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First sermon:
Without Sincere devoted callers to Allah, Muslims would be ignorant. They would be deceived by Satans of Jinn and humans; and they would be overtaken by delusions from every direction. Therefore, callers to Allah are like lights that eliminate darkness, leaders for guidance; and they are Allah’s Evidence on earth. By them are delusions removed, and hazes driven away. They are pillars of belief, enemies of Satan, mainstays of the nation, upholders of Religion; and they are trustworthy of the Religion of Allah. They call people to Allah faithfully, steadfastly, and by good morals. Their actions confirm their words. Hence, they are examples and cressets, they make right that which has been corrupted, and they make straight that which has deviated. They do not keep themselves aloof from people; they fear no one except Allah; and they say nothing but good.
Callers to Allah will not be successful unless they follow the Prophet (PBUH) who was preserved from committing wrong in his speech, in his deeds, and in his conditions. Allah revealed to him Divine Revelation and comanded us to do whatever he (PBUH) told us to do, to keep away from all things he forbade us to do and to imitate his attitudes and conduct, for he is the best example and model, and the sublime ideal human being.
These are some of the rules which are derived from his Da’wah:
FIRST RULE: good exemplars come before the Call for Allah!
The Prophet (PBUH) was a devoted worshiper and a unique unmatched leader. He established a nation out of dispersed people. He was a man of war who made plans and led armies, a merciful father, a sympathetic and compassionate husband, an intimate friend, a generous relative, a neighbour who was concerned with his neighbour’s troubles, and a leader whose soul was filled with his followers’ feelings; he treated them friendly and sympathetically, the thing which made them ready to sacrifice themselves for him. Nonetheless, he was charged with the greatest Call on earth, the Call which achieved for man his perfect existence and pervaded all his existence. When people saw that all such good attributes were substantiated in the personality of the Messenger of Allah, they believed in all the principles which he brought. They saw them impersonated in his behaviour; they did not read them in a book. Therefore, they were greatly influenced and strongly motivated by them. They tried to follow the Prophet’s example as much as they could. Hence, he (PBUH) was the greatest example of the humanity throughout its long history, and he was guider and instructor through his exemplar behavior more than his noble words.
Since good exemplars are the best way for education, and since the call of a luxurious man for asceticism is invalid, the call of a liar for truthfulness is ridiculous, and the call of a deviated man for straightness is disgraceful, the holy Prophet’s attitudes, attributes, virtues, and morals, were good examples and patterns which should be imitated not only for abstract contemplation, but also for practice and application.
It was narated that the holy Prophet (PBUH) once counseled Mou’ath, the venerable Companion, may Allah be pleased with him,
“ O Mou’ath! I do counsel you to fear Allah, be truthful in speech, fulfill covenants, discharge trusts, keep way from betrayal, preserve neighbours’ rights, have mercy orphans, be lenient in speaking, salute sh3er, do good deeds, do not be too hopeful, be committed to belief, study the Quran, love the Hereafter, fear (Allah’s) Reckoning, and be modest. And I do prohibit you from insulting wise men, accusing the honest and truthful of lying, obeying sinful men, disobeying just leaders, or corrupting a land…And I order you to fear Allah upon every stone, tree, and loam, and to repent after every sin, secretly for secret sins and openly for open ones.”
To be an expert scientist in medicine, science, or engineering does not require certain strict manners or behavior, for these sciences are not spoiled if a scientist follows his desires in his private life. But this does not apply to Religion. If you are a devoted man, a scholar, or a Caller, you have to be a good example for those whom you call for this Religion; otherwise, no one will hearken to you, even if you are the most expert and the most learned of this Religion. None will ever look at you respectfully unless your behavior be in harmony with the principles of the Religion you are preaching.
The king of Oman said after he had met the Prophet (PBUH): “I swear by Allah that nothing led me to this illiterate Prophet except that he does not order people to do good unless he does it; he does not prohibit something unless he is the first one to leave it; when he overcomes, he is not reckless or tyrannical; and when he is overcome, he does not get hopeless; he fulfils conventions; and accomplishes promises.”
