VISITING THE SICK

 

Islam invites to all that is good and warns from all that is bad.  From those good and virtuous deeds is the visiting of the ill and afflicted.  When people visit each other in good health, bonds of brotherhood and friendship are strengthened.  How then when people visit each other in times of sickness and poor or failing health?  Illustrating the empathy that Muslims are required to feel for each other, Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, said:

“The parable of the Believers in their mutual love and mercy is like that of a living body: if one part feels pain, the whole body suffers in sleeplessness and fever.”[1]

Visiting the sick is from the clearest signs of such mutual love, mercy and empathy.  More than that, visiting the sick is a major responsibility that every single Muslim is duty-bound to fulfill.  The Prophet Muhammad said:

“The rights of one Muslim over another Muslim are six… When you meet him, you greet him with the salaam (i.e. to say: “As-Salamu alaykum”), when he invites you, you accept his invitation, when he consults you in a matter, you give him sincere advice, when he sneezes and praises God, you ask God to have mercy on him, when he is sick, you visit him, and when he passes away you accompany him (through his funeral).”[2]

In this Prophetic narration we find that the Muslim is encouraged with concern for his brother in Islam during the three phases of his worldly existence: his health, sickness and his death.

Whilst in good health, the Muslim is obliged to greet his brother in faith with the greetings of peace and protection, to accept his invitations and to give him sincere advice.

Then, when the Muslim is suffering from a cold, an allergy or whatever else is causing him to sneeze, his brother in Islam is obliged to ask God to have mercy on him.  Likewise, when the Muslim’s sickness is such that he is incapacitated, his brother in Islam is obliged to visit him.

Finally, when the Muslim passes away from this life, his brother in faith is obliged to accompany his funeral procession, prayer and burial.

The great reward awaiting those who visit the sick was spelt out by the Prophet when he explained:

“A Muslim visiting his sick brother will continue to be in the harvest of paradise until he or she returns home.”[3]

And God’s Messenger of Mercy, Muhammad, also said:

“A visitor walking to visit a sick person will be wading in the mercy of God.  When the visitor sits with the sick one, they will be immersed in mercy until his or her return.”[4]

God Himself explained the importance of and greatness of the reward of visiting the sick. The Prophet said:

“On the Day of Resurrection, God the Mighty and Majestic will say: ‘O child of Adam! I became sick and you did not visit me!’ The person will say, ‘O Lord, how can I visit you and you are the Lord of all that Exists!’ God will say, ‘Did you not know that my slave ‘so and so’ became sick, and you did not visit him? Did you not know that if you visited him, you would have found me with him?’” (Saheeh Muslim)

As with every other virtuous deed and noble duty, Prophet Muhammad led by example.  He would both make time to personally visit the sick and also enquire after them through others.

Whilst in Mecca, for example, a pagan woman was given to throw filth and garbage upon the Prophet whenever he passed her house.  One day, the noticeable absence of the Prophet’s abuser concerned him so much that he enquired after her.  When he learnt of her sickness, he visited her.  She was so taken aback by his merciful concern and that she embraced Islam.

“Repel (the evil of your foe) with what is better: then lo!  the one between whom and you was enmity (will become to you) as if he were a dear friend.” (Quran 41:34)

The learned Companion, Anas b. Malik, also related the following episode from the life of God’s Final Prophet to humanity:

“A Jewish boy who would serve the Prophet fell sick, so the Prophet said: ‘Let us go and visit him.’  They (the Prophet and his illustrious Companions) went to visit him and found his father sitting by his head.  The Messenger of God said: ‘Proclaim that there is no true deity worthy of being worshipped except God alone, and I will intercede on your behalf on account of it on the Day of Resurrection.’  The boy looked at his father and the father said: ‘Obey Abul-Qasim (Muhammad)!’  So the boy uttered: ‘There is no true deity worthy of being worshipped except God alone, and Muhammad is the last Messenger.’  The Messenger of God then said: ‘All praise is due to God Who saved him from the Fire of Hell.’”[5]

From these two examples from life of the Prophet, we find that it is not a precondition that the sick being visited are from within the fold of Islam.  Nevertheless, from these two examples, we find that the act of visiting the sick and suffering, as exemplified by the Prophet Muhammad, can be such a touching and moving experience that it might even cure that most fateful of diseases: infidelity.

