1. Musallah at-Taqwa
Saturday
March 14,
2009
Islamic College of Canberra
‫ﺑﺴﻢ ﺍﷲ ﺍﻟﺮﲪﻦ ﺍﻟﺮﺣﻴﻢ‬
Explanation of the Three Fundamental Principles
Class Notes – Term 1, Week 5
‫ﺍﻟﱠﺎِﻟﺜﺔ : ﺍﻟ ﱠﻋﻮﺓ ﹺﺇﹶﻟﻴﻪ‬
ِ ْ ‫ﺜ ﹶﹸ ﺪ ْ َﹸ‬
‫ﺍﻟ ﱠﺍﹺﺑﻌﺔ : ﺍﻟ ﱠﺒﺮ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﻷﺫﻯ ﻓﻴﻪ‬
ِ ِْ ‫ﺮ َ ﹸ ﺼْ ُ َﹶ َ ﹶ‬
“The third: Calling to that (i.e. to action upon knowledge).
The fourth: Patiently persevering and bearing any harm encountered upon that way.”
Importance of Da’wah
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Da’wah is calling to Allah (swt), calling to the Prophet (saw), calling to Islam, calling to that which
Allah (swt) has enjoined, calling to the leaving of that which Allah (swt) has forbidden, calling to the
preservation of Allah’s boundaries.
It is not sufficient that a person learns and acts upon knowledge, yet abandons calling to Allah (swt).
Do not be selfish with that which Allah (swt) has bestowed upon you from knowledge. It must be
spread to the people and explained.
This is the method of the Prophets and those who followed them, as will become evident in
subsequent sections.
In this current time of widespread falsehood and corruption, da’wah to Allah (swt) is even more
important according to each person’s capacity. Falsehood and corruption did not become
widespread except when the people of the truth abandoned the truth.
Method of giving Da’wah
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Da’wah is calling to whatever the messenger (saw) came with from the sharee’ah upon baseerah
(certain knowledge).
It consists of three or four stages. The first three stages are according to the following verses:
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Call to the way prescribed by your Lord with wisdom, and with fine admonition, and debate with them in the
best manner [An‐Nahl; 16:125]
(i)
Wisdom: In this verse, wisdom specifically refers to what is revealed in the Kitaab and
Sunnah. Generally speaking however, wisdom at an individual level is defined as: doing
what’s required, in the time that’s required and in the manner that’s required. It has three

2. (ii)
(iii)
qualities which constitute its pillars. These are knowledge, forbearance and non‐hurriedness.
It also has three qualities which negate it. These are ignorance, frivolity and hastiness.
Good admonition: Meaning the admonitions used in the Quran, such as the stories of the
events that happened to previous generations in order to warn people about the
punishment of Allah (swt). This is done in an appealing manner. It is also calling to Allah (swt)
with targheeb and tarheeb.
Debating in a good manner: That is, when debating with them let it be in a good manner
with kindness gentleness and good speech which does not harm them.
And the fourth stage is contained in the following verse:
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And do not dispute with the People of the Book except with the best words, except for those who
remain obstinately upon unbelief and would rather wage war. [Al‐‘Ankaboot; 29:46]
(iv)
Strong refutation: That is, those who turn away from the truth, turning a blind eye to clear
evidence, being stubborn and arrogant and would rather wage war than debate, then you
progress from good debate to strong/harsh refutation.
Calling to Allah (swt) upon baseerah
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An essential requirement to giving da’wah is baseerah, which is knowledge of the prescribed way
laid down by Allah (swt).
In other words, the call to Allah (swt) needs to be based on evidence and clear knowledge.
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Say (O Muhammad), this (call to the tawheed of Allah and that all worship should be made purely for Allah
alone) is my way: I call to Allah upon certain knowledge (baseerah), myself and those who follow me.
[Yusuf; 12:108]
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Thus, you are not truly from the followers of the Prophet (saw) until you call to that which the
Prophet (saw) called to upon baseerah.
Baseerah is in regard to what you are calling to, meaning the caller has knowledge of the sharee’ah,
how the call is to be made and knows the condition of the people they are calling to.
Lack of baseerah is attributed to a lack of knowledge. You cannot give that which you do not have.
Da’wah techniques
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There are many ways of calling to Allah (swt). These include speeches, lectures, writing and
distributing books and articles and many more. Giving da’wah is not confined to a set time and
place. Even the way you conduct yourself may be a form of da’wah.
For example being invited to a meal may present an opportunity to give da’wah. A person must use
wisdom in the way da’wah is given in this situation so that people do not become bored or irritated.
A discussion or Q&A session may be more effective than an uninterrupted speech.