After embracing Islam, One of the western writers of the Prophet’s biography said: “Muhammad was a king, a politician, a fighter, a leader, a legislator, a judge, a conqueror, am emigrant, a persecuted man, a merchant, a friend, a son, a father, a husband, and a neighbour. He indeed practiced all the principles which he preached to people. There is no commandment or order in the Quran which the Prophet (PBUH) did not do. Hence, he practiced every thing that he ordered people to do. Man will not be forgiving unless he has an enemy who persecuted him severely, and when he captures this enemy and has an ability to take revenge on him, he forgives him.” He goes on to say, “Contemplate when the Prophet (PBUH) entered Mecca victoriously, after all Arabia had yielded to him, and Mecca, the stronghold of the enemy had been under his mercy. If he had wanted to kill those people, who were his worst enemies and who had persecuted him and made fun of him, he would have been able to do so, without being blamed. The virtue of forgiveness had not existed perfectly in any religion until the Prophet (PBUH) came. Had not he come, this virtue would have become inoperative for ever.”
SECOND RULE: kindness comes before preaching.
The Prophet (PBUH) ordered us to be merciful before being custodians, for one who does not have mercy will not be mercied.
Allah, the Almighty addresses His Messenger (PBUH) saying:
“We sent you not, but as a Mercy for all creatures.”
People have a natural disposition for loving those who do good to them, and for hating those who do harm to them. The Prophet (PBUH) opened people’s hearts by his mercy and tolerance, so that harsh hearts yielded to him, and the disobedient turned out most devoted. It was narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said:
“I was sent (to people) supported by the ability to treat them with gentle courtesy.”
In other words, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) used to call people to Guidance through gentle courtesy and good counseling. But there is a difference between gentle courtesy and flattery. The former means to sacrifice worldly interests for the sake of Religion, whereas the latter means to sacrifice Religion for the sake of worldly interests.
The Prophet (PBUH) sent some of his men to Najd; and when they returned, they brought with them a man from Bani Hanifa called
“Thumama Ibn Aathal”[1], who had done such a great harm to the Prophet (PBUH) and his Companions. So they tied him up to a column in the mosque; then the Prophet (PBUH) went to him and said: “ O Thumama! What do you have?” He replied: “I have a good thing, if you kill me, you kill a murderer; and if you forgive me, you forgive a thankful man; and if you want money, ask whatever you want.” The hol Prophet (PBUH) left him until the next day when he said: “O Thumama! What do you have?” he said: “As I told you, if you forgive, you forgive a thankful man.” Then he left him until the next day when he said: “O Thumama! What do you have?” he said: “I have what I told you.” Then he said: “Set Thumamah free.” As soon as Thumama was set free, he went to a palm tree where he washed himself, then he entered the Mosque and said: “I testify that there in no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. O Muhammad! I swear by Allah that there was no one on earth more hateful to me than you, but now you are the dearest one to me. I swear by Allah that there was no religion more hateful to me than yours, but now your Religion is the most beloved one to me. I swear by Allah that there was no country more hateful to me than yours, but now your country is the most beloved one to me. Your people took me while I was going to do Umra (i.e. minor pilgrimage), so what do you suggest?” The Prophet (PBUH) promised good to him and permitted him to do Umra. When he came to Mecca they said to him: “Have you renounced religion?” he said: “Nay, by Allah! But I converted to Islam with Muhammad (PBUH). I swear by Allah that no one seed of wheat shall be brought to you from Al-Yamama, unless the Prophet (PBUH) permits that…”
This was a kind of economic blockage.
THIRD RULE: Gentle Invitation Comes before Intimidation.
The Prophet (PBUH) taught Muslims to invite people to the religion of Islam by wisdom and good counseling before intimidation, by good tidings before warnings, by awakening desires for sincerity before warning of hypocrisy, by awakening desires for seeking knowledge and spreading it before warning of turning way from it and hiding it, by awakening desires for performing prayers in their times before warning of abandoning or delaying it. This is because gentle invitation is far more beneficial than frightening. This fact is clarified through the Prophet’s attitude and speech to ’Udai Ibn Hatim At-Ta’i when the latter embraced Islam.