“Indeed in the Messenger of God you have an excellent example to follow for whoever hopes for [the meeting of] God and the Last Day and remembers God much.” (Quran 33:21)

The rewards for visiting the sick are great in both number and magnitude.  The Prophet Muhammad said:

“If a man calls on his sick Muslim brother, it is as if he walks reaping the fruits of Paradise until he sits, and when he sits he is showered in mercy, and if this was in the morning, seventy thousand angels pray for him until the evening, and if this was in the evening, seventy thousand angels pray for him until the morning.” (Al-Tirmidhi)

And he, Heavenly Salutations be upon him, also said:

“Whoever visits a sick person is plunging into mercy until he sits down, and when he sits down he is submerged in it.” (Silsilah Al-Saheehah)

And the Prophet also said:

“Whoever visits a sick person or visits a brother in Islam, a caller cries out to him: ‘May you be happy, may your walking be blessed, and may you occupy a dignified position in Paradise.’”[1a]

Happiness and optimism are Islamic virtues when they spring from trust and hope in God.  Likewise sadness and pessimism are sinful when they reflect a state of despair in the Almighty.  Therefore, regardless of how bad or “incurable” the illness, the one visiting the sick should encourage him with hope in God, Who has power over all things, including the chronically, even terminally ill.

“Is not He (God) able to give life to the dead?!” (Quran 75:40)

“…And in God should the believers put their trust.” (Quran 3:122)

Besides trying to help the sick forget their pain, suffering, discomfort and hardship –  even if only for a short while - the visit should also serve to boost their morale, lift their spirit and strengthen their resolve.  Abdullah b. Abbas, the cousin and Companion of the Prophet, related that when visiting a sick person, God’s Messenger would say:

“Be steadfast, may God purify you.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

What’s more, the visitor should use the occasion of his visit to remind himself and the one being visited of their total and utter dependence upon God; that it is better to suffer in this life than the Next, and that He, Most High, will reward the believer who is patient and firm when put to in trial.

“…And (righteous are those) who remain patient in times of poverty, sickness and during conflict….” (Quran 2:177)

Tactful speech is advisable during the best of times.  The one visiting the sick ought to be especially sensitive and careful with his words when in the presence of the suffering.  After all, exacerbating the patient’s distress might lead to a worsening of their physical condition.  And just because a person may be incapacitated due to their sickness, it does not mean that they forfeit their right to be obeyed in their own house, nor that their privacy go un-respected.  The scholar of Islam, Imam Ibn Abdul-Barr, wrote in his book of Islamic jurisprudence, Al-Kafi:

“Whether you visit a healthy or an ill person, you ought to sit where you are told.  Hosts know better how to ensure privacy in their home.  Visiting an ill person is a confirmed Sunnah.  The best visit is the shortest.  The visitor ought not to sit too long with an ill person, unless they are close friends and the ill person enjoys their company.”

As for the length of the visit, if the visitor is sincere in his intention, once he has achieved the objective of his visit, he would have no reason to burden the sick person with a prolonged stay and unnecessary disturbance.  The Syrian scholar, Shaykh Abdul-Fatah Abu Ghuddah, wrote in his book on Islamic manners:

“The length of the visit should not be longer than the time between the two sermons of Friday.  In this respect, it was said that the visit should be long enough to convey salaams and wishes, to ask the sick how they are doing, to pray for their recovery and to leave immediately after bidding them farewell.”

The point being that the visitor must show compassion at every moment and opportunity: compassion through the appropriateness of his words, compassion through the correctness of his conduct, and compassion through the brevity of his stay; all in the sure knowledge that doing so would lend him towards God’s Compassion, as His Beloved Prophet said:

“Show mercy to those on earth, the One above the heavens will show mercy upon you.”

