Dakwah/Da'wah

"With the name of Allah The Almighty, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful."

As the topic goes, my post this time will be on dakwah or da'wah as per Arabic spelling. What does that mean? It simply means calling to Islam or in a more elaborate explanation, educating, explaining through various means to our non-Muslims friends about our (Muslims) practices, beliefs and faith.

I cannot say I am worthy to perform such important responsibility, what's with my limited and inadequate knowledge on the matter at hand. But I believe what I have practised and carry out ever since I was born were right and that they were following the orders and words of the last messenger, our beloved Prophet Muhammad S.A.W.

It might not be entirely similar. Heck, it might be totally different. But that's why they say, Islam is the way of life. It transcends the trials and tribulations of time. Even after 1400 years after the first verse was read to the Prophet, Islam teaches the same values, the same practices, the same, 'way of life'. But never in any way, was it mentioned in the Quran how the values and practices are to be carried out. The only information provided is the guideline. And guidelines can be interpreted differently by different people.

An analogy; you see a non-smoking sign in a building. Many will interpret it as 'you're not allowed to smoke in the building'. That's what the general consensus would be. But did the sign wrote, no smoking in the building? Is it the whole building, even the balcony on the second floor, with very good airflow? The balcony is outside of the building, but its still part of it. You can smoke there, can't you?

There will also be some people who regardless of the sign, go against it or they created a thinking around it. Instead of interpreting it as no smoking in the building, they go with no smoking in the area where the sign is. So, technically, if they smoke in the toilet where there's no sign, or anywhere where the sign isn't put up, its not wrong is it?

The same goes with Islam. We were told to follow the Quran and the Hadith, in the Prophet's last message to his ummah before his last breath. By doing so, we will be saved, in the world and the hereafter. Still, Quran itself is not an easy scriptures to interpret. Reading the Quran isn't as simple as picking up any book where you read it once and you can understand it straight away. Even scholars sometime have difficulties to understand what exactly the verses in the Quran are trying to deliver.

That's why we have 4 different mazhabs. I'm not entirely sure how to explain the mazhabs, but to make it simple, the mazhabs are basically compilation of methods or ways of practicing Islam that has been proven to be the closest or the most similar to the practices during the time of the Prophet. Note my words, 'the closest', 'the most similar'. Its not exactly the same but nevertheless, the practices are all acceptable as they all follow the guideline as outlined in the Quran and Hadith.

Going back to the main topic, da'wah. I'm not in a position to say I can go up to people and educate them about Islam, not about anything beyond what I've learnt and practised. But if the non-Muslims inquire about things I believe I understood and have lived by it for the past 22 years, I am more than happy to explain, based on my own understanding. Yes, with references to proper evidence and examples.

One thing I always have to tell myself when explaining. Da'wah is not an easy thing. They will have plenty of questions, some of which I don't know the answer to. Some I might not even heard of before. Others might be very discriminative and biased that you felt like giving up or become angry. If you follow your heart, you'll get nothing. You'll end up arguing, but you reach nowhere.

Therefore, whenever I'm explaining about things, especially sensitive things like my faith, I told myself to be patient, listen and understand, explain carefully and properly, answer all their questions. Do not let them get to you. Cause once you do, you've lost. It's not just a matter of making them understand, but it's a matter of how much do we understand our own faith that we can explain it to others who have no prior knowledge whatsoever. It's a test for our own faith. Our Iman.

Remember this my fellow Muslim brothers and sisters. Whenever you're in trouble or having a huge problem, bear in mind, there is no trouble or problem, bigger than the passing of our beloved Prophet Muhammad S.A.W. For he was the last messenger of God.