Dr Sir Iftikhar Ahmad Ayaz, KBE, UK
The significance and greatness of dissemination of faith is proportionally rivalled by its delicate and risky nature. This is because, if the methodology employed in preaching and disseminating Islam is sound and appropriate, the fruits it bears are not only vast but universal and all-encompassing. Similarly, if the message of Islam is preached with the wrong procedure, far-reaching and uncontrolled repercussions are incurred. This is the obvious reason Allah the Almighty has instituted the office of prophethood to shoulder the mighty task of faith dissemination and has chosen such from among men who are purified in both soul and heart for the moral and spiritual revivification of His creation, while at the same time He has decreed a natural order so that through the system of divine revelation a caller unto Allah is reinforced with relevant guidance from time to time.
Significance of tabligh in light of the Holy Quran
Allah the Almighty throws light on the strategy of preaching and says:
اُدْعُ إِلٰى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ وَجَادِلْهُمْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنْ ضَلَّ عَنْ سَبِيلِهِ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ
“Call unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and argue with them in a way that is best. Surely, thy Lord knows best who has strayed from His way; and He knows those who are rightly guided.” (Surah al-Nahl, Ch.16: V.126)
On the significance of preaching and status of preachers, Allah says:
وَلْتَكُنْ مِنْكُمْ أُمَّةٌ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى الْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ
“And let there be among you a body of men who should invite to goodness, and enjoin equity and forbid evil. And it is they who shall prosper.” (Surah Al-e-Imran, Ch.3: V.105)
كُنْتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ
“You are the best people raised for the good of mankind; you enjoin what is good and forbid evil […]”. (Surah Al-e-Imran, Ch.3: V.111)
A prominent method of preaching that has been prescribed by the Holy Quran is that it combats evil with the best of good. Thus Allah the Almighty says:
وَلَا تَسْتَوِي الْحَسَنَةُ وَلَا السَّيِّئَةُ ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ فَإِذَا الَّذِي بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ عَدَاوَةٌ كَأَنَّهُ وَلِيٌّ حَمِيمٌ
“And good and evil are not alike. Repel [evil] with that which is best. And lo, he between whom and thyself was enmity will become as though he were a warm friend.” (Surah Ha Mim al-Sajdah, Ch.41: V.35)
Unequivocal speech
Another approach to preaching the Word of God according to the Holy Quran is that one’s speech should be clear and non-ambiguous. However, if a person fails to grasp the import of a religious teaching through one approach, then the same can be explained from a different perspective such as would be easy for the addressee to understand and be convinced.
In the Holy Quran too, Allah the Almighty has often stated a particular subject from varying perspectives and has said, indicating the wisdom in that, that:
وَكَذَلِكَ نُصَرِّفُ الْآيَاتِ وَلِيَقُولُوا دَرَسْتَ وَلِنُبَيِّنَهُ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ
“And thus do We vary the Signs [that the truth may become established], but [the result is] that they say, ‘Thou hast learnt [well];’ and [We vary the Signs] that We may explain it to a people who have knowledge.” (Surah al-An‘am, Ch.6: V.106)
The Holy Prophet’ssa practical example of preaching
The loftiest and most perfect epitome of the commandments Allah has given in the Holy Quran regarding the dissemination of faith is found in the blessed life of our beloved master, Hazrat Khatam-un-Nabiyyin, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. In fact, his daily casual activities embodied a life of tabligh. It is no wonder, therefore, that during his lifetime the whole of Arabia was enlightened with the pearls of faith. His revered life is indeed an excellent model for us, treading upon which we can study the fundamentals of preaching and dissemination of faith. Let us recount a few of these examples.
Use of wisdom and prudence in tabligh
Wisdom is a great a wealth! This word has immensely wide connotations. One aspect of the objectives of the mission of the Holy Prophetsa is the teaching of wisdom (Ch.3: V.165). In the ahadith as well, wisdom is one of the things considered enviable. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Zakat, Hadith 1409)
Wisdom refers to the insight and consciousness through which a person speaks appropriately taking the right opportunity into consideration so that his words are not unpalatable to the delicate nature of the addressee i.e., speaking politely when that is suitable but harsh in juxtaposition with the need of the occasion, to be brief at the right place but elaborate when the situation demands, and to employ gestures and allusions where explicit speech is offensive to the addressee.
