http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=113282&d=24&m=8&y=2008&pix=kingdom.jpg&category=Kingdom
Sunday 24 August 2008 (23 Sha`ban 1429)
Terrorizing people in the name of dawa
Hassna'a Mokhtar I Arab News
JEDDAH: A missionary campaign entitled "The Protective
Shield" recently organized by the missionary summer camp in Taif has sparked
controversy among women participants and visitors, Al-Watan newspaper reported
last Saturday.
Corpses were displayed inside a dark tent and visitors were
allowed to enter only after sunset - so that it was pitch-black inside. The
religious objective of the episode was "to bring to life dead hearts" as the
supervisor of the campaign, Balgees Al-Ghamri, explained.
This type of dawa (missionary work of Islam) will certainly
terrorize and antagonize people through a focus on death, punishments and
hellfire in the afterlife. It has become so common these days that many Muslim
converts living in Saudi Arabia say they are happy they did not learn about
Islam here.
"Sheikhs (preachers) and society in general make people feel
that you should be stiff. I'm very happy I learned about Islam abroad. I know
other expatriates who feel the same way. They tell me if they had learned about
Islam after coming here, they would have never converted," said Aisha Mohammad,
a 34-year-old American teacher.
Hassan Hathout, an Egyptian-American medical doctor who takes
active interest in monotheistic religions and dawa work, said that people
should not miss the total picture of Islam. "It is simple to conclude that
anything which conflicts with mercy does not run parallel with the mission of
the Prophet (peace be upon him). I see Muslims do know the rules and
regulations, but they miss the element of mercy, which is the essence of
Islam," said Hathout.
Allah has made it abundantly clear in the Qur'an that He sent
Prophet Muhammad "not but as a mercy for all creatures." He also said: "It was
by the mercy of Allah that thou wast lenient with them (O Muhammad), for if
thou hadst been stern and fierce of heart they would have dispersed from round
about thee."
Muhammad An-Nabulsi, a well-known Syrian scholar and author
of the "Encyclopedia of the Beautiful Names of Allah" and the "Encyclopedia of
Scientific Miracles of the Holy Qur'an and Prophetic Sunnah," said, explaining
the verses, that if a person were well educated and had command of his
knowledge yet was rude and hardhearted, people would turn away from him and
avoid him. "You can't convince people unless you're following the right path.
You've got to be a role model. You can't be influential in your dawa work
unless you treat people with kindness," said An-Nabulsi.
Positive persuasion
Then why do many insist on working and spread the divine
message in a frightening way instead of mercifully, lovingly and warmly
inviting people to Islam? A Saudi woman working in dawa - who preferred not to
be named - says people think that intimidating others will encourage them to
adhere to the rules and principles of Islam and avoid sinning. She believes
that positive persuasion, convincing and encouragement come first in Islam.
"Many books and incidents from the life of the Prophet emphasize leniency in
presenting Islam, whether to Muslims or non-Muslims. When people love their
religion, gradually they are able to develop self-discipline. Punishment, death
or hellfire are reminders so they don't stray or become weak in the face of
temptations," she said.
In her article "Dawa By Any Means Necessary," American writer
and author Pamela Taylor, 44, said that mosques had become frequented by droves
of unsolicited advice at every possible time, more often than not in an
argumentative, rude, self-righteous, or ill-timed manner that serves only to
provoke anger and antagonize and drive away the target audience.
"How did the idea that dawa is to be accomplished by any
means necessary, or possible, ever gain such popularity in the face of so many
Qur'anic and Prophetic injunctions and examples to the contrary? When did
focusing on minor issues become more important than taking care of the
fundamentals? The irony, of course, is that those who practice dawa by any
means are almost completely unsuccessful in changing anyone's opinion," she said
