Life of the Muslim Ummah is in Preaching
If the Muslim Ummah is to exist, then Muslims must convey the Message of Islam to the whole world.
Note: Since it is the duty of every God-fearing Muslim that whatever he/she says must be confirmed from the Quran and / or Sunnah of the Final Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سل , therefore, the evidence for the above statement is as follows:
Evidence from the Quran:
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
و العصر ¤ إن
الإنسان لفي خسر ¤ إلا الذين آمنوا و
عملوا الصالحات و تواصوا بالحق و تواصوا بالصبر ¤
سورة العصر
In this Surah, Allah سبحانه و تعالى swore by 'Asr (the passing of time) that mankind is in loss except those who have these qualities:
1. They believe (that is, they have the Faith of
Islam)
2. They do righteous deeds (that is, they follow
the Quran and Sunnah).
3. They preach the truth.
4. They advise others to be patient and
steadfast.
In the above Surah (chapter) Allah swore by the passing time because time is a witness on the loss of mankind. Everyday that passes becomes a page of history. If history is studied it can be seen that many nations were destroyed because they didn't have these qualities. Such nations filled up the land with injustice and bloodshed and were finally destroyed. On the other hand, nations having the above four qualities flourished and filled up the whole land with peace and justice.
Surah Al-Araf (Chapter 7), verses 163 - 166: In these verses Allah told us about a tribe from the Ummah of Musa عليه سلام . They were forbidden from fishing on Saturday. Some of them disobeyed this command and fished on Saturday. A second group didn't fish on Saturday but didn't preach to the first group either. While a third group both didn't fish on Saturday and also preached to the others not to fish. Finally Allah cursed the disobedient ones and turned them into apes while protecting only those that abstained from fishing on Saturday and also preached.
Surah Al-Anfal (Chapter 8) Verse 25: And fear a trial which will not strike those who have wronged among you exclusively, and know that Allah is severe in penalty.
Commentary:"That trial" refers to
those collective evils that are not confined to individuals but are
so widespread that a large number of persons in a locality become
addicted to these at the same time. In such a case, it is not the
wrongdoers alone who are seized by the scourge of Allah but also
those few people who are not involved in those evils. This is because
they put up with life in such evil surroundings.
In order to illustrate this, let us consider the case of a town from
the point of view of its sanitary conditions. If filth lies
scattered at a few places, its evil effects remain confined to that
particular locality or localities and only those people who keep
their houses or persons dirty suffer from the consequent diseases.
But if filth gets scattered all over the town and there is no one to
prevent it and restore sanitary conditions, then the air, water, and
soil will all be contaminated and become so poisonous as to cause
the outbreak of an epidemic in the whole town. Obviously, it will
not discriminate between those who scattered the filth and those who
refrained from it, but will affect all the people who live in those
surroundings. The same is the case of moral impurity, corruption,
and obscenity. If these evils are found in some persons individually
but the fear of the good people of the society keeps them under
check, the evil effects remain confined to the wrongdoers alone. On
the other hand, if the collective conscience of the society becomes
so weak that it cannot keep the evil suppressed, and the wrongdoers,
the indecent, and the immoral people become so bold that they begin
to commit their filthy acts openly, that mischief takes the form of
an epidemic of immorality. Then even those good people who remain
content with their own individual goodness and adopt a passive
attitude towards the widespread evils, fall victims to the
consequent scourge because they did nothing to prevent the spread of
the epidemic.
In this way, Allah impresses upon the Muslims the importance of the
mission of reform and guidance for which the Messenger had risen and
to which he was inviting them, as if to say, "There is life for you
as individuals and as Community in this work. If you do not
sincerely exert for its achievement and for the eradication of
evils, an epidemic of evils will break out which will involve in its
scourge all of you, even though there may be some among you who
might not have been guilty of either the commission of those evils
or of their spread; nay, they might have been leading good lives as
individuals."
Commentary from the Meaning of Quran by Sayyid
Abu Al'Ala Maududi (English translation of Tafheem Ul Quran)
Evidence From Sunnah:
Sunnah is the way and method of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم , the way he acted upon the Holy Quran. That is, the application of the Holy Quran both orally and practically by the Prophet is called his Sunnah. Like the Quran, the Sunnah is also from Allah, as Allah says in Surah Al-Najm, verse 3 - 4:
و ما ينطق عن الهوى إن هو إلا وحي يوحى
And he (Muhammad) doesn't speak of his own
desire. It is nothing but a revelation that is revealed to him.
