Our Salaf's endeavours in calling to Allaah – I

The importance of calling to Allaah and its virtue:
Calling to Allaah yields many great rewards, and it was the task of
the Messengers of Allaah. Sahl Ibn Sa`dreported: "The Messenger of
Allaahsaid on the day of the Battle of Khaybar to `Ali Ibn Abu
Taalib:"Advance cautiously until you reach their open places;
thereafter, invite them to Islam and inform them of what is obligatory
for them from the rights of Allaah because by Allaah, if Allaah guides
even one person through you that is better for you than possessing a
herd of red camels."]Al-Bukhaari & Muslim[ This was a reference to the
finest and most valuable type of camel, which reflects the virtue of
calling people to Allaah and guiding them to the right path.
`Uqbah Ibn `Amrreported that the Messenger of Allaahsaid:"Whoever
guides someone to virtue will be rewarded )with the( equivalent reward
of he who practices that good action."]Muslim[
Abu Hurayrahreported: "The Messenger of Allaahsaid:"If anyone calls
others to follow the correct guidance, his reward will be equivalent
to those who follow him )in righteousness( without their reward being
diminished in the least."]Muslim[
Abu Umaamahreported: "The Messenger of Allaahsaid:'Allaah, His angels,
the dwellers of the heaven and the earth and even the ant in its hole
and the fish )in the waters( supplicate in favour of those who teach
people )religious( knowledge.'"]At-Tirmithi[
These narrations and many others encourage people to endeavour in the
act of worship of calling to Allaah, so what more could a person ask
for? The depths that people have sunk to in this regard are a result
of them neglecting their duty of calling others to Allaah, despite the
great status of this act of worship.
When people abandoned this act of worship, evil prevailed,
prohibitions spread and many people deviated.
Examples of the call of the Prophetsto Allaah:
Calling to Allaah proves the sincerity of the person with regards to
the principles he claims to believe in as only he who truly loves his
religion will call others to it. The following are some examples of
the prophets and messengers calling to Allaah:
The call of Noohto his people:
Nooh, may Allah exalt his mention, was extremely dedicated in calling
his people to Allaah and he persevered in this, as Allaah Says )what
means(:"…And he ]i.e., Nooh[ remained among them a thousand years
minus fifty years…"]Quran 29: 14[ Hecalled them tirelessly and
utilised all possible means to do so, as Allaah Says )what means(:"He
]i.e., Nooh[ said: 'My Lord! Indeed I invited my people ]to truth[
night and day. But my invitation increased them not except in flight
]i.e., aversion[. And indeed, every time I invited them that You may
forgive them, they put their fingers in their ears, covered themselves
with their garments, persisted, and were arrogant with ]great[
arrogance."]Quran 71: 5-7[ Did this prevent him from continuing his
mission in calling them to Allaah? Indeed not, he used all possible
methods to call them, as Allaah Says )what means(:"Then I invited them
publicly. Then I announced to them and ]also[ confided to them
secretly."]Quran 71: 8-9[
The call of Yoosuf:
When Yoosufwas imprisoned, he did not forget his duty of calling to
Allaah. Rather, the first thing he did was to practice this duty when
his two cellmates requested him to interpret the dreams they saw. He
promised them that he would do so, but first mentioned what Allaah
describes as )what means(:"…That is from what my Lord has taught me.
Indeed I have left the religion of a people who do not believe in
Allaah, and they, in the Hereafter, are disbelievers. And I have
followed the religion of my fathers, Ibraaheem )Abraham(, Is'haaq
)Isaac(, and Ya'qoob )Jacob(. And it was not for us to associate
anything with Allaah. That is the favour of Allaah upon us and upon
the people, but most of the people are not grateful. O ]my[ two
companions of the prison! Are separate lords better or Allaah, the
One, the Prevailing?"]Quran 12: 37-39[ Note how he immediately called
them, despite the normal feeling of anguish that a person would feel
at being imprisoned.
The call of Prophet Muhammad:
The Prophethas set the greatest example in terms of dedication and
endurance in guiding people. This was very evident in his call to the
tribe of Quraysh, the Arab tribes and the masses in general. Hewould
call to Allaah whilst upon a mountain, in the Sacred Mosque, in the
street, in the market, in people's houses, during Hajj season, in the
desert, during times of peace and times of war, when healthy and when
sick, when visiting people, and when he was being visited. He was
calling people to Allaah all of the time.
Hewould call those who loved him as well as those who hated him.
Hewould approach tribes during the season of Hajj and call them to
worship Allaah saying:"O people! Allaah commands you to worship Him
alone and ascribe no partners to Him."
Heused to approach them during the season of markets like that of
'Ukaath and say:"O people! Who will protect me? Who will support me?
Who would help me convey the message of my Lord?"
Hecontinued to do so until Allaah blessed him with the honourable
Ansaar who resided in Madeenah and who gave him the pledge of support
in the first famous pledge of Al-'Aqabah. This marked the great
initiation point for the expansion of his mission.
The Prophetendured all types of torture and insult for the sake of
propagating the message of Islam and calling the people to Allaah.
Once, riding a donkey hewent to invite 'Abdullaah Ibn Ubayy, who was
the chief hypocrite, to Islam, but the latter said to him: "Keep your
donkey away from me, its stench offends me." Yet hebore this
hypocrite's despicable manners and continued calling him to Allaah.
Anasreported: "Once, a Jewish boy who served the Prophetfell
)terminally( ill, so hewent to visit him. Hesat down by his head and
said to him:"Embrace Islam."The boy looked at his father who was
sitting beside him. The father said: 'Obey Abul-Qaasim )i.e., the
Messenger of Allaah(.' The )dying( boy therefore embraced Islam and
the Prophetstepped out of their home, saying:"Praise be to Allaah who
has saved him from the Hellfire."]Al-Bukhaari[
Hewent to call the people of Taa'if, but they refused to accept his
call and thus hereturned grieved and saddened. But why? His anguish
was due to them not embracing Islam and refusing the message of
Allaah.
Distance did not stop him from conveying the message of Allaah to
anyone, but due to not being able to leave his followers who were in
dire need of his personal instruction, hesent messengers on his behalf
to convey the message of Allaah to all those that he was unable to
personally visit. Hesent messengers to all the kings and rulers that
hepossibly could.
The Prophetsent a message with Dihyahto the Governor of Busraa, who
forwarded it to Heraclius to read. The contents of the letter were as
follows:"In the name of Allaah The Beneficent, The Merciful. )This
letter is( from Muhammad the slave of Allaah and His Messenger to
Heraclius the ruler of Byzantine. Peace be upon he who follows the
right path. I invite you to Islam, and if you should become a Muslim
you will be safe, and Allaah will double your reward, but if you
reject this invitation to Islam then you will be committing a double
sin by misguiding your Areesiyyeen )i.e., peasants(.)Hethen
quoted)which means(:"…O people of the scripture! Come to a word that
is equitable between us and you – that we will not worship except
Allaah and not associate anything with Him and not take one another as
lords instead of Allaah. But if they turn away, then say: 'Bear
witness that we are Muslims ]submitting to Him[.'"]Quran 3: 64[