And from the most compassionate of actions is to emulate the Sunnah (inspired practice) of the Prophet Muhammad in visiting the sick.  That is because to say and do as he did is the surest way to bring about success in both this life and the Next, for both the visitor and the one being visited.  From the many Prophetic narrations that have reached us in this regard is the narration of A’isha, the wife of the Prophet, where she said:

“If someone fell sick, the Prophet would pass his right hand over them while saying the following prayer: ‘O Lord of humanity!,  take away the suffering, bring the recovery, there is no cure but Your cure that leaves no illness.’” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim)

Also, from the practice of the Prophet when visiting the sick was to say:

“No worry.  It is a cleansing and purification, if God so wills.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

Let us hope and pray that each and every affliction we experience is a blessing in disguise, a cleansing and purification of both our body and soul from every harm and impurity.  And may our visiting others during their sickness bring us and them reward from He Who is Most High.  And in God we seek refuge. - islamreligion.com

FOOTNOTES:

[1]Saheeh Muslim.

[2]Related by Abu Hurayra in Saheeh Bukhari.

[3]Saheeh Muslim.

[4]Imam Ahmad and Ibn Hibban.

[5]Ibn Hibban.

[1a]Al-Tirmidhi.

How to Attain the Highest Level of Jannah

 

Masjid Bandaraya Kuching, Masjid Bahagian Kuching, Jalan Datuk Ajibah Abol, Kampung No3, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia

How to attain the highest level of Paradise:

“Behold! Truly the friends of God, no fear shall come upon them, nor shall they grieve: those who believe and are reverent. For them are glad tidings in the life of this world and in the Hereafter. There is no altering the Words of God. That is the great triumph.” (Yunus 10: 62-64)

Another verse describes the traits of those who are destined for success:

“For submitting men and submitting women, believing men and believing women, devout men and devout women, truthful men and truthful women, patient men and patient women, humble men and humble women, charitable men and charitable women, men who fast and women who fast, men who guard their private parts and women who guard [their private parts], men who remember God often and women who remember [God often], God has prepared forgiveness and a great reward.” (Al-Ahzab 33:35)

When we seek further details from the Prophetic traditions, we can find the following specific traits of character and actions:

• Love of Allah and His messenger and striving hard to please Allah by performing the obligatory duties that Allah has ordained with sincerity and devotion while staying away from all things He has forbidden.
• Honoring one’s parents and serving them with kindness and love without causing them offense or hurt in words or deeds;
• Kindness towards one’s parent, the kith and kin, the poor and the needy and the weak, and acting mercifully towards all of God’s creation;
• Constancy in dhikr is a valuable asset and a sure guarantee of paradise. When someone asked the Prophet (peace be upon him): Tell me one thing that I could cling to always. He replied, “Let your tongue be always moist with dhikr or remembrance of Allah.” 
• Finally, let another piece of Prophetic advice be a guide for your life. When one of the Prophet’s companions asked him: “Tell me something that would guarantee me paradise; the Prophet told him: “Be mindful of Allah always; if you happen to sin, (seek repentance and expiate it) by good deeds and interact with people with the best of character.” 

I pray to Allah to inspire us to practice the above traits and be mindful of Allah while developing noble character traits.

Almighty Allah knows best.

About Sheikh Ahmad Kutty

Sheikh Ahmad Kutty is a Senior Lecturer and an Islamic Scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada

- aboutislam.net

SOME OF THE SCIENTIFIC MIRACLES IN BRIEF

 

Ever since the dawn of mankind, we have sought to understand nature and our place in it.  In this quest for the purpose of life many people have turned to religion.  Most religions are based on books claimed by their followers to be divinely inspired, without any proof.  Islam is different because it is based upon reason and proof.

There are clear signs that the book of Islam, the Quran, is the word of God and we have many reasons to support this claim:

·       There are scientific and historical facts found in the Quran which were unknown to the people at the time, and have only been discovered recently by contemporary science. 

·       The Quran is in a unique style of language that cannot be replicated, this is known as the ‘Inimitability of the Quran.’

·       There are prophecies made in the Quran and by the Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, which have come to be pass. 