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The principles of da’wah (i.e. that which you are calling to) do not change over time; however the
methods of presenting these principles may vary over time. For example the use of technology to
propagate the message of Islam.
Reward for the one who gives da’wah
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As mentioned in the verse in Surat Yusuf, da’wah is the way of the Prophets and those who followed
them.
When a person knows Allah (swt), knows His Messenger (saw) and knows the religion of Islam, then
he should strive to save others by calling them to Allah (swt).
The Prophet (saw) informed Ali (rah) on the day of Khaybar:
“ ... it is better for you that Allah should guide a single Muslim through you than red camels.”
[Bukhari, Volume 5, Hadith 521]
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Similarly, a person calling to Allah (swt) will receive the rewards of those who followed him (reducing
nothing from their reward) and vice versa.
“Whoever calls to guidance then there is for him a reward like the rewards of those who follow him and that
will reduce nothing from their rewards, and whoever calls to misguidance will have sin upon him like the sins
of those who follow him, and that will reduce nothing from their sins.” [Muslim, Volume 4, Hadith 6470]
Patience and perseverance
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The literal meaning of sabr means to withhold, thus the specific meaning is:
(i) Withholding ones nafs (self) from becoming impatient.
(ii) Withholding ones tongue from complaint
(iii) Withholding ones limbs from committing sins.
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One should withhold themselves from annoyance, resentment and exasperation when calling to
Allah (swt). They should be eager and energetic even when faced with ill‐treatment.
He who calls to Allah (swt), enjoining good and forbidding evil will be exposed to harm, for this is a
characteristic of mankind that they harm those who call to good.
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Indeed messengers before you, O Muhammad, were denied and rejected but they patiently bore the denial,
rejection and harm of their people until our aid came to them. [Al‐An’am; 6:34]
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The stronger the harm, the nearer Allah’s aid is. The aid and victory may not even come in a person’s
lifetime through seeing their da’wah producing results, but may come after his death when Allah
(swt) causes the people’s hearts to accept what he used to call to in his lifetime.
Our example is the Prophet (saw). When he called his people to Allah (swt) they called him a liar,
accused him of being crazy and of witchcraft, they threatened to kill him and threw stones at him
which caused blood to flow from him his body yet he would say:

4. “Oh Allah, forgive my people for they do not know”. [Bukhari, Volume 4, Hadith 683]
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Allah (swt) says:
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Indeed it is we who have sent down the Qur'ân to You (O Muhammad), in stages. [Al‐Insaan; 76:23]
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It might be expected that this verse be followed by an order to give thanks for the favour and bounty of
sending down the Qura’an. Instead Allah (swt) says:
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And be patient (O Muhammad) with what your lord has decreed. [Al‐Insaan; 76:24]
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This indicates that anyone who stands by this Qura’an must face that which will require him to have
patience and perseverance.
Three kinds of sabr
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There are three types of sabr (patience):
(i)
‫ – ﺍﻟ ﱠﺒﺮ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﻟ ﱠﺎﻋﺔ‬Patience upon obedience to Allah (swt). Patience and
َ ‫ﺼْ ُ َﹶ ﻄ‬
perseverance upon what Allah (swt) has order you to do. It is making your nafs patient
on the orders of Allah (swt), for the predominant nature of the nafs is that it is inclined
to evil. An example of this is maintaining consistency in praying Fajr in congregation.
(ii)
‫ – ﺍﻟ ﱠﺒﺮ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﳌﺤ ﹸﻮﺭ‬Patience upon avoiding the things which Allah (swt) has
‫ﺼ ْ ُ َ ﹶ ﹶ ْﻈ‬
forbidden. In other words to distance yourself from any acts of disobedience.
(iii)
‫ – ﺍﻟ ﱠﺒﺮ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﳌﻘ ُﻭﺭ‬Patience with that which Allah (swt) has decreed. This includes
‫ﺼ ْ ُ َ ﹶ ﹶ ﹾﺪ‬
the decrees which the servant has no control over (e.g. death of a relative), as well as
those relating to harms and attacks which Allah (swt) brings about by the hands of
people.
Last week’s questions
(i) How do you come to know Allah (swt)? Explain your answer thoroughly and provide Quranic
evidence.
(ii) Knowledge of the Prophet (saw) should make a person do four things. What are these four
things?
(iii) Compare the general and specific meanings of Islam.
(iv) What are the two types of proof and evidence? Explain each one.
(v) Explain the last verse of Surat Al‐Fatiha. In your explanation give details of the three types of
people when it comes to acting upon knowledge.