SEMINAR 3

SSCIENCE OF DAWAH AND ITS BASIC

TECHNICAL TERMS
1.Objectives

and Purposes

2.Methods
3.Development

and Rises of the Science of

Dawah
4.Basic Technical Terms in the Science of Dawah
1

OBJECTIVES AND
PURPOSES
Abdullah

Muhammad Zin (1995, pp. 10-12)

views that the true guidance is very much
needed by every single person.
Without it (the guidance), people will be in
the state of a great loss, i.e. they will not
know Allah (s.w.t.) and His commandments
and will not be able infuse them in their
deeds.
2
2

Cont

The objectives of Dawah are:

1. to guide people to the religion of Allah
(s.w.t.),
2. to establish evidence against those who
decline from or oppose the religion,
3. to discharge the duty enjoined on every
Muslim by Allah (s.w.t.), and
3
4. to exalt the word of Allah (s.w.t.) on earth.

Cont
According to Ab. Aziz Mohd Zin (1997, pp. 29-37)
the objectives of Dawah are:
1. To make sure that man will know his purpose
of his life, i.e. to obey Allah (s.w.t.) by
worshipping Him alone and serve humanity. Allah
(s.w.t.) says:

:)

(
)

(56

I have only created Jinns and men, that they may

serve (worship) Me. (al-Zaariyaat: 56)
4
4

Cont
2.

To lead man to the right path, which grants him

success and the pleasure of Allah (s.w.t.). This is done by
bringing man out of the darkness to the light of Iman:

)


(16 :( )

Wherewith Allah guideth all who seek His good pleasure to

ways of peace and safety, and leadeth them out of
darkness, by His will, unto the light,- guideth them to a
5
path that is straight. (Al-Maidah: 16)

Cont
3.

To establish baldatun tayyibah (a fair land) which is

governed by a fair government:

)

(15 :( )

There was, for Saba, afore-time, a Sign in their homeland, two Gardens to the right and to the left. Eat of
the Sustenance (provided) by your Lord, and be
grateful to Him: a territory fair and happy, and6 a
Lord Oft-Forgiving! (Saba: 15)

Cont
To prepare Muslims with all available powers:

)

(60 : ( )

4.

Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power,
including steeds of war, to strike terror into (the hearts of) the
enemies, of Allah and your enemies, and others besides, whom ye
may not know, but whom Allah doth know. Whatever ye shall
spend in the cause of Allah, shall be repaid unto you, and ye shall
7
not be treated unjustly. (al-Anfaal: 60).

Cont
5.

To attain the light of Iman:

)

(1 :)

A. L. R. A Book which We have revealed unto thee, in order that

thou mightest lead mankind out of the depths of darkness into
light - by the permission of their Lord - to the Way of (Him)
the Exalted in power, worthy of all praise!-. (Ibrahim: 1)

Cont
6.

To attain the pleasure of Allah:

) *
(30-28 : ( )
*

Come back thou to thy Lord,- well pleased (thyself),

and well-pleasing unto Him! * "Enter thou, then,
among My devotees! * "Yea, enter thou My
Heaven! (al-Fajr: 28-30)
9

Basic Methods of Dawah

i) Clear Message:

(36 :( )...

And We assuredly sent amongst every People a messenger,

(with the Command), Worship Allah, and avoid Evil
(al-Nahl: 36)

10

ii) Gradual Approach (tadarruj):

For example, in introducing duties and prohibitions,
10
a gradual approach is used.

Cont
iii) Easiness and simplicity:
:)

(... ...)

(185
Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make
things difficult for you (al-Baqarah: 185)

iv) Merciful and friendly preaching:

11

(159 :( ) ...
)

And by the Mercy of Allah, you dealt with them gently.
11
(Aal Imraan:159).

Cont
v) Giving the rationale behind certain commandments:
For example, the prohibition of wine, gambling, etc. Allah (s.w.t.)
says:

)





(91 :( )

Satan's plan is (but) to excite enmity and hatred between you, with
intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of
Allah, and from prayer: will ye not then abstain? (al-Maidah: 91)
12

12

Cont
vi) Message conveyed must suit the
audiences
thinking,
culture
and
education.
Ali (r.a.) said:
Speak to the people according to what they
know.
13

13

The Main Components of Methods of

Dawah

1. Content

2. Style of
Presentation

4. Strategy

14

3. Media

1. Content:
The content of Dawah should:
be correct and clear,
include
problems faced by the
audience, and
be according to the level of audiences
education, culture and thinking.
15

15

2. Style of Presentation:

It must be vary according to the situation, place and

time. For instance, the method of preaching can
sometimes be:

1) soft:

*
)
(44-43 :( )

16

"Go, both of you, to Pharaoh, for he has indeed

transgressed all bounds; But speak to him mildly;
perchance he may take warning or fear (Allah). (TaHa: )

Cont
2) firm (to those who adore earthly life)

(9 :( )

O ye who believe! Let not your riches or your children divert you
from the remembrance of Allah. If any act thus, the loss is their
own. (al-Munaafiquun: 9)

3) indirect:
For example, when a youth asked permission from the Prophet
(a.s.w.) to allow himself to commit adultery. The Prophet (a.s.w.)
asked him whether he would be pleased if such thing will happen
to
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his mother, sister, wife, or daughter.

