The Da’wah To Islam by Sheikh Ahmad Mahmoud

Islam consists of ma’roofat which Allah 􀀬 has ordered to establish, and munkaraat which He 􀀬 ordered to abstain from and remove.

The head and the highest ma’roof is the belief in Allah 􀀬 and the rest of the pillars of the Islamic ‘Aqeedah.

The head of the munkaraat (pl. of munkar) and its most evil manifestation is kufr in all its forms. Allah 􀀬 ordered that one avoid it, deter people from it and warn of falling into its snare.

Then after Imaan comes taqwa from the catagories of ma’roof. It is realised by obeying Allah 􀀬 and His Messenger 􀁕. It is the fruit of Imaan, it completes it and it is from its requisites. Fearing Allah 􀀬 means to avoid His anger. This cannot take place except by adhering to the Law of Allah 􀀬. This adherence is linked to Imaan. So whenever the Imaan of a Muslim becomes strong, his adherence to obedience becomes strong. This adherence becomes weak when the Imaan becomes weak.

Thus, the Muslim is ordered to have Imaan and obey Allah 􀀬 and His Messenger 􀁕, and he is forbidden from kufr in all its forms, and from acts of disobedience in all its forms.

The Imaan and taqwa of a Muslim and his abstention from kufr and sins will not remain and will not spread unless he conveys it and calls people to it, establishes the entity that protects the Muslims, their ‘Aqeedah and their taqwa and prevents them from falling into the traps of kufr and disobedience. This is what the reality and the actions of the Messenger 􀁕 have shown. The Messenger 􀁕 did not order those with him to have Imaan and taqwa only. Rather, he used to work with them to establish an environment for Imaan and taqwa, by establishing the entity 2 The importance of Imaan in conveying the da’wah and the priorities regarding the obligations which will make the whole society proceed in the same direction in which the Imaan and taqwa of the individual proceeds. This is what he 􀁕 achieved when he established the Islamic State in Madinah al- Munawwarah.

Thus, the ma’roofaat (pl. of ma’roof) that we are obliged to bring about must be conveyed to the people, and the people must be invited to them and we must establish the entity that will protect them. The munkaraat that one must stay away from must be fought, chased, alienated and whoever committed them must be accounted and the entity that causes the presence of such munkaraat or protects them must be removed.

Therefore, the Muslims are obliged to enjoin the ma’roof and forbid the munkar. Before ordering the ma’roof, they themselves must abide by it, and before forbidding the munkar they themselves must refrain from it.