This article lays out and explains the scientific facts that are found in the Quran, centuries before they were ‘discovered’ in contemporary science.  It is important to note that the Quran is not a book of science but a book of ‘signs’.  These signs are there for people to recognise God’s existence and affirm His revelation.  As we know, science sometimes takes a ‘U-turn’ where what once scientifically correct is false a few years later.  In this article only established scientific facts are considered, not just theories or hypothesis.

Scientific Facts in the Quran

The Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in the 7th century.

Science at the time was primitive, there were no telescopes, microscopes or anything even close to the technology we have today.  People believed that the sun orbited the earth and that the sky was held up by big pillars at the corners of a flat earth.  Within this backdrop the Quran was revealed, and it contains many scientific facts on topics ranging from astronomy to biology, geology to sociology.

Some people may claim that the Quran was changed as new scientific facts were discovered but this cannot be the case because it is a historically documented fact that the Quran is preserved in its original language[1].  The Quran was written down and memorised by people during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad.  One of the copies of the Quran which was written a few years after the death of the Prophet Muhammad is preserved in a museum in Uzbekistan.  This copy is over 1400 years old and is exactly the same as the Arabic Quran that we have today[2].

The following are nine scientific facts found in the Quran:

1.  Origin of Life

Water is essential for all living things.  We all know that water is vital to life but the Quran makes a very unusual claim:

We made every living thing from water? Will they not believe? (Quran 21:30)

In this verse water is pointed out as the origin of all life.  All living things are made of cells.  We now know that cells are mostly made up of water[3].  For example, 80% of the cytoplasm (basic cell material) of a standard animal cell is described as water in biology textbooks.

The fact that living things consist mostly of water was discovered only after the invention of the microscope.  In the deserts of Arabia, the last thing someone would have guessed is that all life came from water.

2.  Iron

Iron is not natural to the earth.  It did not form on the earth but came down to earth from outer space.  This may sound strange but it’s true.  Scientists have found that billions of years ago the earth was stuck by meteorites.  These meteorites were carrying Iron from distant stars which had exploded[4].

The Quran says the following on the origin of Iron:

“We sent down Iron with its great inherent strength and its many benefits for humankind.” (Quran 57:25)

God uses the words ‘sent down’ for Iron.  It is clear from the verse that Iron is not an earthly material, but was sent down for the benefit of humanity.  The fact that Iron came down to earth from outer space is something which could not be known by the primitive science of the 7th century.

3.  Sky’s Protection

The sky plays a crucial role in protecting the earth.  The sky protects the earth from the lethal rays of the sun.  If the sky did not exist then the sun’s radiation would have killed off all life on earth.  It also acts like a blanket wrapped around the earth, to protect it from the freezing cold of space.  The temperature just above the sky is approximately -270oC.  If this temperature was to reach earth then the planet would freeze over instantly.  The sky also protects life on earth by warming the surface through heat retention (greenhouse effect), and reducing temperature extremes between day and night[5].  These are some of the many protective functions of the sky.

The Quran asks us to consider the sky in the following verse:

“We made the sky a protective ceiling.  And yet they are turning away from Our signs!” (Quran 21:32)

The Quran points to the sky’s protection as a sign of God.  The protective properties of the sky were discovered by scientific research conducted in the 20th century.

4.  Mountains

The Quran draws our attention to a very important characteristic of mountains:

“Did We not make the earth a resting place? And the mountains as stakes?” (Quran 78:6-7)

The Quran indicates that mountains have deep roots by using the word stakes to describe them.  In fact mountains do have deep roots, and the word stakes is an accurate description for them.  A book titled ‘Earth’ by Geophysicist Frank Press explains that mountains are like stakes, and are buried deep under the surface of the earth. Mount Everest (pictured below), the height of which is approximately 9 km above ground, has a root deeper than 125 km.

The fact that mountains have deep ‘stake’ like roots was not known, until after the development of the theory of plate tectonics in the beginning of the 20th century.[6]

5.  Expansion of the Universe

At a time when the science of Astronomy was still primitive, the expansion of the universe was described in Quran:

“And it is We who have built the Universe with [Our creative] power and keep expanding it.” (Quran 51:47)

The fact that the universe is expanding was discovered in the last century.  The physicist Stephen Hawking in his book ‘A Brief History of Time’ writes, “The discovery that the universe is expanding was one of the great intellectual revolutions of the 20th century.”.