There are many things that are required in adopting wisdom in preaching. A few of these are pointed out by way of illustration.
Observing the intellectual standard of the addressee
One must assess the intellectual standard, knowledge and level of intelligence of the addressee. It is recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari that Hazrat Alira once said:
حَدِّثُوا النَّاسَ بِمَا يَعْرِفُونَ
“Dialogue with people according to their understanding.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Ilm, Hadith 127)
That is to say, do not dialogue with all people using the same approach; rather, speak to every individual in accordance with their mental standard and intellectual merit.
The Holy Prophetsa once expressed his desire to Hazrat Aishara of rebuilding the Ka‘bah on the foundations laid by Prophet Abrahamas, but since the Quraish had recently accepted Islam, there was a fear that the demolition and reconstruction of the Ka‘bah could plunge people into temptation. As a result, he abandoned this intention. (Majma‘ al-Zawaid wa Manba‘ al-Fawa’id, Hadith 5732)
So one salient characteristic of the Holy Prophet’ssa strategy of preaching was that he always paid attention to the intellectual capacity of the addressee. This is also indicated by a hadith in Sunan Abi Dawud.
Hazrat Jabirra bin Salim says:
“I came to the Holy Prophetsa and asked him, ‘Are you a messenger of God?’ The Holy Prophetsa responded, ‘I am a messenger of that God Who, when misfortune befalls you and you call upon Him, will cause grains and vegetables to grow, and when your camel is lost while you are in a barren land, He will bring your camel back.’” (Sunan Abi Dawud, Kitab al-Libas, Hadith 4084)
In the aforementioned hadith, the Holy Prophetsa drew the attention of Hazrat Jabirra to many such things which were in his daily observation and experience. He said that he was the Messenger of God, to whom prayers were made in times of trouble, Who removed every minor and major worry of His servants. The fact is that if the level of knowledge and intellectual standard of the addressee is not taken into consideration while preaching, not only is there a risk of the preacher being misunderstood, but the likelihood of accepting the truth is also reduced. Therefore it is part of wisdom to speak according to the understanding and aptitude of the addressee.
Psychological assessment
The human psyche is of paramount importance. This is why psychology has assumed a form of an art in modern times. Therefore, be very attentive to the psychology of the addressee during preaching discourses. The Holy Prophetsa was always careful of the addressee’s psychology when disseminating the message of Islam. Here is an example from his immaculate life.
A person asked the Holy Prophetsa, “O Messenger of Allah! I am guilty of so many sins and I do not have the strength to avoid them all, although I can give up a single one of them.” The Holy Prophetsa said, “Can you promise me that you will never lie?” He replied, “O Messenger of Allah! I promise that I will never lie.” He then went away saying, “The Holy Prophet has demanded from me such a simple thing.”
He came out at night with the intention of committing a sin, but it immediately crossed his mind that when he would meet the Holy Prophetsa the following day and if he asked him about it, how would he answer? If he told the truth, he would be punished and he could not tell a lie since he had given the Holy Prophetsa his word that he would only speak the truth. Whenever the thought of committing a sin crossed his mind, this was his line of thinking. After a few days, when he met the Holy Prophetsa, he asked him of his circumstances, to which he replied, “O Messenger of Allah! The oath I took never to lie has washed away all the sins.”
When one makes an in-depth analysis of this incident, it reveals that the Holy Prophetsa examined his psyche with utmost insight and wisdom. This was a person confessing all his sins on the one hand, and on the other, he said he could only abandon one of his sins. This indicates that he was very truthful and courageous. The Holy Prophetsa, keeping a clear view of the future in mind, directed him to leave such sins which eventually proved a blockade for remitting all the other sins.
Demonstration of good manners
Non-Muslims with whom there is mutual discussion on tabligh and reformation should be treated with compassion and sympathy. Good and noble manners should be displayed in front of them because the display of good morals is an efficacious talisman that transforms a person and dismisses jealousy, malice, enmity and hatred from the heart, but attracts a virtue of obedience and acceptance.
