The methodology of da'wah: beginning with correcting 'aqeedah before forbidding sins
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
We return to the questioner's message from Libya. He says: Honorable Shaykh, some say that if Allah grants a young man guidance and steadfastness, the da'iyah (caller to Islam) must begin with him by specifically correcting his 'aqeedah (creed), and not pay attention to the sins and legal violations he commits, such as smoking, wearing a false tooth, studying in a mixed environment, and others, on the pretext of not burdening him so that he does not become repelled, and out of fear for him of exposure to fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) and trials. Are we rewarded for doing so?
Answer:
There is no doubt that these are haram (forbidden) matters, and it is obligatory to forbid them and to cease from all of them. However, one begins with the most important, then the next most important. One begins by correcting the 'aqeedah. If his 'aqeedah is corrected, then he begins with him regarding the other haram matters. As for beginning with him by forbidding the haram matters while leaving the defect in his 'aqeedah, this is not the sound methodology in da'wah. Da'wah begins first with 'aqeedah. So let the first thing you call them to be the testimony that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,Riyad as-Salihin 1208. This is the sound methodology of da'wah.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh.
We return to the questioner's message from Libya. He says: Honorable Shaykh, some say that if Allah grants a young man guidance and steadfastness, the da'iyah (caller to Islam) must begin with him by specifically correcting his 'aqeedah (creed), and not pay attention to the sins and legal violations he commits, such as smoking, wearing a false tooth, studying in a mixed environment, and others, on the pretext of not burdening him so that he does not become repelled, and out of fear for him of exposure to fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) and trials. Are we rewarded for doing so?
Answer:
There is no doubt that these are haram (forbidden) matters, and it is obligatory to forbid them and to cease from all of them. However, one begins with the most important, then the next most important. One begins by correcting the 'aqeedah. If his 'aqeedah is corrected, then he begins with him regarding the other haram matters. As for beginning with him by forbidding the haram matters while leaving the defect in his 'aqeedah, this is not the sound methodology in da'wah. Da'wah begins first with 'aqeedah. So let the first thing you call them to be the testimony that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,
and if they obey you, tell them that Allah has made the payment of Zakat obligatory upon them. It should be collected from their rich and distributed among their poor.
فإن هم أجابوك لذلك فأعلمهم أن الله افترض عليهم صدقة تؤخذ من أغنيائهم وترد على فقرائهمThe presenter:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh.
Source
شرح العقيدة الطحاوية [7] — alfawzan.live (1:15:34)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.