Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| Top 10 things to DO/AVOID while doing Da'wah |
|---|
| amal |
| 05/23/01 at 22:48:07 |
| Assalamu alaykum, I was wondering if the brothers and sisters could ,each according to his/her personal experience,share what they believe are the top ten things that affect Da'wah both positively and negatively. I'm new to the states and would benefit from any input. salaam amal |
| Re: Top 10 things to DO/AVOID while doing Da'wah |
|---|
| Arsalan |
| 05/24/01 at 02:25:06 |
| [slm] Buy this book: "How to Tell Others About Islam" By Yahiya Emerick. It should be a good starting point. Insha Allah I'll write some more stuff later ... This is my favorite topic :) |
| Re: Top 10 things to DO/AVOID while doing Da'wah |
|---|
| chachi |
| 05/24/01 at 07:50:00 |
hmm shaikh ahmed deedat and i've seen it happen with at least 4 people and persistence..2 cases...one involving a x-tian evangelist had a debate with him for like 6/7 hours and an atheist he left with a better impression of islam |
| Re: Top 10 things to DO/AVOID while doing Da'wah |
|---|
| bhaloo |
| 05/24/01 at 11:17:28 |
| slm I agree with Arsalan that Yahiya Emerick's book, "How to tell others about Islam" is a great start. Also, What Islam is all about by the same author is good. Here is an article by Yahiya Emerick about doing Dawah at home. Keeping the Spirit Alive by Yahiya Emerick ---------------------------------------------------------------------- I just read a very interesting story. A teacher gave her students the following assignment: As a parent what their dream life was when they were a teenager, and then write an essay comparing it to your own dreams for your future right now. Accordingly, a teenager asked her mom about her aspirations when she was young, and the mother replied, (reflecting her Sixties hippie roots,) "I wished for a simple life, living on a farm commune, growing my own vegetables and being happy." The daughter paused for a moment and stopped writing down her mother’s words. "What’s wrong?" Her mother asked. "It’s sort of embarrassing," the teenager replied, "because all I want is to drive a Lexus and get a good job." In the first place, this may seem to be a harmless little story to elicit a chuckle. But it got me thinking. How many Muslim "activists" have I met, who spent all their free time doing Dawah and promoting Muslim causes, only to lose their own children and spouses to the kufr lifestyle? It’s pretty amazing that that would ever be the case. But I’ve seen it first hand and it isn’t pretty. Of the activist who is never home, we have no doubt about why he or she may lose their families. After all, THEY WERE NEVER HOME. And even when they were, all their mental conferences. We all know at least one person like this. Is it because it’s easier to be in the Masjid all day, surrounded by things that are easy to control, at least easier than an unruly child? Or has the activist become so filled with Islamic romaticism they live in a dreamland of khalifah, movements and spiritual battles? Only Allah knows for sure. But what about the other kind of activist? The one who is so skilled and full of energy that they can tear through any Dawah task outside the home and still have plenty of juice left over to "do Dawah" in the home. I’ve met quite a few of this category also. I’ve even taught the children of such "Super Da’ees" myself in the various Islamic schools I found myself in. Here are some interesting observations, but first, an introducing to the topic of giving Dawah in the home. Your hear a lot from people, from conventions, speeches, khutbas, etc…about the family being the number one priority for Dawah. Few speakers, however, give any realistic ways of doing it. It seems to me that the only method of "doing Dawah" that most people are familiar with is the challenge them/give a lecture format. In this format, one person assumes another is completely wrong. Then he or she proceeds to lecture them endlessly to bring the other person into enlightenment. Almost every Muslim activist I’ve ever met does this type of Dawah. Does it work? I’m usually the only convert at most gatherings I attend (male, at least). You decide. How does the super Da’ee relate Islam in his or her home? I will describe for you examples I’ve seen with my own eyes. A father and son come to my book table. The son is, by all standards, an Americanized teen. The father is an immigrant, middle-aged, Masjid-going and reasonably well-off financially. As the son is looking at the videos, the father endlessly lectures the son about