It is narrated that a Jewish boy used to frequent the presence of the Holy Prophetsa. He fell ill and the Holy Prophetsa visited him, sat on his side and said, “O son! Accept Islam.” The boy inquisitively looked at his father. His father said to him, “My son, obey Abul-Qasim.” The boy recited the Kalima Shahadah and accepted Islam. When the Holy Prophetsa rose up to return, he uttered these words: “Praise be to God Who saved him from the fire of Hell”. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Jana’iz, Hadith 1356)
Goodly exhortation
The meaning of goodly exhortation is that while preaching, an element of compassion and goodness prevails in the preacher. The word of truth should be presented to the listener in a good and appealing manner. When Mosesas and Aaronas were sent to Pharaoh, they were instructed to speak softly to him. The Holy Quran says:
“Go, both of you, to Pharaoh, for he has transgressed [all] bounds. And address him both of you, with gentle words that he might possibly heed or fear.” (Surah Ta Ha, Ch.20: V.44-45)
The people we talk to today about tabligh and reformation are obviously not more misguided than Pharaoh, while none of us is as honourable and respectable as Mosesas and Aaronas. How then can we have the right to adopt a strong tone during tabligh or choose such a topic which offends the addressee or injures their status?
Teachings of the Promised Messiahas regarding tabligh
“God Almighty desires to draw all those who live in various habitations of the world, be it Europe or Asia, and who have virtuous nature, to the Unity of God and unite His servants under one Faith. This indeed is the purpose of God for which I have been sent to the world. You, too, therefore should pursue this end, but with kindness, moral probity and fervent prayers.” (The Will, pp. 8-9)
The Promised Messiahas says in a poetic couplet:
ہر طرف آواز دينا ہے ہمارا كام آج
جس كی فطرت نيک ہے وه آئے گا انجام كار
“To reverberate the message everywhere is our main objective today; for ultimately, he that is with a pure nature, will head to it.”
“[…] It is true that at the beginning, people of the world become the enemies of those who come from God the Almighty. They give them all kinds of trouble and place obstacles in their way. No prophet or messenger was sent who did not suffer and was named a charlatan and a fraudster with money-making intent. But despite the fact that millions of opponents wanted to shoot arrows, throw stones and hurl abuse at them, they were not bothered and nothing could stand in their way. They kept on preaching the Word of God to the world and the message that they had brought. Not a single minute did they spare in delivering it. The hardships and persecution that came from the ignorant worldly people did not slow them down, but their pace became faster and faster until the time came when Allah the Almighty made those difficulties easy for them and the opponents began to understand and then the same opposing world turned around and followed in their footsteps and began to acknowledge their righteousness and truthfulness.
“Hearts are in the hands of Allah the Almighty. He changes them whenever He desires. Remember, of course, that all the prophets encountered challenges in disseminating their message. The Holy Prophet’ssa superiority over all the Prophets was such that Allah the Almighty sealed Prophethood with him, that is, all the perfections of Prophethood ended with him naturally. Despite being such a glorious prophet, who is unaware of how many difficulties and hardships befell him in the field of preaching the message of his Prophethood and the extent to which the disbelievers persecuted and afflicted him with pain?” (Malfuzat [1988], Vol. 4, p. 152)
At another place, he states:
“The message of God Almighty should be conveyed to the ears of the masses once and for all because a large portion of the general masses are such that are free from prejudice and arrogance etc. and are only deprived of realising the truth, falling prey to whatever the maulvis say and believing and accepting whatever the maulvis tell them. The reality is that they are simply unfamiliar with our claims and arguments.” (Malfuzat [1988], Vol. 3, p. 551)
Passion of the Companionsra of the Promised Messiahas for tabligh
In the life of the Companionsra of the Promised Messiahas, we see competing incidents of tabligh. Here are a few:
Hazrat Maulana Ghulam Rasul Rajekira narrates:
“I took the allegiance, read the books of the Promised Messiahas and an enthusiasm arose in me. Then I started preaching. The method of my preaching in those days was that, wherever there were four or five people sitting together, I would walk up to them and say ‘Assalamu alaikum.’ I would then say to them, ‘Congratulations!’ They would be fascinated and ask what the matter was. I would then say that the Imam Mahdi had come. Someone would laugh at it, another would mock and a third would ask for more details. In some way or another, a dialogue would start and I would take the opportunity to preach.” (Register Riwayat-e-Sahaba, Vol. 10, p. 32)
Hazrat Sher Muhammad Sahibra narrates:
“I once dreamed that a well was full of milk and I gave some friends a bucket full of milk from the well and as a result, the well dried up. Then I went to Maulvi Fateh Din Sahibra and told him about this dream. He directed me to go to Maulvi Abdul Karim Sahibra or to Maulvi Nuruddin Sahibra. Then I came to Qadian and narrated the dream to Maulvi Abdul Karim Sahibra. He interpreted milk to mean knowledge. I said that I had not read a single letter. He then explained that this knowledge meant the kind of knowledge God Himself bestows and that the buckets that had been filled to the brim meant that many friends would benefit from the claim of the Promised Messiahas through me. And the drying up of the well meant that those who prevented me from preaching and prevented the Promised Messiahas from being called the Mahdi, would one day lay as dead before me. Ultimately, these three things came true and in spite of my opposition in Khan Fateh, the whole village became Ahmadi through my preaching, the help of God Almighty and the prayers of Huzoor.” (Register Riwayat-e-Sahaba, Vol. 7, p. 82)
Hazrat Mian Abdur Rashidra states:
“In Lahore, the son of a non-Ahmadi who was employed in the railways, got influenced by Arya beliefs. His parents were very upset and took him to a maulvi of Begum Shahi Mosque. When he presented some objections of the Aryas in front of the maulvi, he became very angry and ran up to him to beat him. The young man left his turban and fled and the people around chased after him. Seeing this situation, an Ahmadi by the name of Ahmad Din who used to work as a tailor also followed to his house. After finding out what had really happened, Ahmad Din Sahib came to me and informed me of the boy’s condition, adding that I must meet him and try to correct his thoughts. So I went with them to the boy’s house.
“At first, he refrained from talking and said clearly that he had become Arya and that whatever I said could no longer have any effect on him and that he had given up meat etc. and adopted an Arya life. He used to attend their meetings and worship with them. He became somewhat accustomed to my repeated visits and insistence. When he went for a walk, I would go with him. Sometimes I even waited for him to come out and I would go with him.
“A few days later came the Easter holidays. I invited him to visit Qadian with me, but he declined and said that he was not ready to go to any maulvi. On this, I explained to him that there was no fear of any harm in Qadian and he would not be mistreated in any way. I told him he could raise any objections he had and that I would take full responsibility. At long last, after much insistence, he agreed and we went to Qadian.
“We went to Qadian and met Hazrat Maulvi Sahib [Hazrat Maulvi Nuruddin, Khalifatul Masih Ira]. He was very kind and said [to the boy] that whatever objections he had, he could express them and answers would be given. I said to Huzoor that he had given up the consumption of meat etc. and had adopted a Hindu lifestyle. So Hazrat Maulvi Sahib sent lentils and naan bread from his house to the guest house for him. He was greatly impressed that his choice of food was respected.
“When I went for Zuhr prayer that day, I took him with me. After the prayer, the Promised Messiahas came to Masjid Mubarak [Qadian]. In those days, the Promised Messiahas was writing a book about the Aryas and mentioned some objections of the Arya people in the meeting and gave their answers. It had a profound effect on him and many of his objections were refuted and an increased interest in Islam was born in him.
“After the Asr prayer, I took him to the Quran dars [lesson] of Hazrat Maulvi Sahib [Hazrat Maulvi Nuruddin, Khalifatul Masih Ira], which used to take place in Masjid Aqsa [Qadian]. Both of us then went to meet Maulvi Sahib and I requested him to explain certain things to him. Maulvi Sahib let him ask whatever objection he had in mind. On this, he enquired about the consumption of meat, to which Maulvi Sahib gave him a very convincing answer which he was satisfied with.
“After the Maghrib prayer, we went to meet the Promised Messiahas in Masjid Mubarak. The Promised Messiahas was sitting on the dais and conversing. There was a question and answer session with the help of Maulvi Abdul Karim Sahib and the boy kept listening. He did not raise any objection after that.