’Udai Ibn Hatim At-Ta’i said:
“There was no one from the Arab who hated the Prophet (PBUH) more than I did; and I was the chiftain of my people. But when I met him, he said to me: ‘O ’Udai! Maybe it is what you see of the poverty of Muslims that which prevents you from accepting this religion…I swear by Allah that wealth is about to overflow among them until there is no one to take it! And maybe it is what you see of the multitude of their enemies and their being only a few that which prevents you from accepting this religion due to the weaknes of its followers. By Allah! You are about to hear that a woman goes out of Al-Qadisyia on her camel, and visits this Old Sacred House, fearing nothing but Allah! And maybe it is because you see dominion and authority are with sh3er, you refrain from accepting this religion. I swear by Allah that you are about to hear that the White Palaces of Babel are conquered by them, and that the treasures of Khosrau becomes theirs.” When I heard that from the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) I embraced Islam.”
FORTH RULE: Facilitation comes before constraining.
The Prophet (PBUH) ordered us to facilitate not to constrain, and to bring good tidings not to repel. It was narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said:
“Facilitate and do not constrain, bring good tidings and do not repel.”
An-Nawawi (May Allah have mercy upon him) said: “If the Prophet (PBUH) confined his speech to “facilitate” then one can facilitate one time and constrain many times. But when he said: “and do not constrain” he ordered us to avoid constraining in all situations.” Ibn Masa’oud (May Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Prophet (PBUH) used to preach to us from time to time, lest we should get bored.” Which means that he used to preach to us from time to time and not continually in order not to get bored with preachment.
The Prophet (PBUH) forbade Muslim callers to charge people with that which they can not bear, in order that they keep adherent to the Path of Belief. A caller who is adherent to the Prophet’s Tradition should observe perfect deeds, but he should be tolerant with sh3er concernng their religious observances in order to facilitate such observances for them. It was narrated that Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) said:
“The Prophet (PBUH) saw an old man leaning on his two sons and walking. So he asked: ‘What’s the matter with this man?’ They said: ‘He has taken a vow to walk.’ He said: ‘Allah is in no need of this man torturing himself’, and he ordered him to ride. Also, the Prophet (PBUH) saw a man standing in the sun, so he asked: ‘What’s the matter with this man?’ They said: ‘He has taken a vow that he would not sit in the shade, nor would he speak, and that he would remain fasting. So he ordered him to sit in the shade, to speak, and to breakfast. And he said: ‘You should charge yourself with that which you can endure, for Allah does not get bored unless you get bored’.”
Ali Ibn Abi Talib (May Allah be pleased with him) said: “Sometimes hearts are eager, and sometimes they get bored. So when they are eager, perform supererogatory worships. And when they get bored, be confined to obligatory worships.”
FIFTH RULE: Education not slander.
The Prophet (PBUH) taught Muslims through his speech, deeds, and attitudes towards his Companions, in all situations, that calling for Allah is an educational mission. Its psychological basis is: truthful love, deliberate mercy, pity and compassion upon the people who are called to Islam. Its intellectual base is: precise, profound, and comprehensive knowledge of the human nature with its strength and weakness, sprightliness and lassitude, oncoming and turning away.