why he should pray. It looks like a well-rehearsed script. The son’s face darkens in annoyance and he whispers, "You don’t understand." But the father, who is too busy lecturing on the merits of the prayer, didn’t hear him. I suspect he has probably never really heard his own son- ever. A mother with a loose, see-through head-scarf, precariously, (and obviously temporarily) perched on her permed hair, wearing the typical colorful get-up replete with nail polish and Gucci bag, is walking near the entrance to a Masjid during social gathering. Her teenage daughter is standing near her, wearing nail polish, make-up, tight, tight jeans, a short sleeve shirt and no head-covering at all. (Talk about dressed to attract!) A group of teenage "Muslim" boys walk by shouting and talking about sports and girls. This girl flirts with them and is about to follow them when the mother calls her daughter back and gives her a lnog lecture about why "Muslim girls shouldn’t hang out with boys alone. Here’s a favorite of mine: I know of a father who literally terrorizes his family with endless talk of Islam. To the point where pouring a cup of water in the home is to invite a lecture on the merits of water in Islam. Obviously, his children can’t stand Islam because they equate it with their father’s droning, boring and endlessly running voice. Each of the three examples has one common denominator: a parent who is forceful about giving some Islamic teaching, but who then goes about it the wrong way. The first parent never listened to his son, and instead, was totally unaware that his son was complete won over by modern, popular teen culture. If he would have developed a good relationship wit his son, and been a consistent role-model for him form his earliest memories, his son would have been praying all along. Lecturing a fifteen year old about prayer isn’t likely to make him want to start. The second parent didn’t follow Islamic requirements herself (and who knows what other Islamic deficiencies there were) and therefore didn’t encourage any sense of an Islamic identity in her daughter, at least as far as dress is concerned. Instead, she allowed her daughter to develop a completely non-Muslim style of fashion that apes the modern "liberated" woman who dresses only to be seen of men. Most probably her daughter hands out with boys in her public high school everyday as well. If the mother allowed these un-Islamic habits to develop, then what good would all the forceful lectures do? Her daughter imagines herself to be a scantily clad beauty in a Madonna music video while her mother envisions her to be an Muslim princess ready for her marriage after eight years of college. And finally, one parent took Dawah to the extreme and made his family tired of Islam by his constant nagging. This is against Islam protocols of giving Dawah as even the prophet, himself, used to scold those who made people tired of too much "religious talk." Check on this topic and you’ll find many examples. So what’s the best way to give Dawah to your family? The wrong approaches, as highlighted before, include: not being open to your family members as individual people with thoughts and feelings, being insincere or a hypocrite and finally, going overboard. The right way to do Dawah in you home is to start with yourself first. You could literally spend your whole life working on your own faith and actions without even talking to anyone else! You are the first priority in Dawah. Are you sincere? Are you being true to yourself. Do you know something is bad but then do it anyway? What do you know about Islam? Is it possible that you may harbor feelings of racism, hypocrisy or un-Islamic cultural traditions from your upbringing? People know who is real. A popular American novel entitled, ‘The Catcher in the Rye," has, as its main theme, a disillusioned young boy in a world full of hypocrites. All he wants is to meet someone who is "genuine" and not a "phoney". Your own children know if you’re real or not. And it’s sad to say, but it’s almost always true: the manners and attitudes of the child are an uncamoflauged reflection of what is in the deepest heart of the parents. Whatever is hidden in the core of your heart will come out loud and clear in their demeanor and attitudes. If your kids are not so good Islamically, be afraid of your own soul. If you’re living as a true Muslim, not a perfect one, but a trying one, then everyone sees it in your manners, speech and behavior. You’re not yet saying a word to anyone, but you’re giving Dawah. The best Dawah is not words- it’s actions, it’s