Training in the field of Da'wah:
On the theoretical side of this step, training women to work in the field of Da'wah (call to Islam) may need to consider the following aspects:
- Educational preparation through providing a good presentation of appropriate materials.
- Psychological preparation by ensuring that the women callers have faith in Allah, sincerity, hopefulness, pride in Islam, patience, and knowledge of the conditions and environments of those they are addressing.
- Social preparation by having the women Daa'iyaat (callers to Islam) live an Islamic life in the family and society in a practical application of Islam. They should abide by the ethics of Islam and of the Da'wah.
Adequate practical training and preparation is a must
This involves training female callers in speaking and writing to be able to bring Allah's religion to the people through speeches, lessons, lectures, and writing.
Writing and publishing must not be neglected in an age when people are easily reached by and engrossed in all sorts of books, booklets, newspapers, and articles. Writings should both be eloquent and convincing, through sincere, sound and documented arguments. Writing is the form of Da'wah which is, in many ways, one of the most appropriate and important means for women. They can write at home and thus make use of their spare time. They can in this way reach all classes of society.
Areas of Da'wah for women
The educational fields: These are related to the ennoblement of the spirit and the purification of the soul through faith. The minds and souls can thus be touched. These fields are to be found in mosques, schools, associations, Da'wah groups, and others.
The social fields: These relate to bodily and psychological health as well as to social development and interaction between people that reflect positively on the realization of spiritual education and the formation of Muslim character.
Both sides, spiritual and physical, are tied together and they should both be fulfilled in balance. To give the upper hand to the soul would be asceticism, and to the body would be hedonism. Fulfilling the physical needs has often been cause for many people embracing the guidance of Islam. Preachers of Christianity today, concentrate on this approach. It is difficult for the hungry, the naked, or the sick and homeless to listen to sermons.
More specific examples of what women can take part in as Da'wah are:
1. The Home: This is surely the most fertile and most effective channel. Almighty Allah has ordained both husbands and wives as nurturers for each other and the family. The mother shares with the father the responsibilities of educating and nurturing each other and their children in all physical, moral, psychological, social, and external aspects. Members of the family are gathered together in the home for many hours and this creates harmony among them as well as affords an opportunity for presenting good examples and guidance.
2. The Muslim Community: Charity, advice, and direction can be offered to relatives, neighbors, and the needy.
3. The Islamic School: Educational activities and curriculums can be used for the guidance of girl students as well as women teachers and staff.
4. The Masjid (Mosque): Women should be allowed to go to the Masaajid (pl. of Masjid) to benefit from the lessons held there. The Masjid is a suitable place for some of the women activities like Quran study groups and other training.
5. Hospitals, Prisons, and Social Welfare Institutions, Women's Colleges or Universities: "Women-only conferences can also be incorporated into already scheduled major conferences, thus providing them with someone to travel with,"
What we sow we reap
On the theoretical side of this step, training women to work in the field of Da'wah (call to Islam) may need to consider the following aspects:
- Educational preparation through providing a good presentation of appropriate materials.
- Psychological preparation by ensuring that the women callers have faith in Allah, sincerity, hopefulness, pride in Islam, patience, and knowledge of the conditions and environments of those they are addressing.
- Social preparation by having the women Daa'iyaat (callers to Islam) live an Islamic life in the family and society in a practical application of Islam. They should abide by the ethics of Islam and of the Da'wah.
Adequate practical training and preparation is a must
This involves training female callers in speaking and writing to be able to bring Allah's religion to the people through speeches, lessons, lectures, and writing.
Writing and publishing must not be neglected in an age when people are easily reached by and engrossed in all sorts of books, booklets, newspapers, and articles. Writings should both be eloquent and convincing, through sincere, sound and documented arguments. Writing is the form of Da'wah which is, in many ways, one of the most appropriate and important means for women. They can write at home and thus make use of their spare time. They can in this way reach all classes of society.
Areas of Da'wah for women
The educational fields: These are related to the ennoblement of the spirit and the purification of the soul through faith. The minds and souls can thus be touched. These fields are to be found in mosques, schools, associations, Da'wah groups, and others.
The social fields: These relate to bodily and psychological health as well as to social development and interaction between people that reflect positively on the realization of spiritual education and the formation of Muslim character.
