Eschew da’wah of bitterness, Lekki Muslim Ummah cautions preachers

THE Lekki Muslim Ummah (LEMU) has advised Islamic preachers to shun bitterness and acrimony and take a cue from Prophet Muhammad who never practised da’wah with bitterness even when non-Muslims were involved.

 Buhari appoints Suleiman Minister of Environment 

LEMU president, Dr Kamoru Omotosho, gave the charge at the Muslim community’s quarterly da’wah workshop tagged: “Da’wah without Bitterness,” held at the Vice Admiral Jubrila Ayinla Multipurpose Hall, Lekki Central Mosque, Lagos, recently.

The workshop interrogates contemporary issues of spiritual and mundane importance for the benefit of Muslims.

According to Omotosho, the theme of the event was deliberately chosen to rectify the emerging acrimony and antagonism pervading da’wah circles in the South West in recent times.

“Lately, in the South West, particularly in Lagos, some Muslim scholars have turned da’wah to an avenue for throwing tantrums and unwarranted vitriolic attacks on fellow Muslim scholars.

“The bitterness is so much that some so-called scholars do not even hesitate to declare fellow Muslims as unbelievers on account of minor differences in jurisprudential opinions.

“Certainly, this is not the legacy bequeathed to us by our noble Prophet (peace be upon him) who practised da’wah without bitterness even when non-Muslims were involved.

“If indeed we are true followers of the Prophet (peace be upon him), we must eschew bitterness in our da’wah activities and intensify our da’wah efforts positively,” he said.

The chairman on the occasion, Prince Shamsideen Ope, also lamented the development, noting that da’wah messages in recent times were replete with invectives directed at fellow Muslims.

“The effect of this development is that da’wah messages now contain more abuses than constructive admonitions and glad tidings.

“Almighty Allah enjoined Prophets Musa and Haroun (peace be upon them) to be lenient with Fir’aun (Pharaoh) when He sent them to minister to the recalcitrant king.

“Allah says, ‘Go, both of you, to Fir’aun (Pharaoh). Verily he has transgressed. And speak to him mildly, perhaps he may accept admonition

“Similarly, Allah says in Qur’an16:125, ‘Invite (all) to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious,’” Prince Ope said.

The Chief Imam of LEMU, Shaykh Ridwan Jamiu, delivered a lecture on “Da’wah Methodologies of the Prophet”, while Shaykh Nojeemdeen Sulaimon discussed the “Misconceptions about Da’wah,” just as Ustadh Shuaib Salis examined “Social Work as a Da’wah Tool.”

Imam Ridwan Jamiu charged every Muslim to participate in da’wah according to their capacity, saying “da’wah is not the responsibility of scholars alone, every Muslim must invite people to the way of Allah as stated in Qur’an 3:104.”

He added that da’wah, as enjoined by Allah and practised by His prophets, should simply be a mix of innocuous admonition and glad tidings.

He noted that calling to God was an honourable task in the sight of Allah and its success “depends on how closely we adhere to the guidance and methodologies set out by the Prophet.”

According to him, “the act of preaching and educating in the field of da’wah are not easy tasks. They not only demand massive effort and God-fearing character, but also instigate a comprehensive systematic approach that is based on the Qur’an and Sunnah. Without such a proper approach, the success of the efforts of inviting to Islam is a remote possibility.”