The ruling on going to the lands of disbelief to call people to Allah
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Your Eminence! There is a phenomenon that has spread in the villages, which is that some of the young preachers go with the common people of those villages to some lands where religious innovations and deviations are prevalent, such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, and others. In fact, they have now extended their reach to Brazil. In fact, they take women with them, and this is established and apparent. It is clear that these people do not care about the oneness of Allah and creed, and they also do not know the language of the people to whom they are going.And if you ask them, they say: We go to polish our hearts, so I do not know what is obligatory upon us. Do we remain silent, or do we warn against going to those lands?
In reality, going to the lands of disbelief to call people to Allah the Exalted is undoubtedly good; because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to send preachers to the lands of disbelief to call people to Allah the Exalted. This depends on two things: The first is knowledge, in that the preacher must have knowledge; because if a caller calls without knowledge, he has said about Allah what he does not know, and that is forbidden. Also, the caller is bound to be asked questions, so if he does not have knowledge, he will be left confused or will answer incorrectly, and thereby harm and trial will result.
The second matter: He must have a tongue,Meaning: a language with which to address the people and convey the information to them;because of the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Ibrahim:4] Otherwise, how can he explain his call and what he is calling them to, when they do not know his language? And how can he answer their questions when he does not know their language?So these are two things that are necessary. : Knowledge and language.
The preacher should begin with the most important matters first. So he should first begin with the call to the oneness of Allah; due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when he sent Mu'adh to Yemen: (Let the first thing you call them to be the testimony that there is no deity but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah) And because the oneness of Allah is the foundation upon which the laws are built, so it must be the basis and the first thing before everything else. Then after that, the prayer, then after that, the alms, then fasting, then the major pilgrimage.
This is the order of the call. As for neglecting the call to the oneness of Allah, this is undoubtedly a deficiency. Some people imagine that if they first call to the noble morals and the beauties of deeds, such as gentleness, compassion, and excellence in worship, and the like, they think that this is more conducive to the acceptance of Islam. But this, while it is a viewpoint, is not indicated by the Sunnah; because if you start with this before everything else, they will think that this is the foundation, and they will no longer care if they are deficient in the oneness of Allah or in the prayer, and the like, as long as they perform the beauties of morals, deeds, and etiquettes.
So, regarding the state of these people you mentioned, our position with them is to guide them to what the call should be, and to encourage them to go to call people to the truth. And our position with them should not be that of a spectator; because that is a negative position. Or that of a mocker; because that is an hostile position. They are our brothers, and it is apparent to us from their intention that they have good and are striving to reform the creation. But it is not that if the path is corrupted, we make that a corruption of the intention and the work from the start. Rather, the believing advisor encourages good and directs to the sound paths.
And there is no doubt that the influence of these brothers you are referring to is great, and that Allah has opened through their hands of good what He has not opened for other preachers; because they meet people with gentleness, kindness, excellence in worship, chivalry, and service. But in reality, their method needs adjustment. Therefore, I see that our position with these and others from whom it is apparent to us that they intend reform, should be the position of the reformer, the corrector, and the encourager; because we have not known anyone who would be patient with the harm people do to them as they are, nor their patience in traveling to near or far lands, nor their patience in bearing the expenses. For this reason, we hear that they do not accept anything from anyone that is donated to them for the sake of their call.
Likewise, we advise our brothers not to travel to the society that is in Pakistan; because we have heard many things about them, so it is not permissible to go to them. And there are among the people of good there a sufficient number by whom they can be guided and directed to the good. As for traveling to there, I fear that there may be something of religious innovation in it.
As for the issue of going in the path of Allah and making this a type of struggle in the path of Allah, it is said: As for the struggle in the path of Allah which is fighting the enemies, this is not that struggle which is fighting the enemies. But it is a type of struggle in the path of Allah; because seeking knowledge and calling to Allah the Exalted with the knowledge He has given you is a type of struggle in the path of Allah.Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Furqan:52] Meaning: with the Qur'an,And Allah the Exalted said: [At-Tawbah:73] And it is known that the struggle of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) against the hypocrites was not a struggle of fighting. Rather, when he was asked for permission to kill those of the hypocrites who should be killed,He said: (No.
