International HIV Fund

Wednesday 15 December 2010

Islamic Dawah at a Critical Crossroad (By Dr Hany El Banna)



Islamic dawah (Islamic education) has reached a critical crossroad. At one side of the crossroad is the dire need of the community for knowledge to be used as action and to be carried by religious and community leaders. On the other side of the crossroad there is a plethora of religions and community leaders who are airing their views through magnanimous road show events.

The people in the middle are desperate, confused, and bewildered.

The glamour of the road show does not solve their personal or community problems. Family issues such as marriage and divorce, violence, denial of rights, as well as general bad habits such as the chewing of qat, paan, and supari, stop some of these community leaders and Imams from fulfilling their duties.

This reminds us of the teaching of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) when he reminded the community that the curse of God will affect the people of knowledge and power before affecting the general people since these leaders did not execute their knowledge to help and serve the community.
The first three people that Allah (SWT) will throw into hellfire are as follows: the martyr, the hafiz, and the scholar who became what they were so that they could be called a martyr, hafiz, and scholar. They did not act sincerely upon the knowledge they had.

I hope that we act upon the little knowledge we have to save the greater community that we belong to.

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