Guidelines for calling Non-Muslims to Islam

28-10-2010 | IslamWeb

Question:

What are the verses that instruct and show us how we should deal with non-Muslims and invite them to Islam? What is the interpretation of these verses?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

Islam laid down some general rules for calling and guiding people to Islam, letting people choose the proper means to achieve this goal in a manner that does not contradict the rules and principles Islam has laid down. The most important of these rules are:

1-      Calling to Allaah The Almighty with wisdom and good advice. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction.}[Quran 16:125]

2-      Arguing in a wise manner. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means):

• {And argue with them in a way that is best.}[Quran 16:125]

• {And do not argue with the People of the Scripture except in a way that is best.}[Quran 29:46]

3-      Patience when they harm you. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means):

• {And be patient over what they say and avoid them with gracious avoidance.}[Quran 73:10]

• {Enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, and be patient over what befalls you.}[Quran 31:17]

4-      Adopting useful methods that endear Islam to them, on the condition that these methods do not contradict the Sharee‘ah (Islamic law). That is because violating the Sharee‘ah is a sin, and the end does not justify the means.

5-      Do not despair of their embracing Islam and becoming believers, and always supplicate Allaah The Almighty for their guidance and righteousness. This was the way of the prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention. In a Hadeeth on the authority of ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas‘ood, the Prophet mentioned a prophet before him whose people beat him until he bled. He used to wipe the blood from his face and supplicate Allaah The Almighty to forgive his people because they do not know [the truth].

6-      Acquiring Sharee‘ah knowledge that enables those who call disbelievers to Islam to refute their malicious allegations and confront their claims. We previously stated the ruling on seeking knowledge and its requirements in Fatwa 84369.

7-      Living Islam to the full, that is, showing that Islam dominates a person’s actions and behavior because Islam is based on good manners. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And We made from among them leaders guiding by Our command when they were patient and [when] they were certain of Our signs.}[Quran 32:24]

'Aa'ishah spoke of the behavior of the Prophet stating that he abided by the etiquette of the Quran and adopted its morals. Thus, whatever the Quran praised he would be pleased with and whatever the Quran dispraised he would hate and be angry about. [Ahmad] Al-Arnaa'oot classified it as Saheeh (Authentic).

And Allaah Knows best.