The Da’wah To Islam by Sheikh Ahmad Mahmoud

This means we are not bound by texts that are not authentic. As a consequence, we are not required to act upon it. They think this is an evidence for their opinion (as opposed to it being an evidence against them) of not emulating the actions of the Messenger 􀁕 in Makkah, when he worked to establish the Khilafah.

In response to this view we say that the Sirah is a compilation of reports and incidents, which require examination and authentication.

Since it relates to the actions of the Messenger 􀁕, it is part of the Wahy (revelation). Hence, the Muslims must be concerned with the Sirah of the Mustafah, just as they are concerned with the Qur’an and Sunnah. His Sirah in Makkah constitues the actions he undertook whilst he was there, and which led to the establishment of dar al-Islam in Madinah. Neglecting the Sirah will incur sin on those able to verify it for not doing that, and it will incur sin upon Muslims for not encourageing those who had the ability to verify it.

It is very strange indeed, that those who make such a claim are from the people who usually concern themselves with the reporting and checking of ahadith. They put forward this view as if they are exempt from working to establish the deen. They cite this view, thinking that they have scored an important and conclusive point.

Have those Muslims forgotten that they are commanded, like any other Muslim, to work to estbalish the Islamic State? This makes it obligatory upon them to study, examine and check the Sirah. If the reality has prompted them to check prophetic ahadith regarding partial Shar’ee matters, an effort for which they are thanked; and they have exerted great effort and spent a lot of time in this path; then how much more incumbent is it upon them to spend time and effort once they realised that the issue relates to the estbalishment of the deen?

The Sirah books are not at a point where all their reports must be neglected, just as they have not reached the point where all their narrations have to be taken.

The field of historiography in which the Sirah writers worked did not depend on the strict accuracy of the methods of the Muhaddithun (compilers of ahadith). Nor were they as strict with regards to establishing the trustworthiness of narrators and transmitters, the correctness of what they transmitted, excessive brevity (contraction) and reluctance in transmission.

This made the scholars of hadith or those involved in verification look at the Sirah writers as complacent. The truth is that the science of hadith requires what the Muhaddithun and scholars of ahadith have investigated in themselves and in their transmissions.

The science of Sirah demands this in one of its aspects, which relates to the biography of the Messenger 􀁕 and his companions. As for the other aspect, which does not relate to the Messenger 􀁕 and his companions, then the leniency does not impair this knowledge. The incidents are many and numerous and the days pass quickly, the Sirah writer or historiographer is not able to encompass all the incidents if he wishes to rely on the method of the Muhaddithun. Hence, the biography of the Messenger 􀁕 is one of the most important things the Muslims should be concerned with, because it containes the reports about the Messenger 􀁕 regarding his statements, actions, consent and attributes. All of these things are part of the legislation just like the Qur’an. The Prophetic Sirah is one of the constituents of legislation; that is why it is considered part of the hadith. Whatever has been authentically narrated from the Prophet 􀁕 is considered a Shar’ee rule because it is from the Sunnah. Not to mention that following the Messenger 􀁕 has been commanded by Allah 􀀬. He 􀀬 said; “Indeed in the Messenger of Allah [Muhammad 􀁕] you have a good example to follow.” [TMQ 33:21]. Thus, to give attention and pursue the Sirah is a Shar’ee matter.

The methodology of transmitting the Sirah in the early days used to rely on the narration of reports. The historians began to transmit it verbally.

The first generation, which witnessed the actions of the Messenger 􀁕 and heard about them, began to narrate them to others. The generation that came after transmitted it from the first generation. Some of them put them in writing in a miscellaneous manner as we can see in the books of ahadith even today. By the advent of the second century we saw some scholars beginning to compile the biographical reports and put them together, and they wrote this down by mentioning the name of the transmitter and the person from whom he transmitted the report, exactly as it was done in the narration of the hadith. Hence, the scholars of hadith and those who scrutinise the isnaad (chain of transmission) were able to know the acceptable and authentic Sirah reports from the ones which were weak and rejected, by knowing the narrators and the chain of transmission. This is what is relied upon when citing something from the Sirah when it is authentic. The issue is not one of establishing a new discipline; rather it requires seeking the accuracy and correctness in the statements and actions of the Messenger 􀁕. However, there are some concerned people who checked the Sirah. The group or party that emulates the example of the Messenger 􀁕 in establishing the deen must check the texts that it relies on as evidence for its action.

