Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

asalamualaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatahu
i would like to know whether giving dawah to Muslims and non-Muslims is fard, wajib, sunnah or nafl. i spoke to a person who made it sound as if giving dawah is fard. please reply.
jazakallah for taking your time to read this mail.
a early response would e highly appreciated.
walaikumasalaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatahu 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Is Daawah fard or Sunnah?

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

If one has been blessed and honored by the Merciful Lord to be guided to the Truth of Al-Islam, it would indeed be extremely selfish or rather unnatural for him to keep this Truth to himself! Once true ‘emaan’ or faith in the Truth of Allah Subhanah and His Message has entered one’s heart, it is not possible for the person to contain or hide this within himself; but his condition will be that he would go out of his way to invite all who care to listen to good caution to the Truth.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 66 Surah Tahreem verse 6: O you who have believed, save yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel shall be men and stones; over which shall be appointed fierce and stern angels, who never disobey Allah’s Command, and they only do as they are commanded!

In the above Aayah of the Glorious Quran, Allah Subhanah commands the believers to first and foremost save oneself and their families from the Eternal Fire of Hell by submitting to Him. That would be an obligatory (fard) duty on each and every individual who believes.

Furthermore, Allah has guided the whole Ummah or nation of believers to invite all mankind to the Truth of Al-Islam in best and most polite manner; and named it amongst the best deeds one can do.

Allah says in the Holy Quran: Chapter 16, Surah An-Nahl Ayat 125: Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and excellent admonition and argue with people in the best manner. Your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Way and who is Rightly guided.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 41 Surah Fussilat verse 33: Who is better in speech than one who calls (men) to Allah, works righteousness, and says "I am of those who bow in Islam?”

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale Imraan verse 110: Ye (O believers) are the best of peoples evolved for mankind; enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and believing in Allah.

Doing ‘dawaah’ does not necessarily mean that every person has to go give a speech, or write books, or stand in the streets and invite everyone who passes by! If one simply submits his will to Allah Subhanah and strives to abide by all the laws of Allah and His Messenger (saws), and gives each human being his due rights in full; it would indeed be considered a great source of Dawah. For nothing melts the hearts of a human being than the interaction of another human being; and when one who does not believe realizes that a person who calls himself a muslim has such high morals, and character, and manners, and integrity…he will automatically be attracted to way of life that is followed by the true believer.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.