Calling to Islam in America

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Calling to Islam in America - A Ramadan Reflection

By Younus Abdullah Muhammad

Introduction:

Verily all praise is due to Allah. May the peace and blessings be upon the last

Prophet Muhammad, his family, his companions and whoever follows him until the

Day of Judgment.

Today the message of Islam has entered the homes and hearts of people across the

world. Despite centuries of decline and backwardation, an age of reason and

secularism, negative perceptions birthed by Islamic terrorism and other barriers to

the religion's appeal, high rates of conversion and a rising Islamic identity amongstMuslims growing up in the West are part and parcel of a global Islamic awakening.

One of the most successful centers of the call, somewhat surprisingly, is America, a

country that holds several million Muslims from all cultural and ethnic backgrounds

and where American Muslims are playing an increasingly important political role

and, on average, overachieve in relation to almost every other religious or ethnic

grouping. The United States represents the most powerful nation in history, is

considered the originator of the contemporary liberal, democratic era and has levied

war in the Muslim world for over a decade. However, while these seeming

contradictions are a root source of some tension, a proper call to Islam in America

today can go a long way toward generating prospects for peace with globalramifications.

Every Muslim is an ambassador for Islam. The Prophet Muhammad (saws) ordered

his adherents to, "convey for me even it is only one verse (ayah)." The call to Islam

includes not just calling non-Muslims to Islam but reviving the Muslims and

advocating for justice through commanding good and forbidding evil. Dawa includes

conveying the truth, guiding to the straight path and warning from whatever

opposes it. Allah (SWT) says,

Say, this is my way: I call to Allah upon Baseerah (insight, certain

knowledge), I and those who follow me. Glory be to Allah and I am notfrom amongst the people of shirk (12:108)

Baseerah, or insight, entails that any call to Islam is based solely on what one

knows with certainty and that it considers the circumstances of the society and the

conditions of the people being called to. Dawa upon baseerah is the noble job of all

the Messengers (as) and their followers until the Day of Judgment. As Allah (SWT)

says,

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And verily, we have sent among every Ummah a Messenger proclaiming,

'Worship Allah and avoid the Taghout (false gods)

The objective of the one calling to Islam in America therefore must be to emulate

the Messengers, not only in affirming Allah alone as Creator and One worthy of

worship but also in rejecting the falsehood in all its manifestations. All of theMessengers connected their calls of monotheism to the particular social ills and

injustices of their respective societies. Thus Allah (SWT) says,

Who is better in speech than he who says 'My Lord is Allah' and then

stands firm, invites to Allah, does righteous deeds and says, 'I am one of

the Muslims (41:33)

The scholars divide dawa into 4 levels:

1) Hikma (Wisdom)

2) Maweda Hasna (Fair Preaching)

3) Mujadala (Arguing) in a way that is better and

4) Action that deters transgression

These levels are derived from two Quranic verses. Allah (swt) says,

Call to the way of your Lord with Wisdom (hikmah), fair preaching

(Muadhateen Hasna) and debate with them with what is better

(jadalamum bi lati hiya ahsanu)(16:125)> as well as,


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The right-wing, non-Muslim extreme utilizes every myth and misconception to

suggest that all Muslims are actually subversive and seek to establish Shariah law,

in place of the constitution. The opposite, left-wing seeks to eradicate all sentiment

of religion as revelation and to utilize false notions of moderation to liberalize Islam

to such a degree that it coincides with the contemporary concentration on social

liberalism, a focus that comes at the expense of any actual social, political oreconomic progressivism.

As for the Muslims, then on one hand there are those that brand any call based on

tradition as ultraconservative or extremist and in need of modern alterations.

Despite having little detailed knowledge, this movement represents an intellectual

charlatanism that is more about the branding of Islam as a commodity, expanding

popularity and profits at the expense of objectivity, actual progress and academic

integrity. On the other hand there are the 'holier-than-thou' literalist, so-called

'salafis.' They reduce the Quran and hadith to their external implications (dhaheer)

like the beard, hijab, clothing and etcetera but do so at the expense of substance,

proclaiming purity for themselves and hell for everyone else while effectively

representing an apolitical and antisocial interpretation, void of depth and absent

actual spirituality.

The primary ability Muslims calling to Islam in America must have is the ability to

reconcile between these extremes. This can only come with honest reflection and

deep commitment to the principles that make up the actual Islamic tradition. No

rational individual would deny the well-being made possible by modernity, the

beneficial wonders of contemporary civilization, the value of the political, social and

technological progresses of the last few centuries, many of which have their origin

in America. A call of wisdom (hikma) therefore requires a deep reliance and

understanding of the texts, alongside an ability to relate those texts to the

contemporary reality. This requires an awareness that we are living in an age the

Prophet (saws) foretold when, "religious knowledge will decrease and ignorance will

prevail." The balance of Islam is best explained through a lens that considers the

context of its progressive platform with roots in 7th century Arabia while preserving

the timeless principles that remain incredibly relevant during an age when

humankind is attempting to consolidate the mechanization of modernity with a

simultaneous search for a spiritual essence derived more so from the struggle of

social justice and human rights, the evolution of civil societies and personal, self-

actualization than from self-righteous religious intellectualization and excessive

dogma. Under that paradigm, hikma establishes a call dedicated at once topreserving the Quran and Sunnah while resisting the lure of both liberal and

conservative extremes.

The scholars have gone to great lengths preventing an interpretation of the word

'Hikma' that calls to rationalization and logic at the expense of revelation (wahy).