Furthermore, the books of Sirah, despite their disagreements, agree together (just like the books of hadith and as the Noble Qur’an has indicated) on the stages and actions of the da’wah. The Noble Qur’an has clarified many of the details of the da’wah, in a manner that is sufficient to throw a clear light on the correctness of what has been transmitted about it. The Noble Qur’an has mentioned many things that clarify what is required, and in an accurate manner.

For example, the Messenger 􀁕 embarked upon attacking the false creeds and opposing the idols, atheism, Judaism, Magians and the Sabians.

The Qur’an has indicated this in many ayaat. The Messenger 􀁕 attacked the customs and traditions when he attacked the live burial of girls, a she-camel let loose for free pasture (waseelah), idol sacrifices for twin births in animals, and divining with arrows. He 􀁕 opposed the rulers and he mentioned them by name and description, and exposed their plots against the da’wah. The group must adhere to all of these things. Its adherence will be to the origin of the action and its general meaning, and not according to its details, means and forms. Thus, the group will oppose the erroneous thoughts, incorrect concepts and attack the customs and traditions that deviate from Islam in their reality. It will stand up against the rulers, expose their conspiracies, clarify the thoughts and rules of Islam and call the Ummah to adopt them and work together with it to establish it in their life.

The Messenger 􀁕 faced all of this unarmed and defenceless without taking sides (with any), compliance (with others’ wishes) or accepting any compromise. He refused all the offers of attraction or threat, and remained patient without deviating from the order of his Lord. The Qur’an has informed us of this, so this is a guidance for the group during its work.

The revelation of Allah’s 􀀬 order to the Messenger 􀁕; “So proclaim what you are commanded with” indicates that before the ayah was revealed, the issue of the public proclaiming of the da’wah did not exist, rather it was secret and hidden, which is the stage before the public proclamation.

And His 􀀬 saying; “So that you may warn the mother of towns and what surrounds it” [TMQ 6:92], is a command of extending the da’wah outside of Makkah. The Qur’an’s mention of the Muhajireen and the Ansar is a proof for the existence of Hijrah and Nusrah.

Therefore, the Qur’an is the first guide. The books of hadith are overflowing with the reports of the Muslims during the Makkan period.

Bukhari, for example, mentioned under the heading; “How the Prophet 􀁕 and his companions were treated by the Mushriks in Makkah.” He cites the hadith of Khabbab b. al-Arat when he came pleading to the Messenger 􀁕 to pray to Allah 􀀬 to give the Muslims the victory. He also mentions the Messenger’s 􀁕 du’a against the chiefs of Quraysh. He also mentions the severe mal-treatment he 􀁕 received from his people when he went up to Taa’if.We find the same things narrated in the other books of hadith. Therefore, we do not stand before an order that we have to perform without having its texts.

It is worth mentioning here that the Sirah writers were themselves reliable and trustworthy, which other scholars have testified to.

- Ibn Ishaaq (85-152 AH) wrote a book called, “al-Maghazi” (the military expeditions). Az-Zuhri said about him; “Whosoever wishes to learn about the Maghazi (military expeditions), let him refer to Ibn Ishaaq.” Shafi’i said about him: “Whosoever wishes to be an expert in the maghazi, he is totally dependent on Muhammad b. Ishaq.” Bukhari also mentioned him in his Tareekh.

- Ibn Sa’d (168- 230 AH) and his book, “at-Tabaqaat” (the generations).

Al-Khateeb al-Baghdadi said of him: “Muhammad b. Sa’d for us is one of the people of trust, and his hadith indicates his truthfulness for he examines most of his narrations.” Ibn Khillikaan said: “He was honest and trustworthy.” Ibn Hajar said about him: “He was one of the great, reliable huffaz (people who had memorised ahadith) and critics.” - At-Tabari (224-310 AH) he has a book entitled, “History of the Messengers and Kings” (tareekh ar-rasool wal-mulook) in which he followed the methodology of isnaad (chains of narration). Al-Khateeb al- Baghdaadi said about him, “He was knowledgeable about the Sunan (ie hadith), their lines of transmission, the sound hadith from the spurious, the history of people and their news.” For the majority of hadith, he wrote the Tareekh according to the methodology of the Muhaditheen.

He has compiled a book of hadith entitled; “Tahzeebul athaar wa tafseel at-thaabit ‘an Rasoollullahi 􀁕 minal akhbaar” – “Revision of the reports and elaboration of the proven news about the Rasool of Allah 􀁕.” Ibn ‘Asaakir said about it, “It is an amazing book, in which he spoke about every authentic hadith of the Messenger of Allah 􀁕.” - Similary, Ibn Katheer and az-Zahabi are considered to have great expertise regarding hadith.