not in His Prophet.
Sometimes they pronounce that they do believe in Allah and His prophet but
not in the desired way as we believe. At times it is declared that their
religion is purely political and they are aiming at the acquisition of
power, not god-fearingness. Sometimes it is said that they are degrading
the holy companions of the Prophet, and other revered personages belonging
to Ummah. Sometimes it is proclaimed that they consider no one Muslims but
themselves. It is also said that they claim to be the only ones who have
comprehended religion. It is clear that all these allegations are wrong and
baseless. Amidst this flood of falsehood what can help them in gaining
fortitude and patience but Namaz?
3. Namaz Produces
Steadfastness
It is extremely difficult
for true Islamic Dawah to emerge in a non-Islamic society, and for its
members to remain firm-footed in such situations. In a place where Islamic
thought is attacked from every side by non-Islamic ideologies; where
opposing forces exert their entire pressure, and work of Dawah is done
amidst discouragement, where the faltering step of a worker is praised, not
chided; where weakness is given the name of sagacity; advancement (in Dawah)
frowned upon and regress considered praiseworthy; there steadfastness may be
said to be akin to an extraordinary feat. Whenever the opponents see the
Islamic movement sprouting and blooming, they want to smash it by force, but
this is no ordinary work; as movements cannot be curbed forcibly. So they
try to create a situation where its upholders themselves may stifle their
movement. But for this too they do not make any open move. They merely
demand that the believers of Islam should be a bit more flexible in their
principles; try to accept the ideologies of others, so that the virtue of
their own views may be recognized; and have a tolerating attitude in some
matters, so that they too may be tolerated; and thus help to produce an
atmosphere of tolerance and co-existence. This is an extremely delicate
stage. It gives the workers of Islam the opportunity to adopt the
flexibility so that they may agree to review their own thought. Each step of
this sort is fatal, both to the movement and to its workers; and, when a man
tumbles from a great height, he does not stop midway but keeps rolling right
down to the bottom. If he shows the least inclination to submit before
circumstances, he is led to prostrate low by those very circumstances. If he
surrenders even one of his belongings to the enemy, he is left deprived of
every thing.
Endurance against the blows
of opposite forces can be acquired through remembrance of Allah and Namaz.
The Quran clarifies it thus:
Therefore stand firm (in the straight path) as thou
Art commanded,
Thou and those who with
thee
Turn (unto God); and
transgress not (From the Path): for he seeth
Well all that ye do.
And incline not to those
Who do wrong, or the Fire
Will seize you; and ye
have
No protectors other than
God,
Nor shall ye be helped.zAnd establish regular
prayers
At the two ends of the
day
And at the approaches of
the night:
For those things that are
good
Remove those that are
evil:
Be that the world of
remembrance
To those who remembrance
And be steadfast in
patience:
For verily God will not
suffer
The reward of the
righteous
To
perish. (Hud:
112-115)
Admission of the slightest
flexibility before the traitors of Allah has also been prohibited. The
faithful ones have been directed to organize and establish Namaz during
different hours of the day and night. Thus it has been indicated that man
can build the quality of fortitude with the help of Namaz. If it is not
established man’s foothold will weaken and tyrants will have the full
opportunity to attract him towards themselves.
Character
Character is the next essential thing for the
propagator. Islam confers nobility and purity on human character. If the
true spirit of Islam impresses the mind and heart of man, he can never be
involved in inferiority of character. Islam has claimed that the propagators
of Deen are adorned with the best qualities of character. The evidence of
this claim can best be found in the lives of those who had firm faith in
Allah. They were illuminating example who excelled every one in an ignorant
and dirty society. All the people with normal eyesight could see their moral
superiority. No one could dare say that their lives were devoid of moral
strength, nor could any one blame them for shamelessness or immorality. The
Quran was the best representative of their character, and they themselves
were the true embodiments of the Quran.
Dawah can reach its culmination, only when the
character of its propagator and his aims become finely blended. Character
contains extra-ordinary powers. Generally, one is not impressed by the views
of any person so much as by his character. A man of character possesses such
an attraction that even his views and beliefs gain importance through it.
The world is very little interested in the views of a characterless person.
A man of character is the living picture of his message. A characterless
person on the other hand, himself contradicts message, and this contradicts
need no other argument.
A man who enters the field of propagation must aim to
reach the zenith of character. He must impress the superiority of his
character in all walks of life ---in business, if he is a businessman; in
industry, if he is an industrialist; in labour, if he is a labourer; and in
education, if he is a teacher. Whoever comes in his contact, he is but to
recognize the beauty of his character. His wife, children relations, closer
friends, neighbours and colleagues must all be impressed by his character.
After this the hearts of the people will be open for his Dawah.
The World Stands in Need of Character
Decadence of
character is one of the major problems of the world today. Today many moral
values have lost their price. Selfishness among human beings has increased
so much that even the thought of good behaviour, sympathy and piety have
lost their importance. Children, are being deprived of parental love and
care; aged parents are being neglected of love of their own grown-up
children. People are unaware of the sorrows and predicament of their
neighbours. Man has lost confidence in his closest friends and
acquaintances. Chastity and modesty, truth and sincerity, honesty and truth,
forgiveness, patience constancy and all such superior qualities are being
erased and the human species is becoming divided into different groups and
clans. There is discrimination among nations. In such circumstances, if the
Islamic character appears on the horizon in its full splendour it will no
doubt attract the whole world towards itself. If the world sees that the
preachers of Islam are the shining example of high character; their
behaviour is different from others; they are pious, God-fearing; their
transactions are fair; and they are the incarnations of selflessness and
sacrifice in a world of self interests. If it sees them as saviours of
chastity and modesty in a world where chastity and modesty are being
plundered; preservers of honesty where honesty is dead and gone; where no
work of one is done without bribery. They fulfill the wants of others
without the slightest hope of any reword; who embrace even strangers in a
place where brothers are enemies; who grant the rights of others where
rights are being deprived and a war of rights is being waged—the question
will surely arise as to who these persons are? And what is the source of
their good behaviour and high moral? This question will then be hard to
ignore just as it is difficult to refuse the existence of light after the
sunrise. But this big question will only arise when such qualities and
character, are produced not in two or four or ten or twenty; but in the
whole, group (Jamat) and its effects are felt in every aspect of life. May
Allah bring the day soon when we may be able to present such a character to
the world.
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