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.
