Exploiting the opportunity to call the disbelievers among us to Islam
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Workers come to some areas of the Kingdom, most of whom are disbelievers, possibly Christians or Hindus. They reside in areas of the Kingdom, and there may be students of knowledge living near them. The students of knowledge may not call them to Islam, and they may be rude in their treatment of them. They continue this way for years, and the workers return to their countries without having been called to Islam. If Muslims were abroad, the Christians would exert their efforts to call them to their religion. What is your guidance?
My guidance is that calling to Allah is obligatory for every Muslim, but it is a collective obligation. If those who are sufficient to fulfill it do so, the obligation is lifted from the rest.By the saying of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He): [Surah al-Nahl: 125] And Allah the Exalted said: [Surah Yusuf: 108] (Call everyone to Allah) (I and those who follow me). So the more a person follows the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), the more he calls to his Shari'ah. There is no doubt that these brothers, among whom disbelievers have settled, and who did not call them to the religion of Islam, are certainly falling short. What is required of them, indeed what is obligatory upon them, is to call these people to the religion of Islam, even through winning their hearts. If they invited them to their homes, provided them with food, then spoke to them and called them to Islam, and explained its merits to them, that would be good.
However, some brothers are overcome by zeal combined with ignorance. They become repelled by these people, cut off relations with them, and treat them with harshness and severity, until the disbelievers are repelled from Islam because of this Muslim man. They assume that the character of this Muslim is the character that Islam commands.
Zeal, though it is a good and praiseworthy trait, becomes harmful in reality if it is not accompanied by wisdom and knowledge. Therefore, we advise our brothers and others to call to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). As you mentioned, the Christians exert every effort, spending both much and little, to call people to Christianity, even though it is a false religion that Islam has invalidated. Yet they are eager, inspired by Satan’s whispering to them, to call people to Christianity, even though it is a false religion abrogated by Islam. So what is the matter with us—we who are the nation of resolve, determination, and truth—that we are lazy, even toward our neighbors who have a right over us, and we do not call them to Islam? I do not know whether these brothers are fulfilling the right of their neighbors or not.And in the hadith: (If you cook a soup, make it plentiful and share it with your neighbors) And in the authentic hadith: (Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him honor his neighbor) The scholars said: If the neighbor is not a Muslim, he has the right of neighborly relations. If he is a Muslim, he has the right of neighborly relations and Islam. If he is a Muslim and a relative, he has the right of neighborly relations, Islam, and kinship.
So advise these people and say to them: Call these people to the religion. Perhaps there is good in calling them. (And if Allah guides one person through you, that is better for you than red camels) And perhaps if this man is guided, he will call others, as is observed and known today.
My guidance is that calling to Allah is obligatory for every Muslim, but it is a collective obligation. If those who are sufficient to fulfill it do so, the obligation is lifted from the rest.By the saying of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He):
Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best
ادْعُ إِلَى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ وَجَادِلْهُمْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُSay: This is my way; I call to Allah
قُلْ هَذِهِ سَبِيلِي أَدْعُو إِلَى اللَّهِHowever, some brothers are overcome by zeal combined with ignorance. They become repelled by these people, cut off relations with them, and treat them with harshness and severity, until the disbelievers are repelled from Islam because of this Muslim man. They assume that the character of this Muslim is the character that Islam commands.
Zeal, though it is a good and praiseworthy trait, becomes harmful in reality if it is not accompanied by wisdom and knowledge. Therefore, we advise our brothers and others to call to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). As you mentioned, the Christians exert every effort, spending both much and little, to call people to Christianity, even though it is a false religion that Islam has invalidated. Yet they are eager, inspired by Satan’s whispering to them, to call people to Christianity, even though it is a false religion abrogated by Islam. So what is the matter with us—we who are the nation of resolve, determination, and truth—that we are lazy, even toward our neighbors who have a right over us, and we do not call them to Islam? I do not know whether these brothers are fulfilling the right of their neighbors or not.And in the hadith: (If you cook a soup, make it plentiful and share it with your neighbors) And in the authentic hadith: (Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him honor his neighbor) The scholars said: If the neighbor is not a Muslim, he has the right of neighborly relations. If he is a Muslim, he has the right of neighborly relations and Islam. If he is a Muslim and a relative, he has the right of neighborly relations, Islam, and kinship.
So advise these people and say to them: Call these people to the religion. Perhaps there is good in calling them. (And if Allah guides one person through you, that is better for you than red camels) And perhaps if this man is guided, he will call others, as is observed and known today.
