The document discusses the importance of Dawa, or inviting others to Islam. It defines Dawa and related terms, and provides several reasons and religious justifications for Muslims to engage in Dawa based on verses from the Quran and hadith. It addresses common excuses for not doing Dawa and offers advice on spiritual, mental, and practical preparations. The document also outlines best practices for Dawa and anticipates potential criticisms or "hot button" issues that may be raised in discussions about Islam.

1. Dawa Essentials
Why & How of Dawa
By Taha Ghayyur

3. Dawa Essentials: Definition
 The word Dawa in
Arabic simply means
‘to invite to
something’; the idea
of relaying and
sharing something.
 As an Islamic term,
Dawa is understood as
"Inviting to the way of
peaceful submission
to God."

4. Dawa Essentials: Definition
 Tabligh, which means to
convey, is another term
for Dawa
 Caller to Islam is a
Daaee or Daaeeyah
 In early Islamic
literature, Dawa also
referred Sharia & Deen
(way of life); today,
Dawa is often referred
to voluntary Islamic
work

5. Dawa Essentials: Why Bother?
 It’s the Mission
Statement for
Muslims Given By
God: “Let there arise
among you a group
inviting to all that is
good, enjoining
righteousness and
forbidding evil. Those
are the successful
ones.” [3:104]

6. Dawa Essentials: Why Bother?
 Allah’s Challenge to
be better: “Who is
better in speech than
one who calls to Allah,
does righteous deeds
and says indeed I am
among the Muslims.”
[41:33]

7. Dawa Essentials: Why Bother?
 Just do it. It’s
Prophet’s Command:
“Convey from me,
even if it be only a
single verse.”
(Bukhari)
 “Learn the required
precepts of Islam and
the Qur’an, then
teach to others, for I
will not live forever.”
(Bukhari)

8. Dawa Essentials: Why Bother?
 Better than any
Material Success:
“For Allah to guide
someone by your
hand is better for you
than having red
camels.” (Bukhari)

9. Dawa Essentials: Why Bother?
 Sadaqa Jariya for this
Life & the Next:
"Whoever calls to
guidance will
receive the same
reward as the one
who follows him
without any
decrease in the
reward of his
follower.“(Muslim)

10. Dawa Essentials: Why Bother?
 Think, See & Breathe
Outside the Box:
Don’t seal “Islam”,
the gorgeous flower,
inside a box. Let
some sunlight and
air in and don’t
deprive others from
its beauty and
benefit. Otherwise it
will wilt and die!

11. Dawa Essentials: Why Bother?
 Don’t let others
Hijack your Dawa!
If you truly love
Islam as your way of
life, prove it with
your actions. Share
it with the world! If
you don’t tell your
story, someone else
will!

12. Dawa Essentials:
Common Excuses for Not Doing Dawa
 “I do not have enough
knowledge to do
Dawa.”
 “I am a sinful Muslim.
Let me practice Islam
first.”
 “There are hundreds of
Muslims not practicing
today! We need to first
do Dawa to fellow
Muslims!”
 “I don’t have courage.”

13. Dawa Essentials:
Common Excuses for Not Doing Dawa
 “I am not a professional
Daaee. My Dawa won’t
be useful.”
 “I don’t like to push
religion on others. We
should let everyone
believe what they like.
Quran says: There is no
compulsion in religion.”
 “I am too busy.”
 “There are lots of other
better Daaees out
there.”

14. Dawa Essentials:
Before You Hit the Field
Spiritual Preparation:
 Check your heart!
 Intent to practice
what you preach
 Prepare yourself for
the mission of Prophet
Muhammad
 Remind yourself that
you are an
Ambassador of Islam
 Be humble
 Perfection is not the
pre-requisite for Dawa
 See everyone as a
potential Muslim
 Ask Allah for refuge from
Shaytan and ask Him to
purify you from Riya
 Stay positive and
determined, no matter
how many obstacles
challenge you

15. Dawa Essentials:
Before You Hit the Field
Mental Preparation:
 Use Hikmah (wisdom)
in the choosing the
time, place, and
setting for Dawa
 Your job is to convey,
not convert
 Know your audience &
customize your Dawa
 Show how Islam can
solve their problems
 Do not to assume others’
beliefs and never tell
them what they believe
 Avoid generalization
 Don’t be distracted by
frivolous, secondary
issues. Focus on basics
 Focus more on ‘Why’
 Think out of the box.
Get creative

16. Dawa Essentials: Dawa Best Practices
 Think beyond Street
Dawa. Be a Walking
Dawa and be ready to
share Islam anywhere!
 Explore Soft Dawa.
Non-preachy, subtle
Dawa (eg. charity &
cultural celebrations)
goes a long way
 Take Dawa to Social
Media!

17. Dawa Essentials: Dawa Best Practices
 Presenting a Quran
copy may not always
be the best first Dawa
tool for everyone
 Tawhid is crucial, but
need to be packaged
with issues that
matter to their lives
 Use appropriate
translations for
Islamic terms

18. Dawa Essentials: Dawa Best Practices
 There is a time and
place for Dawa
through debates,
literature, open
houses, cultural
festivals, lectures,
booths and street
 Specialize in medium
& topics of Dawa
 Don’t turn into a
Dawa crusader!

19. Dawa Essentials: Dawa Best Practices
 Be prepared to
address atheists, as
many people don’t
believe in any faith
 Start with common
grounds in arguments
 Always be personable,
professional and
welcoming in
presentation, manners
& gestures

20. Dawa Essentials:
Ready for Hot Buttons & Attacks?
 Violence, Terrorism &
Jihad
 Oppression of Women
(Veil, Driving, Forced
Marriages, Education,
Leadership, Wife-
Beating, Honour
Killing)
 Sharia & Punishment
 Islam vs. Democracy

21. Dawa Essentials:
Ready for Hot Buttons & Attacks?
 Polygamy
 Religious Tolerance &
Freedom of Expression
 Source of Quran
 Prophet Muhammad’s
Wars & Marriages
 Muslim = Arab
 Muslims hate the West

22. Dawa Essentials: Beautiful Advice
“Dawa, prior to
everything, is a state of
mind, a world view, an
attitude to life, indeed a
kind of life. The critical
prerequisite to Dawa is a
consciousness, personal
and collective, imbued
with a true vision of
Dawa in Islam.”
- Ustadh Khurram Murad