attitude, it’s genuine. Knowledge of Islam is not to be measured in how many du’as a person knows or surahs memorized. Even parrots can be taught to say surahs but no one puts kufis or hijabs on their feathered heads. Islamic knowledge is displayed in what no spoken word can say. If you’re around a good-hearted person, you can feel it. You want to be around that person more and to do what they do and to be like them. Have you ever wondered why everyone wanted to be so close to the blessed Prophet? Iman, goodness and wisdom emanated from him. Think of people in your life who had these qualities about them. One student told me his grandfather was the sweetest Muslim ever. A girl told me her mother was her Islamic role model. A bunch of kids in a class named the local Arabic expert as their favorite teacher to be around. What were the qualities in all three of these individuals? None f them ever lectured anybody. (I’ve met and known all three.) One was a hafiz, one a homemaker/Islamic activist and the other a scholar. But when you met them, they often said very little about Islam directly and they certainly didn’t lecture or come off as arrogant. What united all of them was that they were real sincere believers. So it’s not how many "study-circles" you hold with your family, it’s not how many surahs you make your children memorize. It’s not even sending your children to a Sunday school or an Islamic school that is the key. Rather, the key is you. If you’re trying, sincere Musilm, you don’t talk too much- about anything- and you perform good deeds as secretly as possible and you try to be as peaceful and helpful to others as you can without asking anything in return. (You also take your pleasure in simple things, not expensive vacations and lavish living.) You prefer others over yourself and you don’t display your wealth or worldly success by accumulating the finest cars, homes and clothes. Anything else is folly and you’ll pay for it one day. A good guidebook to Islamic humilty is called, "God-Oriented Life" by Wahiduddin Khan. It contains the most beautiful hadith/Sahaba advice I’ve ever seen. Don’t be a Muslim "activist" if all your activity is going to be outside the home. And don’t be an Islamic "terror" to your family: coming in like a whirlwind, from time-to-time, upsetting the normal schedule of everyone, even if you’re enraged by what you see your family doing. Because if your family is doing things that are not good Islamically, then where were you all those years when those things were being built up in their minds and habits. A series of lectures or thrashings on your part won’t change their attitudes. Only when others see Islam make a meaningful change in your life will they be willing to try the same. That is the real Dawah to the family, that is the only message that they will listen to and the only way to make Islam survive in your family tree. Think about it. |
| NS |
| Re: Top 10 things to DO/AVOID while doing Da'wah |
|---|
| bhaloo |
| 05/24/01 at 11:18:11 |
| slm Five Steps for Effective Da'Wah (Calling People to Islam) written and distrubuted at an MSA dawah workshop by Khadija Haffajee --------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Ways of Relating to People A. Be attentive and show concern. When shaking hands. The Prophet (pbuh) never released his hand first, and never turned his face away from others until they did. 1. Be consistently considerate 2. Inquire about the absent 3. Visit the sick 4. Share in others' interests. 5. Exchange gifts 6. Listen to and look at the speaker B. Address people by the names they like One day the prophet asked a man about his name, and he replied that it was Abdulhajjar (slave of stone). The prophet said "No, you're Abdullah" (the slave of Allah) II. Requirements for Effective Da'wah A. Don't blame the people for their mistakes or be critical. 1. Many people are hypersenstive to criticism. 2. Some people become defensive when blamed. When Musa went to Pharoah, Allah said, "but speak to him mildly........perchance he may take warning or fear (Allah)". B. Don't embarrass by correcting someone in front of others. The Prophet (pbuh) used to use plurality when correcting a particular person in front of a group. For example, he would ask the group, "what do you think about those who do such-and-such a bad thing?". C. Satisfy the people's halal needs. 