I want to ask that is a Muslim allowed to make a direct approach on people of the book?
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
(May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked
this question:
Assalam-o-Alaikum
Warahmatullah-e-Wabarakatuhu
I want to ask that is a Muslim allowed to
make a direct approach on people of the book? Like, if a Muslim says to a
Christian that celebrating Christmas is wrong and that the Jesus(p.b.u.h)
didn`t celebrate in his lifetime and that there are no written records proving
that 25th December is indeed the day on which Jesus(p.b.u.h) was born. So
please tell me that can we make such approaches and directly blame that this
and that in this and that religion is wrong?
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Answer:
Dawah approach
christians
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His
help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide,
and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear
witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear
witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His
Messengers.
Dear and beloved brother in Islam, there are indeed
innumerable ways to approach and invite our brethren from the People of the
Book to the Truth of Al-Islam, and although, depending on the situation and
condition and the character of the person being addressed, a challenging
approach like you have mentioned might indeed work at times….the guidance of
Allah to the believers while doing ‘dawah’ is as follows:
Allah
says in the Holy Quran: Chapter 16, Surah An-Nahl Ayat 125:
Invite
to the way of your Lord with wisdom and excellent admonition and argue with
people in the best manner. Your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His
Way and who is Rightly guided.
In our humble opinion, while doing ‘dawah’ and inviting
our non-believing brethren to the Truth of Islam it is always better never to
challenge their beliefs and practices directly, and try to prove what they are
doing is wrong….for that immediately puts them on the defensive. A better way to approach them would be to present
the Truth from the Quran and the Sunnah to them with wisdom and in the most
excellent manner, and allow them to ponder over the Truth themselves and
differentiate between the Truth and the falsehood…..for it is the very nature
of falsehood to vanish when it is confronted with the Truth.
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 17 Surah
Bani Israel verse 81:
And declare, “The Truth has come and falsehood
has vanished. And falsehood is a thing
that must by its nature, vanish!”
Thus brother, although there is absolutely no prohibition
or restriction in Shariah regarding how to approach or invite a disbeliever to
the Truth, it would only be application of prudence and wisdom that one do so
in the absolute best manner….
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah
Ale-Imraan verse 64:
64 Say: "O people of the Book! Come to common terms as between us
and you: that we worship none but Allah; that we associate no partners with
Him; that we erect not from among ourselves Lords and Patrons other than
Allah." If then they turn back say:
"Bear witness that we (at least) are Muslims (bowing to Allah's
Will)."
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only
due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me
alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is
the Only Source of Strength.
Your brother and
well wisher in Islam,
Burhan