If one finds Shi'ah, Sufis, and the common people in the same country, with whom should one begin his da'wah? "From Azerbaijan"
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The student: Our Shaykh, if you please, the two brothers here from Azerbaijan have come with our brothers whom we sent.
The Shaykh : Yes, that is right.
The student: So please look at them.
The Shaykh : Very well.
The student: It is our turn, Shaykh; the previous ones have already gone.
The Shaykh : How?
The questioner : The forerunners, the forerunners
The Shaykh : What do you mean?
The questioner : We are the first to arrive.
The Shaykh : No, it is not a problem. In any case, we will give them their turn because it seems they are traveling first. Then, you are our neighbors, and praise be to Allah, especially now that the restrictions have been lifted on you.
The student: May Allah reward you with good. Our brothers are on their way to travel; they have nothing else.
Another student: Rely upon Allah.
The Shaykh : Let me hear at least one question.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good. First, we convey to you the greetings of the students in Azerbaijan.
The Shaykh : Peace and mercy of Allah be upon you and upon them.
The questioner : So, let us give you, so to speak, the situation in Azerbaijan.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : There, the people are divided into three groups: Shi'ah, Sufis, and a third type who do not care about anything, meaning, we are there, meaning, ignorant people.
The Shaykh : Excuse me: What is the third type?
The questioner : Ignorant people.
The Shaykh : Ignorant people, yes.
The questioner : Neither Sunnis nor Shi'ah, meaning.
The Shaykh : Allah is the Greatest!
The questioner : So we are present there and are confused about whom to call to the religion: the Sufis, or should we call the Shi'ah, or should we call these ignorant people? We ask you to advise us.
The Shaykh : Yes, but I believe, may Allah bless you, that this question is theoretical rather than practical. A Muslim, wherever he resides, must perform the obligation of da'wah, each according to his ability, as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2669Sahih (Darussalam), Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2669Sahih (Darussalam): We must understand the hadith correctly. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not mean "convey from me even one verse of the Qur'an." No, the indication of the hadith is broader than that. "Convey from me even one verse": whether it is from the Qur'an or from his words (peace and blessings be upon him). So the intended meaning of "verse" here: the original meaning of a verse is a complete sentence. The complete sentence may be in the Qur'an, or it may be in a hadith of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). So the Muslim who memorizes a verse and masters it well, or a hadith likewise, must convey it in any opportunity and in any gathering. So I do not think you, or anyone else, is always sitting with the Sufis all the time, all the time, and is not tested by sitting with a Shi'i, for example. That is not possible. Likewise, it is not conceivable that you never sit even once with the third group, which is: neither from these nor from those. "They are like cattle, nay, they are even more astray." It is impossible that you are not also tested with people like these. So you call all people to the religion, you call all people to the religion, and you must take care, above all else, of correcting the creed, because the creed is what saves its owner from eternal abode in the Fire. As for one who drinks intoxicants, commits zina, steals, and so on, but he testifies to the truth, he is as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the authentic hadith: Sahih al-Bukhari 5401. So it is upon you to call all these groups you mentioned to correcting the creed, to understanding the true meaning of "La ilaha illa Allah" and the true meaning of "Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah" (peace and blessings be upon him). We summarize these two truths in two similar words that differ by what is added to them: The meaning of "La ilaha illa Allah" is: the oneness of Allah in worship. The meaning of "Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah" is: the oneness of the Messenger in following. Is this clear?
The questioner : It is clear.
The Shaykh : And this is a field for much explanation and clarification, for one who has knowledge of the Book and the Sunnah. This is the answer to the question.
The Shaykh : Yes, that is right.
The student: So please look at them.
The Shaykh : Very well.
The student: It is our turn, Shaykh; the previous ones have already gone.
The Shaykh : How?
The questioner : The forerunners, the forerunners
The Shaykh : What do you mean?
The questioner : We are the first to arrive.
The Shaykh : No, it is not a problem. In any case, we will give them their turn because it seems they are traveling first. Then, you are our neighbors, and praise be to Allah, especially now that the restrictions have been lifted on you.
The student: May Allah reward you with good. Our brothers are on their way to travel; they have nothing else.
Another student: Rely upon Allah.
The Shaykh : Let me hear at least one question.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good. First, we convey to you the greetings of the students in Azerbaijan.
The Shaykh : Peace and mercy of Allah be upon you and upon them.
The questioner : So, let us give you, so to speak, the situation in Azerbaijan.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : There, the people are divided into three groups: Shi'ah, Sufis, and a third type who do not care about anything, meaning, we are there, meaning, ignorant people.
The Shaykh : Excuse me: What is the third type?
The questioner : Ignorant people.
The Shaykh : Ignorant people, yes.
The questioner : Neither Sunnis nor Shi'ah, meaning.
The Shaykh : Allah is the Greatest!
The questioner : So we are present there and are confused about whom to call to the religion: the Sufis, or should we call the Shi'ah, or should we call these ignorant people? We ask you to advise us.
The Shaykh : Yes, but I believe, may Allah bless you, that this question is theoretical rather than practical. A Muslim, wherever he resides, must perform the obligation of da'wah, each according to his ability, as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Convey from me, even if it be an Ayah, and narrate from the Children of Isra'il, and there is no harm, And whoever lies upon me purposely, then let him take his seat in the Fire.
بلغوا عني ولو آية ، وحدثوا عن بني إسرائيل ولا حرج ، ومن كذب علي متعمدا فليتبوأ مقعده من النارConvey from me, even if it be an Ayah
بلغوا عني ولو آيةNarrated 'Urban bin Malik: who attended the Badr battle and was from the Ansar, that he came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "O Allah's Apostle! I have lost my eyesight and I lead my people in the prayer (as an Imam). When it rains, the valley which is between me and my people, flows with water, and then I cannot go to their mosque to lead them in the prayer. O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I wish that you could come and pray in my house so that I may take it as a praying place. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Allah willing, I will do that." The next morning, soon after the sun had risen, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came with Abu Bakr. The Prophet (ﷺ) asked for the permission to enter and I admitted him. The Prophet (ﷺ) had not sat till he had entered the house and said to me, "Where do you like me to pray in your house?" I pointed at a place in my house whereupon he stood and said, "Allahu Akbar." We lined behind him and he prayed two rak`at and finished it with Taslim. We then requested him to stay for a special meal of Khazira which we had prepared. A large number of men from the adjoining area gathered in the house. One of them said, "Where is Malik bin Ad-Dukhshun?" Another man said, "He is a hypocrite and does not love Allah and His Apostle." The Prophet said, "Do not say so. Do you not think that he has said: "None has the right to be worshipped but Allah," seeking Allah's pleasure? The man said, "Allah and His Apostle know better, but we have always seen him mixing with hypocrites and giving them advice." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Allah has forbidden the (Hell) Fire for those who testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, seeking Allah's pleasure. "
من قال لا إله إلا الله نفعته يوماً من دهرهThe questioner : It is clear.
The Shaykh : And this is a field for much explanation and clarification, for one who has knowledge of the Book and the Sunnah. This is the answer to the question.