The ruling on one who takes on the role of da'wah without knowledge or experience
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Question:
Your Excellency, I love you for the sake of Allah. What is your opinion regarding one who takes on the call to Allah without scholarly preparation or experience? Is it a betrayal of the trust of da'wah for this to happen? And what is the correct path you see for preparing da'is and fulfilling the trust of da'wah? May Allah reward you.
Answer:
First: May Allah love you as you have loved us for His sake. We ask Allah to make us all lovers of one another in His majesty. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: On the Day of Resurrection: Where are those who love one another for My majesty? Today I will shade them in My shade on a day when there is no shade except My shade. And He, the Exalted and Majestic, says: Muwatta Malik 51:16. We ask Allah to make us and you among them.
As for what concerns da'wah without knowledge: this is not permissible. It is obligatory for the da'i to prepare himself first, and to make the necessary preparations for his da'wah, so that he is knowledgeable and has insight into what he calls to and what he forbids. Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: : [Yusuf:108]. He said to His Prophet: meaning: Say, O Messenger, to the people, meaning: This is my path, meaning: with knowledge. So knowledge is necessary.
And Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) says: [Surat al-Nahl: 125], and wisdom is knowledge: Allah said, and the Messenger said. As for one who undertakes da'wah (calling others to Islam) in ignorance and without insight, this is not permissible; rather, he corrupts more than he repairs. Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) says: [Surat al-A'raf: 33], so He placed speaking about Him without knowledge above the level of shirk (associating partners with Allah); because of the great corruption that results from this.
And He, the Exalted, said: [Al-Baqarah:168-169]. So He, the Exalted, made clear that Satan commands evil and obscenity, and that we should say about Allah what we do not know.
So speaking about Allah without knowledge is what Shaytan commands and calls to; because he knows that the corruption resulting from it is such that only Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) can count it. Thus, the ignorant caller turns people away from the religion, makes the haram (forbidden) permissible, makes the halal (lawful) forbidden, and calls to what is not permissible; because of his ignorance. Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) says: [Surat al-Isra: 36], so it is obligatory for the caller to Allah to fear his Lord, and to prepare the means before that.
The path of knowledge is to attend the circles of knowledge, and to focus on seeking knowledge, and to focus on the Book of Allah: reading it, reflecting on it, understanding it, and comprehending it. And to focus on the Sunnah—the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)—and to memorize what is easy of it, along with the Noble Book. And to strive to understand the Book and the Sunnah, and to ask the people of knowledge about what is difficult for him. Then, when he feels that he has prepared himself for this matter; because his knowledge of what Allah has commanded and what Allah has forbidden has increased, and he knows what Allah has made obligatory and what Allah has forbidden, he is on guidance in that and has insight; so he calls to what Allah and His Messenger have commanded, and he forbids what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden.
This is what is obligatory for one who wants to call to Allah and one who takes on that role: to focus on knowledge. And knowledge is not by wishing; it requires efforts, it requires patience. And with this he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 2699a. And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 1037a agreed upon as authentic. This is evidence that Allah, the Exalted, when He intends good for a servant, He makes him understand the religion, and makes him look carefully, learn, and focus on what Allah has made obligatory upon him, and what He has forbidden upon him, until he worships his Lord with insight. And its implication is that one who is not granted success in understanding the religion means that Allah did not intend good for him. So the danger is great in turning away, ignorance, and indifference.
Your Excellency, I love you for the sake of Allah. What is your opinion regarding one who takes on the call to Allah without scholarly preparation or experience? Is it a betrayal of the trust of da'wah for this to happen? And what is the correct path you see for preparing da'is and fulfilling the trust of da'wah? May Allah reward you.