When the Prophet (PBUH) got ready to conquer Mecca,
Hatib Ibn Balta’a[5] sent a letter to the people of Mecca telling them about that. He said: “The Messenger of Allah wants to invade you, so be cautious.” And he sent the letter with a woman. The revelation came to the Prophet (PBUH) telling him about that. So the Prophet (PBUH) sent Ali, Az-Zubair[6], and Al-Miqdad[7] and bade them: “Go to the place of so-and-so, and you will find a woman with a letter, so take it from her and bring it to me.” The narrator of this Hadith said: “So we went until we arrived at Ar-Rawda, the place that the Prophet (PBUH) had mentioned to them, and we found the woman, so we said to her: ‘Either you give the letter to us, or you should take off your clothes!’ So she took it from her hair and gave it to us. Then we brought it to the Prophet (PBUH). It contained the following: ‘From Hatib Ibn Abi Balta’a to people in Mecca…’ telling them about what the Prophet (PBUH) wanted to do. So the Prophet (PBUH) asked Hatib: ‘O Hatib! What is that? And what made you do that?!...’ He said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Do not hasten in judging on me. I was affiliated with Quraish, but I was not notable among them. Those emigrants, who are with you, have kinship whereby they can protect their family and properties. So I wanted to have a favor upon them in order to protect my relatives. But I have not done that out of infidelity or apostasy.’ Omar (May Allah be pleased with him) said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Let me behead this hypocrite!’ But the Messenger said: ‘He attended Badr, and Allah may have seen the people of Badr and forgiven them.’ Then he looked at his Companions and said: ‘Believe him, and do not say anything but good…’.”
This was out of the holy Peophet’s merciful heart, his tolerance, and his profound understanding of a casual moment of weakness which overtook this Companion. The Prophet (PBUH) wanted from this merciful attitude to help him out of his fault, so he did neither punish him or allow any of his Companions to do. In fact, the difference between Omar’s attitude and the Prophet’s attitude is that Omar looked upon the sin itself, which is a great betrayal to Allah, His Messenger, and His religion. Whereas the Prophet (PBUH) looked at the casual moment of weakness which overtook this man, so he understood that and had mercy upon him.
SIXTH RULE: Addressing the mind and heart at the same time.
Through his Tradition and Biography The Prophet (PBUH) taught Muslims that man has a mind that comprehends, and a heart that loves. Also, he taught them that the nourishment of the mind is knowledge, and the nourishment of the heart is love, that the mind is the leader of the heart, and that the wisest are those who love Allah most. If the mind is like the eye for the soul by which it sees, so the Divine Guidance is the light of this eye, for how can the mind see realities of things without a light that uncovers them? And if the heart and its affection drive man to move and act, the mind is like a stirring wheel that directs this movement towards its goal, and protects it from deviation and destruction.
Therefore, the Prophet (PBUH) addressed the mind of man.
It was narrated that Abu Umama[9] (May Allah be pleased with him) said that a young man came to the Prophet (PBUH) and said: “O Prophet of Allah! Would you allow me to commit adultery?” Peopled shouted at him, but the Prophet (PBUH) said: “Let him come near.” So the man came nearer to the holy Prophet (PBUH) and sat in front of him. Then the Prophet (PBUH) said: “Do you like that for your mother?” He said: “No! May Allah make me a sacrifice for you!” The Prophet (PBUH) said: Neither do people like it for their msh3er. Do you like it for your daughter?” He said: “No! May Allah make me a sacrifice for you!” The Prophet (PBUH) said: “Neither do people like it for their daughters. Do you like it for your sister?” He said: “No, may Allah make me a sacrifice for you!” The Prophet (PBUH) said: Neither do people like it for their sisters.” Then he mentioned his paternal and maternal aunts. Then the Prophet (PBUH) put his hand on his chest and said: ‘O Allah! Purify the heart of this man, forgive his sin, and guard his chastity.’ As a result nothing was more hateful to this man than adultery.
If addressing the mind brings about a conviction, then addressing the heart brings about an attitude. The Prophet (PBUH) addressed Al-Ansar (the Helpers), who were dissatisfied with him after distributing the spoils of Hunain. So he said to them:
“O Helpers! Have not I come to you when you were astray, so Allah guided you by me; and (you were) poor, then Allah enriched you; and (you were) enemies, then Allah has reconciled among your hearts?! Are you dissatisfied with me because of a worldly thing by which I attracted people to embrace Islam, and I entrusted you to your belief…O Helpers! Are not you satisfied that people go with ewes and camels, while you go back with the Messenger of Allah...?”