The Quran mentioned the expansion of the universe even before the invention of the telescope!

6.  Sun’s Orbit

In 1512 the astronomer Nicholas Copernicus put forward his theory that the Sun is motionless at the centre of the solar system, and that the planets revolve around it.  The belief that the Sun is stationary was widespread amongst astronomers until the 20th century.  It is now a well-established scientific fact that the Sun is not stationary, but is moving in an orbit around the centre of our Milky Way galaxy[7].

The Quran mentions the orbit of the Sun:

“It is He who created night and day, the Sun and the Moon, each floating in its orbit.” (Quran 21:33)

The Quran would have been wrong according to astronomers just a couple of decades ago.  But we now know that the Quranic account of the Sun’s motion is consistent with modern Astronomy.

7.  The Ocean

The Quran uses imagery to covey its deep meanings, here it describes the state of the unbelievers as:

“Darkness out in a deep ocean which is covered by waves, above which are waves, above which are clouds, layers of darkness, one upon the other.  When one puts out his hand [therein], he can hardly see it.  Those God gives no light to, they have no light.” (Quran 24:40)

It is commonly thought that waves only occur on the surface of the ocean.  However oceanographers have discovered that there are internal waves that take place below the surface of the ocean.  These waves are invisible to the human eye, and can only be detected by specialist equipment[8].  The Quran mentions darkness in a deep ocean above which are waves, above which are waves, then clouds above that.  This description is not only remarkable because it describes the internal waves in the ocean, but also because it describes darkness deep in the ocean.  A human being can dive no more than 70 metres without breathing equipment.  Light is present at that depth, but if we go down 1000 metres it is completely dark[9].  1400 years ago there were no submarines or specialist equipment to discover internal waves or the darkness deep inside the oceans.

8.  Lying and Movement

There was a cruel oppressive tribal leader named Abu Jahl who lived during the time of Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him.  God revealed a verse of the Quran to warn him:

“No Indeed! If he does not stop, We will seize him by the forehead, his lying, sinful forehead.” (Quran 96:15-16)

God does not call this person a liar, but calls his forehead (the front part of the brain) ‘lying’ and ‘sinful’, and warns him to stop.

This verse is significant for two reasons.  The first is that the front part of our brain is responsible for voluntary movement[10].This is known as the frontal lobe.  A book titled ‘Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology’ which includes the results of research on the functions of this area states: The motivation and the foresight to plan and initiate movements occur in the anterior portion of the frontal lobes, the prefrontal area[11].  The part of the brain that is responsible for movement is said to be seized if the man does not stop.

Secondly, numerous studies have shown that this same region (frontal lobe) is responsible for the lying function of the brain[12].  One such study at the University of Pennsylvania in which volunteers were asked questions during a computerized interrogation, it was found that when the volunteers were lying there was significantly increased activity in the prefrontal and premotor cortices (frontal lobe region)[13].

The front part of the brain is responsible for movement and lying.  The Quran links movement and lying to this area.  These functions of the frontal lobe were discovered with medical imaging equipment which was developed in the 20th century.

9.  Pain Receptors

For a long time it was thought that the sense of feeling and pain was dependent on the brain.  However it has been discovered that there are pain receptors present in the skin[14].  Without these pain receptors, a person would not be able to feel pain.

Consider the following verse on pain:

“We shall send those who reject Our revelations to the (Hell) Fire.  When their skins have been burned away, We shall replace them with new ones so that they may continue to feel the pain: God is Almighty, All-Wise.” (Quran 4:56)

God tells the people who reject his message that when they are in Hell and their skins are burnt off (so they can’t feel any pain), he will give them new skins so that they continue to feel the pain.

The Quran makes it clear that pain is dependent upon on the skin.  The discovery of pain receptors in the skin is a fairly recent discovery for Biology.

Conclusion

These are just some of the many scientific facts found in the Quran.  It is important to note that the Quran is not a book of science, but that it is consistent with science.  To claim that scientific facts in the Quran are due to coincidence would be irrational.  The best explanation is that God revealed this knowledge to the Prophet Muhammad.

