The Meaning of Allah the Exalted’s Saying: “With wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in the best manner.”
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The Shaykh : Allah Mighty and Majestic says: [An-Nahl 16:125] These are three descriptions of the call to Islam. Are they descriptions that must be combined? Or are they sequential? Meaning, one is used in one situation and another in a different situation? Or are they combined, meaning you call with wisdom, good instruction, and argument?
Answer: The context implies that they are sequential. First: with wisdom, by clarifying the truth and its evidence from the Book and the Sunnah. Know that I love for every caller to combine his call with evidence. First: to clear his conscience. Second: to reassure the one being called. Because when the one being called is told, “This is forbidden” or “This is obligatory,” and it is said, “Allah the Exalted said so” or “The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said so,” he is certainly reassured and has an argument with Allah Mighty and Majestic. So if you can mention the evidence to the one being called, that is better, because it clears the conscience and, secondly, reassures the one being called. If this man has no response to the call and no argument, it is sufficient to call him with wisdom. Know that wisdom, as Allah Mighty and Majestic said:[Al-Baqarah 2:269].
If you see a man calling for aid to the occupant of a grave, saying, “O my master, O my lord, O friend of Allah, help me,” or something similar, calling for aid to the occupant of the grave. We know that calling for aid to the occupant of a grave is what? It is major shirk (associating partners with Allah), which takes one out of the religion. So to the one who calls for aid to the occupant of a grave, we say: If you died in this state, you would be among the people of the Fire, the people of the Fire who are eternally abiding in it, by the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Ma'idah 5:72].
I saw a man calling for aid to a grave. Do you immediately say: “You are a disbeliever, you are an associate of partners with Allah, Allah has forbidden Paradise for you”? No, and it is not permissible to say this, even if the reality of the situation is what I mentioned. But this is not permissible; it is frightening. Mention the truth to him, and the truth is exactly in accordance with the fitrah (innate natural disposition). Say: “O my brother,” or do not say “O my brother.” This is a problem now. Do you say to this one who calls for aid to the grave: “O my brother, come, this is calling for aid to Allah,” or do you not say “O my brother”?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : In the context of the call to Islam, in any case, this man who calls for aid to the grave—do not think that he calls for aid to it while believing that it is shirk that takes one out of Islam. Never. This is if he claims to be a Muslim. So it is correct to say: “O my brother,” considering that he sees himself as a Muslim. And if you wish, say: “O my brother,” considering another aspect, which is what? Considering what is to be. And if you wish, say: “O man,” and you are safe from this problem. Call for aid to Allah Mighty and Majestic, as Allah the Exalted said to His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions:[Al-Anfal 8:9] The response is sequential to the call for aid, and the letter “fa” indicates sequence and following. Call for aid to Allah so that He responds to you, and your Lord is Able over all things. And this created being whom you are now calling for aid to is a dead, inert body. Perhaps the earth has eaten him, and nothing remains of his body except the tailbone, and he does not benefit you. Then you entice him to tawhid (the oneness of Allah). Do you think he will accept? Or if it were said to him: “You are an associate of partners with Allah, and this is shirk, and whoever associates partners with Allah, Allah has forbidden Paradise for him,” or the other one, the one whom you rebuked and strongly denied? This one does not usually accept. But the one whom you approach with gentleness and good instruction accepts. Is good instruction in the form or in the manner? Meaning, do you present the evidence from the Book and the Sunnah in a way that convinces him, or even in the manner?
Answer: By both. By the manner of presentation and by the closest way he can be convinced. Even if you give him examples, do it. Did not Allah the Exalted give examples for those who call upon other than Him?[Al-'Ankabut 29:41] [Ar-Ra'd 13:14] The one who wants to drink from the river and says this with his hands, spreading his hands, does some water remain or not? He said: Like this in the river, with his hands spread out, does anything remain? No. So these who call upon other than Allah do not respond to them at all, because this one who wants to drink and has spread his hands cannot obtain water.