At that moment, they cried until their beards became wet with tears.
SEVENTH RULE: Providing evidence and explanation…
Through Divine Revelation the Prophet (PBUH) taught us that the Holy Quran is the words of the Creator of the heavens and the earth…Allah says:
“Say: ‘(The Quran) was sent down by Him who knows the mystery (that is) in the heavens and the earth; verily He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
Hence, it is inevitable that the verses of the Holy Quran are in precise and perfect consistence and harmony with the system of the universe with its heavens, earth, creatures, and particularly mankind, just as the human mind - through its principles of cause and effect, finality and non-contradiction - is in conformity with the principles of the universe. The demand of the Holy Quran to use the mind in contempating the creation of the heavens and earth, as a medium for knowing Allah and a reason for man’s responsibility, affirms this conformity.
On the other hand, man’s natural disposition is in conformity with the belief in Allah and the Hereafter, obedience to Allah, resorting to Him and being happy near Him. In this context, Allah says:
“So set your face steadily and truly to the Faith, (establish) Allah’s handiwork according to the pattern on which he has made mankind.”
Hence, we come to the conclusion that every Call for Allah which does not bring together in one unity authentic narration, good reason and sound human natural disposition is unacceptable and futile. Therefore, the Prophet (PBUH) said:
“Obedience should be in good.”
EIGHTH RULE: Knowing the Commander comes before knowing the Commandment…
Through Divine Revelation the Prophet (PBUH) taught us that knowledge is the only way to Allah. Allah says:
“Those truly fear Allah, among His servants, who have knowledge.”
He also taught us that man will not have sufficient fear which makes him obey Allah and follow his Prophet’s Tradition, unless he knows Allah through His universal Signs. The Prophet (PBUH) supplicated:
“O Allah! Bestow upon us Your fear that prevents us to disobey You.”
Therefore, thinking in the creation of the heavens and the earth is the way for fearing Allah, which is the way for obeying Him; and obeying him is the way for happiness in both abodes, the present world and the Hereafter. Allah says:
“He who obeys Allah and His Messenger has already attained the highest achievement.”
Any Call which is confined to acquainting people with Allah’s Commandments but does not acquaint him with The Commander before His Commandments is vainless and futile. Allah says:
“Soon will We show them our Signs in the (furthest) regions (of the earth), and in their own souls.”
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[1] - He was a great companion, and the leader of the people of Al-Yamama. He died in 12 A.H. When the people of Al-Yamama apostatized from Islam, he remained Muslim and fought the apostates.
[2] - It was narrated by Al-Boukhari. (8 \ 68-69).
[3] - See “As-Sira An-Nabawyia” by Ibn Hisham: (4 \ 171-188).
[4] - it was narrated by Al-Boukhari.
[5] - He was one of the great companions. He was present at all battles with the Prophet (PBUH), and he was one of the most expert marksmen. The Prophet (PBUH) sent him with his letter to Al-Mouqawqis, the governor of Al-Iskandaryia. He died in 30 A.H. See “Al-Isaba” (1 \ 300).
[6] - He was a brave companion, and one of the ten companions whom the Prophet (PBUH) portended them to enter in Paradise. He was present at Badr and other battles. He was one of those whom Omar appointed to be his successors. He died in 36 A.H. See “Safwat As-Safwa” (1 \ 132).
[7] - He was one of the great companions, and one of those who publicized their belief. He was the first one to fight for the sake of Allah on a horse. He was present at Badr and other battles. He lived in Al-Medina and was buried there in 37 A.H. See “Safwat As-Safwa” (1 \ 167).
[8] - The Origion of this story is narrated in As-Sahihain.
[9] - He is Sudai Ibn A’jlan Ibn Wahb Al-Bahili, a great companion. He narrated 250 Hadiths. He was attended with Ali in the battle of Suffin. He lived in Damascus and died in Hums. He was the last companion to die in Syria in 81 A.H.
[10] - It was narrated by Al-Boukhari (8 \ 47), and Muslim (840).