“The next day, at the time of Zuhr prayer, he performed ablution and went and offered the prayer. On that day, he listened to Maulvi Sahib’s dars again. And on the third day, this Arya boy swore allegiance to the Promised Messiahas and embraced Islam. Now, he is so attached to Islam that he attends the meetings of the Arya Samaj and explains the virtues of Islam and responds to the objections of the Aryas.” (Register Riwayat-e-Sahaba, No. 11, pp. 30-32)
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II’sra instructions regarding tabligh
“Tabligh is not an easy task; rather, it is a very difficult task. It is easy to build a palace, but it is not easy to turn a person’s heart, because without a proper strategy and arguments, no one’s heart can be turned.” (Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 9, p. 125)
“What is our duty? It is that we should convey to the corners of the world the teachings which we have received through the Promised Messiahas and which are being opposed by modern civilisation and the people of the time. We have had and continue to face opposition in delivering these teachings. We have been and are being harmed. Relationships with us have been and are being severed. Our relatives have had and continue to part ways with us. […] Therefore, we must not back down from this task; rather, we must move forward.” (Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 9, p. 208)
“In discharging the duties of tabligh, the people before us did not slacken even in the shadow of swords. In the time of Hazrat Umarra, the Muslims were in such a state that they were surrounded by enemies from all sides. Constantinople was ruled by Christians and controlled half the world. On the other hand, the government in Iran had an effect on half of the world. At that time, Muslims were being attacked from all sides yet they were not afraid of swords. Shall we then fear the words and wealth of the opponent today? So we must be ready for it and be ready for every sacrifice that is needed.” (Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 8, pp. 47-48)
“Therefore, every person should consider tabligh as a general command and should consider themselves the addressee of this command. Every person should understand that this instruction is to be carried out by them and if you all start acting upon this, then you will succeed. But if you only make an intention, then success is impossible because many intentions are disregarded.” (Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 7, p. 10)
“An Englishman has written a magazine in which he says that this Jamaat is like an insect in the sea of Islam. He is, in fact, right. There is no doubt that we are like a droplet, but sometimes a droplet affects all of the water. For example, arsenic is very negligible, but even a small amount of it can kill a person. There are often such poisonous medicines that one may eat as much as can come on the tip of a straw, but it is dangerous to eat more than that amount. A matchstick is such a small thing but it can set a whole forest ablaze and can turn cities into dust and smoke. Then, for us there are prophecies and big promises of God Almighty on our side.” (Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 5, p. 21)
“Our Jamaat has undertaken to spread the message of God Almighty all over the world. But there are some people in our Jamaat who say that people do not listen to us. […] In the [above-mentioned] verse [Ch.3, V.105], Allah the Almighty says that those who strive on this path will surely succeed. […] That means their efforts are successful and they are rewarded for their efforts whether anyone believes and becomes Muslim or not. This verse does not say that people must accept Islam before you are rewarded, and only then will you be rewarded; rather, it is said that whoever tries will be rewarded, whether someone accepts or not.” (Ibid, p. 20)
“God will surely make them successful and triumphant who bring back to Him the people who flee from His teachings; they will never fail. This is a great way to attain His grace.” (Ibid, p. 19)
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV’srh instructions regarding tabligh
“As far as preaching is concerned, every Ahmadi should remember that […] it is a responsibility, and the command of God Almighty is with such severity that addressing the Holy Prophetsa, He says that he would have wasted the message if he did not preach it. His ummah is also responsible. Each of us is responsible. Relaying the message is such a duty that no one can ever neglect and there is no excuse to be negligent.” (Khutbat-e-Tahir, Vol. 4, pp. 631-632)
“Do not let the flame of preaching that my God has awakened in my heart and is burning in the hearts of thousands of Ahmadis today be extinguished. […] Protect this sacred trust. I swear in the name of God the Almighty that if you remain faithful to this candle of nur [divine light], then God will never let it go out. It will rise, spread, and enlighten people turn by turn. And it will cover all the earth and turn all darkness into light.” (Khutbat-e-Tahir, Vol. 2, p. 422)
Instructions of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa on tabligh
