The Da’wah To Islam by Sheikh Ahmad Mahmoud

Thus, when the group is established on the ideological Fikrah and comes to the reality, the winds will blow upon it and try to pull it out from its roots. The regimes treatment of this group will be different to their treatment of other movements. This is because the other movements put forward partial thoughts, which do not harm the regimes at all. Rather they may fill the gaps and deficiencies created by the regimes themselves.

However, the radical da’wah based on the ideological Fikrah deals with matters from their basis, and not by accepting patchwork solutions or going along with the situation. Neither does it accept half solutions or reform problems created by the regimes. It will not accept to leave the da’wah that is for complete change. Nor will it accept to deal with peripheral matters whilst leaving the basis on which these peripheral matters are founded. It is natural that a group or party such as this would be confronted in an unprecedented manner. The more the group adhered to the radical change the more the regimes will be hostile towards it and the greater the confrontation will be.

The severity of the confrontation may be reflected on the da’wah carrier such that he will not be able to bear it. So he will put pressure on his group so that it lightens the force of the call. He may find it difficult for himself, and his resolve may weaken when he finds himself rejected by the people and left alone. He might whisper to himself and try to cease from engaging in the da’wah when his worldly interests clash with the new situations that arise from working with the group. So he may begin to apply pressure on his group and call them to turn away from demanding change towards demanding reform. If the group responded to the requests, he would remain with the group. In this case he has managed to work for his deen and the dunya, and please both Allah 􀀬 and the King; or at least according to his claim. If the group rejected his pressure and insisted on its radical and fundamental work, he will turn away from it. Here the group will face two dangers; an internal danger from its Shabab whose determination has weakened before the heavy blows, and an external danger from the regimes that do not tolerate people of such radical views.

The battle of bargaining would start between the group and the regimes. Offers would start to be heaped on the group. The policy of the carrot and stick will start to be enacted. It is well known that bargaining takes place in the matters of trading; when the group enters into the bargaining (process) it has become a trade, with the selling of responsibilities and humiliation of nations taking place. Otherwise it will be burnt by the fire of the regime and seared by its flames.

Therefore, the correct ideological Fikrah requires an ideological group or party whose leadership and members are concerned about the Shar’a such that it is the master. They are also concerned for the clarity, purity, patience, sacrifice, altruism, and self-denial. They are devoid of any temptation for their own fortunes, so that they don’t become deviated and their determination is not weakened. In order that the group proceeds in a assured manner that protects its work and makes it free from change, or people playing games with the group, it must link every idea or Shar’ee rule tightly to the Islamic ‘Aqeedah. Even if there is a clash between the individual selfish benefits of the da’wah carriers, and the steadfastness and patience on carrying the da’wah, to achieve its goals, then the preference is for the interest of the da’wah. This linkage would then be an insurmountable barrier against the whispers of Shaytan and the whispers of the nafs (soul) that call towards evil.

In order that the party’s ship is saved from sinking into the mire that is the awful reality, it must have regulating principles that define the thoughts and way of thinking. That will bind the group to what it has deduced. It is not allowed to deviate from these principles any time, under the pretext of interpretation or justification.

Thus, good direction, good emulation and good understanding will lead to purifying the group and those working within it from any defects or blemishes that may have touched them, and it will purify their souls and strengthen their Imaan.

On this path none can remain steadfast on its hardship except the believers who are of firm resolve. The trials that those undertaking the work have sustained, will purify them, like the fire purifies gold.

If the group lost its regulating principles, then the group will suffer from withdrawal (from the work), alteration, retreat and inconsistency.

Ambiguity in the method and objective, and a lack of crystallisation will drive the group to alter things when it finds the work difficult, or it will lead it to justify things or explain things away when the group is asked to provide evidence.

When the group yields to compromise and accepts the truth in parts, not completely, and abandons the radical approach and fundamental work, it loses the only strength it possessed. It will not be a unique group, or draw the attention of people to its unique and distinct character. It would have failed in the intellectual struggle, and the victory will be for its enemy, even if it kept on calling for Islam and proposing Islam as the solution. This is because its approach has become distorted; to the benefit of the system. By doing this, it would have become an obstacle in the face of change, instead of being the opposite. This is what Allah 􀀬 has warned us of when He 􀀬 said to His Messenger 􀁕 and his Ummah after him; “And beware of them lest they deviate you from any of that (teaching) which Allah has sent down to you.” [TMQ 5:49]. Also what Sayyiduna’Umar 􀁗 said to his judge Shurayh: “Let no man distract you from it.” The sharpest weapon that the group possesses is its Fikrah. If it is able to preserve it and keep it away from the sphere of compromise, remain steadfast on it in spite of the circumstances, and follow the footsteps of the Messenger 􀁕, it will manage to prepare, after some time, what the Messenger 􀁕 prepared; that is a believing group and the Ummah to accept the rule by what Allah 􀀬 has revealed. After preparing that it would be able to reverse the balance in favour of the da’wah, and to establish the State.

The thoughts of Islamare an endowment to the people of the true da’wah that demands of them to confront the pressures with the thoughts of Islam that are in harmony with the original fundamental idea. It is not fitting for the group to face the pressures with the mentality of, ‘Take and demand’, ‘propose what suits the reality’, ‘propose only some of the demand’, ‘acceptance of half solutions’. The group was established to change such thoughts, and not to work by using them.

This is the mode of thinking of the west with which they invaded our minds. This radically differs from the nature of Islam, which rejects all of this and works to uproot it, and works to concentrate Islam and its method in thinking. So the one who wants to create change and works for it, must start with himself first.

After presenting what the group must be characterised with, in respect of insisting on the purity and clarity of the Fikrah and maintaining it, we present two of the thoughts proposed by the Kaafir West. They are ideas that the loyal regimes have committed to, and use to push the Muslims.

Unfortunately some groups that are working for Islam, and the Muslim writers who always promote the western thoughts have seized these ideas quickly. These two ideas are the following. The first is the idea that Democracy is from Islam and that it is Shura itself. One writer called it:

‘shurocrasy’, through the reconciliation of words and intellectual falsification. The second idea is participating in kufr rule, which has been advocated by some Muslims and movements. In order that we proceed in this study according to the principles mentioned in the beginning of this discussion, we will study the reality in which Democracy is applied, the reality of Democracy, and whether there is a reality in the Shar’a that resembles the reality of Democracy, so as to validate its acceptance.