Charecteristics Of The Called Part III

READING THE SITUATION

When you find yourself in a situation, you have to read that situation in a way similar to the way you read a book. When you enter a room and find yourself

in front of a group of people, or you go to a shopping center and you see somebody interested in Islaam, you have to read that situation carefully before making any statements. Meaning, you have to be conscious of the unique elements of the situation and tailor your approach accordingly. We must be conscious of two main things: first the environment, and second the actual individual.

Timing

When it comes to the environment, the first thing to be remembered is the timing, finding the appropriate time. Is it a suitable time to talk about this subject or not? The Prophet (pbuh) used to select certain times to give his lectures. On one occasion one of ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas‘ood’s students came to him and said: “We love your lectures and sermons. Please give us more!” as he only used to give one lecture a week. He replied: “I wish that I could give more. The only thing that prevents me is the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). He used to take care of us in giving sermons by selecting a suitable time, so that we would not become bored.” From this incident we can see that the Messenger (pbuh) knew the characteristics of the called better than they knew themselves. People, in their enthusiasm and excitement, usually want more lectures in the beginning of any new program. However, the reality is that if you give too much or you speak for too long, they will eventually become bored. It is the nature of human beings to become lazy with time. Thus, the common saying “Familiarity breeds contempt.” Yes, there will be a few who are keen and will remain enthusiastic due to their sincerity and high level of commitment. However, in such cases, we have to consider the norm and not the exceptions. Consequently, we have to consider our timing. We must ask ourselves, “Is this the right time? Am I giving them too much?” In another hadeeth, the Prophet (pbuh) said, “Among the signs of an individual’s understanding of his religion is the length of his prayer and the shortness of his speech.” Therefore, we have to think about the length of our discussion, to insure that it is not too long, and we also have to think about the time we wish to engage in discussion, to insure that it is not at an inappropriate time. So read the environment, look around you. If you are in a busy market place, is it a suitable time to talk about the reality death, will you get your point across concerning punishment of the grave when everything around him is reminding him of the material world? Perhaps another topic would be more appropriate, or if you need to talk about reality, then take him alone in a room and have that discussion.