A written account based on the discussions of Javed Ahmed Ghamidi in response to certain questions on this topic.
A major issue with our people of Da‘wah (Islamic Preaching) is that they are reluctant to present the religion in its complete form. Instead, they present the components of religion in such a manner that the general public begins to perceive a single component as the entire religion. Upon examining their approach, it becomes evident that specific aspects, such as Da‘wah, jihad, or any other component of religion, are made the central focus from a certain perspective, and then all activities of thought, action, invitation, and education are linked to it. The work of scholarship and research is undertaken to understand only the details of that specific component, books are authored to elaborate on it, newsletters are issued to communicate it, educational institutions are established to teach it, and groups and movements are organized to shape public opinion about it. In short, all manifestations of invitation are detailing that single component. The other components of religion are either not mentioned at all or, if a need arises, they are presented as prerequisites of that specific component. There are two prominent examples of this in our context:
1. Da‘wah
Invitation, or preaching, is a component of religion, but some scholars have presented it in such a way that this component seems to dominate the entire existence of religion. Every individual is held responsible for the task of invitation, yet evidently not every person possesses the capability or capacity to master the sciences of the Qur’an, Sunnah, Hadith, and Fiqh, and to convey them to various segments of people through teaching, lecturing, or writing. Consequently, a few points from the contents of religion are selected under the title of religious invitation and handed over to anyone and everyone. The most prominent example of this situation is the work of the Tablighi Jamaat. Their invitation is based on six points. Among these, Tasheeh-e-Kalma (correction of the creed) refers to pronouncing the words correctly; Tasheeh-e-Namaz (correction of prayer) means memorizing the words of the prayer; Tasheeh-e-Ilm o Zikr (correction of knowledge and remembrance) implies discussing the virtues of faith and memorizing specific phrases of zikr (remembrance of Allah); Tasheeh-e-Niyyat (rectification of intention) signifies dedicating one’s intention to the propagation of this six-point program; Ikram-e-Muslim (honoring Muslims) is understood as treating fellow Muslims with respect and dignity; Tafrigh-e-Waqt (allocating time) means setting aside specific days to spread the message of these six points among people. While these elements hold significance in their own right, presenting them in such a manner that they are perceived as the sole and complete invitation to religion ultimately harms the religion rather than benefiting it.
2. Jihad
Some advocates of the faith present jihad as the core message of religion. They bring forth this aspect of religion in such a way that everyone begins to perceive jihad and fighting as the complete religion. Muslims are made to believe that the survival and propagation of religion are only possible when there is an active struggle against the enemies of Islam. Even if worldly success is not achieved in this path, it is still not a losing bargain because the ultimate success in the hereafter will definitely be attained. In this perspective, the general person sees the best way to practice religion as abandoning all worldly matters and turning to the battlefield of jihad to drink the goblet of martyrdom and secure his place in paradise. The Taliban and some similar groups are following this approach.
There is no doubt that some of these methods are fundamentally baseless in relation to their origin in religion. However, aside from this aspect, for now, the focus is intended on the fact that presenting religion in terms of its components is extremely detrimental to its propagation. This approach inevitably leads to the following outcomes:
Firstly, religion does not present itself to people in its complete form. Secondly, both Muslims and non-Muslims become acquainted with religion through the aspect of a specific component.
Thirdly, the majority of common people adopt specific elements of religion, perceiving them as the religious objectives.
Therefore, while presenting the invitation to religion, it is extremely important to keep two matters in consideration:
One, that religion should be presented in its complete form as a whole. Secondly, each part of the religion should be given the same weight that the religion itself has assigned to it. Temporal or local expediencies should not influence the presentation of certain components in a way that disrupts the balance established by the religion itself.
It is necessary that the scholars, take these matters into account while presenting the invitatins to religion. They should make it clear to the people that:
The essence of religion is servitude to Allah, and the meaning of a religious life is that an individual, in both personal and collective existence, directs all aspects of thought and action fundamentally towards servitude to the Lord.
Inform them that the objective of religion is the purification of the soul and that those who deserve the reward of Paradise are the ones who actively strive to purify their souls from Satanic impurities in this world.
Teach them that religion is not merely the name of rituals and ceremonies, but it has, in the form of Shariah, established fundamental principles and laws for every aspect of life such as worship, social conduct, politics, economy, proselytization, jihad, limits, and punishments. It is essential to adhere to them, and their denial is tantamount to the denial of religion.
In this comprehensive manner, the invitation to religion is a demand of faith and wisdom. It is the responsibility of the scholars to understand the religion with full insight and present it to the people in its entirety.