Holy Quran, Chapter 53, verses 3 - 4
Hadith Shareef about forbidding evil: "Whosoever of you sees an evil action, let him change it with his hand; if he is not able to do so, then with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart, and that is the weakest of faith." (Reported by Bukhari)
Hadith Shareef about a boat having two floors: according to a hadith shareef, the Muslim society is like a boat / ship consisting of two floors. The people of the lower floor take water from those of the upper floor and it is the duty of the occupants of the upper floor to let them take water. Then the upper floor occupants stop giving water to those in the lower floor, so the lower floor people start making a hole in the bottom of the ship to get water. This allows water to enter the ship, causing the whole ship to sink. Thus all the people of the ship in both floors drown.
In this hadith, guidance is represented by water. in a society, it is the responsibility of Muslims to convey the message of Islam and stop people from evil actions and injustice. If they don't do this, then when the evildoers are killed by Allah's Wrath, the good people are killed along with them.
According to a hadith sharif reported in Riyadi Saliheen: An army will proceed toward the Holy Ka'ba Sharifa and will be swallowed by the earth. Aisha' Radi-Allaho-Anha asked: How will all be swallowed by the earth when there will be people in shops who will make Salat (pray) and will fast...? The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said: on the Day of Judgment all will be raised with their faith and deeds but in this world they will be drowned in the earth. (Allah knows best the words of His Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم .)
This hadith clearly shows that those who practice Islam, make regular prayers, fast in Ramadan, pay Zakat and make Hajj - that is they make all the rituals - but they fail in enjoining good and forbidding evil (أمر بالمعروف و نهي عن المنكر ) they will be destroyed here along with the disobedient transgressors.
History:
As pointed out in the explanation of Surah Al-Asr, one can see the past events in history and can understand the fate of those nations and tribes which had no one to advise for good and forbid from evil.
Circumstances:
One can observe the present era - there is a lot of bloodshed in many countries of the world. Does it mean that there are no Muslims? No, in fact there are many practicing learned Muslims but they either don't enjoin good and forbid evil at all and don't spread the teachings of Islam to mankind or they just write their lessons in books which they sell for high prices. So the result is in front of us:
Allah's justice is active against today's Muslims. Unjust infidels and hypocrites are appointed on the Muslims in many places who are killing them day and night.
As the duty of the Muslims was to spread the teachings of Islam. This would have the following results:
1. Unbelievers would have a chance to learn and understand Islam and might start fearing Allah and the accounting in the Hereafter and the punishment in Hell, thus becoming nice human beings and acting as brother and sisters.
2. Those who rejected Islam and chose to remain disobedient and cruel even after receiving the teachings of Islam would not get the power to harm the practicing and preaching Muslims.
But since the Muslims are not fulfilling their responsibility, so they are being destroyed in many ways.
Therefore, wake up and start learning and teaching Islam so that our Ummah is saved and made strong to exist with honor.
Method of Preaching
When preaching / inviting to religion Islam, we must follow Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم . Therefore, we must choose some verses of the Holy Quran according to the situation and the audience. So, for example, when speaking to idolaters / polytheists, choose Ayat (verses) about Tawheed (Oneness of God). When speaking to atheists / agnostics, choose verses proving the existence of God.
So, the person who wants to preach / invite to the religion must first study and understand the Quran. For this reason, not only the translation but also commentary of the Quran needs to be studied in order to avoid misinterpreting verses of the Quran.
It is important for conveying the Truth of Islam to be acquainted with the knowledge of Quran and Sunnah by reading and understanding a good commentary (Tafseer) of the Holy Quran. Commentary should be read repeatedly, not just once and the advanced learner should study more than one tafseer. By studying the commentary of the Quran you learn the correct interpretation of each verse.
But even the beginner learner can preach. When using any verse in your preaching, consult the commentary of that verse first so that you are sure of its interpretation and will use it correctly.
