Testimony to the Truth

 

The second aspect of this mission is shahadah or dawah ilal-Islam (calling to Islam). This involves fully delivering God’s message to His servants, so no one on the Day of Judgment can claim ignorance as a defense for their misguidance, shifting responsibility for their deviation elsewhere:

They were messengers, bearing good news and giving warning, so that mankind would have no excuse before God, after the coming of the messengers.” (Quran, 4:165)

The main purpose of sending messengers is to warn people of the truth through i‘lan (declaration) and israr (insistence), making them aware of God’s message. This is an act of divine enlightenment and communication meant to inform people about the reason they were created and the ultimate outcome of that purpose. It reveals to them the unseen matters that will become clear when the present world ends and the unseen becomes visible.

In modern times, some people see the call to truth (dawah) as presenting Islam as a superior and complete way of life. While this view isn’t necessarily wrong or something to be avoided, it’s best used as a strategy for theological debate and to meet apologetic needs. However, if presenting Islam as a better lifestyle becomes the main or essential approach to Islamic dawah, it risks losing its true meaning.

If Islam is mainly promoted as a superior way of life, then people might see dawah just as an effort to address worldly issues, like economic or political problems, instead of a call to avoid divine punishment in the Hereafter. The Quran describes the Prophets’ message as a warning about celestial punishment rather than a solution to earthly struggles:

He lets the Spirit descend at His behest upon whichever of His servants He will, so that he may warn of the Day of Meeting.” (Quran, 40:15)

The ultimate goal of tabligh—the conveying of God’s message—is that the mad‘u (invitee) accepts the invitation and lives accordingly. However, from the perspective of the da‘i (inviter), the highest form of this mission is simply to deliver the message as clearly as possible so that no one can claim ignorance or make excuses. For the Prophets, the standard for fulfilling their duty of itmam al-hujjah (conveying the proof) was to communicate the truth completely. They were not required to force acceptance beyond just delivering the message.

In the Quran, the nations that ignored the Prophets’ message and thereby became deserving of divine punishment are those who had the message delivered to them through words and speeches. All that was needed was clear communication.

Proclamation (sad‘ bil-amr): “Proclaim openly what you have been commanded.” (Quran, 15:95)

Clarification (tabyin dhikr): “We have sent down the Reminder to you so that you may make it clear to the people.” (Quran, 16:44)

Notification (i’dhan wahy): “If they turn away, then say: I have made you fully aware of the message of God.” (Quran, 11:109)

Conveying the message (iblagh risalah): “[Salih said:] O my people, I have conveyed to you the message of my Lord and given you sincere advice.” (Quran, 7:79)

Recital of the Signs (qasas ayat): “O children of Adam, messengers will come to you from among yourselves, reciting My signs to you.” (Quran, 7:35)

Recitation of the Quran (qira’at Quran): “We have revealed the Quran in stages so that you may recite it to the people slowly.” (Quran, 17:106)

Recitation of the Book (tilawat kitab): “Is it not enough for them that We have sent down to you the Book, which is recited to them?” (Quran, 29:51)

Warning and glad tidings (indhar wa-tabshir): “We have sent you only as a bringer of glad tidings and a warner to all people.” (Quran, 34:28)

Call to faith (nida’ al-iman): “Our Lord, we have heard a caller calling us to faith.” (Quran, 3:193)

Invitation to Islam (dawah ila al-islam): “Who is more unjust than one who fabricates lies about God while he is being invited to Islam?” (Quran, 61:7)

Conveying revelation (tabligh ma unzila Allah): “O Messenger, convey what has been revealed to you from your Lord.” (Quran, 5:67)

Reminder of God’s days (tadhkir bi-ayyam Allah): “Remind them of the days of God.” (Quran, 14:5)

The believer in God’s message begins this task with the mindset of striving to communicate the divine message to people as fully as possible, fulfilling all demands of sincerity and truth. Any incidents that happen during this mission are not about the act of tabligh (propagation) itself but about how those receiving the message respond and react. That’s why there is no single, definitive way that the outcome of such a mission is achieved, nor can any specific result be considered the standard of successful testimony.