Both sides, spiritual and physical, are tied together and they should both be fulfilled in balance. To give the upper hand to the soul would be asceticism, and to the body would be hedonism. Fulfilling the physical needs has often been cause for many people embracing the guidance of Islam. Preachers of Christianity today, concentrate on this approach. It is difficult for the hungry, the naked, or the sick and homeless to listen to sermons.
More specific examples of what women can take part in as Da'wah are:
1. The Home: This is surely the most fertile and most effective channel. Almighty Allah has ordained both husbands and wives as nurturers for each other and the family. The mother shares with the father the responsibilities of educating and nurturing each other and their children in all physical, moral, psychological, social, and external aspects. Members of the family are gathered together in the home for many hours and this creates harmony among them as well as affords an opportunity for presenting good examples and guidance.
2. The Muslim Community: Charity, advice, and direction can be offered to relatives, neighbors, and the needy.
3. The Islamic School: Educational activities and curriculums can be used for the guidance of girl students as well as women teachers and staff.
4. The Masjid (Mosque): Women should be allowed to go to the Masaajid (pl. of Masjid) to benefit from the lessons held there. The Masjid is a suitable place for some of the women activities like Quran study groups and other training.
5. Hospitals, Prisons, and Social Welfare Institutions, Women's Colleges or Universities: "Women-only conferences can also be incorporated into already scheduled major conferences, thus providing them with someone to travel with,"
What we sow we reap
1. Banishing ignorance, increasing intellectual broad-mindedness, and the creation of qualified women Da'wah cadres. These results have a lasting and beneficial influence, not only on women and the Muslim community, but also on the whole society at large.
2. Rectifying conduct and restitution of many erroneous practices that have come to be social phenomenon in many societies.
3. Women's place and status in Islam would be highlighted and Muslim women would attain a better awareness of their rights and duties.
4. Efforts would be geared toward the cultivating of our young people, in order to ensure the Ummah (Muslim community) virtuous Muslims in the generations to come.
5. A sense of belonging to Islam would be fostered, and the key Muslim rite of enjoining good and forbidding evil would be upheld.
6. An important financial tributary for Da'wah work would be secured; i.e., women's charitable spending.
It is time that Muslims who profess to follow the Sunnah (Tradition of Prophet Muhammad, [
(may Allah exalt his mention)] rethink the issue of Da'wah among women and by women. We should remember Khadeejah, 'Aa'ishah, Sumayyah, may Allah be pleased with them, and many Muslim women throughout our history, and what they did for Islam and learn from it.
2. Rectifying conduct and restitution of many erroneous practices that have come to be social phenomenon in many societies.
3. Women's place and status in Islam would be highlighted and Muslim women would attain a better awareness of their rights and duties.
4. Efforts would be geared toward the cultivating of our young people, in order to ensure the Ummah (Muslim community) virtuous Muslims in the generations to come.
5. A sense of belonging to Islam would be fostered, and the key Muslim rite of enjoining good and forbidding evil would be upheld.
6. An important financial tributary for Da'wah work would be secured; i.e., women's charitable spending.
It is time that Muslims who profess to follow the Sunnah (Tradition of Prophet Muhammad, [
(may Allah exalt his mention)] rethink the issue of Da'wah among women and by women. We should remember Khadeejah, 'Aa'ishah, Sumayyah, may Allah be pleased with them, and many Muslim women throughout our history, and what they did for Islam and learn from it.
We also have to realize that mere talk and emotionalism are useless. We need to do something about our immediate situation now. Education, preparation, and qualification of women will be the key to our future success.
Throughout history, the yardstick used to measure the well-being of any society has been the condition of its women. Let us therefore, strive to improve the intellectual, spiritual and emotional condition of the Muslim woman by allowing her to fulfill all the Allah-given abilities and responsibilities made incumbent on her.
As mentioned in the article, women Da’wah is very important. We have to be careful not to fall in what a lot of Muslims they fell into with the good intentions of giving Da’wah (intermingling men and women, people with lack of knowledge altering the Deen and thinking that they have the authority since they are calling to Islam, etc..). Women who work in the field of Dawah should be away from men’s environment. Women don’t need to be part of a the board members of a masjid for example to be active in Da’wah!. So it needs to be stressed that things are done in the environment of women and women alone. -islamweb.net
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