Calling to Allah: from the best of spiritual works

Calling to Allah: from the best of spiritual works

In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate. May His abundant blessing and most perfect of peace be on His Beloved Prophet, the best of creation, and his family, companions and followers.

Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,

Calling to Islam is a communal obligation, and one of the best of spiritual works. Allah Most High told us,

“And who is better in speech than one who calls unto their Lord and does right, and says: Lo! I am of those who submit.” [Qur’an, 41.33]

Imam Ahmad al-Sawi, the great 19th Century Maliki jurist, theologian, sufi, linguist, and Qur’anic exegete, explained ‘calls unto their Lord’ in his Hashiyat al-Jalalayn,

“(Allah’s words: ‘And who is better in speech…’) It is said that this was revealed concerning the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), for he alone was the one who truly gathered all these traits. This is because those who call to Allah are of many types:

· There are those who call to Allah by establishing His Oneness, such as [the scholars of aqida] al-Ash`ari and al-Maturidi and their followers to the Day of Judgement.

· There are those who call to Allah by affirming His Oneness by deed, such as those who strive in the way of Allah (mujahidin).

· There are those who call to Allah through conveying the rulings of the Shariah, such as the Four Imams and those on their footsteps.

· There are those who call to Allah by lifting the veils that come down upon hearts and prevent from beholding [Allah] the Knower of the Unseen. They do so in order for people to remain perpetually in the presence of Allah without anything but Allah in their hearts, such as Junaid and those like him from the true people of tasawwuf.

· There are those who call to Allah by informing others of their obligations, such as the callers to prayer (mu’adhdhins).

All these types were gathered in the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), and spread out among his noble companions. Then, they were transmitted to those after, until the Day of Judgement, for the noble hadith [of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)] that, “There will always remain a group of my community manifest on the truth, unaffected by those who oppose them, until the command of Allah comes and they are yet steadfast.” [Bukhari and Muslim]” [Sawi, Hashiyat al-Sawi `ala al-Jalalayn, 5.209, tafsir of 41.33]

Thus, one who calls to Allah, by busying themselves in spreading the good that the Beloved of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) came with in any way, has made themselves of those who are the best of people, if they fulfill the remaining conditions mentioned in the verse:

a) performing good deeds themselves (lest they be of those who call others to good while ignoring themselves);

b) submitting in word and deed to Allah.

Imam Sawi continues, in his exegesis, to explain that,

“(Allah’s words: ‘Does right’) means that one obeys the commands of Allah and avoids His prohibitions. If one calls to Allah, while doing good deeds oneself, one’s words will be accepted and will have an effect on hearts. Otherwise, one’s words will not be accepted, and will have little impact on hearts…

In conclusion, calling to Allah does not truly benefit except from a genuine heart (qalb nasih). The greatest of those who call to Allah are the Awliya (close friends) of Allah who guide others to Allah and take people to intimate closeness with their Creator. They are to be found in every age, except that only those whom Allah has chosen for His great generosity finds and meets them…” [ibid.]

In closing:

a) Historically, the most effective callers to Allah were those whom Allah had blessed with true sincerity, devotion, and genuine concern for others. We should seek to be likewise.

b) In order to be effective in calling others, one must continually call oneself to Allah.

Allah told His Beloved Messenger (peace and blessings unlimited be upon him, his family, companions, and followers):

“Say: This is my Way: I call on Allah with sure insight. I and whosoever follows me—Glory be to Allah!—and I am not of those who associate any with Allah.” [Qur’an, 12.108]

And Allah alone gives success.

Wassalam,

Faraz Rabbani