The three methods a caller to Islam adopts to convey his message to the people.

The questioner : One of the students of knowledge, we were sitting with him when he was asked a question: Which is better, for the caller to go out to the people, preach to them, and teach them? He said it is better for him to have writings and booklets and the like. Our Shaykh said, "This benefits me after my death, but going out to the common people—the common people will not benefit from me, so I do not go out to the common people." So we need to address this issue and guide the students of knowledge: going out to the people, teaching the people, and the people's need for knowledge. Who do we leave the common people with in this state?

The Shaykh : Look, here first, there are people who cannot write but can preach, so their obligation is preaching, not writing. Then the opposite: there are people who are good at writing but not good at preaching, so their obligation is writing, not preaching. There are people who can combine both, so their obligation is to combine both. This is the correct view on the matter. It is not permissible for us to impose a specific opinion on a scholar or a student of knowledge; it is not permissible, because people's energies, tastes, and abilities differ from person to person. Therefore, this fair division is necessary. Whoever can combine writing with the evidence I quoted from that...The student : ...and preaching, that is his obligation. And whoever cannot do both but only one, that is his obligation. As for his saying that his benefit from teaching people is negligible or little, as I mentioned, I say this is a mistake. Because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to say Guidance sometimes comes directly, as we are in this gathering and in many, many gatherings. And now I remember something. Just as the matter differs for the teacher, the guide, or the advisor in one of the three ways we mentioned earlier, so too does the matter of the people differ. Not all people can be told, "Take the book and read it." They will not read; they do not have the readiness for it. But if you go to them in their home, their place, or their shop, and remind them and teach them, they will accept it from you. Not everyone benefits from writing either. So variety is necessary. This is the clear answer.

The questioner : Our Shaykh, the greatest benefit is, I mean, going out to the people and sitting with them in their mosques in the villages. Do you think we should travel around?The Shaykh : I went out with us how many times? The people need this more than books.

Another questioner : If we read books to them.

Another questioner : There are many books, and especially, unfortunately, in recent days, you find many books in the market. This one attacks that one, and this one speaks about that one, and this one criticizes that one. So the people have turned away from all these books.

The Shaykh : In any case, my brother, all three methods are obligatory in general. As for the details, they differ according to the people. Going out is necessary. It is necessary. It is necessary.

The questioner : By Allah, our Shaykh, we should go to villages that are like dead places and have a very urgent need for callers. They have an urgent need. There is no one there. We went to a village in al-Karak where there is absolutely no one. One of the members of the Tabligh group comes to them on Friday to give the sermon, and his speech is all just, "Come, go out in the path of Allah."

Another questioner : ... In Aqaba, I went there. We saw our brother Abu 'Abd al-Rahman a while ago. The land needs it a lot. You are leaving it to whom? I mean, we need callers and such. There is no teaching in Aqaba, and they have a better receptivity than Amman, I think.

The Shaykh : There is no doubt, my brother, that going out is very beneficial. But the one who goes out must be either a scholar or a strong student of knowledge, because the one who goes out is exposed to being asked things that he is not prepared for. Then he is forced to look in his memorized knowledge to see if he has an answer or not. He may fall into difficulty. He may answer without knowledge. In that case, his gain becomes a loss for him. Going out is necessary, but not in the way of the Tabligh group.

The questioner : May Allah bless you, our Shaykh. Students of knowledge, I mean, we make an arrangement, for example, every week a group goes out, for example, ten or twelve people. Every week, two go out, for example. And I am willing to take the callers.

The Shaykh : This, my brother, needs someone else. Right now, they say about us in Syria that there is no more fruit on the tree, only firewood.

The questioner : There is blessing in you. They listen to your speech. They are our brothers.

The Shaykh : May Allah bless you. I mean, there are many, many engagements. Our brothers know.

The questioner : Abu al-Harith ... .

The Shaykh : Let's go for it.

The questioner : Abu al-Harith is arranging it.

The Shaykh: May Allah will it.