Answer:
First: May Allah love you as you have loved us for His sake. We ask Allah to make us all lovers of one another in His majesty. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Allah the Exalted says:
يقول الله Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu Hazim ibn Dinar that Abu Idris al-Khawlani said, "I entered the Damascus mosque and there was a young man with a beautiful mouth and white teeth sitting with some people. When they disagreed about something, they referred it to him and proceeded from his statement. I inquired about him, and it was said, 'This is Muadh ibn Jabal.' The next day I went to the noon-prayer, and I found that he had preceded me to the noon prayer and I found him praying." Abu Idris continued, "I waited for him until he had finished the prayer. Then I came to him from in front of him and greeted him and said, 'By Allah! I love you for Allah!' He said, 'By Allah?' I said, 'By Allah.' He said, 'By Allah?' I said, 'By Allah.' He said, 'By Allah?' I said, 'By Allah.' " He continued, "He took me by the upper part of my cloak and pulled me to him and said, 'Rejoice! I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, "Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, said, 'My love is obliged for those who love each other in Me, and those who sit with each other in Me, and those who visit each other in Me, and those who give to each other generously in Me.' " ' "
وجبت محبَّتي للمُتحابين فيَّ، والمُتباذلين فيَّ، والمُتجالسين فيَّ، والمُتزاورين فيَّAs for what concerns da'wah without knowledge: this is not permissible. It is obligatory for the da'i to prepare himself first, and to make the necessary preparations for his da'wah, so that he is knowledgeable and has insight into what he calls to and what he forbids. Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: :
Say, “This is my path; I call to Allah with insight,
قُلْ هَذِهِ سَبِيلِي أَدْعُو إِلَى اللَّهِ عَلَى بَصِيرَةٍSay
قُلْThis is my path
هَذِهِ سَبِيلِيI call to Allah with knowledge
أَدْعُو إِلَى اللَّهِ عَلَى بَصِيرَةٍAnd Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) says:
Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom
ادْعُ إِلَى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِSay, "My Lord has only forbidden immoralities - what is apparent of them and what is concealed - and sin, and oppression without right, and that you associate with Allah that for which He has not sent down authority, and that you say about Allah that which you do not know."
قُلْ إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ رَبِّيَ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَالْإِثْمَ وَالْبَغْيَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَأَنْ تُشْرِكُوا بِاللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَانًا وَأَنْ تَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَAnd He, the Exalted, said:
(168) O mankind, eat from whatever is on earth [that is] lawful and good and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy. (169) He only orders you to evil and immorality and to say about Allah what you do not know.
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ كُلُوا مِمَّا فِي الْأَرْضِ حَلَالًا طَيِّبًا وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُبِينٌ إِنَّمَا يَأْمُرُكُمْ بِالسُّوءِ وَالْفَحْشَاءِ وَأَنْ تَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَSo speaking about Allah without knowledge is what Shaytan commands and calls to; because he knows that the corruption resulting from it is such that only Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) can count it. Thus, the ignorant caller turns people away from the religion, makes the haram (forbidden) permissible, makes the halal (lawful) forbidden, and calls to what is not permissible; because of his ignorance. Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) says:
And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart - about all those [one] will be questioned.
وَلَا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ إِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ وَالْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُولَئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْئُولًاThe path of knowledge is to attend the circles of knowledge, and to focus on seeking knowledge, and to focus on the Book of Allah: reading it, reflecting on it, understanding it, and comprehending it. And to focus on the Sunnah—the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)—and to memorize what is easy of it, along with the Noble Book. And to strive to understand the Book and the Sunnah, and to ask the people of knowledge about what is difficult for him. Then, when he feels that he has prepared himself for this matter; because his knowledge of what Allah has commanded and what Allah has forbidden has increased, and he knows what Allah has made obligatory and what Allah has forbidden, he is on guidance in that and has insight; so he calls to what Allah and His Messenger have commanded, and he forbids what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden.
This is what is obligatory for one who wants to call to Allah and one who takes on that role: to focus on knowledge. And knowledge is not by wishing; it requires efforts, it requires patience. And with this he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
he who treads the path in search of knowledge, Allah would make that path easy, leading to Paradise for him
مَن سلك طريقًا يلتمس فيه علمًا سهَّل الله له به طريقًا إلى الجنةHe upon whom Allah intends to bestow goodness, He confers upon him an insight in religion
مَن يُرد الله به خيرًا يُفقهه في الدين
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.