Paper presented at a seminar on Dawa for professionals at the Kulliyah of Medicine, International Islamic University Kuantan MALAYSIA by Professor Omar Hasan Kasule Sr.
1.0 DEFINITION OF ISLAMIC DAWA
Dawa is conveying the message of Islam to Muslims and non-Muslims. It is a communication process involving the caller, the called, and the message all contributing to behavioral change. Dawa indicates dynamism of the community because Islam is a missionary religion. Dawa is a collective obligation, fardh kifayat, however individual efforts even if small are encouraged. The main principals on which dawa stands are the caller, the called, and the method or strategy. Dawa also involves amr and nahy.
2.0 LEVELS OF DAWA
Dawa can be conceptualized at three different levels. The first level of dawa is calling to accept the creed accomplished by pronouncing the kalima. The second level is calling upon individuals and families to practice and live Islam. The third level is calling upon the whole society to be organized according to the teachings of Islam. Each of these levels requires different approaches and different strategies.
3.0 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CALLER
The caller must have the following personality characteristics: patience, wisdom, insight, iman, ‘Ilm, kindness, consideration, firmness, commitment, good personal relations, generosity, practicality, flexibility, humility, zuhd, qana'a, and taqwa. The most important attribute is commitment, ikhlaas. The following characteristics make a caller more persuasive: being perceived as honest, personal power, attractiveness, likeableness, similarity to the called, being of the same gender as the called, expertise, and credibility. A caller need not be perfect to start dawa. Dawa makes him better because of the challenge is that you have to live up to expectations of a caller. All dawa workers whether full-time of part-time must be receive training tailored to the local situation.
4.0 THE CALLED
Everybody is targeted, Muslims and non-Muslims, all races and nationalities, all social classes, and all parts of the world.
Dawa to Muslims involves calling them to practice Islam. Dawa to non-Muslims exposes the truth and positives of Islam while correcting the disinformation by the enemies. It aims at returning them to the natural state of human beings, which is Islam. Dawa to the general society involves propagating to the general public with the aim of making them aware or conscious of the presence of Islam.
Dawa programs could target special populations such as women, youths, patients in hospitals, prisoners, students, laborers, and workers. They could also target special social classes such as artists and stars, aristocrats, middle class, professionals, and ordinary people. The marginalized and rejected members or classes of society are a special target group for dawa because they are so susceptible. These include: criminals in prisons, drug addicts, the socially deprived, etc. They are looking for an alternative that will take them out of their sad situation.
5.0 STRATEGIES AND METHODS
Success depends on phasing, gradualism, tarbiyah, and influence by example. Material incentives should not be used to convince but to attract people to listen to the message. Dawa requires a wise, polite, non-antagonist, non-critical approach presentation of the Islamic alternative because truth automatically displaces falsehood. Dawa may be by direct or indirect, personal or impersonal. Personal contact is the most effective approach. The message should be individualized and customized. It should be simple and direct.
6.0 ENJOINING GOOD and FORBIDDING THE BAD, amre & nahy
Amr and nahy are necessary for the maintenance of morality and social order. Amr and nahy are communal obligations. Amr and nahy protect society from destruction due to actions of evil doers. The prophet gave the example of those who neglect amr and nahy like passengers on a boat in which people sitting at the upper level neglected to stop those on the lower level from making a hole in the boat which eventually caused the boat to capsize and drown everybody
A person undertaking amr and nahy must know what is halal and what is haram. Halal and haram are clear but between them are unclear grey matters, umuur mutashabihaat. The general guideline about shubuhaat is to leave alone what causes doubt and do only what has no doubt in it keeping away from grey areas. A person is advised to leave what causes him doubt and go for certainty.
Any one can undertake amr & nahy on the specific subject that they know well. The person need not be morally perfect; what is needed is that he is trying to get better. He must be an adult and have the attributes of knowledge, taqwa, and good behavior/character. Nahy is about specific bad actions that are forbidden by shariat, that exist now, that are obvious, that are known without ijtihad, and any blameworthy, munkar, or forbidden, haram, act. Amr & nahy are undertaken at all times of day and night. In some special circumstance, it may be better to wait for a more appropriate time to make sure that the target of amr and nahy will appreciate the message better. Amr and nahy are undertaken in any place.
