O Caller to goodness, to success, to Jannah, remain steadfast. Your path is not an easy one. Our Sister reminds us that the Qur’an is replete with messages of ease for the Prophet Sallahu alayhi wa salam. And also Prophet Musa Alayhi Salam and from his story in the Qur’an,she draws out points of note to every da’iyah of this deen in Chapter 12.
Recognise them below? Then know that you are in good company,alhamdulillah.
Publicly highlighting faults and shortcomings.
Surat Az-Zukhruf (The Ornaments of Gold) – سورةالزخرف
Or am I [not] better than this one who is insignificant and hardly makes himself clear?
We all know this story. Prophet Musa Alayhi Salam with signs of toil and travel, a stammer and not in the same ‘class’ as the one who considered himself a ‘god’. Fir’awn quickly capitalises on these and throwsProphet Musa’s Alayhi Salam inadequacies to the crowd…insignificant and unclear.
When you try to give dawah and the first thing you hear is, ‘See how she dresses? Why arehis trousers short? He can’t even take care of himself. He has a limp.’ And these are the markers people use to decide if you’re worthy to be listened to, right?
What comes right after?Name-calling
Surat Ash-Shu`arā’ (The Poets) – سورةالشعراء
[Pharaoh] said, “Indeed, your ‘messenger’ who has been sent to you is mad.”
The Prophet Sallahu alayhi wa Sallam was called mad, a poet, magician etc. It’s what they do. Make it look likeyou’re insane or incapable of making this change yourself. Maybe he’s lost his mind because everyone thinks differently except him, or strange. After all, he’s learning from someone else who has influenced them. Her husband is making her cover her face, his friends are turning him against the family. He has become strange.
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Islam began as something strange and it will return to being strange, so blessed are the strangers.” Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 145 Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Muslim.
Be comforted O Da’ee. Your being a stranger is indeed a compliment.
A gymnast who barely eats or only eats particular foods wakes up at 6 amand walks 20,000 steps or more. What do we call him? Dedicated.
Multiple award-winning actorslose weight to get into a role, have sunken lips, and change so much to get into character.What do we call them? Tenacious, determined, and strong-willed.
Think of a creative artist, who spends hours with no sleep or taking a bath, trying to capture the imagery in his heart and mind. We call them passionate, gifted people.
For us, if we choose to be dedicated, tenacious, determined, strong-willed and passionate for our deen, please call us striving ibaadi.
Surat Ash-Shu`arā’ (The Poets) – سورةالشعراء
[Pharaoh] said, “Did we not raise you among us as a child, and you remained among us for years of your life?
Reminders of past favours
The boy in the basket. Rescued by Fir’awn’s family who trained him till he was a youth. So, of course, who are you to come back to us and talk back at us when you were once one of us?
Think of the times when you tried to walk away from your past.When you were doing things you didn’t like and then changed? You try to admonish and someone goes ‘Ah! Ah! No be you from that time? Is it not you and me who ran these streets together? What are you trying to say now?’
A really goodexample is our beloved elders, most of us here, who raised Muslim youth and as they grew in the deen and admonished us, we reminded them how long we have practised Islam. Longer than how many years they’ve lived. Subahnallah.
Ya Ikwaan, do not fall for this trap. To grow and learn can only be done with humility. It is from our deen to learn from the one who has the most knowledge not the oldest in age. Let your child or little one admonish; what is important is that it is done with respect and you are open to accepting the learning for Allah.
Reminders of past deeds and mistakes.
Surat Ash-Shu`arā’ (The Poets) – سورةالشعراء
[Pharaoh] said, “Did we not raise you among us as a child, and you remained among us for years of your life?
And [then] you did your deed which you did, and you were of the ungrateful.”
Prophet MusaAlayhi Salam had killed somebody. That’s what made him flee Egypt and he had asked Allah for forgiveness. And Allah had accepted his forgiveness.
Surat Al-Qaşaş (The Stories) – سورةالقصص
He said, “My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me,” and He forgave him. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.
But here was Fir’awn taunting him with his past.
You’re trying to turn over a new leaf, but someone is ready to remind you what a bad boy you were, what a girl around town they knew you to be. And it doesn’t matter if they haven’t seen you for 10 years or more. Prophet Musa Alayhi Salam and Fir’awn hadn’t seen each other since he was a young man. But in front of people you know or don’t know, they will claim your representation is not true because ‘they know you’ not ‘knew.’
The next is the one is the kicker – Suspicion of ulterior motives.
Once Prophet MusaAlayhi Salam had defeated the sorcerers by gobbling up their magical snakes, Fir’awn’s chiefs were quick to decide that he was the head magician who had trained these magicians. The sorcerers seeing the error of their ways andsubmitting to Allah, was translated to meana carefully orchestrated plot to drive Fir’awn from his land.
For the Prophet Sallalahu Alayhi wa Salam, he was offered much by the chiefs of the noble tribes of Mecca to stop deluding the people. Did he want money? Power? They would offer him kingdoms as well. Maybe that’s really what he was after all along.
You’re a da’aee giving lectures for free? Not possible. Do you own the school? Are the parents indebted to you? There’s always this belief that it’s not possible for people to dedicate their time and energy to spreading Islam. Recognition? Power? There must be a gain we don’t see. Yes, there is and it is not in this duniya but the akhirah,O deluded one.
And then threats.
For Prophet Musa Alayhi Salam , it was crucifixion and having his legs and hands cut off from opposite sides. For the Prophet Muhammed Sallahu Alayhi wa Sallam, bodily harm and boycotts. For today, being cut off by family, not invited to events, no one will marry you, you won’t get a job, you’re going to be poor all your life…the loud ones and the more subtle ones, they all pour in. Different things to get you into a place where you’re thinking to yourself, ‘ Ya Allah, this journey I’ve taken is a tough one for me.’ May Allah strengthen and rectify our affairs.
So, like I mentioned in the beginning lines, these seem familiar? Then strengthen your backbone as you are not alone. And as you take comfort in that, be wary that you too have not slowly but surely, become a Fira’wn. You? O yes, you!
Do Ipoint out other people’s shortcomings in front of them?
When I am invited or admonished on the deen,do I retort reminding the warner ofage, past deeds or favours?
Do I call others demeaning nicknames, either to their faces or behind their backs?
When I see somebody doing positive work, in my heart, do I start thinking ‘He’s looking for popularity?’
Do I threaten people by saying, “Stop your work in this area, because it’s us that owns this area?’
The Qur’an has revealed the life of a da’aee and that of an oppressor so that you know who to emulate and who not to.