The Beginning of Da’wah

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

In Hayat asw-Swahabah, Sayyidah Umm Haram bint Milhan (r.a.), a swahabiyyah was married to Sayyidina ‘Ubadah ibn asw-Swamit al-Answari (r.a.).  Along with her husband, she undertook several trips to foreign countries.  Now her maqam is in Cyprus, and is called the maqam of the pious woman.  The maqam of Sayyidina Abu Sulayman Khalid ibn al-Walid (r.a.), who was born in Makkah, is in Homs.  The maqam of Sayyidina Sa’d ibn Abu Waqqasw (r.a.) is in Canton, China.  He is the maternal uncle of the Prophet (s.a.w.).  That is a long way from home. 

The same is the case with the majority of the swahabah of Rasulullah (s.a.w.).  At the time of the Prophet’s (s.a.w.) passing, his companions numbered more than one hundred thousand.  However, it is worth noting that if we go to Makkah and Madina, we will find only a small number of graves there.  The reason for this is that these companions left Arabia and spread to various countries far and beyond its borders.  The majority of them breathed their last in various Asian and African countries, where their graves still exist. 

Why did this happen?  As recorded in Sirah ibn Hashim, during his last days, the Prophet (s.a.w.) gathered his companions together in the masjid in Madina and addressed them in these words, “Allah (s.w.t.) has Sent me as His Messenger for the entire world.  So you do not differ with one another.  And spread in the land and communicate my message to people inhabiting other places besides Arabia.” 

It was this injunction of the Prophet (s.a.w.) that led to the swahabah settling in foreign lands.  In those countries, they either did business or earned their living by hard work, all the while communicating to their non-Muslim compatriots the message of Islam which they had received from the Prophet (s.a.w.).  Every one of them became an ambassador of Islam.  This resulted in Islam spreading across the globe.  Its evidence can still be seen in the inhabited world of that time. 

Islam has since spread all over the world since then.  Now, we are Muslims living amongst non-Muslims.  Each and every Muslim is an ambassador of Islam, whether for good or for ill.  Each one of us is a representative of Muhammad (s.a.w.), Allah’s (s.w.t.) Chosen Representative.  It is important for us to remember that.  So, the next time we meet someone who is not a Muslim, we must remember to show them the beauty of Islam; not by words but by acting as our Prophet (s.a.w.) did. 

سُوۡرَةُ النّحل

ٱدۡعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِٱلۡحِكۡمَةِ وَٱلۡمَوۡعِظَةِ ٱلۡحَسَنَةِ‌ۖ وَجَـٰدِلۡهُم بِٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحۡسَنُ‌ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ‌ۖ وَهُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِٱلۡمُهۡتَدِينَ (١٢٥) 

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: for your Lord Knows, best who have strayed from His Path, and who receive Guidance. (Surah an-Nahl:125)