Addressing Modern Minds

Calling people to God is the believer’s eternal responsibility. Today believers must present Islam in a rational, contemporary style to address people’s minds.

Chapter 4 of the Quran addresses believers in these words: “But God knows all that is in their hearts; so ignore what they say, admonish them and speak to them in such terms as will address their minds.” (4:63)

We learn from this verse of the Quran that to perform dawah in the best possible way, the dayee must address his addressee in a style that will appeal to their mind. In ancient times there was a traditional method of performing dawah which was eminently suited to captivate the minds of the addressee. But now things are very different. The present age is an age of reason. Today’s man is convinced of the truth of what he hears only when it is presented rationally or logically.

Calling people to God is the believer’s eternal responsibility. In present times, believers have to perform this duty as the believers of ancient times did. One aspect of divine beneficence is that God provides the necessary resources when he commands something to be done. Knowing the needs of modern times, God has brought about intellectual changes at a global level by availing of which Islam may be presented in a rational style.

The advent of Islam occasioned a remarkable rise in intellectual activity, culminating in the 21st century. Now it has become possible to perform dawah work rationally to address people’s minds. The need of the hour is for today’s believers to understand this reality and avail of it to carry out the task of dawah in a contemporary style.