A Message to Muslims in the West, Daʿwah in the Seerah
A lecture delivered at Dārul ʿUloom Al ʿArabiyyah Al Islāmiyyah, Bury in September 1991 by Sheikh Abul Hassan ‘Ali Nadawi
As you are aware, the Prophet ﷺ had a burning desire to invite humanity towards Islām. Despite thirteen years of untiring effort in Makkatul Mukarramah and seven years in Madinah al-Munawwarah, there was no large-scale movement of non-Muslims into Islām. However, between the seventh and tenth Hijri[1] years (the period after the conquest of Makkah until the demise of the Prophet ﷺ) there was an influx of people entering the ranks of Islām that was not witnessed in the preceding twenty years! Imam al-Zuhrī (677 – 741), an eminent scholar of hadith[2] and student of the companions[3] of The Prophet ﷺ, expressed surprise at this sea of change, with so many people embracing Islām in a matter of just three years. Along with other distinguished scholars of hadith, he commented that the reason for this influx of new Muslims was due to non-Muslims having had an actual opportunity, for the first time, to observe and intermingle with Muslims, witnessing their honesty, fair dealing, compassion and sole reliance on Almighty Allāh. This left such a deep and profound impression on non-Muslims that thousands entered into the fold of Islām within a relatively short period of time.
Applying the Lessons Now
This incident also contains abundant lessons on how Muslims should live in this country. Their conduct should be sublime and captivating. Whosoever should see us should accept Islām. Whosoever sits with us should be inclined towards Islām. There should be no need to convince anyone to accept the Truth. Therefore, if you wish to live peacefully in this country (the U.K) and present Islām to the host community you will need to inculcate and manifest sterling qualities, not just inside the Masājid[4] but also outside in the streets, in the markets, in your daily activities, and at home. A life of Taqwā (God consciousness) will immediately attract non-Muslims towards Islām.
Dangers of Living Insular
As an ordinary student of Islām, it is my religious responsibility to warn you. If you do not lead an upright life, if you continue to live an insular lifestyle and you fail to manifest the beauty of Islām to non-Muslims, then you face some real dangers. In such a case, there is no reason for you to feel content and secure in this country. If ever the fire of race, religion, or nationalism rages here you will not be saved. In Spain there were mosques a hundred times more beautiful than yours. So, do not feel content and self-satisfied. As an ordinary student of religion, I would wish to express my joy and happiness at this wonderful new Masjid but I cannot congratulate you without ignoring the lessons of history.
Lessons from Spain
Others may not speak to you as plainly but remember the glorious Masjid of Cordoba in Spain. It still stands as a visible reminder of your magnificent past. The great poet of the East Iqbāl (1877 – 1938), so eloquently reminisces the great legacy of Islāmic Spain in his famous poem, “Masjid al-Qurtaba”. He reminds us that in Islāmic Spain there were such beautiful Masājid, celebrated Madāris (institutions of Islamic learning) and renowned scholars such Shaykh al-Akbar (1165 – 1240), Ibn Hazm (994 – 1064), Imām al-Qurtubī (1214 – 1273), Imām ash-Shātibī (720 – 790) and how many others shall I mention?However, once the flames of religious sectarianism started to rage, the Masājid and institutions of Islamic learning became deserted. Islāmic Spain, which boasted such magnificent structures, distinguished educational centres, refined culture and society all but perished.
Regrettably, the Muslims of Spain, despite enjoying such a high standard of living, did not draw the non-Muslims of that country to see the truth of Islām, failing to warn them of the dangers of disbelief. The ensuing religious violence subsequently consumed them. The Arabs of Islāmic Spain, despite their glowing history, architectural splendour and vast ocean of knowledge, were displaced from the country. Today, unfortunately, the ears can only wait in anticipation to hear the Adhān (call to prayer) from those now empty Mosques, and those same empty mosques thirst for Salāh (prayer) to be established therein.
