The light at the end of the tunnel ...A new methodology for Da'wah??

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The light at the end of the tunnel ...A new methodology for Da'wah??
amal
09/30/01 at 12:26:53
Las Vegas Muslims open mosques to educate community

http://www.cnn.com/2001/US/09/29/rec.attacks.mosques.ap/index.html

LAS VEGAS, Nevada (AP) --Muslims opened their mosques around the city Saturday to anyone who wished to come learn about Islam. "I want to try to understand more," said Greg White, a Christian who came to the Jami Masjid mosque. "All you ever hear on the news is the Muslims want to kill us."

So the Las Vegas Muslim community put fliers in neighbors' boxes and spread the word to co-workers and others about four seminars they organized at four mosques.

They wore patriotic ribbons and name tags that said: [color=blue]"Ask me about Islam."[/color] They offered books and pamphlets, soda and snacks. About 25 people came to the Jami Masjid mosque. An Islamic Academy reported about 75 people at its open house.

"Ignorance always breeds hate," Muslim Wasima Alikhan told visitors. "Islam states that suicide is not permitted under any condition. You cannot go against innocent people. So, terrorism has no place at all in Islam. It is forbidden."

Solita Collard, 59, has lived in the neighborhood behind the mosque for years but never knew much about it. She said the Muslim community should be more open.

"I think the general public would be more trusting if Muslims stood up and said, 'We're Americans,"' Collard said. "Today's the first day I've seen an American flag out there."

As the gathering came to a close, Muslims eagerly offered their books and literature to the small crowd. Women wearing scarves, men in T-shirts and shorts and teen-agers mingled, and then the Muslims were called to prayer.

[color=red]"It's unfortunate we have to wait for a tragedy to explain who we are," said Aslam Abdullah of Los Angeles, editor of the Islamic magazine Minaret.[/color]


Re: The light at the end of the tunnel ...A new methodology for Da'wah??
Haseeba
09/30/01 at 20:44:20
mashallah
i think this is a great idea for al of us
now to just get those muftis to agree...
Re: The light at the end of the tunnel ...A new methodology for Da'wah??
bhaloo
09/30/01 at 22:30:09
slm

I was thinking of starting a dawah maillist group, a lot of people are interested, here is one brother's account.

as-salaamu `alaykum,

I was invited by a Unitarian Church to speak to its Sunday School class. So
I went today and discussed the basics of Islam. One brother came with me who
had a handful of pamphlets condemning the Sept 11 attacks and apologizing. I
told him to put them away, as we have no reason to bring this issue up
ourselves. I said if they bring it up, we'll address it. There were many
valuable lessons in this experience, al-Hamdu lillaah.

I spoke about the basics of Islam ie tawHeed, the Prophethood of Muhammad
(Sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam), the 5 pillars etc, ( and avoided all the
typically polemic material) then opened the floor for questions. EVERY
SINGLE question was about Islamic belief and doctrine. Not a SINGLE person
asked about the Sept. 11 attacks, or even asked about "Jihad" or
"terrorism". This struck me as odd, so thinking they aren't asking me out of
fear of offending me, I joked, "So does anyone have any 'news' related
questions?" No one did. They really didn't care about that.

I joked frequently and did my best to break the ice. This helped
TREMENDOUSLY. Laughter is a beautiful tool.

Finally, one young man who asked me a flurry of questions about Heaven,
Hell, etc finally asked me, "Is there any way to convert to this religion?"
I said definitely, that Islam was the fastest growing religion in the U.S,
and the world, and named off some famous celebrities who had embraced Islam
(when I mentioned Everlast they were all very excited). Finally, someone
asked me, "How do you convert?" So I answered him that there is nothing to
it. You just say in front of a few witnesses that you believe that Allah is
the only God, and that Muhammad (Sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) is His Final
Messenger. What one believes in the heart must be confirmed by the tongue.
Another then asked, "Thats it? There's no ritual?" I replied, "Nope. No
ritual." By this time the teachers were getting fairly nervous and said,
"Just one more question, then we'll wrap it up".

It was supposed to be a 20 minute talk, that extended to an hour and a half
due to the great interest of the students. They were awe struck and I could
see the glimmer in their eyes that I've seen so many times before which
usually ends up in shahaada. Lets make du`aa' that Allah preserves that
glimmer. I was extremely pleased by this visit and never realized the
potential in approaching the non-Muslims in this manner. No polemics, no
comparative religion, no U.S.A. boot licking, no apologetics. It was just
the basics and they loved it. After all, this is the deen al-fitrah. No one
has a choice BUT to love it and, inshaa' Allaah, choose to live it.

I strongly recommend that you contact your local church and establish
friendly and amiable relations with them. Don't straight out ask to speak to
their Sunday school class or congregation. Its better if they invite you. So
make contact with them, and open the door for them to ask. Believe it or
not, most religious American Christians are not like the backwoods
Hillbillies we hear about  yelling "U S A! U S A!" and calling for the death
of all Muslims. Most of them are strarving for Islam. Lets do our best to
give it to them, inshaa' Allaah.

was-salaamu `alaykum,

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NS


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