How to Give a Shahadah in 10 Minutestips, tools and training providing effective methods of giving dawah

by Kamal ElMekki

Understanding Your Obligation

Invite to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided." [Nisaa':125]

"And who is better in speech than he who invites to Allah and does righteous deeds, and says: 'I am one of the Muslims.'" [Fussilat:33]

"Convey from me, even one verse." [al-Bukhaaree]

Reward and Punishment

"Whoever guides [another] to a good deed will get a reward similar to the one who performs it." [Saheeh Muslim]

"By Allah, if Allah were to guide one man through you it would be better for you than the best type of camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]

"Verily, those who conceal the clear proofs, evidences and the guidance, which We have sent down, after We have made it clear for the people in the book, they are the ones cursed by Allah and cursed by the cursers." [al-Baqara:159]

"Whoever hides knowledge, Allah will brand him with the branding iron from the hellfire." [Ahmad]

“and you can not guide the blind from their straying; you can make to hear only those who believe in our Ayat ( proofs evidences, verse, signs) and have submitted to Allah in Islam(as Muslims)…”

(Rum:14)

“perhaps you would kill yourself in grief on their footsteps for their turning away from you” (Kahf:6)

Two Types of Guidance (Hidaya)

1. Hidayat ul irshaad: Our duty

‘Trying to direct someone to the truth’

2. Hidayat ul tawfiq: From Allah

‘A person accepting the message’

Obstacles on the Path to a Shahada

• Immediate results

you may not see the results

2. Looking for a “sign”

understanding Christian perspective

3. “I don’t have enough knowledge”

"Convey from me, even one verse." [al-Bukhaaree]

4. “I myself am in need of dawah”

5. Shyness

“Jump into the pool”

6.They won't revert!

7. Not knowing who you're talking to.

Methods

1. Pamphlet pushing2. Group Dawah3. One-on-one style street Dawah4. One-on-one sit down Dawah5. Internet Dawah6. Indirect Dawah

Pamphlet Pushing

1.Setting: Any heavy traffic areas2.Goal: hand out as much material as possible 3.Requires a plan for canvassing the area4.Not much talking5.Don’t stop to chit chat

6.Cover the entire pathway so you don’t miss a single person7.Have a catch phrase to arouse interest

Group Dawah

• Setting: Giving a talk or lecture to a group of people

• Avoid jokes – choose carefully

• Stick to the point

• Keep within the announced topic

ONE on ONEStreet Dawah

●Time is of the essence! ●Drunk move on! Argument move on!●If conversation is getting long: make an appointment

ONE on ONE Sit-Down

• A detail oriented theological discussion

• Usually pre-planned

• Begin with how much the person knows on Islam, diagnosis to find problem

• You have time, but still use it wisely!

• Listen don't interrupt and let them finish

• Common Problem: If they repeat an argument, rephrase and say it back to them

• If the person has studied Islam: find the core issue that is keeping him from Islam.

Internet Dawah

● Setting: the use of email, chat rooms or IM to propagate Islam or sending letters to prisoners.

● Send links to website in the end● Stick to the point

Do's and Don'ts

These are helpful tips to remember to utilize

all your potential assets for the best possible

Dawah effort.

DOs:

1. Be patient: be prepared to run across people who don’t want your dawah

1. Sometimes humor can be helpful

1. Be straight forward: style of the Quran

• Avoid unnecessary confrontations, arguments… simply move on!

• Get them to think outside the box

• Keep your eye on the ball

• Keep the ball rolling!

DO:

8. Go for the Gold: make the sale!

9. Use simple language

10. Understand needs, obstacles and issues

11. Listen with your eyes and your ears

70-80% of communication is non-verbal

12. Ways to get people to listen:

Use open gestures, nodding

Acknowledge their questions as smart

Replace your statements with questions Maintain eye contact but don’t stare

DO:

13. Try to coin statements into a positive manner, highlight words like “good” & “yes”

• Make them concede to a few points

• Make concessions / find points to agree upon

Use words in the

affirmative

– yes, ok, " That’s a good question",– “I'm actually glad your brought that point up“– " I can see why you understood it that way.

DO:

• Smile

• Looks

• Lean forward

• Nod

DO:

• Use open gestures– Don’t cross arms– Minimize resistance, disinterest, – open gestures signal you are open to

counterparts ideas

• Ask questions instead of making statements

– why?

• Present them with concepts that will get you a 'yes'

Don'ts:

• Don’t start by attacking or being aggressive– people become defensive and put a mental

block

• Don’t use an annoying approach like bullhorn.

• Don’t beat about the bush, evasive cure? 1+1=2

• Never use the 'lets not push him' technique

Don'ts:

• Never interrupt a person giving dawah – unless VERY GOOD REASON! – Dawah in groups of two, if one drops the ball, the

other picks it up, – or interrupts if he has a good point the partner

overlooked

• Don’t Begin a sentence with "No", " What you need to understand".

– Don't use 'but' it erases all that was said before it. – Instead use" I agree -Agreeing is important – why? It closes the gap and doesn't make Islam

appear far from the person.

• Give up if the person seems uninterested or makes fun of you.

Don'ts:

• Falsification and exaggeration – the introduction of factually erroneous

information

• Demeaning the other party

• Misrepresentation of one's position regarding other part

• Don’t get into a negotiation

Walk –away points

• Depends on the type of Dawah

– but what would they be?

II part

Understanding DawahFrom the Quran

ال7م4و7ع2ظ4ة2 و4 ة2 ك7م4 ب2ال7ح2 بBك4 ر4 ب2يل2 س4 إ2ل2ى Jاد7ع Jن أ4ح7س4 ه2ي4 ب2الTت2ي م Jاد2ل7ه و4ج4 ن4ة2 س4 ال7ح4

"Call to the way prescribed by you Lord with wisdom and with fine admonition, and debate with them in the best manner." {Soorat an Nahl (16) 125} 

ه2ي4 ب2الTت2ي Tإ2ال ال7ك2ت4اب2 أ4ه7ل4 اد2لJوا تJج4 و4ال4نTا آم4 ولJوا Jو4ق م7 Jن7ه م2 ظ4ل4مJوا الTذ2ين4 Tإ2ال Jن أ4ح7س4ن4ا J2ل4ه إ و4 2ل4ي7كJم7 إ أJنز2ل4 و4 2ل4ي7ن4ا إ أJنز2ل4 ب2الTذ2ي

ل2مJون4 مJس7 Jل4ه Jن ن4ح7 و4 jد و4اح2 كJم7 J2ل4ه إ و4" And do not debate with the People of the Book except with the BEST WORDS,(calling to Allah by means of His signs and by drawing attention to the proofs He has provided) except for those who remain obstinately upon unbelief and would rather wage war." {Surat al-Ankaboot (20):46}

125

   

ع4ل4ى   اللlه2 2ل4ى إ 4د7عJو أ ب2يل2ي س4 ـذ2ه2 ه4 قJل7ا و4م4 اللlه2 ان4 ب7ح4 Jو4س اتTب4ع4ن2ي و4م4ن2 4ن4ا7 أ pة ير4 ب4ص2

ر2ك2ين4 ال7مJش7 م2ن4 4ن4ا7 أ

" Say, O Muhammad, this is my way: I call to Allah (alone), upon certain knowledge (baseerah) myself and those who follow me, and Allah is free from all imperfections and partners, and I am free from those who associate anything in worship along with Him." {Surat Yoosuf (12):108}

The call must be based upon knowledge and clear evidence.

125

   

Understanding DawahFrom the Quran

KnowledgeHadith:

• " By Allah, for Allah to guide one man through you is better for you than red camels (the best of wealth) than the whole world and what's in it".

• " Whoever calls to guidance then there is for him a reward like the rewards of those who follow him and that will reduce nothing from their rewards, and whoever calls to misguidance will have sin upon him like the sins of those who follow him, and that will reduce nothing from their sin."

• “whoever guides to some good deed then he receives a reward like that of its doer". Exp Al kawtharr."

• "convey about me even if one verse".

• Make your stay in the land of the Kuffar -Halal

Patience

• ا م4 ع4ل4ى وا7 Jب4ر ف4ص4 ب7ل2ك4 ق4 مBن jل Jس Jر كJذBب4ت7 د7 ل4ق4 و4ب4دBل4 Jم و4ال4 ن4ا Jر ن4ص7 4ت4اهJم7 أ تTى ح4 أJوذJوا7 و4 كJذBبJوا7

ل2ين4 س4 ال7مJر7 نTب4إ2 م2ن اءك4 ج4 ل4قد7 و4 اللlه2 ل2ك4ل2م4ات2• “Indeed messengers before you, Muhammad, were

denied and rejected but they patiently bore the denial, rejection and harm of their people until Our aid came to them.”

• T2ال إ pول Jس Tر مBن ب7ل2ه2م ق4 م2ن الTذ2ين4 4ت4ى أ ا م4 ك4ذ4ل2ك4 jونJن م4ج7 و7

أ4 jر اح2 س4 الJوا ق4• “Likewise no messenger came to the previous people

except that the said, He I a sorcerer and/or madman.”

• ر2م2ين4 ال7مJج7 مBن4 ا ع4دJو� ن4ب2ي� BلJل2ك ع4ل7ن4ا ج4 ك4ذ4ل2ك4 و4ا ير� ن4ص2 و4 اد2ي�ا ه4 بBك4 ب2ر4 ى و4ك4ف4

• “And for each of the prophets We have made an enemy fro the idol worshippers”

Patience

• ت4نز2يال� آن4 ر7 Jال7ق ع4ل4ي7ك4 ل7ن4ا Tن4ز Jن ن4ح7 2نTا إ“Indeed it is We who have sent down this Quran to

you, Gradualy. ”

• ا آث2م� م7 Jن7ه م2 تJط2ع7 و4ال4 بBك4 ر4 ك7م2 Jل2ح ب2ر7 اص7 ف4ا ور� Jك4ف و7

أ4“So be patient with what your Lord has decreed”

The Simplicity of the Matter

• (They said: "Are you the one who has done this to our gods, O Ibrahim'' He said: "Nay, this one, the biggest of them did it...'') referring to the one he had left alone and had not broken.

• (Ask them, if they can speak!) He was hoping that they would admit of their own volition that these idols could not speak and that this idol would not say anything because it was inanimate.

• (64. So they turned to themselves and said: "Verily, you are the wrongdoers.'') (65. Then they turned to themselves: "Indeed you know well that these speak not!'') (66. He said: "Do you then worship besides Allah, things that can neither profit you nor harm you'') (67. "Fie upon you, and upon that which you worship besides Allah! Have you then no sense'')

The Simplicity of the Matter

• Questionnaire: Retarded why?• Questions you can ask

– What is the Purpose of Life? – Trinity: three in one or one in three? – sit at my right hand? – how many Gods where there when Jesus died for three

days? – Why never an explicit mention of Trinity in the Bible

since it is the crux of the religion?

Most people think problems with their religion automatically apply to others.

1. Religion under microscope, can't all be right (there are as many paths…), no flaws no inconsistencies, discrepancies, contradictions

2. Human value system3. Humans affected by environment and society.

Dog and child4. Evil and Jar of darkness5. Religion and violence

1. most violence not because of religion 2. Media, politics vs. pure teaching to kill

6. Women polygyny 1+1=2 Media and culture blame

Use Stories

Use Storiescont…

1. Concept of Justice, child hits head, resurrection fairness judgment

2. Prophet continuation chart 3. Organized religion 4. look back at life, many long years, moments and

days, good times just memories can't do anything with them. Might as well invest time and worship Allah

5. Kill someone if apostatize, cut off hands. Eye on the ball!

6. Jesus and Moses mentioned in Quran more than Mohammed .

7. Tawheed no partner mention children, wives, friends helpers, ridiculous .

8. Explain concept/ logic then ask problem with logic then explain how one becomes a Muslim

Why do people convert

1. Agrees with human nature and makes sense

1. Prayers

1. solutions

1. devotion of Islam's followers,

1. Terrorism!

Create the Sense of Urgency

• Uqbah ibn abi Mueet

• Omar ibn Al khattab

• Abu sufyaan • Say “La ilaha ilalah”

How to approach people

Direct and Indirect approaches

How to approach people

1. Indirect Approach1. Dawah through manners and behavior 2. Having a discussion with a friend or

partner intending for non-Muslims to hear it

3. Performing acts of worship in Public a. Story of girl and prayer/airportb. Foot in the sink c. American with picture of Kaaba

2. Leaving pamphlets on train and bus seats/ bus stations/ in doorstep etc

3. Other methods

How to approach people

1. Direct Approach1. If you have a dawah table 2. In street dawah the approach is very

straight forward here. 1. Very direct. What is the purpose of

life?

3.  But in an elevator or store? How? What ways are there to strike up a conversation?

How to approach people

1. Direct Approach1. Are you a Muslim?

• Why not? • From this response you see how far or

close they are to Islam

Believe in God but not organized religion?

1. Disorganized ?2. Fallacy of religion and war.3. Evil in the world/ Jar of darkness.4. What is good and what is bad?5. Science & Quran

1. (SIT DOWN RULE! USE A SHEET OF PAPER AND WRITE POINTS AGREED UPON ! WHY?

6. Islam fastest growing religion for a reason

7. All claim to have the truth, put religion under the microscope

Atheist

1. Building in desert /watch in the woods. Ridiculous to come from nothing.

2. How did we hear of creator? Upstairs neighbor.

3. Fairness/ sending prophets4. Justice.5. Authored a Book, no flaws/ consistent.6. Sit-down7. Fastest growing religions.

Other faith

1. If you were of the same faith before then share!

2. Two theories: 1. 'Strong faith' shake the foundations , when

they reel back then show them Islam 2. 'weaker faith', don't get into biblical debate

unless necessary, just present Islam, it makes more sense and is more acceptable in its theories