For example, Imam Shafi, in his fundamental work on Usool al-Fiqh - Al-Risala -

quoted the many Quranic verses that refer to 'the book and the wisdom (hikma)'

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and said, "I have heard that those who are learned in the Quran - whom I approve -

hold that wisdom is the sunnah of the Messenger of Allah. This is like what Allah

said - and He knows best! For the Quran is mentioned first followed by wisdom; then

Allah mentioned His favor to mankind by teaching them the Quran and Wisdom. So

it is not permissible for Wisdom to be called here anything save the Sunnah of the

Messenger of Allah. For it is closely linked to the Book of Allah, and Allah hasimposed the duty of obedience to His apostle, and imposed on men the obligation

to obey his orders."

Allah (SWT) says, He grants Hikma to whom He pleases, and he to whom

Hikma is granted, is indeed granted abundant good. But none remember

except men of understanding

Ibn Kathir (RAA) in his tafsir on this verse said, "Hikma means knowledge of the

Quran, its abrogating and abrogated verses, its Muhkamat (clear) and its

Mutashabihat (allegorical), its first and its last, its ordinances, prohibitions, and

parables. It was narrated by Juwaybir from al-Dhahak that Ibn Abbas narrated in ahadith marfu, 'Hikma is the Quran.' He means by the Quran, the understanding of

the Quran. Ibn Abbas said, 'Verily, both the pious and the wicked already recite it.'

This hadith was narrated by Ibn Mardawayh. Moreover, it was said by Ibn Abu

Najeeh that Mujahid said, 'Hikma means soundness in everything said.' It is

narrated by Layth Ibn Abu Sulaym that Mujahid said concerning the verse which

reads, 'He grants hikma to whom He pleases;' hikma does not mean prophet hood,

it means knowledge, Fiqh, and Quran.' Abu al-Aliyah said, 'Hikma means to fear

Allah, for fearing Allah is the peak of every form of wisdom.' It is narrated by Ibn

Mardawayh from Baqiyyah from Uthman bin Zufar al-Juhany from Abu-Ammar from

Ibn Masoud in the form of hadith marfu that ' fearing Allah is the pinnacle of proper

understanding.' Ibrahim al-Nakh'i stated, 'hikma means understanding.' Abu Malik

said, 'hikma is the sunnah. Wahb reported from Malik that Zayd bin Aslam said,

'Hikma means reason.' Malik said, 'I am deeply inclined to think that hikma is the

understanding of the religion of Allah. It is something that Allah casts into the hearts

out of His Mercy and Blessing. An example that clarifies what I said is that

sometimes we meet some people who are very reasonable regarding worldly affairs

while we meet others who are not, but they are knowledgeable of their deen and

have deep insight about it. Allah grants some people such insight and deprives

others of it. Thus, I can say that hikma is the proper understanding of the religion of

Allah." [End quote Ibn Kathir]

So, the duaat (callers) to Islam do well when they consider that any call based upon

baseerah (insight) necessitates an appreciation that wisdom (hikma) implies

reference to the Quran and Sunnah, but also that this reference must be

accompanied by a balanced and comprehensive reading of the current reality. A call

of wisdom does not rush and expect immediate alteration for it accounts and

analyzes each situation and acts upon the proper means and method, while paying

close attention to the specific variables of the particular environment.

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This understanding is beautifully expressed by what Ibn Qayyim (RAA) recorded as

the response from his shaikh, Ibn Taymia, when he was informed that his enemies

had plotted to kill or imprison him, he said, "If they kill me, it will be martyrdom, if

they expel me to Cyprus, I will call its people to Allah so that they answer me and if

they imprison me, it will be a place of worship." Thus, every environment or

condition has its proper ruling. Similarly, the Prophet (saws) always considered theunderstanding of the individual and location in determining his action and

mannerism. Today, Islam is rising in the United States; at the same time an age of

extremisms poses several barriers. Hikma is the ability to refer to the sunnah and

Quran in proceeding on a path that preserves the religion's principles while

acknowledging the freedom, tolerance, rule of law, social advancement and other

benefits that underlie the American landscape and have propelled the country to

stability and prominence. It also requires a rejection of the coincident policies,

practices and advancing stereotypes from Muslim and non-Muslim communities that

threaten to jeopardize these positive aspects.

In that sense, Muslims can put forth a call in America that highlights mankind's need

for Allah and the guidance of His final Messenger. That call must also realize that

change and reform do not come overnight and that a key part of Islam is patience.

That's the legacy of the Prophet Muhammad (saws), who so loved his own society

that he endured criticism, abuse and persecution until his call to tawheed and

justice became 'self-evident'; the early Muslims implementation of shariah law, the

5 prayers, the zakat, economic restrictions, hijab and other prescriptions was in fact

completely voluntary and came about only after the essence and foundation of the

Quran and Sunnah were tested as a source of legitimacy and the authority of the

state was established. Realizing hikma gives a call to Islam in America global

ramifications, especially in the age of globalization.

Thus, any caller to Islam must retain a deep awareness of the Messenger of Allah's

character. The Maliki scholar Qadi Iyyad described this nature in his work al-Shifa

explaining,

"As for his ample intellect, intelligence, the acuteness of his senses, his eloquence,

the grace of his movements and the excellence of his faculties, there is no doubt

that he was the most intelligent and astute of the people. Anyone who reflects on

how he managed the inward and outward affairs of people and the politics of the

common people and the elite and his amazing qualities and wonderful life, not to

mention the knowledge which flowed from him and the way he confirmed theshariah without any previous instruction, experience or reading any books, will have

no doubt about the superiority of his intellect and the firmness of his understanding.

None of this requires confirmation because it has already been amply verified.

Wahb ibn Munabbih said, 'I have read 71 books, and in all of them I found that the

Prophet had the most superior intellect and best opinion.' In another version, 'I

found from all these books that all of the intelligence which Allah had given to

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people, from the beginning of this world to its end, is like a grain of sand in

comparison with his intellect, may Allah bless him and grant him peace."