1. Help those in need 2. Don't wait to assist the needy until they ask you 3. The prophet (pbuh) always helped the needy 4. The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Whosoever removes a worldly grief from a believer, Allah will remove from him one of the griefs of the Day of Judgement. whoever alleviates [the lot of] a needy person, Allah will alleviate [his lot] in this world and the next. D. Always be fair, just, and honest E. Give others sincere respect and heighten their self-esteem. 1. Remember, if the respect you show others is not genuine you will be showing hypocrisy, rather than respect. 2. One day a mushrik came to the prophet (pbuh) who was sitting with Abu Bakr on his right. The Prophet had Abu Bakr move to left, and had the mushrik sit on his right,a position of honor. 3. Two brothers came to speak to the Prophet (pbuh) when the younger of them spoke first, the Prophet interrupted him and asked the older to start. F. Don't be angry or retaliate for injury to yourself, but be angry or retaliate only for wrongdoing in the view of Allah. III. Techniques for Growing Closer to Others A. Attempt to understand deeply those you deal with 1. Find out their background (cultural, educational, social, etc) because that helps in finding access to their minds and hearts. 2. Attempt to know everyone equally well. Favoritism creates mistrust and hurt feelings. B. Be simple, moderate, and respectful C. Do not insulate yourself from the bad people. They need you more than the others. D. Be tactful 1. Avoid personal questions and embarassing comments 2. Address the person according to his level of understanding E. Be cheerful and enthuisiastic Al-Harith, a companion said, I have never seen anyone who smiled most of the time as the Prophet (pbuh) did. F. Present a pleasant appearance 1. Be clean and neat 2. Observe decency in dress 3. Wear clothing that is harmonious to the total outfit 4. The prophet (pbuh) saw someone with uncombed hair and asked, "Didn't you find something with which to comb it?" 5. Never eat raw onion or garlic when going to the masjid or to meet with people. IV. Obstacles to Da'wah A. Don't be afraid of temptation. Some peole fear contact with non-Muslims for fear of succumbing to their bad influence. the remedy for this is to strengthen one's faith. B. Don't be shy. 1. Some people lack the courage to mix with others and socialize. 2. The remedy for this is practice. C. Fear of one's inability to express oneself and lack of confidence in one's capabilities for logical analysis and persuation. The remedy for this is practice. V. The field for Da'wah: school, neighborhood, workplace and family. |
| NS |
| Re: Top 10 things to DO/AVOID while doing Da'wah |
|---|
| Arsalan |
| 05/25/01 at 02:39:38 |
| Wa'alaikum assalam, [quote]I was wondering if the brothers and sisters could ,each according to his/her personal experience,share what they believe are the top ten things that affect Da'wah both positively and negatively. I'm new to the states and would benefit from any input. [/quote] I don't know if I can make a top 10 list, but I can give some pointers, some hints, and some advice in general insha Allah. The first thing you need to be aware of, which I think you already are, is that you are new here. There is a lot of things that you don't know about this country and the people who live here. Your job, as a da'iyah, should be to strive to learn more about the way that the people here think, act and perceive. A good daa'ee is like a good doctor. He looks at each individual separately and thoroughly, and then prescribes the medicine which is most suitable for him/her based on his/her illness(es). A da'ee cannot have a "handbook on things to tell every American about Islam" when speaking with Americans. Every individual is different, and needs different attention. There are also many misconceptions out there. It's good to know them. I'll mention a few here: [u]Misconceptions that Muslims Carry About Americans[/u] 1. All Americans are Christian! This is not true. Many Americans carrry a Christian name but they are not Christian. Many are atheist. Many are agnostic. What's the difference between the two? Find out! In short, atheists do not believe that God exists. Agnostics, on the other hand, don't care. Usually, anyone who is "searching for the Truth" will call him/herself an agnostic, not an atheist. An atheist is a person who feels that he/she has already done his/her research and come to a firm conclusion that "there is no God." 2. All Christians believe the same thing! This is not true either. As Ahmed Deedat said once, it's impossible to find two Christians who believe in the same thing! There is a lot of individual ideas that people carry within Christianity. Even two people who attend the same church will often