First published on: Dawah in Islam: Why do Muslims Preach Islam?


 I want to be a Muslim, The Muslim Society Family, To Convey Noha Waseem

“Quit coming to other peoples countries and trying to turn them into a Muslim **** man up and take your own countries back…” that was one of the comments we usually get when trying to teach people about Islam, and yes those stars are a quite insult.

Regardless the stars; the man has got a point; why don’t we as Muslims stop trying turning non-Muslims into Muslims?! I mean aren’t we enough? About 1.6 billion Muslims in the world as of 2010 – roughly 23% of the global population – aren’t they enough to do whatever Islam tells them to do! Well, yes they are quiet enough but it is not like we are getting ready for a war so we are crowding as many as possible. This is not what Islam is aiming for.

Islam is aiming for spreading the truth, the oneness of God, the message of prophet Muhammed (PBUH). Islam is a religion of teaching people how they surrender to the creator who had created everything. Islam is a religion that allows people to go beyond what their eyes can see, to believe that Allah is the one Who worth our worship, that Allah’s names and attributes are not given to anyone else but Him (SWT).

Why you do that?

Islam is derived from the Arabic root “Salema”: peace, purity, submission and obedience. In the religious sense, Islam means submission to the will of God and obedience to His law.

What that has to do with you Muslims converting people to Islam? Well, let me correct the question first, it’s reverting people to Islam rather than converting them. We believe that  all people  are genuinely and innately Muslims by believing in submission and obedience -the meaning of the word Islam- and that was mentioned in Qur’an :

When thy Lord drew forth from the Children of Adam – from their loins – their descendants, and made them testify concerning themselves, (saying): “Am I not your Lord (who cherishes and sustains you)?”- They said: “Yea! We do testify!” (This), lest ye should say on the Day of Judgment: “Of this we were never mindful“– Al-A’raaf / The Heights (172)

So set thou thy face steadily and truly to the Faith: (establish) Allah´s handiwork according to the pattern on which He has made mankind: no change (let there be) in the work (wrought) by Allah: that is the standard Religion: but most among mankind understand not. – Ar-Room / The Romans (30)

Those verses reveal  how human beings were born on the Fitrah of worshipping Allah and no one else

( Fitrah means Innately born with) , and that was mentioned when Abu Hurayrah narrates that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “No child is born except on the Fitrah and then his parents make him Jewish, Christian or Magian. Just as an animal produces a perfect young animal: do you see any part of its body amputated?”, meaning that you as a human was born on submitting and obeying one God; but then  when you get a bit older; you perceive your family rituals as rigorous practices that cannot be questioned,  whether they were Christian or Jews you became on the same religion they teach you, and they are your family and you do trust them. But unfortunately not all of our parents are always right, right?

And here it comes your investigation role, you should investigate why they are doing those rituals? Why should I follow them? Why can’t I read more about other religions? Why don’t I search for the TRUTH?

So by telling people about Islam we are trying to refresh their Fitrah , we are trying to let them turn back within their inner soul for their real God , for the only one God “Allah”

Can’t stop trying

So, to answer the question of “why don’t we as Muslims stop trying turning non-Muslims into Muslims?” we can’t stop , because it is our duty to correct a lot of misconceptions among the non-Muslims about Islam, to fix the deterioration made by terrorist groups under the name of Islam. In fact, we should increase our efforts than ever before to face those falsified claims being spread among the west by the media and through the terrorist groups, it became our main duty to tell people about Islamic teachings in the right and the correct fashion. Not to mention that it is a part of our religion is to do “Dawah” which is inviting people to hear about Islam, as mentioned in Qur’an:

Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His way, and He is most knowing of who is [rightly] guided.- An nahl 125

Who is better in speech than one who calls (men) to Allah, works righteousness, and says, “I am of those who bow in Islam”?- Fussilat 33

 

Inviting not forcing

Those verses are proof for how Qur’an has mentioned the importance of doing Dawah, the importance of telling people about the truth, how they can get to it and what shall they do to stick to it. Good Muslims are trying to reflect the good and the right image of Islam, rather than those who have destroyed a lot of Islam’s main block by their reckless behavior.