Closely adhering to the way of Prophet Muhammad, as retained in the preserved

Quran and Sunnah, is wisdom (hikma).

II. Beautiful Preaching (Maweda Hasana)

While the first level of dawa (hikma) requires Islamic knowledge, an ability to

analyze context and circumstances and insight about the nature and state of the

people and society being called to, the next level, fair preaching (maweda hasana)

represents a manifestation of that knowledge as action, and specifically through

public speaking.

In today's world of globalization and multimedia, fair preaching includes public

speeches, written articles and books, classes, videos, artistic expression and all

sorts of other mechanisms for communication. American Muslims possess a unique

opportunity, for Arabic is the language of a universal religion and English is the

language of the interconnected world of global communication: its commerce,

culture and entertainment. The second level of dawa requires a foundation of

wisdom (hikma) and is a product of the balance and justice birthed by an intimate

dependence on the Quran and sunnah. It stands upon 2 pillars, between gentleness

and mercy and the courage to speak the truth fairly and publically.

Indeed knowledge (ilm) and wisdom (hikma) are hardly worthwhile except when

connected with action. That is why the scholars of Ahlu Sunnah wal Jamaah split

faith into belief, statement and actions. As Umar bin Abdul Aziz (RAA) explained it,

"Action and knowledge are closely related, so be one who is knowledgeable of Allah

and who acts on His behalf. There have been people who were knowledgeable but

did not act, and there knowledge was detrimental to them. Beautiful preaching is a

confirmation of Iman upon the tongue and a manifestation of certain knowledge and

sincerity. Thus Shaikh Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab (RAA) started his Thalathatul-

Usool (Three Fundamental Principles) by saying,

"Know, may Allah have mercy on you, that it is obligatory upon us to learn four

issues:

The first: knowledge and it is knowing Allah, knowing His prophet, and knowing the

religion of Islam - with the evidences. The second: acting according to that. The

third: calling to it. The fourth: patience with the harm that comes from that. And the

evidence is His, ta Ala, statement, By the time. Verily, man is in loss. Except

those who believe and do righteous deeds and recommend one another to

the truth and recommend one another to patience (103:1-3) Al-Shafi (RAA)

said, 'Had Allah not revealed any proof other than this surah to His creation, it

would have been sufficient for them.' And Al-Bukhari (RAA) said, Chapter:

Knowledge precedes statement and action. And the evidence is His, ta Ala,

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statement, So, Know that there is no God except Allah and ask forgiveness

for your sins (42:19). Thus he began with knowledge before statement

and action."

This is the way that Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab (RAA) began his most influential

work, a text that has come to be studied and used to call people to Islam across theglobe, despite his many detractors. His calling attention to the 4 obligatory matters

mentioned above coincides to the 4 levels of dawa: Hikma (wisdom) is knowledge,

actions is implementation, dawa (calling to it) necessitates fair and beautiful

preaching, and Sabr (patience) will be required because callers will be tested by

trials and tribulations. The effective practice of fair preaching therefore stands on a

cornerstone of making the call appealing, intelligent and good. The topics and focus

of such preaching are connected to hikma in that they are based on knowledge and

an understanding of the audience and context. When the Prophet (saws) sent

Muadh ibn Jabal to Yemen, he informed him that he was going to the 'people of the

book', so he told him to call first to tawheed, then to prayer, then to zakat.

Dawa is an all-encompassing activity. Tamim al-Dari (RAA) narrated that the

Prophet (saws) said, "The religion is sincere advice (naseeha). So Tamim said, "We

said, to who O' Messenger of Allah?" He said, "To Allah, to His Book, to His

Messenger, to the Imams of the Muslims and to the common people." Again,

sincerity (naseeha) to Allah is referral to the Quran while sincerity to the Messenger

is referral to the sunnah. Together they represent the foundation of wisdom

(hikma). Sincerity to the leaders and the common people requires fair preaching.

The fair and just Imams call to the truth and sincerity to them is assisting them in

spreading their message. Sincerity to corrupt and oppressive imams is in preventing

and countering them. The Messenger of Allah (saws) said, "Help your brother

whether he is oppressed or the oppressor." So the companions (RAA) said, "O

messenger of Allah, we understand helping the oppressed but how do we help the

oppressor?" So, he (saws) said, 'By preventing him from his oppression." Sincerity to

the common people is in compassion, promotion of the general welfare, teaching

and guiding them to the balanced path and etcetera. Thus the prophet (saws)

defined the religion as naseeha (sincere advice), an action that necessitates

engagement in fair and balanced preaching.

Many hadith highlight the rewards that can come about from fair preaching. When

the prophet (saws) sent Ali to the Jews in Khyber, he commanded him to call them

to Islam and inform them of their duties. The Prophet (saws) told him, "By Allah, ifAllah guides anyone to right, even one man through you, then it is better for you

than possessing the most valuable camels." He (saws) also said, "One who guides to

something good has a reward similar to its doer," and "If anyone calls others to

follow right guidance, his reward will be equivalent to those that follow him without

their reward being diminished in any respect, and if anyone invites others to follow

error, the sin will be equivalent to that of other people who followed him without

their sins being diminished in any respect." He (Saws) also commanded to,

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"Struggle against the mushrikeen with your wealth, self and tongues." There are

many other statements that highlight the importance of calling by way of preaching.

All of this dawa must be based on justice. Allah (SWT) says,

Help you one another (ta-awanu) in al-birr (piety) and taqwa

(righteousness) but do not help one another in ithm (oppression) or

adwan (transgression).

Ibn al-Qayyim, in his book on manhaj - Risalat al-Tabukkiyya - begins with this verse

and says that the religion revolves around it for fiqh-al-ibada (knowledge of worship)

is a connection between man and Allah but that this verse embodies the foundation

of fiqh-al-muamalaat (knowledge of interaction) and distinguishes those that call to

good properly. For Muslims in America, the call to Islam must promote cooperation

and unity (taawanu), piety (birr), righteousness (taqwa), fairness (hasana), and

must not assist those that call to oppression (ithm) or transgression (adwan).

A foundation of fairness is in establishing the call on mercy and compassion. Many

Muslim leaders frequently pinpoint the soft-hearted nature of the Prophet

Muhammad's call in Mecca as evidence for the near complete passivity that has

come to mark the American Muslim community. Indeed, the people of knowledge

stress the gentle nature of dawa quoting, for example, where Allah (SWT) says,

And by the Mercy of Allah you dealt with them gently. And had you been

severe and hardhearted, they would have broken away from you.

They also reference the initial phase of the dawa of Musa (as) and Harun (as) in

front of Pharaoh, as Allah (SWT) says,

Go (both of you) to Pharaoh, surely he is a tyrant and speak to him

mildly, perhaps he may accept admonition or fear Allah

It is necessary to be gentle. In our time, it is all too frequent to see anger and

animosity become more powerful and overtakes the positive aspect of zealousness

in calling to the religion (see, for example, some of this author's previous

"engagements"). However, the need for gentleness and mercy must not be utilized

as a justification for silence in the face of oppression. There are many examples of

the Prophet (saws), even in Mecca, that show he was not weak and passive butrather patient, fair and balanced. And Allah (SWT) commanded this balance as well,

revealing while the Muslims were facing persecution in Mecca the uplifting story of

Musa (as).Telling them in Surah Yunus, for example, that Allah would make the truth

apparent however much its enemies despised it, that only Musa's tribe believed

because most feared Pharaoh's tyranny but that they should establish regular

prayers in their homes and give the believers good tidings of impending relief from

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hardship (10:83-87). After being gentle initially, Musa (as) ultimately turned to call

fiercely against Pharaoh and his aversion. Allah says that Musa prayed,

Our Lord, surely You have given Pharaoh and his chiefs finery and luxury

in this world, our Lord, that they may lead astray from Your way. Our

Lord, destroy their riches and harden their hearts, so that they believe notuntil they see the chastisement (10:88)

Beautiful and fair preaching must be gentle but it must also be firm and grounded in

principle. The call to Islam in America would do best to balance between the two:

calling non-Muslims to the beautiful principles that make up the religion and their

compatibility with core principles honored and respected by many Americans and

calling the Muslims to appreciate and revere the depth and grace of their religion,

to be unified upon the truth, to revive the hearts with zeal and compassion and to

promote peace and justice in relations between American and Islamic civilization.

American Muslims represent a growing portion of the American population. In 2000

and 2004, Muslims, especially in Florida and Michigan, were a key constituency of

the presidential elections. Both parties spent much time vying for their votes. In

2008, Barack Obama had to distance himself from claims he was a covert Muslim

and despite the scrutiny and skepticism, Muslims represent one of the most

overachieving groups in American society, while their pluralism and diversity

represents the embodiment of American multiculturalism.

However, American Muslims should be more active and influential in shaping the

U.S.'s relations with the Muslim world. One of the primary ways American Muslims

can advocate for peace while building a call upon hikma is through fair and just

preaching and community engagement that calls against war and civilizationalconflict and that promotes dialogue and cooperation alongside mutually beneficial

development. The present tension between Muslims and the West does not need to

continue. Through fair and beautiful preaching, Muslims can do a great deal to

advance an American foreign policy that improves relations.

Few realize it, but the U.S. was once viewed favorable in the Islamic world. As World

War I wound down, Arabs were ecstatic when Woodrow Wilson called against

colonialism and promoted 'self-determination.' In 1918 Wilson sent an academic, Dr.

Henry King and Chicago businessman Charles Crane to assess Arab sentiment. They

found the Arabs desired an American mandate, viewed the American system as

distinct from European colonialism and were concerned that support for a Jewishstate in Palestine was another manifestation of imperial control. That assessment

was ignored however and Britain and France carved up the modern Middle East

through the secretive Sykes-Pichot Accords. Still, Muslims continued to hold America

in a quite positive light and as America ascended the global stage at the end of

World War II, Muslims embraced American values. The Truman administration sent

a delegation to study Middle East perceptions as well and found support for

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cooperation in social and economic development. Unfortunately, Cold War politics

began in the Middle East over the issues of oil and Palestine. The U.S. acknowledged

the Israeli state, backed authoritarianism, overthrew the Mossadeq regime in Iran in

1953 and bred animosity. The ideologue Syed Qutb, for example, turned anti-

American after Truman's expressed support for a Zionist Israel. In 1946 he wrote,

"We finally discovered the U.S. conscience that had captured the hearts of many

people in the East who considered it to be different from the British and French

conscience and those of Europe. Many had been deceived by the American

conscience because they had less contact with America than with the British,

French and Holland. But America's role in Palestine exposed the deceptiveness of

the American conscience that gambles away they future of other people and their

human rights to purchase tokens of votes in a presidential election. This is America

exposed for all to see. This is Truman revealing the truth about American

conscience - unscrupulous and only fools trust it."

That anger has sustained and escalated throughout America's special relationshipwith Israel, an era of Arab authoritarianism and increasingly lopsided and

questionable U.S. policy towards the region. No doubt there are ample grievances,

but fair preaching necessitates an analysis of the world the way it really is, not how

one wants it to be. American Muslims could go a long way toward articulating a

much more balanced view that could, over-time, greatly alleviate tensions. Callers

in America must also acknowledge that there have been aspects and prospects for

positive engagement that can mark a call of hikma in the United States.

In 1956, President Eisenhower rejected British, French and Israeli aggression in

Egypt, for example. No one knows what could have become of the Middle East

during an era when Arab dictators could have easily been replaced by Communistsatellites of the U.S.S.R.. U.S. support for Arab authoritarianism actually came about

as a direct result of Gamel Abdul Nasser's turn to the Soviets and anti-American

rhetoric. From the mid 1950's to mid-1960s, a pan-Arabism rooted in anti-

Americanism induced a sort of euphoria. But there would be no political liberty or

economic prosperity from petroleum reserves and Arab nationalism. Defeat in the

1967- Six Day War with Israel was self-induced. In the more than half a century

since, Muslims have been opposed to U.S. foreign policy but many, many Muslims

escaped away from the Muslim world and to the United States where they

prospered greatly and viewed America as a land of opportunity. It is important to

recognize that Islamic political parties did little to promote an alternative vision thatmight fail to appear hostile to American interests and have hardly concocted any

alternative unto this day that might appear to promote cooperation.

The escalation of Arab authoritarianism through the 70's and 80's was also mostly

internal. The rise of Islamism from the 90's unto today represents, in the U.S.'s

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eyes, an only slightly different twist on the rhetoric of pan-Arabism, a failed racist

and ultimately autocratic ideology that is much more responsible for the make-up of

current Middle Eastern culture than any western intervention. Today, after

senseless wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, western intervention in Libya and Syria, and

support for the Arab Spring, fair and beautiful preaching dedicated to achieving

peaceful relations, and especially for American Muslims, might help to establish analteration of tenuous relations. When Arab experts issued the United Nation's first

Arab Development report in 2002, they stated the region was 'richer than it is

developed' and plagued by a poverty of political, economic and social opportunity, a

deficit in freedom, knowledge and womens empowerment. Today conspiracy

theories about Western control and cultural intrusion dominate and few will admit

that the region suffers largely due to its own decadence - a fact actually confirmed

by those that rely on religious texts, for Allah (SWT) says in the Quran that - He

does not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.

Fair preaching in a call to Islam in America must view the world and the role of

religion in it as it truly is. A call to tawheed must not remain separate from reality, a

solely intellectual endeavor that induces pride in past glory and an unwarranted

superiority complex. This births an adulterated ideology where fundamentalism

merges with a severe ignorance about the real world and passivity and cowardice

that means one adhering to Islam stands for almost nothing. Instead, the beautiful

morals, character, and principle tenets of Islam should be expressed through

community engagement with Muslim and non-Muslims alike. Through fairness and

gentleness, American Muslims can do much to promote peace. The Prophet

Muhammad (saws) said, "kindness is not to be found in anything but that it adds to

its beauty and it is not withdrawn from anything but that it makes it defective," and

also that, "He who is deprived of forbearance and gentleness is, in fact, deprived ofall good." Fair and beautiful preaching necessitates that kindness and gentleness

are coupled with a zeal for objective truth and justice that prevents one from

remaining idle, passive and weak. That is the call of the Prophets (as).

III. Debate by that which is Better (jadeluhum bi lati hiya ahsan)

The third level of dawa is debate. Allah (SWT) has attached the phrase 'by that

which is better' to this level in order to show that effective debate can only occur

where its content, mannerisms, and nature is superior to mere argumentation. Allah

uses the phrase 'by that which is better (bi lati hiya ahsanu)' in many quranic

verses. For example, He, ta ala, says, "And not alike are the good and the evil.repel evil by that which is better and lo! Between whom you and him is

enmity, it would be as if he were an intimate friend(41:34)."

Another way of looking at the four levels of dawa is progressively. So, a call of

hikma (wisdom) is for the one who was previously unaware and is not averse to the

message. Fair preaching is used to convince those who hesitate to accept the truth

and to encourage and entice those that remain universe. The third level of debate is

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for the one that rejects the truth and attempts to refute it or counter it. Calling to a

way that is better requires being equipped with the skills and evidences that can

counter aversion and that might be able to shatter false and pretentious arguments

In the current situation, many individuals attempt to refute the Islamic message. An

entire anti-Islamic industry is doing quite well in the West and has millions ofadherents in America. Efforts to counter the claims are limited. Despite a reliance

on fabrication, myth, and deliberate manipulation, there has been little established

effort to debate this movement by with that which is better. Consequentially, it is

growing. Similarly, in circles fundamentally opposed to the right-wing message, a

liberal, anti-religious strand is critical of many of Islam's tenets. However, these

arguments so too suffer from a dearth of actual knowledge and are mere alternative

versions of propaganda. These arguments are too often used to promote

acceptance of military intervention or to justify unrelated transgression in the name

of humanitarianism. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq for example had very little to

do with liberating woman's attire. The third level of debate by that which is better

represents the need to counter misinformation. However, the objective can only be

achieved where there is comprehensive understanding and engagement. American

Muslims would do well to develop more dawa institutions and activist organizations.

All Muslims should support such endeavors. Contrary to popular belief, an ability to

defend the Islamic message intellectually is as valid and applicable now as it was in

the time of the Prophet (saws).

Today, mankind everywhere is seeking out spirituality and worship. Because Islam

taps into mankind's natural disposition (Fitrah) and remains remarkably compatible

with modern science, the call to Islam in the West has reaped enormous gains.

Despite desires that science, technology, and secularism would push religion intothe abyss, religious identity, especially in American and Islamic societies, is on the

rise. As a result, the time to call to Islam has never been better.

Allah revives the religion every 100 years, and as we approach the 100th

anniversary of the fall of the Ottoman caliphate, the end of authoritarian

dictatorship seems to be drawing to a close and those calling to merge the

undeniable political, economic, and social benefits of the modern age to the

traditional principles of the shariah are advancing an Islamic revival, recognized the

world over.

Science itself seems to be advancing to a level that threatens religion generally. Atthe same time, for the Muslim, science and religion must be completely compatible.

Recent controversies about cloning, stem cells and other scientific findings highlight

today's tension between science and religion but are hardly difficult for Muslims.

Studies like the coding of the genome, the discovery of mitochondrial eve, the

restructuring of theories about human evolution, like the fact DNA tests refute the

previous theory that homosapiens and Cro-Magnon are at all related or new fossil

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discoveries that uprooted previous claims of humans as the product of a single and

simple lineage (see Ancestry Shattered in Scientific American Feb. 2003), only

support the Quranic account that proclaims,

O mankind revere your Lord who created you from a single being and

created its mate of the same kind and spread from these two many menand women. And keep your duty to Allah by whom you demand of one

another your mutual rights and maintain the ties of kinship. Surely Allah

is ever a watcher over you. (4:1)

Similarly, we used to conjecture that the development of agriculture transformed

our hunter-hethere ancestors into city dwellers. But the recent excavation of the

11,600 year old site of Gobleki Tepe in Turkey has overturned that theory and

shown that the urge to worship birthed civilization and then agriculture arose as a

result of it. Allah says,

And I have not created the jinn and mankind except to worship Me

(51:56)

Today, Muslims can point to innumerable scientific principles in the Quran including,

but not limited to, the Big Bang, a clear description of the development of the fetus

in the womb, the fact that every living thing is created from water, the formation of

the earth, cloud formation, mountains above and below the Earth as pegs, an

expanding universe and countless other miraculous claims, none of which contradict

modern knowledge. Muslims discovered the circumference of the Earth hundreds of

years before the Europeans. Ibn Qayyim and other scholars proved the Earth was

round solely through reference to Quranic verses, so by the time Columbus sailed

the ocean blue in 1492 on the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria, those ships, the

navigation equipment, Arabic maps and even Arab dockhands were booty of the

Christian conquest over Muslim-controlled Spain in the same year. When Queen

Isabella initiated the Inquisition, Jews fled to the Muslim Ottoman Empire, where

they lived in peace and prosperity as Jews, Christians and Muslims typically did

throughout the Islamic era. These facts and others like them can do a great deal to

refute the claims of those that suggest the Muslims are intolerant and irrational.

Recent archaeological finds also confirm Quranic historical accounts. Take for

example the 1993 discovery of a Stella inscribed with the term 'House of David' andthe 2005 excavation in Jerusalem's Kido Valley that have refuted rejectionists that

classify biblical accounts as pure myth, and literalists who believe in the biblical

account of a vast kingdom for David and Solomon. Instead finds show that the

Kingdom of David and Solomon was technologically proficient, including in the

manufacture of armor, as explained in the Quran, but that the idea of a vast empire

as proffered by the Old Testament and used to justify Jewish fundamentalist claims

for a 'greater Israel' are farfetched. Instead the Kingdom of David was smaller than

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once imagined. The Quran makes no claims of this nature but instead discusses that

the gift to David and Solomon was one of enlightenment under monotheism. In the

Quran when Solomon invites the Queen of Sheba to Islam her dignitaries inform her

of their great wealth and extravagance so she sends a gift in response. Allah says,

So when the envoy came to Solomon he said, "Will you help me withwealth? But what Allah has given me is better than that which he has

given you. Nay you are exultant because of your present. (27:36)

Similarly, Jesus would inform the Jews he was preaching to hundreds of years later

that his kingdom was not of this world but rested in the truth of his religion and life

of the Hereafter. Today, historical accounts of Jesus's message, like the recent work

by Dr. James's Tabor - The Jesus Dynasty (2011) - document a distinction between

the monotheist messianic message of Jesus and the later interpretations of Pauline

Christianity. The Quran, like Dr. Tabor, refers to Christians as 'Nasara' - from the

Hebrew word - Netzer' meaning branch or root in reference to the lineage of David.

Archaeological evidence documents a distinction between Paul's Christianity andthe Disciples, like his brother James that actually met Jesus. Dr. Tabor concludes his

work by mentioning the compatibility between contemporary accounts of Jesus and

the doctrine of the Quran, suggesting that in that account lie the basis for peace

between Jew, Christian and Muslim. Of course, this is a brief report and there is

much more, but the point is that American Muslims, by merging objective science

with the wonders of their religion, can do a great deal to refute the myths and

misconceptions that drive the opposing side.

While there is much science in the Sunnah, Quran and Islamic history, Muslims

cannot deny that much of the Muslim world has fallen into decay, depravity and

authoritarianism. American Muslims can help the global Muslim community to bettercompete in the marketplace of ideas by discussing the compatibility between

modern knowledge and their religion. In America, where Muslims are incredibly

affluent and make enormous contributions to scientific, technological, medicine and

other fields, this approach would have global ramifications.

The myths that perpetuate about Islam, its Prophet and its civilization should be

challenged. The widespread notions of the barbaric nature of Islamic history and

culture should be countered. In the United States there is a great body of academic

and dissident literature that has given a just account of Islamic societies. A diverse

array of mainstream scholars specializing in the Muslim world has already

contributed to refuting the Orientalist perspectives that once helped justify

colonialism. So, there is a great foundation, already existent, in almost every realm.

The growing American Muslim presence has also increased the capacity for original

religious scholarship here. The goal of all American Muslims should be to contribute

in multitudinous ways to this level of conveying the message. In a time when

Muslims the world over are asking what exactly it means to adhere to Islam and

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when the religion is under intellectual attack, such debate by that which is better is

a necessary means of the call.

IV. Action that Deters the Transgressor

There is no ability to debate with an oppressor who is already dedicated to opposing

Islam and the Muslims. Allah (SWT) explains in the Quran:

Thus we have made for every Prophet an enemy amongst the mujrimoon

(criminals) (25:31)>

Similarly, there will always be those vehemently opposed to Islam and willing to

transgress beyond bounds. However, as long as there is no physical harm, then it is

not permissible to retaliate with violence. Action to deter transgression in America

today implies a push forward by developing autonomous organizations, schools and

dawa institutions while indirectly countering those falsely proclaiming such efforts

are subversive, those protesting the development of mosques, passing legislation to

outlaw 'shariah' in America, seeking to sabotage American engagement with

Muslims and other injustices.

An understanding of 'action that deters transgression' necessitates an appreciation

of the difference between debate and argumentation. At some point, dispute only

drives people away. Debate must be done solely for the sake of establishing the

truth, but the verse, "Debate with the people of the book by that which is better,

except those oppressors from among them (29:46)," suggests there are instances

when fair preaching or direct debate will yield nothing positive. In that case, the

message is still to be made accessible so that more objective individuals have

access to it. All efforts to intimidate or silence the message can only be countered

by action. The fourth level of dawa is all about mounting action that prevents

against hostile external threats.

Whenever one is confronted with an external threat, two areas of psychological

reaction, either flight or fight, dictate response. In areas of organizational behavior,

those primal instincts are classified as reflexive or reflective. So, when America was

attacked on 9-11, a reflexive reaction led to the occupations of Afghanistan and

Iraq. A reflective reaction would have been based more on contemplation about the

attack's cause. Muslims today remain reflexive in much of their response to external

aggression as well. This makes for a great amount of conflict and killing. American

Muslims can promote reflective responses on both sides by engaging in all fourlevels of dawa. However, the fourth level is of utmost import for it is here that a

nonviolent social movement to deter transgression by posing alternative pathways

to collaboration and cooperation could ensue.

That would require not only efforts to induce a more regionalist approach to U.S.

foreign policy but a critique of Muslim dependence on literalism, interpretations that

promote global conquest and killing and that blame Islam's current problems on the

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Western world. Take, for example, the notion that Islam is destined to dominate the

world. This Hitlerian conception underscores the rhetoric of many so-called

moderate and jihadi organizations. It is important to consider, however, that even

textual literalism fails to coincide with this totalitarian and apocalyptic

interpretation. While that is a research project in itself, take a few examples.

Thauban related that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said, "Indeed Allah gathered

and folded the earth for me, and I saw the East of it and the West of it. And the

Dominion of my nation will reach that which was folded from it. And I have been

given the two treasures - the red and the white. And I asked my Lord to not have

my nation destroyed by a pervasive drought and to not give an enemy, other than

from their own selves, reign over them by uprooting their rule. And indeed my Lord

said,'O Muhammad, indeed if I decree a matter, then it is not prevented. And I have

granted for your nation that I will not destroy them by a pervasive drought and I will

not give reign to an enemy, from other than their own selves, over them and I will

not uproot their rule, even if those from all areas gather around them so that some

of them destroy one another and imprison one another.' Indeed all that I fear over

my nation are the misguiding imams. If the sword is placed in my nation. it will not

be raised from them until the Day of Judgment." Classical scholars never interpreted

dominion from the East and West to imply global conquest. Imam Nawawee said

that it indicates the expansion of Islam would not go far to its North or South. The

conquering of the red and white is interpreted to refer to the dominion over the

Roman (red) and Persian (white) empires which occurred directly after the Prophet's

death under Umar ibn al-Khattab and the hadith clearly indicates that while foreign

nations may gather around the Muslims, internal civil war and oppression, alongside

the backward interpretations of Muslim imams, will be the source of the Muslim

world's destruction.

How about those that suggest only violence can bring about change? That

contradicts the Prophet as well (saws). He said, "Indeed there will be a tribulation -

the one who is lying down during it is better than the one who is seated; the one

who is seated is better that the one who is standing; the one who is standing is

better than the one who is walking; and the one who is walking is better than the

one who is riding; the one who is riding is better than the one who is going forth

quickly. All of those killed during it are in the Hellfire." Abdullah ibn Masood (RAA)

asked, "O messenger of Allah, when is that?" He (SAWS) said, "The days of much

killing when a man isn't safe from the companion he sits with." Abdullah (RAA)

asked, "And what do you order me to do if I reach that time?" So he (saws) said,"Restrain yourself and your hand and enter your home.O Messenger of Allah,

suppose a man enters upon me in my home?" The Prophet (SAWS) said, "Then lock

your house." Abdullah (RAA) then asked, "Suppose he enters forcefully?" So the

Prophet (SAWS) said, "Then enter your masjid and do like this," and he closed his

right hand on his wrist and say, 'My Lord is Allah until you die upon that."

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There are many narrations like this one. It is apparent today that we live in times

when violence takes the lives mostly of innocents and hardly ever those actually

responsible for transgressions. Callers to Islam do well when they point out the

senseless nature of violence in an age of extremism. Allah (SWT) says, "O people of

the book, don't go to extremes in your religion and don't say about Allah but the

truth" and the Prophet (saws) said, "Extremists are destroyed" and repeat it threetimes. He also said, "Beware of extremism, because those before you were

destroyed due to their extremism." Therefore, action that deters transgression

requires engagement with non-Muslims and Muslims as well.

This level of dawa includes addressing intrusions and violations of civil liberties in

Muslim communities, educating local community members on the actuality of Islam,

developing mechanisms for identifying early indicators of extremism and effective

interventions that counter propaganda. It includes cooperating with human rights

groups that call for an end to war, countering the military-industrial complex, covert

intervention and counterterrorism policies that rely on drones and kill civilians,

activism that can help efforts at engagement and development in the Muslim world

and that shares accounts of the prosperity, freedom and wellbeing Muslims in

America enjoy. There is so much American Muslims can do with regard to

involvement in action that deters transgression.

