Charecteristics Of The Call Part I

The pillars or foundations of da‘wah consist of three elements: The Call, The Caller and The Called. Each has its own particular characteristics, prerequisites and goals.

For the effective fulfillment of the responsibility of da‘wah the requirements of each pillar must be thoroughly met.

The Aim or Goal of Da‘wah is to spread the teachings of Islaam in their pristine purity. It is to enlighten disbelievers about Islaam and to correct mistaken beliefs among Muslims. The Prophet (pbuh) said:

إِنَّ اْلإِسْلاَمَ بَدَأَ غَرِيبًا وَسَيَعُودُ غَرِبَاً، فَطُوبَى لِلْغُرَبَاءِ
“Islaam began as something strange, and it will return as something strange, so give glad tidings to the strangers.”
قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ! وَمَا الْغُرَبَاءُ؟ قَالَ:
When the companions asked, “O Messenger of Allaah, who are the strangers?” He replied,
الَّذِينَ يُصْلِحُونَ عِنْدَ فَسَادِ النَّاسِ
“Those who rectify [themselves and others] when people become corrupt.” The goal of da‘wah is expressed in the following verse and others like it.

اُدْعُ إِلَى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ
“Call to the way of your Lord ...”Soorah an-Nahl, (16): 125Abul-Hasan ‘Alee Nadawee said the following regarding this verse: “The verse does not ask [the Prophet (pbuh)] to invite people to faith, correct beliefs, prayers, good manners or call on people to respect human rights. No such things have been mentioned in particular since all these are covered in the phrase “… to the way of your Lord.” … These words are profound and comprehensive.”
Sh. Ibn Baaz elaborated on the verse saying,
“The way of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, is submission, the straight path, the religion of Allaah with which He sent His Messenger (pbuh). Therefore, this is what must be called to, not the math’hab of such and such a person nor the opinion of any individual. …The way of Allaah is that which the Noble Qur’aan and the pure authentic Sunnah of the Messenger (pbuh) directs one to… It is necessary for the Muslim missionary to call people to the whole of Islaam and not to cause division among them, nor to be a blind follower of a math’hab, a tribe, a shaykh or a leader, etc. Rather his aim should be to affirm and clarify the truth and establish people upon that truth, even if it contradicts the opinion of so and so or such and such a person.”