17

Use Of Media. 3
Media

should be used in many forms.

Among important media used in the time of the
Prophet (s.a.w.) are: poetry, sermon, face-to-face
meetings, debate and dialogue.
Nowadays, media is further diversified including
seminar, symposium, conferences, congresses,
and mass media (print-media, TV, internet, etc.).
18

18

:Strategy. 4
Dawah

must be carefully conducted by

employing strategic planning and action.
The Prophet (s.a.w.), began his Dawah
with his family and his Companions:

( 214 :( )

And warn your tribe of near kindred. (alShuaraa: 214).

19
19

Cont

Companion
s
Family
Self
20

20

Cont
The

Prophets Dawah was conducted stage

by stage, i.e., secretly then openly.
Choosing the correct audience. You have to
study the audience before you communicate
with them.
The migration. A Muslim must use
migration as a means of promoting Islamic
21
tenets.
21

Development and Rises of the Science of

Dawah
1. History of the Prophets
The Quran has adopted the method of citing
examples and gives detailed narrations of
particular cases of prophets inviting people to
Allah (s.w.t.).
The messengers of God, from Prophet Adam
(a.s.) until Prophet Muhammad (a.s.w.), were
calling mankind to the right path of Allah (s.w.t.),
Din al-Islam Islamic Way of Life.
22
22

Cont
2. Basic Foundations of the Prophetic Dawah

23

Every prophet stressed on the same content: - Tawhid

(The Uniqueness of Allah), al-Nubuwwah (the
Prophethood) and al-Akhirah (Judgment Day) as well
as the worldly life as a life of complete submission to
God and His Commandments.
The use of conventional method of oral and personal
contact.
Applying physical approach in attaining conviction of
23
people, i.e., performing miracles, etc.

Cont
3. Examples of Prophetic Dawah:
Prophet Nuh (a.s.w.) and his Dawah.
Prophet Ibrahim (a.s.w.) and his Dawah.
Prophet Musa (a.s.w.) and his Dawah.
Prophet Isa (a.s.w.) and his Dawah.
Prophet Muhammad (a.s.w.) and his Dawah.
24

1.Prophet Nuh (a.s.w.)s Dawah to His People

Al-ARAF (The Heights): 59-64

:

*

*
*

*



*

) (64-59 :

25

Cont

26

We sent Noah to his people, and he said: My people, worship

God alone: you have no deity other than Him. I fear lest suffering
befall you on an awesome day. * The great ones among his
people replied: We certainly see that you are in obvious error. *
Said he: My people, I am not in error, but I am a Messenger from
the Lord of all the worlds. * I am delivering to you my Lords
messages and giving you sincere counsel, for I know [through
revelation] from God what you do not know. * Do you think it
strange that a reminder from your Lord should come to you
through a man from among yourselves, so that he might warn
you, and that you may keep away from evil and be graced with
His mercy? * But they accused him of lying, so We saved him
together with all those who stood by him, in the ark, and caused
those who rejected Our revelations to drown. Surely they were
blind people. (Verses 59-64)

2. Prophet Ibrahim (a.s.w.)s Dawah to his People

(80 : )
His people disputed with him. He said: (Come) ye to dispute with
me, about Allah, when He (Himself) hath guided me? I fear not (the
beings) ye associate with Allah: Unless my Lord willeth, (nothing
can happen). My Lord comprehendeth in His knowledge all things.
Will ye not (yourselves) be admonished? (al-Anaam: 80)

27

Cont

(81 : )
"How should I fear (the beings) ye associate with Allah, when
ye fear not to give partners to Allah without any warrant having
been given to you? Which of (us) two parties hath more right to
security? (tell me) if ye know. (al-Anaam: 81)

28

Cont
*

*

*
*





(56-52 : )

29

Behold! he said to his father and his people, "What are these images,
to which ye are (so assiduously) devoted? * They said, "We found
our fathers worshipping them." * He said, "Indeed ye have been in
manifest error - ye and your fathers." * They said, "Have you brought
us the Truth, or are you one of those who jest?" * He said, "Nay, your
Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, He Who created them
(from nothing): and I am a witness to this (Truth). (al-Anbiyaa : 5256)