Earn Your Place
My dear brothers, you must earn your place. You should leave an imprint of your value on the host community. You must show that your exemplary conduct is far nobler. You must impart on wider society the lessons of humanity. Please exemplify such noble virtues which confirms that there cannot be found more upright humans elsewhere besides you. You need to establish your worth, showing what a blessing and mercy you are for this country. If, however, you decide to live in an enclosed environment simply content with your prayer and fasting, apathetic to the people and society you are living in, failing to introduce them to the high Islāmic values and your own personal qualities, then I caution you. Beware lest any religious or sectarian violence flares up. In such a situation, you will not find safety or protection.
I pray to Almighty Allāh my prediction is totally unfounded. But remember, you are guests here. Your Educational endeavours to teach other Muslims about Islam, your Masājid, your institutions of Islamic education, your general worship and religious sacrifices are all worthy of commendation, may Almighty Allāh bless you, but do not forget to earn your place in this country amongst its people. Gain proficiency in the national language and use it to effectively propagate Islām. Prepare writers and orators to convey the message of Islām. Although you will distance yourself from the religion and beliefs of the non-Muslims, do not distance yourselves from them. Please establish your credibility to the extent that if you were entrusted with onerous responsibilities, as was Prophet Yusuf, you do not shirk but embrace all challenges wholeheartedly.
Get Your Priorities Right
You will have to present a new pattern of life to this country. You will not earn recognition by exerting yourselves in the workplace. If you overwork, you will be looked upon disparagingly and be likened to horses and bulls. In fact, you will be labelled as “money-making machines”. However, if you are able to show people you are worshippers and devotees of Almighty Allāh and not wealth; you do not bow before power but only before virtue; you are humans and think like humans; you are concerned not only about yourselves but also about others; you are compassionate about your own children as well as theirs; and you are earnestly concerned about the path of destruction they have chosen for themselves, then you will earn their respect. They will begin to respect Islām and become desirous of studying it. They will ask you for literature concerning Islāmic beliefs and practices and an opportunity will arise here for you to promote Islām.
On the other hand, if you remain preoccupied in eating and working, engaged in prayers, remaining indifferent and oblivious to what is happening in the country, isolated within the Muslim community, totally apathetic to what is happening outside, which direction the country is taking – in such a situation if there is trouble then you will not be saved.
Strengthen Your Position
It was my intention to convey and accentuate this message to you as I do not know whether I will be able to visit you again in the future. You have gathered here with love and affection and therefore it was easy for me to convey my message. As a student of religion it would have been convenient for me to recommend the virtue of reciting various Adhkār[5] or prescribe certain actions of ritual worship but you might not get an opportunity of listening to this kind of message from others.
I conclude by reiterating the message of my talk. Please strengthen your position in this country. Earn your recognition and do not be like a straw or crop that is uprooted by a mere breeze. You should be so firm that not even a hurricane is able to displace you. Display such noble character that you attract the hearts of the people. You will then see how they stand up to defend you. If there is the slightest hostility towards you, they will be the first ones to support and argue what a blessing you are for them. May Almighty Allāh grant us the ability to understand what is right. May He bless and protect you. Āmeen. Praise be to Allāh, Lord of the worlds.[6]
[1] The Hijri calender is the calender used by Muslims, it is labelled the Hijri calendar after the hijrah (migration) of The Prophet ﷺ from Makkah to Medina.
[2]A scholar of hadith is referred to as a Muhadith, and a Hadith is a prophetic traditions which includes either the statements, actions, or approvals of The Prophet ﷺ
[3] A student of the companions of The Prophet ﷺ is referred to as a Tabiʿī i.e. a follower.
[4] Plural for Masjid, the proper term used for Mosque
[5] particular statements of remembrance
[6] A Message & Two Speeches, Sheikh Sayyid Abul Hasan ʿAlī Nadwī, Edited by Sulaiman Kazi, Published by Madina Academy, First edition 2021