carry differing beliefs on certain fundamental issues. Sometimes the differences are subtle and minor. Sometimes they are major. Also, there are many different denominations in Christianity, and it's good to be aware of some basic tenets of each denomination. *Some* of these denominations are: - Baptists (there are different kinds) - Roman Catholics - Episcopalians - Lutherans - Methodists - Church of Christ - Protestants And then there are others which are mostly considered outcasts and out of the fold of Christianity. However, they do consider themselves as Christians: - Jehovah's Witnesses - Mormons Do not make generalizations when speaking to Christians. Find out first what they believe in personally before talking to them about Islam. Do not assume that they believe in a certain thing. The only assumption you can make about a Christian is that he/she believes Jesus to be the saviour who died for the sins of humanity and in doing so liberated all mankind for whosever believes in him will enter Paradise. (I'm not sure if Jehovah's Witnesses will agree with this statement completely, but all others will, wallahu a'lam). 3. Americans know about Islam. Most of them don't have a clue! Assume that they don't know anything, and start with the basics with most of them. 4. Americans know what's going on in Palestine/Bosnia/Iraq/Kashmir/Afghanistan/etc. Most of them, again, don't have a clue! A very small fraction of Americans keep up with what's going on outside the US. Don't assume they know anything. Hmm. I can't think of any more at the moment. I'm sure they'll come to me later, though. Insha Allah I'll mention them if they do. Ok. Let me talk about how to make da'wah to Christians first, and then I'll come to non-Christians. [u]Making Da'wah to Christians[/u] There are usually two approaches that Muslims have to choose from when speaking one-on-one with Christians: The first is what I like to call the "Ahmed Deedat approach!" This means that you try to show them that their own beliefs are wrong and defected. Once they are convinced about it, then tell them about Islam, and show them how pure it is and how it doesn't contain any such defects that their own beliefs contain. The second approach is quite the opposite - that you try to present Islam to them as if you don't even care about what their beliefs are. That you present Islam to them and try to convince them about its beauty, its comprehensiveness, its universality and its simplicity. I personally like the second approach better, because the first approach often turns people off when you start "attacking their religion." Also, the first approach has the tendency of getting you in trouble because most of us are not experts in the Bible or Christian teachings. Unless you can acquire those expertise, I would advise against talking to a Christian about the Bible or Christian beliefs to try to show them that they are crooked. When following the second approach, present Islam in a beautiful way. Quote verses directly from the Qur'an as much as you can, rather than paraphrasing everything in your own words. Give ahaadith also. Make sure you clarify what these terms mean: "Islam" "Muslim" "Qur'an" "Hadith" "Allah" Always try to find the common ground and give similarities. "We believe in all the Prophets, alot of whom are also mentioned in the Bible - Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, Jonah, Joseph, Job, Ezekiel, Moses, Jesus, etc. but we also believe Muhammad to be a Prophet who came as a final and universal Prophet from God around the 6th Century A.D. in Arabia." "We believe in the same God - God the Father - but we don't believe in the other 2 of the Trinity (Jesus and the Holy Ghost) to be Divine." "We believe in Accountability, Hell and Heaven, similar to what the Christians believe." "We believe in the Devil - Satan - and his fall from Hell when Adam was created. But we don't believe that he was an angel. We believe he is a jinn." "We believe in the story of Adam and Eve, their sin of approaching the forbidden tree, however we believe they were forgiven later by God and that their sin was removed and that it doesn't have any effect on the rest of humanity. We believe each child is born sinless, and there is no concept of Original Sin in Islam." etc. Yahiya Emerick mentions in his book "How to Tell Others About Islam" several misconceptions and mistakes that Muslims often make when talking to Christians. I'll mention some of them here: 1. "Bible is one of the previous revelations of Allah." Wrong. The term "Bible" literally means a "book." It is simply the title for a compilation made by a council of men in the 4th century AD. This means that Bible is a collection of the works of various authors, it was not revealed as The Bible. Never say Bible when you mean Revelation. 