So that people would not say that Muhammad kills his companions) It became clear from this that his struggle against the hypocrites was a struggle with knowledge. And because Allah the Exalted made dedicating oneself to knowledge a counterpart to going out for the struggle in the path of Allah,Allah the Exalted said: [At-Tawbah:122] Meaning: and a group remained: [At-Tawbah:122] Meaning: the remaining group: [At-Tawbah:122] This is our position with these people. We ask Allah for their success and that He guide them to what is in their good.
In reality, going to the lands of disbelief to call people to Allah the Exalted is undoubtedly good; because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to send preachers to the lands of disbelief to call people to Allah the Exalted. This depends on two things: The first is knowledge, in that the preacher must have knowledge; because if a caller calls without knowledge, he has said about Allah what he does not know, and that is forbidden. Also, the caller is bound to be asked questions, so if he does not have knowledge, he will be left confused or will answer incorrectly, and thereby harm and trial will result.
The second matter: He must have a tongue,Meaning: a language with which to address the people and convey the information to them;because of the saying of Allah the Exalted:
And We did not send any messenger except [speaking] in the language of his people to state clearly for them
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ رَسُولٍ إِلَّا بِلِسَانِ قَوْمِهِ لِيُبَيِّنَ لَهُمْThe preacher should begin with the most important matters first. So he should first begin with the call to the oneness of Allah; due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when he sent Mu'adh to Yemen: (Let the first thing you call them to be the testimony that there is no deity but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah) And because the oneness of Allah is the foundation upon which the laws are built, so it must be the basis and the first thing before everything else. Then after that, the prayer, then after that, the alms, then fasting, then the major pilgrimage.
This is the order of the call. As for neglecting the call to the oneness of Allah, this is undoubtedly a deficiency. Some people imagine that if they first call to the noble morals and the beauties of deeds, such as gentleness, compassion, and excellence in worship, and the like, they think that this is more conducive to the acceptance of Islam. But this, while it is a viewpoint, is not indicated by the Sunnah; because if you start with this before everything else, they will think that this is the foundation, and they will no longer care if they are deficient in the oneness of Allah or in the prayer, and the like, as long as they perform the beauties of morals, deeds, and etiquettes.
So, regarding the state of these people you mentioned, our position with them is to guide them to what the call should be, and to encourage them to go to call people to the truth. And our position with them should not be that of a spectator; because that is a negative position. Or that of a mocker; because that is an hostile position. They are our brothers, and it is apparent to us from their intention that they have good and are striving to reform the creation. But it is not that if the path is corrupted, we make that a corruption of the intention and the work from the start. Rather, the believing advisor encourages good and directs to the sound paths.
And there is no doubt that the influence of these brothers you are referring to is great, and that Allah has opened through their hands of good what He has not opened for other preachers; because they meet people with gentleness, kindness, excellence in worship, chivalry, and service. But in reality, their method needs adjustment. Therefore, I see that our position with these and others from whom it is apparent to us that they intend reform, should be the position of the reformer, the corrector, and the encourager; because we have not known anyone who would be patient with the harm people do to them as they are, nor their patience in traveling to near or far lands, nor their patience in bearing the expenses. For this reason, we hear that they do not accept anything from anyone that is donated to them for the sake of their call.
Likewise, we advise our brothers not to travel to the society that is in Pakistan; because we have heard many things about them, so it is not permissible to go to them. And there are among the people of good there a sufficient number by whom they can be guided and directed to the good. As for traveling to there, I fear that there may be something of religious innovation in it.
As for the issue of going in the path of Allah and making this a type of struggle in the path of Allah, it is said: As for the struggle in the path of Allah which is fighting the enemies, this is not that struggle which is fighting the enemies. But it is a type of struggle in the path of Allah; because seeking knowledge and calling to Allah the Exalted with the knowledge He has given you is a type of struggle in the path of Allah.Allah the Exalted said:
and strive against them with the Qur'an a great striving.
وَجَاهِدْهُمْ بِهِ جِهَاداً كَبِيراًO Prophet, fight against the disbelievers and the hypocrites and be harsh upon them
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ جَاهِدِ الْكُفَّارَ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ وَاغْلُظْ عَلَيْهِمْSo that people would not say that Muhammad kills his companions) It became clear from this that his struggle against the hypocrites was a struggle with knowledge. And because Allah the Exalted made dedicating oneself to knowledge a counterpart to going out for the struggle in the path of Allah,Allah the Exalted said: