Prerequisites for calling apostates and non-Muslims to Islam

20-7-2011 | IslamWeb

Question:

I came across a Christian evangelist website where a group of apostates who converted to Christianity claim they are fine thinkers. I thought about going through their writings and rebutting them using the Fatawas of the early and contemporary scholars. Should I go ahead with this action and try to call them back to Islam? Or should I leave this task to more qualified people and mind my own business?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu 'alyhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

 

Calling to Allaah The Almighty, confronting malicious allegations raised by doubters and refuting their claims are some of the Sharee‘ah obligations that scholars, callers to Islam and seekers of knowledge should undertake. They are considered a form of Jihaad in the cause of Allaah, as the Prophet ordered us to fight the disbelievers with our money, our hands and our tongues. [Ahmad, An-Nasaa'i and Abu Daawood: Al-'Albaani classified it as Saheeh (authentic)] Indeed Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {Rather, We dash the truth upon falsehood, and it destroys it, and thereupon it departs.} [Quran 21:18]

 

Muhammad ibn Hazm Ath-Thaahiri mentioned that the true proofs cannot be overcome - they are more likely to be accepted and more supportive to the religion than the sword. In fact, large numbers of people and the great incomparable Companions embraced Islam once the proofs attesting to the prophethood of Muhammad became clear. Truly, they were better than those who embraced Islam after defeat in war.

 

Thus, if you are competent in refuting the malicious allegations of those who make false allegations, seek help from Allaah and proceed in your Da‘wah (Islamic propagation), perhaps Allaah will guide them at your hand and you, in turn, will gain a great reward. In a Hadeeth on the authority of Sahl ibn Sa‘d the Prophet mentioned that if a person was the reason behind someone's embracing Islam, this would be better for him than precious, large amounts of wealth. [Bukhari and Muslim]

 

However, if you cannot highlight the weakness of their allegations, then you should occupy yourself with what you are able to do.

Allaah knows best.