Just like the Quran contains knowledge about the natural world, it also contains information about the inner dimensions of our souls.  It relates to our feelings, wants and needs.  The Quran informs us that we have a purpose in life, and that following God’s guidance will lead us to inner peace in this life, and Paradise in the hereafter.  And that rejection of his message will lead to depression in this life and Hellfire after death.

“We shall show them Our signs in the Universe and within themselves, until it becomes clear to them that this is the Truth.  Is it not enough that your Lord is the witness of all things?” (Quran 41:53)

-islamreligion.com

FOOTNOTES:

[1]The Magnificent Qur’an: A Unique History of Preservation

[2](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4581684.stm)

[3]Bruce Alberts, Essential Cell Biology

[4]M. E. Walrath, History of the Earth’s Formation

[5]Joseph M. Moran, Meteorology: the Atmosphere and the Science of Weather [7] Terry A. Hicks, How Do Mountains Form? [8] Frank Press and Raymond Siever, Earth

[6]Naomi Oreskes, Plate Tectonics: An Insider’s History Of The Modern Theory Of The Earth [10] Stephen Hawking, A Brief History Of Time

[7]Lambert M. Surhone, Orbital Period: Orbit, Sun, Earth, Conjunction, Orbital Node, Apsis, Semi-Major Axis

[8]M. Grant Gross, Oceanography: A View of Earth

[9]Danny Elder, Oceans

[10](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2289137)

[11]Rod R. Seeley, Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology

[12](http://cercor.oxfordjournals.org/content/20/1/205.full.pdf)

[13] (http://www.americanscientist.org/issues/pub/2002/3/diogenes-new-lamp)

[14] Michael Darmon, Molecular Biology of the Skin: The Keratinocyte

Looking After Our Parents In Old Age

 

Old age is going to happen to the vast majority of us. We have to repay our parents for bringing us up. It is our responsibility of looking after parents in old age.

- aboutislam.net

WHY DO MUSLIMS CALL OTHERS TO ISLAM?

 

If you discovered something so amazing you felt like jumping up and down in excitement, what is the first thing that you would want to do?  If you worked out the answer to a puzzle and knew others were trying to do the same thing, how would you feel, how would you react?  If you discovered the meaning of life or the secrets of the universe, what would you do with that knowledge? If you worked out a way of banishing fear and sadness and replacing it with eternal happiness what would you do? 

Most people would not be able to contain their excitement and would want to tell as many people as possible.  They would want to tell everyone what they had discovered in the hope that they would be just as thrilled and just as excited.  And that is the short and concise answer to why Muslims call others to Islam.  Because they are convinced without a shadow of a doubt that Islam is the meaning of life, the secret of the universe and the key to eternal happiness are all rolled into an attainable and understandable package and they want every single person on the face of this earth to know that.

But there is a longer answer and it involves obeying the commands of God, following in the footsteps of the prophets, and gathering rewards in the hope of attaining eternal peace and happiness in the Afterlife.

Islam is what is sometimes called a proselytizing religion.  That means it is a religion that attempts to convince people that its belief system is the correct belief system.  Islam is a religion that not only holds all of the answers to life’s big questions but it is also inclusive in that there are no restrictions on who can be a Muslim.  Islam is a religion for all places, all time and all people.  No one can be barred from learning the truth no matter what their religious background is, or what ethnicity or nationality they belong to.   

Once a person is a Muslim, he or she is fully equal to every other Muslim and it does not matter where they are from, what they look like or what the state of their lives and hearts was before they embraced Islam.   The truth about God and His purpose for us, His creation, is something everybody should have access to.  Thus those of us who know are commanded by God, to tell others. 

"Let there be a group among you who call others to good, and enjoin what is right, and forbid what is wrong: those who do this shall be successful." (Quran 3:104)

"Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and fair preaching, and argue with them in the best manner possible…" (Quran 16:125)

Most people want to spread the exciting news about Islam and at the same time fulfill the commands of God.  The scholars of Islam agree that calling others to the way of God is a communal obligation, that is that every believer should undertake this great work, however if in a particular place there are a sufficient number of people doing this,  the others are released from this obligation.