Conclusion:

American Muslims have a huge role to play in promoting peace and dialogue over a

clash of civilizations. That will necessitate close adherence to a proper

understanding and engagement in the 4 levels of dawa as outlined here. The

reputation of America, in the eyes of many Muslims has been severely damaged,

but the perception of Muslims in the U.S. has been damaged as well. A 2010 Pewpoll found 40% of Americans hold an unfavorable view of Islam.

However, in many ways, the American narrative resembles that of Islam. America

was birthed by efforts to gain independence from colonialism. The founding fathers

of the U.S. play a similar role to that of the Prophet Muhammad's companions in

shaping society. The founding and expansion of early states, Islamic in the 7th

century and America in the 18th, merged profound ideas with practice and induced

revolutionary political, economic and social alterations that reverberated across the

planet. Tapping into those principles and promoting cooperation and coexistence

will require concentrated activity at all 4 levels of dawa.

There have been some interesting developments of late. As the wind-down of war

ends America's experiment with direct colonialism, the U.S. is looking for

alternatives and seems to have realized the limitations of military dominance.

Relations would best be described as evolving, but it should be evident that

American Muslims could play a major role in preserving American freedoms and civil

liberties. Another Pew poll from late-2011 found that 50% of American Muslims

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report that government antiterrorism policies single out U.S. Muslims with increased

surveillance and monitoring.

There are efforts to improve relations. During his national security speech in May of

this year, President Obama mentioned important policy alterations. Firstly, he

referenced the White House's Strategic Partnership Plan for countering violentextremism. He said, "The best way to prevent violent extremism inspired by violent

jihadists is to work with the Muslim American community which has consistently

rejected terrorism, to identify signs of radicalization and partner with law

enforcement when an individual is drifting towards violence. And these partnerships

can only work when we recognize that Muslims are a fundamental part of the

American family. In fact, the success of American Muslims and our determination to

guard against any encroachments on their civil liberties is the ultimate rebuke to

those who say we are at war with Islam."

However, American Muslims must expand the scope of conversation with the U.S.

government so that it includes much more than mere anti-terrorism measures. Therecent NSA leaks highlight intrusion that is a threat to us all, controversy over the

use of drones, the debate about immigration, efforts to broker peace in Afghanistan,

engagement with the new-post-Arab Spring regimes and continuous efforts to

reignite the Palestine-Israel peace process are all areas in which American Muslims

must have say. They are also areas directly related to terrorism. Absent direct,

deliberate and more vocal engagement, these efforts will continue to be sources of

tension.

As each Muslim is an ambassador of Islam, it is important these steps toward

alternatives are viewed as a significant opportunity. In that same speech, President

Obama outlined another key cornerstone that could greatly improve American-Islamic relations. He stated, "Success on all these fronts requires sustained

engagement, but it will also require resources. I know that foreign aid is one of the

least popular expenditures there is. That's true for Democrats and Republicans. I've

seen polling; even though it amounts to less than 1% of the federal budget. In fact,

a lot of folks think it is 25%, if you ask people on the streets. Less that 1% , still

wildly unpopular. But foreign assistance cannot be viewed as charity. It is

fundamental to our national security. And its fundamental to any sensible long-term

strategy to battle extremism."

Such a framework sets the stage for what might become an alternative paradigm.

The call to Islam must continue to expand knowledge about Islam in America and

help to promote a progressive Islam in the Muslim world. But, by simultaneously

tying that call to efforts at countering violent extremism and development as an

alternative to war, Muslims can do a great deal to alter the root causes of affliction.

While Muslims have reason to express concern that enhanced engagement will turn

into yet more false promises and rhetoric unmatched by action, one must

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contemplate the potential benefits of enhanced engagement and consider the

harms of isolation.

The Obama administration has sought to improve domestic relations but has failed

to connect these relations to its foreign policy. Still, American Muslims must

recognize that President Obama has taken the position that movements in the Arabworld are independent and cannot be controlled externally. Mark Lynch, an

academic and advisor to the Obama administration during the Arab Spring,

commented in his book The Arab Uprising (2012) that, "The U.S. government now

understands Islamic movements far better than before and appreciates their

variety, internal rivalries and doctrinal differences... the Obama administration has

admirably laid out a position that accepts their democratic participation while also

advocating for core liberal values." Professor Lynch also shuns the rise of "violent

anti-Islamic populism" at home saying, "America cannot engage effectively with a

region struggling to peacefully incorporate Islam through democracy if it is

dominated by ideologues that demonize and attack them at every turn. Nor can it

continue its effective campaign to marginalize and defeat Al-Qaeda if its own public

feeds a narrative about a clash of civilizations that does not exist."

Many Muslims remain critical of American rhetoric, both right and left-wing, but the

Quran states emphatically,

So, if they withdraw from you and fight not against you and offer you

peace then Allah has opened no way for you against them and,

If they incline to peace, incline you also to it and trust in Allah. Surely, He

is the Hearer, the Knower (8:61)

The fact of the matter is that without the assistance of America's Muslims the U.S.

government will be unable to repair its relations with the Muslim world. That means

any call to Islam in America must adhere to these 4 levels of dawa. Combining the 4

levels offers a means not only of spreading Islam's actual message but also to reject

all kinds of extremism, Muslim and non-Muslim alike. American Muslims must take

a more active role in promoting communication, cooperation and dialogue over

civilizational clash.

Younus Abdullah Muhammad is an American Muslim and Master of International

Affairs. He is presently incarcerated in the U.S. federal prison system. He can be

contacted at [email protected]

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Documents

Calling to Islam in America