We must preach / invite to Islam with Hikma (wisdom). Understanding and following the Sunnah of the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم will enable you to find and learn the Wisdom in the Holy Quran. Hikma will give you indepth insight so you can know how to deal with any situation.
Reward of Preaching
The reward of preaching is tremendous and can be seen from the following explanation:
1. According to a hadith sharif, if a Muslim gives one morning or evening for preaching Islam, he/she gets the reward of worshipping Allah for 60 years. That means that in our short life, we can achieve the reward of worshipping Allah Almighty for thousands of years.
Consider the following: The reward of worship on Laylatul-Qadr (The night of Qadr in the last ten days of the month of Ramadan) is 1000 months' worship. This equals 83 years and four months (1000 / 12 = 83 years and 4 months). But it is not easy to get that great night.
First one has to wait for one whole year to get the Blessed month of Ramadan. Then in the last ten days of Ramadan, he/she has to stay awake and worship the whole night. Only then is one able to get the reward of Laylatul-Qadr. For that purpose, Muslims do i'tikaf, that is, they dit in a masjid for the last ten days of the month of ramadan and give all of the last ten nights to the worship of Allah, staying awake the whole night, every night.
Though doing I'tikaf is a commendable act and is fard kifayah (obligatory on a community so if a few of them fulfil it, the whole community is freed from the obligation but if no one fulfills it, every person in the community is obligated to fulfil it and is a sinner.) However, it is nonetheless a difficult task.
But compared to i'tikaf, if a Muslim gives one morning or evening for conveying the message of Islam, then in ten days he / she earns the reward of 600 years of worship! (10 * 60 = 600 years.) And imagine how many years' reward you can earn during the year, from one Ramadan to another just by propagating the Message of Islam!
The importance of conveying Islam to others can be seen from this tremendous reward that Allah has promised for a Muslim who does preaching / dawah.
As Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم was the final Prophet, therefore now the duty of conveying Islam to mankind is given to his Ummah (followers) and we are given the position of Umatul-Wasata (The Middle Nation). Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta'ala said in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse :
و كذلك جعلناكم أمة وسطة لتكون شهداء على الناس و يكون الرسول عليكم شهيدا ً
And thus We made you the middle nation so that you be witnesses on the people and the Messenger is witness over you. (2: )
The position of Wasat is very high but it is related to the high responsibility of conveying the message of Islam to all people. If we (Muslims) do it, then on the Day of Judgment we will be witnesses on those to whom we conveyed the message. If a Muslim doesn't do it, then on the Day of Judgment he/she will be questioned about this duty.
Consequences of the Neglect of Dawah work
When Muslims convey the message of Islam, people are guided to Islam and become as brothers of one another, causing the land to be full of the light, peach and justice of Islam and Allah is pleased.
On the other hand, when preaching is abandoned, darkness and wickedness of unbelief prevail in the land of Allah, mischief and killing spread, and Muslims lose their high position of honor and the cruel unbelievers start persecuting and torturing them. This is the situation now as can be seen clearly.
The world is full of the darkness of unbelief, wickedness, torture and bloodshed, crimes and unrest. Muslims have left the Book of Allah and are proud of following the infidels. But injustice is increasing day by day and Muslims are so weak that they are wrongfully and falsely accused and are caught and punished unjustly.
The reason for the sad and miserable state of the Muslim Ummah is that they are disobedient to their Lord Allah because they left His Book and His prophet's teachings.
Because common man doesn't know that he/she is accountable, will be accounted for his / her faith (Belief) and deeds in the next world and will be punished in Hellfire for the sins / crimes / wrongdoings they committed. Therefore, mankind considers himself free to do whatever he wants but in fact, he/she is not free but accountable before God.
Quran is the solution and it's message must be conveyed to all by the Muslim ummah to remind mankind of their accountability.
God says in the Quran, Chapter 75 - Al-Qiyamah - the Resurrection, verses 1 - 10:
I do call to witness the Resurrection Day. And I do call to witness the self-reproaching spirit. Does man think that We cannot assemble his bones? Nay, we are able to put together in perfect order the very tips of his fingers. But man wishes to do wrong (even) in the time in front of him. He questions: "When is the day of Resurrection?" At length, when the sight is dazed; and the moon is buried in darkness; and the sun and the moon are joined together. That day will man say, "Where is the refuge?"
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