The outcomes can vary significantly. It may happen that the da‘i dies while merely calling others to the truth. It is possible that significant figures of the time embrace Islam, leading to the swift spread of God’s religion across a region. There could be confrontation and resistance from those being addressed, who may, either alone or with the backing of power, conspire to end the movement. Allah may also cause changes in circumstances such that the initial da‘i or their companions eventually gain control of the land’s leadership. Even in the case of gaining control, various outcomes are possible: it might result in simple political dominance, or the movement might garner such widespread public support that a well-organized society emerges.

All these possibilities exist, and each scenario has examples throughout the extensive history of Islam’s call to truth. However, none of them are the only or standard way to fulfill the duty of bearing witness to the truth. The core of fulfilling shahadat al-haqq (testimony to the truth) or invitation is simply to convey God’s message thoroughly, meeting all conditions of sincere nasiha (advice) and in language that is a complete and clear qawl baligh (eloquent expression). Any obstacles encountered along the way should be met with perseverance, and the effort should continue regardless.

What happens afterward is the worldly consequence of this struggle—mainly, the various incidents that occur during the history of dawah, which take different forms depending on the situation. Therefore, the only requirement from the da‘i’s perspective is to deliver God’s message to the best of their ability and continue doing so throughout their life. The other aspects are primarily about the mad‘u (invitees), not the da‘i. Naturally, it’s impossible to create a fixed list of possible outcomes, and the nature of these outcomes doesn’t determine whether the da‘i’s work was incomplete or complete.

Some people argue that prophets initially focus on societal reform before seeking political power. However, this order of priorities, in my view, merely shows that such individuals haven’t gone beyond the framework set by their dominant interpretation and are trying to find comfort within this view under a new label. Among the prophets mentioned in the Quran, only three—besides the last Messenger—combined both kingship and governance: Prophet Dawud (David), Prophet Sulayman (Solomon), and Prophet Yusuf (Joseph), peace be upon them. For any of these three prophets, it is hard to prove that their rule was a response to societal needs or that they first reformed society before establishing a government.

In this context, it is worth noting that when communicating with those unfamiliar with Islam, it is not necessary to present the entirety of the religion at once. A more meaningful approach is to begin with its foundational ideas: the concept of God, the concept of Prophethood, and the concept of the Hereafter. These principles are introduced gradually and from different perspectives, allowing space for questions and hesitations. Where doubts arise, they are thoughtfully engaged with and clarified through reasoned explanation

Once these foundations are understood and acknowledged, the specific religious practices are then introduced, such as those prescribed for the community of believers. A narration recorded in both Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim recounts that when the Prophet (e) sent Mu‘adh ibn Jabal to Yemen, he advised him: ‘You will meet a group of the people of the Book, so let the first thing you invite them to be the testimony that there is no god but God’ (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 1458; Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 9). Only after this principle was accepted were additional practices, such as prayer and other obligations of the Shariah, to be conveyed.

This is why prophets, in the early stages of their mission, would come only with basic teachings and spend a long time sharing them. Only later, as practical circumstances changed, were detailed instructions revealed. It never happened that when a prophet visited a people, he started by presenting a complete social and civil system and demanded that they establish an Islamic state to enforce all its laws in every aspect of life.

The third aspect of this mission concerns Muslims themselves. Allah wants to see a spirit within the Muslim community where members are well-wishers for one another, not living only for themselves but continually working for the guidance and well-being of those around them. Just as professionals might form a trade union based on common interests, the shared devotion among worshippers of Allah urges them to unite and dedicate themselves to each other’s improvement and progress.

This command has two levels of implementation: individual and collective. Individually, it means that every Muslim should actively engage in the betterment of other Muslims, using their own abilities and capacities. As expressed in the Bible, “He became his brother’s keeper” (Genesis 4:9). This concept is also mentioned in the hadith as al-deen al-nasihah (Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith No. 4944), meaning that one part of faith is for Muslims to be well-wishers of one another.

