How to Invite Non-Muslims to Islam (Give Da`wah)

We Muslims firmly believe that Islam is the last and final religion which was revealed directly by Allah through His trusted angel Gabriel (Jibraeel) to last of the prophets, Muhammad (peace be upon him). In fact, Islam is the oldest religion for it is the continuation of the all Divine religions which have been revealed on to some of the revered messengers of Allah, like Prophets Daud, Musa and Eesa (David, Moses and Jesus, peace be upon them all). 

Qur'an, the book containing revelations of Allah to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) which correspond to all the unaltered substance contained in the earlier Divine Books like Psalms, Torah and Bible. The Qur'an thus contains the corrected and the true Divine commandments which have got changed or adulterated due passage of time.

Thus till the Day of Resurrection, Qur'an remains the ultimate guideline for the entire mankind to seek the real truth so that everyone is rewarded positively rather than being punished for not accepting the Final Plain Truth. This is we all Muslims believe in and have thus been entrusted to invite the non Muslims to Islam, which plainly means peace, or in other words complete submission to commandments of Allah.

Since no more prophets and messengers will come, it is the duty of every Muslim to invite the Non Muslims to Islam for their good and their ultimate salvation. But how to do it? Well to my reckoning here are few steps that may be useful:

• Know Islam as much as we can, for if we intend inviting non Muslims to Islam they will have lot of questions to be answered if at all they are to be shown the final Truth.
• One must be very co0l minded and not short tempered when extending invitation to Islam or giving Da'wah (as said in Arabic).
• One of the most important thing to remember is that in Islam there is no compulsion / forceful conversions. If someone doesn't accept the message of Islam, the fallout of rejecting the message will be upon the one rejecting it. Even Allah warned the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that he was merely a warner and not controller over the non believers. In Surah 88. Al-Gashiya verses 21-26, it is clearly said:

"So render good counsel, for you are simply required to counsel,  and are not invested with the authority to compel them, But whoever will turn away (from the Truth), Allah will chastise him with the most terrible chastisement. Surely to Us is their return; and then it is for Us to call them to account."

• Thus if someone doesn't accept the message of Islam, one should keep trying gracefully, never ever raising one's voice, for anyone speaking loudly resembles a donkey when barking (something most disliked voice as mentioned in the Qur'an).
• And in case a heated argument takes place, one should immediately disengage gracefully for true Muslims do not get into arguments but encourage meaningful discussion on the subject.
• Remember, your conduct, character and eloquence hinged on knowledge will win you a situation.

Remember, it is the Plain Truth that what constitutes Islam which is encouraging people around the world attracted toward Islam, despite disinformation being spread about Islam, labeling it a terrorist religion. The Islamophobia is being contested well by many of us who are voluntarily doing their best to invite / extend Da'wah people to Islam.

Please watch the video below on the issue by Nouman Ali Khan, born to a Pakistani family, is an American Muslim speaker and Arabic instructor who founded the Bayyinah Institute for Arabic and Qur’anic Studies, after serving as an instructor of Arabic at Nassau Community College. He has been named one of the 500 most influential Muslims in the world by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre of Jordan:

Author's Note: The views expressed in the video above are that of the concerned scholar . We have shared these view as added information in better understanding of Islam. The reader may or may not agree with the view owing to their own perception. If any one differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

For more Scholarly views and videos, please read our reference page: Scholars' Viewpoint on Important Issues Related to Islam. You may also refer to our Reference Pages  for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

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Why should a Muslim invite a Non Muslim to Islam

We as Muslims believe that Islam is the final religion and the Holy Quran is the last heavenly scripture sent to the guidance of mankind, not only for the Muslims. We believe that all messengers and prophets before the last of the prophets Muhammad (peace be upon him) were the chosen few by the Allah and that Psalms, Torah and Bible are the holy scriptures revealed onto prophets Dawood (David), Musa (Moses) and Eesa (Jesus), may peace be upon them all.

We also have faith in the fact that Allah revealed His final religion Islam after the two main religions and faiths for Jews and Christians have been revealed. Islam in fact is the continuation of the Allah's commandments that continued till the Holy Quran was completed in last almost 23 years life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Through the Holy Qur'an, Allah has stressed on the same issues and theme that is contained in the earlier scriptures or what Prophets Ibraheem (Abraham), Musa and Jesus conveyed to their people.

