> how to give dawah?

[Umm Sufyaan]

:sl:
i mean seriously! how do you give dawah in real life situations as to not make the person feel belittled and/or you are judging them. for example, if you see that someone is doing wudoo wrong, how do you approach them. and even more delicate, is how to give dawah to an elder. not someone related to you, but any elder in the community.

sometimes the ":sl: sister/brother, the way you are doing wudoo is wrong, it is rather this way *show them the proper way*" wont always work as anyone would be offended at that because you may not know the person (daa3i) well enough to know that their intentions are innocent and non-judgmental plus they will think that you want them to follow your way.

so, what is the best way to give dawah and how do you be "create" in giving dawah as to avoid any awkwardness, embarrassments, etc....i know that knowledge is the first and foremost step, but after that, how do you address different people/different situations?

giving the above given example, how would you personally correct that person?

[Qatada]

asalaam alaikum


the example you asked is addressed of wudu was addressed by the two grandsons of Allah's Messenger, al Hasan and Hussein.

They were only children, and saw an old man doing wudu incorrectly. So they thought of how to teach him without disrespect.


So they went to the old man and said; can you see which one of us does wudu the best? so they both started to do wudu infront of him, so he watched them and learnt how to do it correctly.

then he smiled at them and learnt without being disrespected, and i think he found out that they did it to teach him...



about dawah in real life to islam, then i recommend you get to know a person first, and ask them questions about their life, their interests etc. and when you've given them time to talk [and understand them], you can explain yourself, your interests [which includes islam], and they can't feel you're enforcing them with islam because you yourself gave them time to talk about their selves (so they naturally should allow you to talk about your interests.) Otherwise they would look selfish.

If you jump into dawah for their islam, they might think your selfish by talking to them - without taking an interest to their lifestyle.. but by knowing their lifestyle, you're actually in advantage because u know what to give dawah about (something related to their interests and linking it to tawheed, or the sunnah). i know that when you start a conversation about islam, they will be shocked, but that will make the conversation more personal because you're walking into personal issues.. its upto them after that if they're willing to hear or not.


i try to give them tips on how to better their lifestyle, worldly tips, but also their relationship to the path of Islam. So you might tell someone in a hospital that they're brave, and that you can be even braver by this hospital experience (i.e. if they had an operation or injury), which makes them want to be more positive.. showing that u do care, but at the same time, it will make them realise that this person cares about me, and wants my life to be better.. so they might be willing to hear what you say about islam. I.e. relate their illness to the example of Prophet Ayyub (Job in the bible) went through way more than any of us, he lost ALL his wealth, children, wives, health, society-respect, because of an illness which harmed all his body except the heart and tongue, but he was patient and kept his trust in Allah, then Allah cured him and gave him double of all that he had before his illness, so we can be stronger too, and God will give u more.."


So it's like a 'give and take' thing.. you understand their world, and then you let them understand yours, and how your belief in islam can enhance theirs.


that's the technique i try to use abit, and i know it has flaws in it, but its a start.

once you get more confident, you can directly talk about tawheed, and that should be your main focus - to turn to that topic, and its advantages.

[Abdul-Fattah]

Selam aleykum
Here's a method that I've used in the past for dawah to other muslims, and which worked:

Me: Selam aleykum
Brother: Wa aleykum selam
M: I've seen you in the mosque before, but we've never gotten the opportunity to talk, what's your name brother?
B: I'm [...]; ... and you?
M: MashaAllah, I'm Abdul-fattah. Brother, I have a question, would you mind if I give you some advice? Because some people when you give them advice feel insulted, or don't like it. So I'd rather ask first. But I only want to give you advice for you own benefit because I care for my brothers.
B: No, not at all, why would I object to such a thing :)
(if you explain it like that, I think most people will understand that it's stupid to feel insulted and that they should not feel bad for receiving dawah).
M: Well, it's just, I read in [source] that [issue] , and Allah subhana wa ta'ala knows best.

ALso remember, that people normally communicate trough body language 80% of the message. If you feel superior or self-righteous when giving someone advice, chances are the other person will "read " this in your bodylanguage, and that is the reason that most people respond negatively when you give them advice/dawah. So when you want to give dawah, be humble and behave as if you were merely a student who corrects a mistake of his teacher.

[Umm Sufyaan]

jazakumullah kahr for your replies.
Akh qatada, you mentioned opneing a converstaion with them, etc but unforutnaley sometimes there isnt time to. for example, i remeber i was in the masjid and me and another sister were doing wudoo and i noiced that to wash her feet, she merely sprinkled water over her feet, if the water even reached her feet. anyway we didnt have much time to communicate as paryer was about to start and after that i've never seen her again. so in a sistuation were time is a restriction, how do you go about it :$ for anything minor, i would consider over looking it, but wudoo is obligatory...


one of my problems also is that i know that a certain action someone may do is wrong, but i cant think of the sources if they were to ask me, although i may know where i got it from, etc, its just at the very second i need it, it slips my mind. so thats another reason i may refrain from advising :$