Fathwa, - Calling to Allah: from the best of spiritual works

Question:
Calling to Allah: from the best of spiritual works
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate. May His
abundant blessing and most perfect of peace be on His Beloved Prophet,
the best of creation, and his family, companions and followers.
Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,
Calling to Islam is a communal obligation, and one of the best of
spiritual works. Allah Most High told us,
And who is better in speech than one who calls unto their Lord and
does right, and says: Lo! I am of those who submit. [Quran, 41.33]
Imam Ahmad al-Sawi, the great 19th Century Maliki jurist, theologian,
sufi, linguist, and Quranic exegete, explained calls unto their Lord
in his Hashiyat al-Jalalayn,
(Allahs words: And who is better in speech) It is said that this was
revealed concerning the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give
him peace), for he alone was the one who truly gathered all these
traits. This is because those who call to Allah are of many types:
There are those who call to Allah by establishing His Oneness, such as
[the scholars of aqida] al-Ash`ari and al-Maturidi and their followers
to the Day of Judgement.
There are those who call to Allah by affirming His Oneness by deed,
such as those who strive in the way of Allah (mujahidin).
There are those who call to Allah through conveying the rulings of the
Shariah, such as the Four Imams and those on their footsteps.
There are those who call to Allah by lifting the veils that come down
upon hearts and prevent from beholding [Allah] the Knower of the
Unseen. They do so in order for people to remain perpetually in the
presence of Allah without anything but Allah in their hearts, such as
Junaid and those like him from the true people of tasawwuf.
There are those who call to Allah by informing others of their
obligations, such as the callers to prayer (muadhdhins).
All these types were gathered in the Prophet (Allah bless him and give
him peace), and spread out among his noble companions. Then, they were
transmitted to those after, until the Day of Judgement, for the noble
hadith [of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)] that, There
will always remain a group of my community manifest on the truth,
unaffected by those who oppose them, until the command of Allah comes
and they are yet steadfast. [Bukhari and Muslim] [Sawi, Hashiyat
al-Sawi `ala al-Jalalayn, 5.209, tafsir of 41.33]
Thus, one who calls to Allah, by busying themselves in spreading the
good that the Beloved of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace)
came with in any way, has made themselves of those who are the best of
people, if they fulfill the remaining conditions mentioned in the
verse:
a) performing good deeds themselves (lest they be of those who call
others to good while ignoring themselves);
b) submitting in word and deed to Allah.
Imam Sawi continues, in his exegesis, to explain that,
(Allahs words: Does right) means that one obeys the commands of Allah
and avoids His prohibitions. If one calls to Allah, while doing good
deeds oneself, ones words will be accepted and will have an effect on
hearts. Otherwise, ones words will not be accepted, and will have
little impact on hearts
In conclusion, calling to Allah does not truly benefit except from a
genuine heart (qalb nasih). The greatest of those who call to Allah
are the Awliya (close friends) of Allah who guide others to Allah and
take people to intimate closeness with their Creator. They are to be
found in every age, except that only those whom Allah has chosen for
His great generosity finds and meets them [ibid.]
In closing:
a) Historically, the most effective callers to Allah were those whom
Allah had blessed with true sincerity, devotion, and genuine concern
for others. We should seek to be likewise.
b) In order to be effective in calling others, one must continually
call oneself to Allah.
Allah told His Beloved Messenger (peace and blessings unlimited be
upon him, his family, companions, and followers):
Say: This is my Way: I call on Allah with sure insight. I and
whosoever follows meGlory be to Allah!and I am not of those who
associate any with Allah. [Quran, 12.108]
And Allah alone gives success.