Now why should Muslims call on the non Muslims to come to Islam? The answer is complex and simple too. Complex in the sense that Christians consider Prophet Eesa (Jesus) to be the last of the prophets and believe in his divinity and quote Jusus himself saying that He is the only way to God (John 14:6). They also believe that the Christ and God the Father are one (John 10:30). This should hold true for as loing as the final word from Allah had not been revaled on to the mankind in the form of Holy Qur'an.

Allah in Holy Qur'an makes it amply clear that Prophet Eesa was one of the many prophets of Allah sent for keeping the course of its followers straight till the last of prophets is chosen with the last and final call to Him. We as Muslims also believe that Jesus was born to a virgin Maryam (Mary) in peculiar circumstances, who will return to Earth before the Day of Judgment to restore justice by ending the false claims of a false prophet, called Dajjal in Arabic.

The birth of Prophet Eesa as mentioned in the Holy Qur'an is explained in one of my earlier posts on Maryam (Mary, the mother of Jesus). Here I would only suffice to mention particular verses from Qur'an which Prophet Eesa uttered while still in the lap of his mother when people expressed their surprise and suspicion on his birth:

[Eesa] said, "Indeed, I am the servant of Allah . He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet. (Al Quran Surah Noah, 19:30)

And He has made me blessed wherever I am and has enjoined upon me prayer and zakah as long as I remain alive. And [made me] dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me a wretched tyrant. (Al Quran Surah Noah, 19:31-32)

These and many other revelations in Qur'an point towards the early prophets, specially detailed account of Prophets Lut (Lot), Nuh (Noah), Ibraheem (Abraham), Sulaiman (Solomon), Zackariah and his son Yahya (John the baptist), Musa (Moses) and many others by name to solidify the belief of the Muslims in earlier prophets.

Having said that, Islam then calls upon the non Muslims to come to Islam for their salvation on the day of Judgment and save them from the fire of the hell, for the final word of Allah has been revealed on to them through Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). 

However, before calling the non Muslims to Islam, a Muslim should have detailed knowledge of own religion and at leaset the differences with other religions as answered in the Holy Qur'an. Some of these differences are:

• The Original Sin,
• Crucification of the Christ,
• The concept of Trinity.

In Qur'an Allah makes every Muslim responsible to show the right and the enlightened path that Islam shows to the mankind: 

"Thus We have appointed you a model community that you may be witnesses (Witnessing', here, means to convey the message of Islam, i.e. to call people towards Allah) against mankind, and that the Messenger may be a witness against you". [Quran 2:143]

"Invite to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Revelation and the Qur’an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided." [Quran 16:125]

Having said that, an inviting Muslim should be a role model himself by following the tenants of Islam in a manner that his personality and piety compels others to be attracted towards his belief and faith. This may be stressed here that no religion is wrong, but every following religion has something new or describes already known facts differently to remove any misunderstanding that may have occurred by changed meaning over a period of time. It is Holy Qur'an alone that despite passage of more than 1400 years ago since its revelation has remained unchanged for its protection has been personally undertaken none by Allah Himself.

This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favor on you and chosen for you Islam as a religion. (Al Qur'an Surah 5, verse 3)

And in Qur'an, Allah makes a clear mention about Islam and its finality with reference to earlier faiths and religions:

"He has ordained for you the same religion (Islam) which He enjoined on Noah, and that which We have revealed to you, and which We enjoined on Abraham, Moses and Jesus: namely that you should remain steadfast in religion and be not divided therein.” [Quran 42:13]

"That which We have revealed to you (O Muhammad) of the Book (i.e., the Quran) is the Truth, confirming that which was (revealed) before it.” [Quran 35:31]

So the divine message is clear and those who do not listen to it, are sure losers:

"And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it shall not be accepted from him, and in the life to come he shall be among the losers.” [Al Quran 3:85]

And it is the finality of Qur'an that everyday more and more non Muslims are converting to Islam and seeking blessing of the Allah Almighty. Although, a segment of miscreants, on the behest of a few world powers, have tainted the image of Islam by indulging in terrorist activities and committing heinous crimes mainly to keep people away from Islam, the message of peace as conveyed by Islam remains unchanged. So we need to understand the forces at parallel to defame Islam while convincing non Muslims to come to Islam for it is the final religion by Allah and has come to stay, Allah Willing (In Sha Allah).

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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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