Praise be to Allah and may the peace and the blessings of Allah be upon His Messenger Muhammad, his family, his companions and his followers.

Thereafter, we're going to talk about the goals of Da`wah.

Third: The Objectives of Da`wah:

The objectives of Da`wah are evident in the Islamic texts of the Glorious Qur’an and blessed Sunnah. The following points have been extracted from both sources that highlight those objectives:

1 – Achieving the pleasure of Allah the Almighty, as He says: “They (are those who) fulfill (their) vows, and they fear a Day whose evil will be wide-spreading. And they give food, in spite of their love for it (or for the love of Him), to the poor, the orphan, and the captive, (Saying): "We feed you seeking Allâh’s Countenance only. We wish for no reward, nor thanks from you.” [Al Insan: 7 - 9].

2 – Spreading the light of Islam on the earth, as Allah Glory be to Him says: “It is He Who has sent His Messenger (Muhammad) with guidance and the religion of truth (Islâm), to make it superior over all religions even though the idolaters hate (it).” [At-Tawbah: 33].

3 – Correcting the wrong faith prevailing over the minds of people, because faith is the base and foundation if it is sound all actions are right but if it is corrupted or ill then all actions are wrong.  Reformation of doctrine was one of the first objectives of Da`wah by all Prophets and Messengers of Allah peace be upon them, as Allah Almighty says in the Glorious Qur’an: “And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad) but We revealed to him (saying): None has the right to be worshipped but I (Allâh)], so worship Me (Alone and none else)." [Al Anbiya: 25]. Furthermore, The Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and the blessings of Allah be upon him) commended his companion Mu`a’dh when he sent him to Yemen to invite the people to the faith of monotheism and the Prophet (may the peace and the blessings of Allah be upon him) ordered him to begin with the subject of faith before anything else, as he advised him saying: “You will come upon people of the Scripture, so call them to witness that there is no god except Allah, and that I 'm the Messenger of Allah.”(1).

4 – Inviting the people to carry out the duties and to fulfill the worships represented in the pillars of Islam, by removing from the doctrines whatever has been tinged or added to the original and pure doctrine. It is noteworthy that the Prophet (may the peace and the blessings of Allah be upon him) in his advice to Mu`adh when he sent him to Yemen, has put the goal of inviting the people to worship after the subject of doctrine directly, as he said: “If they obeyed you then inform them that Allah has enjoined upon them five prayers every day and night, and if they obeyed you then inform them that Allah has enjoined upon them charity that is taken from their rich and given to their poor, and if they obeyed you then be careful, and do not take the best of their properties (as payment of Zakat) , and fear oppressed person’s curse as there is no veil between their curse and Allah.”(2)

5 – Correcting the behavior of the people and improving their ethics, as Allah says: “Indeed Allâh conferred a great favor on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger (Muhammad) from among themselves, reciting unto them His Verses (the Qur’ân), and purifying them (from sins by their following him), and instructing them (in) the Book (the Qur’ân) and the wisdom, while before that they had been in manifest error.” [Al `Imran: 164].

Once the Prophet of Allah (may the peace and the blessings of Allah be upon him) was requested to curse the idolaters, then he said: “Verily, I was not sent to invoke curses, rather I was only sent as a mercy.” (3).

6 – Fulfilling the task of conveying the message of Allah and delivering the knowledge about Allah to the people with proof and evidence, as Allah Almighty says: “We have not sent you (O Muhammad) as a Hafîz (watcher, protector) over them. Your duty is to convey (the Message).” [Ash-Shura: 48].

In brief, the goals of call are achieved through transferring the people from the slavery of people to the slavery Lord of the people. (4).

We will mention in the following episode -God willing- the virtues of calling to Allah Almighty.

May the peace and the blessings of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and his all companions.

________________

(1) Reported by Al Bukhari, (5/206, Hadith No. 4347), Book of Expeditions, Chapter on (Sending Abu Musa and Mu`adh to Yemen) and by Muslim, (1/50 Hadith No. 19), Book of Faith, Chapter on (Inviting to the testimony that there is no god but Allah.

(2) Reported by Al Bukhari, (2/159, Hadith No. 1496), Book of Zakat, Chapter on (The charity is taken from the rich and given to the poor) and by Muslim, (1/50 Hadith No. 19), Book of Faith, Chapter on (The two witnesses).

(3) Reported by Muslim: (4/2006 Hadith No. 2599), Book of gift and charity, Chapter on (Forbidding from cursing the animals).

(4) More detail about the objectives of call is coming in the Second Rule.

Add comment