Da'wah is not an ordinary task and for this Allah had in the past appointed specially chosen people as prophets and messengers to lead their people out of ignorance to an enlightened world exclusively to please and thank Him for the His blessings. Yet despite being the chosen ones, the prophets confronted extreme stubborn and arrogant resistance from their people. Even own family members refused to listen to some of the prophets, like son of Prophet Nuh (Noah) and wife of Prophet Lut (Lot). Many were tortured and even killed by the hostile audience who never wanted to leave the faith of their forefathers. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was once stoned to an extent that his whole body was wounded and covered with blood. Despite all odds, Da'wah has continued unabated even till date by the followers of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ from all nook and corner of the world.
Although, we have written many posts on Da'wah and its methodology, today we share some of the Da'wah principles as extracted form Surah Saba' (The Sabaeans) which may assist and guide the dāʿī داعي in their sacred task of extending Da'wah to non-Muslims worldwide. But before we do that, let us briefly describe what Da'wah is and some of the pre-requisites for undertaking the sacred task of Da'wah:
Da‘wah (الدعوة) literally means “to call, invite, summon”. It is: Inviting humanity to Allah through truth, wisdom, character, and mercy. It is not propaganda, argumentation, or coercion — it is calling hearts and minds to guidance. “Invite to the path of your Lord with wisdom, good counsel, and argue with them in the best manner.” (Al qur'an 16:125)
A person engaged in Da'wah (the act of inviting others to understand and embrace Islam) is called a dāʿī (Arabic: داعي)
Pre-Requisites of Da'wah:
- Language of the audience: Adequate to complete knowledge of the audience is the foremost prerequisite for a dāʿī for unless one can convey the invitation in the language of the audience, one cannot really convince them what is the their mission.
- Knowledge of Religion: Complete knowledge of own religion and adequate knowledge of the target audience is a must. A dāʿī must be able to quote references from the religion/faith of the audience and correlate it to Islam so that the audience feel similarities of their religion with Islam and are able to weigh which path is better and why.
- Resolve: This is prophetic - no matter who hostile or indifferent the audience were, the prophets never gave in. It was their conviction that one day their message will find acceptance that they remained committed in their effort to continue to invite them to Islam.
Daʿwah Principles Extracted from Surah Saba’ (34)
Surah Saba’ is one of the most strategic Makkan surahs for Daʿwah, because it speaks to the mind (ʿaql), conscience (qalb), and historical memory. Below are core Daʿwah principles, each anchored in explicit Qur’anic verses, with guidance on how to apply them today.
- Begin Daʿwah with Tawḥīd rooted in knowledge Da'wah or calling non Muslims to enter the fold of Islam is not an easy task - everyone cannot do it. Unless one is fully equipped with the knowledge of Islam and the religion of the target audience, one may fail in his Da'wah task. When one is confident in these preliminaries, then he may begin is Da'wah as per following guidelines
- Daʿwah principle: Start with Who Allah is, not just what is forbidden and establish ownership, authority, and wisdom of Allah
- Application: In Daʿwah, clarify who has the right to legislate, judge, and command - This dismantles secular or materialist worldviews at the root
- Appeal to reason:
- Accountability is unavoidable: “Those who disbelieve say, ‘The Hour will never come to us.’ Say: Yes—by my Lord, it will surely come to you…” (34:3)
- Daʿwah principle: The Hereafter is a logical necessity, not just a theological claim - Therefore moral order demands final accountability.
- Application: Ask reflective questions like (1) Can injustice truly go unanswered? (2) Does morality make sense without judgment?
- Use history as a living argument “There was for [the people of] Saba’ a sign in their dwelling place…” (34:15)
- Daʿwah principle: Past civilizations are moral case studies, not legends.
- Application:
- Show how prosperity but ingratitude leads to collapse
- Relate ancient Saba’ to modern civilizations
- Daʿwah through civilizational reflection, not just preaching
- Highlight gratitude as the foundation of stability
- “Eat from the provision of your Lord and be grateful to Him…” (34:15)
- Daʿwah principle: Gratitude (shukr) is not emotional—it is behavioral
- Application: Teach that gratitude means Ethical use of wealth, Justice and Obedience to Allah
- This reframes Islam as a system of sustaining blessings, not restricting life.
- Expose the illusion of wealth and children
- “It is not your wealth nor your children that bring you closer to Us…” (34:37)
- Daʿwah principle: Material success is not proof of truth.
- Application: Address modern success metrics - Ask: If wealth equals truth, why do corrupt people prosper?
- Explain Shayṭān’s strategy: misguidance without force
- “And Iblīs found his assumption about them to be true…” (34:20)
- Daʿwah principle: Shayṭān succeeds through neglect, not compulsion
- Application: Warn against spiritual laziness - Emphasize awareness over obsession with “evil forces” for Islam restores moral vigilance.
- Dispel false intercessions and misplaced hopes
- “Say: Call upon those you claim besides Allah…” (34:22)
- Daʿwah principle: No system, saint, ideology, or leader can save without Allah
- Application: Challenge blind trust in: Political systems, Religious elites, and Cultural traditions
- This establishes direct responsibility before God.
- Address the psychology of denial, not just disbelief
- “Those who disbelieve will say, ‘Our Lord, show us those who misled us…’” (34:31–33)
- Daʿwah principle: Disbelief is often emotional and social, not intellectual
- Application: Understand peer pressure, pride, and fear of loss - Daʿwah requires empathy, not just argumentation
- Clarify the Prophet’s ﷺ role: conveying, not coercing
- “We have not sent you except as a bringer of good news and a warner to all mankind.” (34:28)
- Daʿwah principle: Guidance is Allah’s work - The caller’s duty is clarity and sincerity
- Application: Relieves Daʿwah burnout - Encourages patience and wisdom
- End Daʿwah with responsibility, not despair
- “Say: My Lord extends provision to whom He wills and restricts it…” (34:36)
- Daʿwah principle: Life is a test, not a scoreboard
- Application: Reframe suffering and prosperity - Invite people to see life through the lens of purpose
Summary: Daʿwah Method of Surah Saba’
Surah Saba’ teaches Daʿwah through:
- Reason
- History
- Psychology
- Civilizational patterns
- Moral accountability
In one sentence: Call people to Allah by awakening their gratitude, exposing illusions of power, and restoring awareness of accountability.
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.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
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.
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.
Photo | references: | 1 | 2 | 3 |
For more Q&A about Understanding Islam, please refer to our reference page: Understanding Islam - Frequently asked Q&A. You may also refer to our refference page: Scholars' Viewpoint on important issue related to Islam to know more about Islam.
If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.
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.