2. "The New Testament is the Injeel - Gospel of Jesus - revealed to Isa alayhis salaam." Wrong again! This is a serious mistake. The Injeel that Allah revealed to Jesus was an oral Message only. Jesus did not write it down nor did any of his followers. It consisted of sermons and was meant to show the mercy of Allah's teachings to the Jews who had become mired in legalistic sophistry. In fact, the first 4 books of the New Testament, which are called "Gospels", are nothing more than the attempts by some later Christians to write biographies of his life and work. Furthermore, the New Testament also contains writings from other early Christians: historical accounts (Acts), theological speculations (Romans) and even thank-you notes (III John). So never refer to the New Testament as the Injeel. At best it contains a small amount of factual information concerning the life and speech of the blessed Prophet Jesus (pbuh). Basically, it is poorly research hadith and seerah about Jesus! 3. "The Old Testament is the Law of Musa (Tauraah)." In reality, only the first 5 books of it are attritubed to Moses. But even then there is a serious disagreement among Christians and Jews as to whether his persona writings still survive in the 5 books as we now have them. Similarly, the present form of the Psalms of Dawud (Zabur - present in the Old Testament) are thought to contain the works of many other writers. [u]Making Da'wah to Atheists and Agnostics[/u] You almost always have to start with the concept of God with them. However, with agnostics, try to find out why they are not Christian (most of them are born in a Christian family and *choose* to be non-Christians). Most of them have problems with Christianity as a faith. See if you can convince them that Islam does not have the same problems that turned them away from Christianity. NEVER talk to them about Christian beliefs, trying to attack them or anything. Always talk about Islam, period. There's no point in talking about Christianity with them, they are already fed up with it! When speaking about God, first you have to convince logically that there is God. Then you have to convince, again logically, that there is only *one* God. Both of them have their own way of proof. Both logics are found in the Qur'an, as well as many articles written by various Muslim scholars. When speaking to any non-Muslim, regardless of their faith, start with these fundamental topics. Don't talk about other aspects of Islam unless they are familiar with these: 1. Concept of God in Islam (ar-ruboobiyyah, al-uloohiyyah, al-asmaa' was siffaat; stress on the UNITY of God). 2. Prophethood in Islam (talk about the various prophets, their books, and the last Prophet and his book; why there was a need for prophets, their qualities, why there was a need for a last prophet, a final revelation, etc). 3. Accountability and the Last Day (the concept of belief and righteous deeds; the concept of Hell and Heaven; the concept of Mercy of Allah and His Justice; etc) 4. 5 Pillars of Islaam (the wisdoms behind each pillar; that each of them helps the individual as well as the society; one clear objective being unity and togetherness among Muslims; that they are *pillars* on which the rest of the building must be built; etc.) These are also good topics to address when giving a public speech or lecture about Islamic Fundamentals to non-Muslims. Finally, some Random Pointers: - Be polite, never *ever* raise your voice when talking with a person. Raising your voice during a *public speech* to be dramatic is ok though. - Don't say something you are not sure of. There's nothing wrong in saying "I don't know, but I'll get back to you on that insha Allah." - Don't preach. Americans, generally, despise preaching!!! - Use rationale, not emotions. - Try to keep in touch with a person who you have talked to about Islam. Go out with them on lunch/dinner. Socialize with them. Try to build a relationship with the person. You don't always have to talk about religion. Don't be a teacher, be a friend. - Have sincerity in what you are doing. Know that you can only deliver the message, and it's ultimately Allah who guides a soul, not you. Do whatever you can, and then ask Allah - make du'aa to him - to guide the person who you have been working on. - Prioritize your time. If you are working with many people, try to spend more time