The third stage: If we called him with wisdom and he did not act, and with good instruction and he did not act, we come to argument. Because the one who does not accept good instruction will argue, so we argue with him, but in the best manner. Follow the closest path that leads to the truth.
with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best
بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ وَجَادِلْهُمْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُAnswer: The context implies that they are sequential. First: with wisdom, by clarifying the truth and its evidence from the Book and the Sunnah. Know that I love for every caller to combine his call with evidence. First: to clear his conscience. Second: to reassure the one being called. Because when the one being called is told, “This is forbidden” or “This is obligatory,” and it is said, “Allah the Exalted said so” or “The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said so,” he is certainly reassured and has an argument with Allah Mighty and Majestic. So if you can mention the evidence to the one being called, that is better, because it clears the conscience and, secondly, reassures the one being called. If this man has no response to the call and no argument, it is sufficient to call him with wisdom. Know that wisdom, as Allah Mighty and Majestic said:
He gives wisdom to whom He wills, and whoever has been given wisdom has certainly been given much good
يُؤْتِي الْحِكْمَةَ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَمَنْ يُؤْتَ الْحِكْمَةَ فَقَدْ أُوتِيَ خَيْراً كَثِيراًIf you see a man calling for aid to the occupant of a grave, saying, “O my master, O my lord, O friend of Allah, help me,” or something similar, calling for aid to the occupant of the grave. We know that calling for aid to the occupant of a grave is what? It is major shirk (associating partners with Allah), which takes one out of the religion. So to the one who calls for aid to the occupant of a grave, we say: If you died in this state, you would be among the people of the Fire, the people of the Fire who are eternally abiding in it, by the saying of Allah the Exalted:
Indeed, he who associates others with Allah - Allah has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers.
إِنَّهُ مَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَاهُ النَّارُ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنْصَارٍI saw a man calling for aid to a grave. Do you immediately say: “You are a disbeliever, you are an associate of partners with Allah, Allah has forbidden Paradise for you”? No, and it is not permissible to say this, even if the reality of the situation is what I mentioned. But this is not permissible; it is frightening. Mention the truth to him, and the truth is exactly in accordance with the fitrah (innate natural disposition). Say: “O my brother,” or do not say “O my brother.” This is a problem now. Do you say to this one who calls for aid to the grave: “O my brother, come, this is calling for aid to Allah,” or do you not say “O my brother”?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : In the context of the call to Islam, in any case, this man who calls for aid to the grave—do not think that he calls for aid to it while believing that it is shirk that takes one out of Islam. Never. This is if he claims to be a Muslim. So it is correct to say: “O my brother,” considering that he sees himself as a Muslim. And if you wish, say: “O my brother,” considering another aspect, which is what? Considering what is to be. And if you wish, say: “O man,” and you are safe from this problem. Call for aid to Allah Mighty and Majestic, as Allah the Exalted said to His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions:
[Remember] when you asked help of your Lord, and He answered you
إِذْ تَسْتَغِيثُونَ رَبَّكُمْ فَاسْتَجَابَ لَكُمْAnswer: By both. By the manner of presentation and by the closest way he can be convinced. Even if you give him examples, do it. Did not Allah the Exalted give examples for those who call upon other than Him?
The example of those who take allies other than Allah is like that of the spider who takes a home. And indeed, the weakest of homes is the home of the spider
مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ كَمَثَلِ الْعَنْكَبُوتِ اتَّخَذَتْ بَيْتاً وَإِنَّ أَوْهَنَ الْبُيُوتِ لَبَيْتُ الْعَنْكَبُوتِAnd those they call upon besides Him do not respond to them with a thing, except as one who stretches his hands toward water [from afar, calling it] to reach his mouth, but it will not reach it [thus]
وَالَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ لا يَسْتَجِيبُونَ لَهُمْ بِشَيْءٍ إِلَّا كَبَاسِطِ كَفَّيْهِ إِلَى الْمَاءِ لِيَبْلُغَ فَاهُ وَمَا هُوَ بِبَالِغِهِThe third stage: If we called him with wisdom and he did not act, and with good instruction and he did not act, we come to argument. Because the one who does not accept good instruction will argue, so we argue with him, but in the best manner. Follow the closest path that leads to the truth.