Regarding the pledge the Prophet (e) took from him upon accepting Islam, Hadrat Jarir ibn ‘Abdullah said:

“I pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah (e) on three things: establishing prayer, giving zakat, and being sincere to every Muslim.” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 529)

In other words, this is called Amr bil Ma’ruf (commanding good) and Nahi ‘an al-Munkar (forbidding evil). Imam Al-Nawawi states:

There is consensus in the Quran, Sunnah, and Ijma’ (consensus of the Ummah) on the obligation to enjoin good and forbid evil. Religion is described as sincere counsel, and amr bil ma’ruf and nahi ‘an al-munkar are essential parts of this sincere counsel. (Sharh Sahih Muslim, Vol. 2, p. 22)

This very act is mentioned in Chapter Al-Asr with the words Tawasi bil-Haqq (counsel each other to truth) and Tawasi bis-sabr (counsel each other to patience). In reference to Muslims, Allah has highlighted two significant aspects of the servant’s expression of devotion by describing it as mutual advice on truth and patience. One aspect of this act is that we, who are bound by our faith and commitment to Allah, encourage others towards that which Allah desires from His servants. The second aspect involves striving to maintain adherence to Allah’s will, even amidst the challenges and difficulties posed by this material world, fostering the strength to remain steadfast on His path.

One of the Quran commentators explains both aspects in the following words:

“And they enjoin one another to the truth—this shows their concern for others’ well-being, meaning they advise each other about the established command that cannot be denied, whose positive effects last in both worlds. It refers to all good: faith in God Almighty and following His Books and Messengers in every belief and action. And they encourage one another to patience—that is, avoiding sins to which human nature is inclined, persevering in acts of obedience that are difficult to perform, and remaining steadfast in the trials with which God Almighty tests His worshippers.” (Tafsir Abi al-Sa‘ud, Vol. 9, p. 197)

Thus, tawasi bil-haqq means encouraging fellow believers to do good, urging one another to follow God’s commands—commands that cannot be ignored and whose benefits last in this world and the hereafter. This includes all goodness found in faith in God and in following His revealed scriptures and messengers in every aspect.

Tawasi bil-sabr means helping one another avoid sins that human nature is inclined to, encouraging each other to fulfill difficult duties, and urging perseverance through the trials that God tests His worshippers with.

After this, as he explains the wisdom of pairing truth (haqq) with patience (sabr), he writes:

“Because the first pertains to the station of worship (‘ibadah), which is doing what pleases God Almighty; and the second pertains to the station of servitude (‘ubudiyyah), which is being content with whatever comes from God Almighty.” (Tafsir Abi al-Sa‘ud, Vol. 9, p. 197)

That is, haqq signifies the aspect of worship where a person actively does what pleases God, while sabr signifies the aspect of servitude where a person is fully content with whatever God decrees.

The fulfillment of this obligation on a group level depends on the overall condition of the Muslim Ummah. If the Muslim Ummah is autonomous and has authority, it is their responsibility to choose specific individuals and give them the authority to formally enforce the commands of Shariah on the people. An example of this principle is seen when Prophet Musa (Moses), upon reaching the Sinai Desert, divided the Children of Israel into twelve tribes and appointed twelve leaders over them.

However, if such formal arrangements are not possible, it is advised that people appoint teachers and preachers among themselves. This was the approach taken with the Ansar of Madinah before the Hijrah. During the second pledge of Aqabah, when seventy-five people from Madinah (seventy-three men and two women) accepted Islam, the Prophet (e) instructed them to choose twelve representatives from among themselves. They selected twelve individuals—three from the tribe of Aws and nine from the tribe of Khazraj. The Prophet then told them: “Antum kuffala’u ‘ala qawmikum” (You are guardians and responsible for your people). (Al-Tabaqat by Ibn Sad, Vol. 3, p. 557)

Similarly, there was the leadership of Ja’far ibn Abi Talib, who was appointed as the leader of the emigrants to Abyssinia (as seen in Seerah Ibn Hisham, Vol 1, p. 337). Likewise, as Muslims expanded to regions beyond Dar al-Islam (the Islamic territories), they aimed to establish organized communities wherever they settled. In addition to practicing Islam personally and inviting others to Islam, they prioritized organizing themselves and fulfilling their religious duties under a leader.