with those who are more interested in Islam than those who are indifferent or firm in their beliefs. - Don't work alone! Get at least one more sister to work with you, so you can advise each other. - Display the best Islamic behavior with with this person. Don't backbite. Don't make fun of others. Don't stereotype. Pay a generous tip when leaving the restaurant. Open the door for them. Smile. Pray when it's time to pray. Be humble in your prayers. Drive safely when they're in the car. Don't speed. Don't break the rules. You are representing Islam, not just yourself. Your actions are the biggest form of da'wah, and this person will think of Islam what he sees in you. Remember that! This is all I can think of right now. I know it's very random, but I hope it helps. Also check out the Top 10 Misconceptions About Islam at this site: [url=http://www.jannah.org/articles/misc.html] click here. [/url] These are misconceptions that a lot of Americans (not all of them) carry about Muslims. Be prepared to give rebuttals for them. Again, do not get emotional. Stay calm and make your point rationally. Wassalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah. Arsalan [i][color=green]Invite (all) to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for thy Lord knoweth best who have strayed from His Path and who receive guidance (Quran 16:125). [/color] [/i] |
| Re: Top 10 things to DO/AVOID while doing Da'wah |
|---|
| chachi |
| 05/24/01 at 18:07:33 |
Bhaloo agree with khadija disagree with emerick another thing is people are worried that you might be embarressed if they ask certain questions or they don't want to ask non-pc questions sometimes people will ask you questions that might be deemed to be racially prejudiced in another setting always try to answer the question and be truthful if you don't know say you don't know! don't fudge the issue or act like a politician |
| Re: Top 10 things to DO/AVOID while doing Da'wah |
|---|
| Arsalan |
| 05/24/01 at 21:32:53 |
| [slm] Here's some more stuff I found in my notes from ISNA. This is from a lecture given by Sr. Ameena Jandali: Important things for a Da'ee [list][*]Character – Rahmah (mercy, love, compassion) instead of harshness, rebuke, etc. [*]Assume what they know about Islam is the worst, therefore you must be a walking image of Islam [*]Appearance is important. Sisters are a walking advertisement of “I’m a Muslim.” Brothers should do things to give a hint of being a Muslim through their appearance (beard, clothes, etc.) At the same time, be appropriately dressed :) [*]Look at your audience and talk about what interests them [*]Try to win hearts, not arguments (“if the ignorant fights you, say ‘peace!’”) [*]Don’t be overly self-defensive [*]Keep things easy. Don’t give them the whole Islam in 2 hours! [*]Emphasize the similarities [*]Don’t preach! Americans despise missionaries [*]Do NOT get emotional (even when talking about things like Palestine) [*]Keep things simple and interactive [*]Relate to the audience [*]Ikhlas-an-Niyyah < ---- VERY important! [*]Make a distinction between what is culture and what is Islam [*]Don’t white-wash the Truth. Be truthful! (even about S. Arabia and Afghanistan, and Jihad etc) [*]Be factual, not emotional when dealing w/stereotypes [*]Don’t openly display conflicts between you & fellow Muslims[/list] |
| Re: Top 10 things to DO/AVOID while doing Da'wah |
|---|
| meraj |
| 05/25/01 at 15:47:06 |
| slm, at MYNA during the last ISNA, there was a workshop by br. monem salam on dawah... did anyone hear the whole thing? i got there late and heard some of it.. he's a good speaker for younger people mashallah.. but anyway he gave a good talk on dawah. wish i took notes :( |
| Re: Top 10 things to DO/AVOID while doing Da'wah |
|---|
| se7en |
| 05/25/01 at 16:05:00 |
| as salaamu alaykum, excellent post Arsalan.. there's only one thing I would disagree with though: [quote]Don't say something you are not sure of. There's nothing wrong in saying "I don't know, but I'll get back to you on that insha Allah." [/quote] I don't think non Muslims know what inshaAllah means, you might just want to say "God willing" :) wasalaamu alaykum :) |
| Re: Top 10 things to DO/AVOID while doing Da'wah |
|---|
| chachi |
| 05/25/01 at 16:24:10 |
the other thing sometimes the non-muslim WANTS to talk about politics |
Individual posts do not necessarily reflect the views of Jannah.org, Islam, or all Muslims. All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners. Comments are owned by the poster and may not be used without consent of the author.The rest © Jannah.Org |