“Remember that Allah the Almighty has promised the Promised Messiahas that He shall give him victory. This victory will happen in Europe as well as in Asia, in Africa as well as in America, insha-Allah. And the inhabitants of the islands will not be deprived of this grace, insha-Allah. Therefore it is your duty to become sincere servants of God, showing complete obedience and doing pious deeds, so that you can continue to convey His message and so that you may be blessed with the blessings Allah the Almighty has decreed for those who are associated with the Promised Messiahas. […]
“This task will certainly be accomplished, insha-Allah. Allah the Almighty has to bring all the fortunate souls into the fold of Islam. The opponents and the opportunities that are being created to ridicule the religion are there to draw our attention to our duty. As for the final decision, it has been made by the decree of Allah the Almighty. But you will have to get rid of the laziness that has arisen in you and to become those who convey the best message in the sight of Allah in order to absorb the bounties of Allah and convey the message of the true salvation of Islam to every young and old in your country. This is the greatest service to humanity today. May Allah enable us all to achieve this.” (Friday Sermon, delivered on 22 December 2006)
“We need to intensify our preaching efforts by using these arguments and the intellectual and spiritual treasures that the Promised Messiahas has given us. […] For this, it is necessary to make efforts to advance in our practical deeds, knowledge and spiritual development. It is necessary to advance in piety because unless we have spiritual growth, our preaching cannot be blessed. […]
“It is thus necessary for one who calls people to Allah to keep this in mind, and not only is it necessary for the preacher, but for every Ahmadi whether they preach actively or not. If the world knows that such and such person is an Ahmadi, if society knows that such and such a person is an Ahmadi, then the Ahmadi should remember that they have the word ‘Ahmadi’ attached to them. As such, even if they are not preaching, their being an Ahmadi makes them a silent caller to Allah. […]
“Every Ahmadi who calls themselves an Ahmadi and attributes themselves to the Promised Messiahas has a duty to keep their deeds in order because everyone observes them. Even if they have no religious knowledge of any kind that can make them an active preacher, even then such a one’s every saying, action and deed should be such that positively attracts the attention of others. If one embodies good deeds, people will be attracted towards them.
“It is the work of God Almighty to inspire hearts, and to preach is the work of the people of the divine Jamaat along with the Prophets.” (Friday Sermon, delivered on 9 April 2010)
“MTA has a huge role to play in the field of preaching. Due to it, not only is Ahmadiyyat being introduced around the world, but through it, the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat has also reached many parts of most countries. Now, it is not enough just to spread the message in countries or a few cities, we must spread the message in every city, every village, every town and every street in the world.” (Friday Sermon, delivered on 7 November 2008)
“The significance and fundamentals of preaching are clearly visible in light of the Holy Quran, the example of the Holy Prophetsa, the Promised Messiahas and the instructions, excellent example and guidance of the Khulafa. The fact is that the real teaching of Islam today is with the Ahmadiyya Jamaat. Therefore, it is our first responsibility to make it known to others as soon as possible. May Allah grant us success in this. Amin.”
Our beloved Imam, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V, may Allah be his Helper, on one occasion, while explaining to us the method and importance of preaching, said:
“Invite people unto Allah. Do it wisely, consistently, with steadfastness, and with cool temperament. […] Also take care of the feelings of others and always cite the Holy Quran and the books of the Promised Messiahas for arguments.
“Then speak with every individual in accordance with their knowledge, intellect and class. If you speak in the name of God with pious intention, the addressee is more emotionally connected. What is said in the name of Allah the Almighty with pious intention, has an effect. When an utterance is made with pain and anguish, it leaves an impression on others. All the Prophets continued to convey their message according to this principle. And every one of them said to his people, ‘I call you to Allah and I call you to good deeds and for this, I do not ask for any reward.’ This is what we learn from the Holy Quran. […]
“Allah the Almighty says that if you do this work with utmost diligence, utmost courage, with all your abilities and with prayers to Allah the Almighty, then Allah the Almighty will continue to unite you with pure natured ones, insha-Allah.” (Friday Sermon, delivered on 8 October 2004)
May Allah Almighty grant us the ability to invite people unto Allah in the best manner. May God Almighty continue to unite us with good-natured souls. Amin.