Cont

*



*


*



*

) (45-41 :

30

Cont

(Also mention in the Book (the story of) Abraham: He

was a man of Truth, a prophet. * Behold, he said to his
father: "O my father! why worship that which heareth
not and seeth not, and can profit thee nothing? * "O my
father! to me hath come knowledge which hath not
reached thee: so follow me: I will guide thee to a way
that is even and straight. * "O my father! serve not
Satan: for Satan is a rebel against (Allah) Most
Gracious. * "O my father! I fear lest a Penalty afflict thee
from (Allah) Most Gracious, so that thou become to
Satan a friend. (Maryam: 41-45)

31

Cont

*


*
*





*

) (50-46 :

32

Cont

(The father) replied: "Dost thou hate my gods, O Abraham?

If thou forbear not, I will indeed stone thee: Now get away
from me for a good long while!" * Abraham said: "Peace be
on thee: I will pray to my Lord for thy forgiveness: for He
is to me Most Gracious. * "And I will turn away from you
(all) and from those whom ye invoke besides Allah: I will
call on my Lord: perhaps, by my prayer to my Lord, I shall
be not unblessed." * When he had turned away from them
and from those whom they worshipped besides Allah, We
bestowed on him Isaac and Jacob, and each one of them We
made a Prophet. And We bestowed of Our Mercy on them,
and We granted them lofty honour on the tongue of truth.
33 (Maryam: 46-50)

Cont
4. The Rise of the Science of Dawah
A

new discipline or an academic subject in Islamic

studies.
A discussion of Dawah in other fields of Islamic
studies such as in tafsir, hadith, kalam and fiqh.
Usul al-Dawah by Abd al-Karim Zaydan (1975)
can be considered the pioneer work. He has elaborated
four important basic foundations of Dawah, namely
its content, caller, called, and means of Dawah. 34
34

Basic Technical Terms in the Science of

Dawah

35

Al-Dai (The Caller)

Al-Madu (The Called)
Al-Risalah (The Message of Islam).
Al-Usul (The Foundations) or Usul al-Dawah
Al-Manahij (sing. manhaj) (The Methods)
Al-Asalib (sing. uslub) (The Ways)
Al-Wasail (sing. wasilah) (The Means)

35

AL-DAI (The Caller)

One

36

who invites others to Islam. In other words, the

person who undertakes the responsibility of
Dawah is called a Dai. His duty is to invite people
to come to Allah, i.e. towards worshipping and
obeying Him alone (Abdullah M. Zin, 1995:28).
Every Muslim has the obligation to play the role of
a Dai, no matter which part of the world he
belongs to, what language he speaks, or how much
educated he or she is.
This obligation starts from the day one embraces
36
Islam till his or her death (ICNA, 1983:11).

AL-MADU (The Called)

The called are all human beings, regardless of their nationalities,

races, tribes, groups and gender identities.

(...)
(158 :)

37

Say: O Mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of

Allah (Q 7:158, see also 35:28).
A Dai must come to a Madu and preach him. The Prophet
(s.a.w) used to go to the Quraysh people, pilgrims, people of
Taif, etc., because his duty as a Dai is to preach or convey.

(12 :( )

...)
37
Then the duty of our Messenger is only to convey (the message)
clearly. (al-Taghaabun: 12).

Types of Madu
al-Mala (Noble, Elite people)
2. Common people
3. Hypocrites, and
4. Disobedient people.
1.

38

38

Al-Risalah (The Message of Islam)

To

39

proclaim Islam as the Din of Allah

(s.w.t.) which was brought by Prophet
Muhammad (a.s.w.), and the Quran is the
Book of Allah, which is for all mankind
and forever.
Islam is not a religion of mere belief and
ritual but a complete and comprehensive
39
transcendental way of life.

Al-Usul (Foundations)
The
1.
2.
3.

Foundations of Dawah include:

Dai (Caller).
Madu.
Mawdu al-Dawah and its methods.
40

40

Al-Asalib (The Ways)

41

A successful Dawah depends on how a Dai

approaches the Madu. He should:
1. identify the disease (al-da) and know its remedy
(al-dawa),
2. remove doubts and suspicions (shubuhat) in
respect of Islam,
3. awaken the spirit to use the right remedy when the
audience rejects it, and,
4. give
proper education which becomes a
mechanism of defense against inner and incoming
41
diseases (al-tarbiyyah wal-talim) (Zaydan, 1981:
404-28).

Al-Manahij and al-Wasail

Al-Manahij (sing. Manhaj, method):

Wisdom, goodly advise and debate in

gracious manner (Abdullah M. Zin, 1995: 4858).

Al-Wasail (sing. wasilah, means):

Among important media are through words,

action and example (Zaydan, 1981: 452-69).
42

42