This work is called da’wah and the person who engages in it is called a da’ee.   However it would be wrong to assume that only specialized people can do da’wah.  Of course, preaching to a large crowd would require training, but the reality is that all practicing Muslims do some form of da’wah every day.  Their manner of living and dealing with others is often the best forms of da’wah.  Islam is a way of life and when people see the contentment, modesty and justice imbedded in a Muslims’ everyday life - it must, and does, look very appealing.  Being a good example is an easy way to call the people to Islam.  A religion of mercy and forgiveness where the people behave that way every day is attractive, to those whose lives are not so grounded.

From the reasons that people like to call others to the way of Islam is that they wish to follow in the footsteps of the prophets of God.  Their mission was to call the people out of darkness and into light.  They tried to take the people from disbelief to belief in the Oneness of God.  Prophet Muhammad, the last in a long line of prophets was sent to humankind by God to tell them, among other things, about the immense rewards in the Hereafter for those who believe in One God and worship Him correctly.   

"We have not sent you (O Muhammad) but to all mankind as a giver of good news and as a warner, but most people do not know." (Quran 34:28)

"O Prophet, indeed We have sent you as a witness, and a bearer of glad tidings and a warner.  And as one who invites to God by His leave and as a lamp spreading light.  And announce to the believers the glad tidings, that they will have from God a great bounty." (Quran 33:45-47)

Another reason to do da’wah is that it is a source of unlimited goodness and reward.  When a person embraces Islam because of another’s influence the caller to Islam takes rewards every time that person worships God.   Prophet Muhammad said, "Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to that of those who follow it, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all."[1] He also said, "If God guides one person through you, this will be better for you than possessing red camels."[2]  In the time of Prophet Muhammad, camels were very valuable and the red variety were the most valuable of all.

Muslims believe that the only way to be successful in this life and in the next is by living the religion that is Islam.  They believe that all of life’s big questions, the one’s that keep you up at night and the ones that make you day dream about an eternity of enlightenment, can be answered by Islam.  Sincerity is an important concept in Islam; those who are insincere know their rewards will dwindle rapidly.  Those believers who sincerely want to spread the good news of Islam can see their rewards multiply even if their efforts are unsuccessful.  Muslims sincerely want everybody on this planet to know and to love God the way they know and love God.  And that is why Muslims call others to Islam. - islamreligion.com

FOOTNOTES:

[1]Saheeh Muslim

[2]Saheeh Bukhari & Saheeh Muslim

Virtues of Seeking Knowledge

 

Allah Almighty says (what means): {Allah witnesses that there is no deity except Him, and [so do] the angels and those of knowledge – [that He is] maintaining [creation] in justice. There is no deity except Him, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.} [Quran 3: 18]

{So know [O Muhammad] that there is no deity except Allah and ask forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and believing women. And Allah knows of your movement and your resting place.} [Quran 47: 19]

He, Almighty, also says (what means): {and say: My Lord, increase me in knowledge.} [Quran 20: 114]

‘Uthman  narrated that the Prophet  said, “The best among you are those who learn Quran and teach it to others.” [Al-Bukhari]

Abu Hurayrah  narrated that the Messenger of Allah  said:

Whoever relieves a believer of a suffering of the sufferings of the worldly life, Allah will relieve him of a suffering from the sufferings of the Day of Resurrection. Whoever alleviates the hardship of someone in distress, Allah will alleviate his hardship in the worldly life and the Hereafter. Whoever conceals (the faults) of a Muslim, Allah will conceal his faults in the worldly life and in the Hereafter. Allah helps a servant so long as the servant is helping his brother. And whoever treads a path in search for knowledge, Allah will make that path lead him easily to Paradise. [Muslim]

Mu‘awiyah  narrated that the Messenger of Allah  said:

The one for whom Allah intends good, He gives him understanding of the religion. And I am only the distributor, while Allah is the Bestower. There shall remain a group of my Ummah victorious over those who contradict them until the command of Allah Almighty comes while they are victorious. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] - islamweb.net